Armistead Applauds Movement on Charter School Legislation
BIRMINGHAM, AL – Alabama is one step closer to landmark reform of Alabama education thanks to Republicans in the House and Senate. This week, a House Committee approved the Education Options Act of 2012 (HB 541), sponsored by Rep. Phil Williams (R – Huntsville). The bill will help educators cultivate innovative schools that will accommodate a wider variety of students and learning styles.
The bill’s key goals are to “develop innovative plans through flexibility from burdensome state laws and regulations in exchange for greater accountability,” and “establish public charter schools in districts with persistently low-performing schools.”
Bill Armistead, Alabama Republican Party Chairman, noted “We can call this a victory for Alabama’s children and their parents. Public charter schools will bring something we’ve needed for so long: greater options for a quality education and greater accountability.
Armistead continued, “We cannot reach the goal of better schools without giving parents, educators, and communities the tools to go beyond a one-size-fits-all bureaucratic system.”
The House Ways and Means Education Committee carefully deliberated this legislation for two weeks. The committee finalized the proposal to ensure that charter schools go only to struggling areas and that the total number of schools be limited to 20.
Armistead added, “Republican leaders in the legislature have taken us in a positive direction. Our neighboring states, such as Tennessee, have seen great results from charter schools. We cannot let our neighbors leave us in the dust. Now is the time to give Alabama’s children the chance to get the best education possible. The best will come from flexibility and innovation. This bill will ensure both, and we must see it become Alabama law.”
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For Immediate Release
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Contact: Shana Kluck
205-586-5751
skluck@algop.org