Birmingham City Schools Enrollment Shows Slight Increase For First Time In Decades
Something happened in Birmingham schools this year, that hasn’t happened in more than three decades – the system didn’t have a drop in enrollment.
Birmingham City Schools showed a slight increase in enrollment with a total of 24,290 students. That’s three more than the year before — a shift for a school system where steady enrollment declines in previous years had forced cuts in staff and services.
Newly elected Birmingham School Board President Wardine Alexander says this milestone can benefit the district.
“By increasing the number of students that increases the funding we get from the state. It also gives us an opportunity to provide more programs,” she says.
Kindergarten and primary grades account for the strongest enrollment in the system with more than 2,000 students in each grade from pre-K to Third, according to data from the State Department of Education.
Alexander says the school system has increased the number of pre-K programs and hopes strong enrollment there and in primary grades will fuel future growth.
Pipe bomb suspect told FBI he targeted U.S. political parties, memo says
The man accused of placing two pipe bombs in Washington on the eve of Jan. 6, 2021 told investigators someone needed to "speak up" for people who believed the 2020 election was stolen, prosecutors said Sunday.
Chinese military stages drills around Taiwan to warn ‘external forces’
The drills came after Beijing expressed anger at U.S. arms sales, and a statement by Japan's prime minister saying its military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan.
Trump and Netanyahu to meet in Florida at a crucial moment for the Gaza ceasefire
President Trump could use the face-to-face at his Mar-a-Lago estate to look for ways to speed up the peace process, as Israel's leader has been accused of not pushing his side to move fast enough.
‘Bomb cyclone’ forecasted to bring heavy snow, blizzard conditions and dangerous travel
A 'bomb cyclone' is intensifying severe winter weather for millions of people across the U.S. The system is expected to knock out power and disrupt holiday travel.
Russia sends 3 Iranian satellites into orbit, report says
The report said that a Russian rocket sent the satellites on Sunday from a launchpad in eastern Russia.
Viral global TikToks: A twist on soccer, Tanzania’s Charlie Chaplin, hope in Gaza
TikToks are everywhere (well, except countries like Australia and India, where they've been banned.) We talk to the creators of some of the year's most popular reels from the Global South.
