State Commission Approves Birmingham Charter School
The Alabama Public Charter School Commission approved plans for a new charter school in Birmingham Monday. The Birmingham school board rejected the i3 Academy application in January, and school organizers appealed to the state.
The next step is for i3 Academy and the state to negotiate a contract for the school. It will outline expectations for academic performance, school operations and finances, school officials say.
Logan Searcy, the Alabama State Department of Education’s liaison to the charter school commission, says the charter school contracts are legally binding agreements.
“The perception that charter schools (in Alabama) are not accountable is not accurate,” Searcy says. “Charter schools have expectations. If they don’t meet those expectations, they can be closed in five years.”
The state will review the school annually, she says.
Tommy Bice, former state education superintendent, is part of the team working to establish i3 Academy. He says they will open the school with the expectation that students can perform at a higher level.
“All kids can learn when given the right instruction,” Bice says.
I3 Academy will offer grades K-5 in the Woodlawn area. Enrollment will be open to any student in Birmingham, according to the school’s proposal.
After negotiating the contract with the state, Bice says school leaders will look at the type of teachers needed to help students achieve their best.
Charter schools receive public funds. State law gives them flexibility to operate separately from the traditional school board.
Because i3 Academy was rejected by the Birmingham school board, the Birmingham board will not oversee school operations.
I3 Academy plans to open in the Woodlawn area in 2020. It will be the second Birmingham-area charter school. Legacy Prep is scheduled to open in August in west Birmingham.
Ukraine’s combat amputees cling to hope as a weapon of war
Along with a growing number of war-wounded amputees, Mykhailo Varvarych and Iryna Botvynska are navigating an altered destiny after Varvarych lost both his legs during the Russian invasion.
University students hold new protests in Iran around memorials for those killed
Iran's state news agency said students protested at five universities in the capital, Tehran, and one in the city of Mashhad on Sunday.
Pakistan claims to have killed at least 70 militants in strikes along Afghan border
Pakistan's military killed at least 70 militants in strikes along the border with Afghanistan early Sunday, the deputy interior minister said.
Team USA faces tough Canadian squad in Olympic gold medal hockey game
In the first Olympics with stars of the NHL competing in over a decade, a talent-packed Team USA faces a tough test against Canada.
PHOTOS: Your car has a lot to say about who you are
Photographer Martin Roemer visited 22 countries — from the U.S. to Senegal to India — to show how our identities are connected to our mode of transportation.
Looking for life purpose? Start with building social ties
Research shows that having a sense of purpose can lower stress levels and boost our mental health. Finding meaning may not have to be an ambitious project.
