INTERVIEW: Craig Witherspoon Reacts To Failing Schools List
Birmingham– Today the Alabama State Department of Education released its list of 78 schools considered failing under the controversial Alabama Accountability Act. The law will provide tax credits for students zoned for failing schools to offset the costs of attending a non-failing public school or private school. Most of the so-called failing schools listed today are middle schools — that’s partly because at that level in Alabama, all those grades take standardized tests. Most of the schools were also in urban areas or the Black Belt.
State Superintendent Tommy Bice and Birmingham Superintendent Craig Witherspoon say the standards mandated by the law do not adequately take into account recent improvements schools have made. Eleven schools on the list are Birmingham City Schools. Our Southern Education Desk reporter Dan Carsen caught up with Birmingham Superintendent Witherspoon today to get his reaction.
Justice Department accuses 6 major landlords of keeping rents high
The lawsuit arrives as U.S. renters continue to struggle. The latest figures show that half of American renters spent more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities in 2022, an all-time high.
The NHL postpones a game and the Lakers coach evacuates his family amid LA fires
The fires burning across Los Angeles have affected tens of thousands of people, including athletes and staff for the city's sports teams. Pasadena's iconic Rose Bowl was under evacuation warning.
Fire hydrants ran dry in Pacific Palisades as a major wildfire raged
Janisse Quiñones, CEO of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, said the fight to contain the flames has put immense strain on the system.
In D.C.’s bitter cold, a homeless shelter offers hot food and some hope
NPR visited a homeless shelter in Washington, D.C., to see how residents and staff are faring during a cold emergency. The shelter is busy year-round, though the frigid weather brings in more people.
How to get more movement into your screen-filled life. No gym required.
Research shows that 5-minute walking breaks every half hour offset the harm of too much sitting. But that is easier said than done. These 5 tips can help you maintain movement throughout your day.
What are the Santa Ana winds and how are they impacting the LA wildfires?
Although the Santa Anas are a routine part of life for people living in southern California, the winds are particularly violent and destructive this time around, experts say.
