Education
Birmingham school aims to bring Montessori to Black families
Montessori is an education philosophy that emphasizes student-led learning. It also tends to be associated with rich, suburban families. One Montessori school in Birmingham is flipping that stereotype.
‘Were you scared?’: Birmingham family talks about civil rights then and now
71-year-old Birmingham native Jeff Drew took part in the movement starting as a young child. Drew sat down with his 14-year-old granddaughter Sidnee King to talk about civil rights then and now.
Kids’ reading scores have soared in Deep South states
Mississippi went from being ranked the second-worst state in 2013 for fourth-grade reading to 21st in 2022. Louisiana and Alabama, meanwhile, were among only three states to see modest gains in fourth-grade reading during the pandemic.
60 years later, kids still march in Birmingham
Sixty years ago thousands of children took to the streets in Birmingham to protest against racism and discrimination. On Friday, teens from around the city gathered to reenact this historic moment known as the Children’s Crusade.
Fentanyl is killing more young people in Alabama
The fentanyl epidemic has opened a new front for schools in the fight against illegal drugs. That’s changing how groups educate students and parents about opioids and harm reduction.
Any school can get you a diploma. This school might get you a house
Fewer young people want to work in trade jobs than ever before, and that’s left a hole in the job market. A private school in Birmingham is giving some young people skills needed to address that problem.
Alabama governor defends dismissal of education leader
Gov. Kay Ivey replaced a Cabinet member who oversaw the state's award-winning prekindergarten program because of a teacher training book with language about inclusion and combatting structural racism, she said Thursday.
Alabama education director ousted over book’s stance on race
Barbara Cooper was forced out as as head of the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education after Ivey expressed concern over the distribution of the book to state-run pre-kindergartens.
Birmingham-Southern College to stay open — for now
The decision follows a few tense months after years of financial stress came to a head in December. The private college is asking for $37 million in public money. It hasn’t received that money, but the future's looking brighter for students.
Alabama medicinal plants inspire new UAB art exhibit
The new art exhibit showcases handmade books, sculptures and drawings inspired by medicinal plants found in Alabama.
An inside look at an AP African American Studies class
As Southern political leaders continue to take aim at critical race theory in education, students at Baton Rouge Magnet High call the AP pilot class empowering.
Birmingham City Council delays BSC funding decision until at least mid-April
The struggling college is seeking $30 million from Alabama’s Education Trust Fund, as well as $5 million from Birmingham and $2.5 million from Jefferson County.
BSC prez ‘disappointed’ legislature didn’t approve funding but will continue push to stay open
The Alabama Legislature opted not to spend some of the state’s $1 billion-plus allocation from the American Rescue Plan Act to keep the financially troubled liberal arts college open.
Hoover says a girls basketball team’s treatment after topping the boys is a miscommunication
After a parent wrote a Facebook post alleging gender discrimination when a girls' basketball team was denied trophies, Hoover City officials said it came down to policy.
How a rare edition of ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ traveled from Italy to Lawson State
Lawson State Community College now owns a rare copy of one of the most influential books in American history. And it took a 5,000 mile journey to get there.
Preparing for the ‘experience of a lifetime’: Birmingham students to sing at Carnegie Hall
The choir at Ramsay High School is heading to Carnegie Hall this May. It’s an opportunity to boost school pride, but also to give some students the experience of a lifetime.
A local hip-hop education group teaches kids life skills
Here in Birmingham, the education collective Knowledge Rhythm and Understanding, known as K.R.U., is using the music genre to teach life skills.
‘Ruffed’ up by school? These dogs help Birmingham students with stress
Comforting kids is a family affair for Foxie and Merlin. The facility dogs are being used as a new tool to help students manage stress and mental health while at school.
Some kids in Birmingham dodge trains and cars walking to school. More buses could help
Alabama only has to provide bus access for families that live within two miles of their school, which leaves some families having to walk in dangerous conditions. Birmingham City Schools is trying to add new routes to address these concerns.
Hoover City Schools canceled Derrick Barnes’ visit. He says it’s political
Hoover school officials say they canceled the Black children's book author's visit due to a controversial social media post. Officials never saw the post after an anonymous parent reported it.
Birmingham-Southern president says he’ll do everything possible to keep the college open
Birmingham-Southern College, a private institution, is asking the state to help bail it out after financial troubles. School President Daniel Coleman shared with WBHM what he sees as the path ahead for the college.
An old school in Birmingham’s Bush Hills is now an urban farm. Residents are thinking bigger
The Bush Hills Community Garden and Urban Farm grows truckloads of produce each year that’s given to area residents free of charge. In addition, the old elementary school on the property will soon be home to a teaching kitchen and community center.
Students and faculty nervous about Birmingham-Southern’s financial stress, possible closing
Students, alumni and faculty of Birmingham-Southern College are nervous after school officials revealed the campus could close as early as next year. The private college is now asking for $37 million in public money, most of it from the state, to keep the doors open.
Private Alabama college seeks bailout, warning it may close
State legislators warn that Birmngham-Southern College may close within months without money from the state and county.
Recorded state government meetings available through new League of Women Voters channel
The Alabama Channel will capture and save live video recordings of legislative meetings and make them available to the public online and on demand.
Birmingham City Council approves violence-reduction effort for city high schools
The program involves community mentors, called “coaches,” meeting with groups of at-risk students twice a week.
City officials want parents to combat gun violence. Community leaders say it’s not that simple
Officials point to parents and the need for strong community networks to stop gun violence in Birmingham. They say it takes a village. But it’s not just the people in charge saying that, it’s also kids, activists, and the parents themselves.
Teens say Birmingham’s gun violence takes a heavy toll
At least 11 students in Birmingham have died due to gun violence since the beginning of the year, and their peers say the ongoing issue causes their mental health to suffer.
Childhood literacy program to expand after Birmingham approves funding
The $1 million will help Birmingham Talks, more than triple its reach to 3,500 students across all 99 neighborhoods over the next three years.
How one small town is teaching English to kids of immigrants
Russellville, with large numbers of Hispanic immigrants, is using federal COVID-19 relief money for an experiment to serve students who are still learning English. They are hiring and certifying more local, Spanish-speaking staff.
New aviation charter school aims to diversify the cockpit
Since the pandemic began, the aviation industry is down two-million workers and those who remain are overwhelmingly white. One new charter school in Bessemer hopes to address both issues by preparing diverse students for jobs in aviation.
School resource officers turn to mental health to make kids safer
Parents’ school safety concerns carry more weight this year after the mass shooting in May at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. School resource officers in Hoover are adjusting by placing a greater emphasis on mental health.
