These are Alabama’s 56 ‘failing’ schools, and the options their students now have

(Video above: The story of Gloria and Keeynaad, an Alabama family helped by school choice)

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — The Alabama Department of Education released its list of failing schools this week. 56 schools made the list, representing thousands of children who now have the opportunity to transfer to a non-failing school. (Full list at the bottom of this article.)

The Alabama Accountability Act, passed in 2013, gives children in failing schools the option to move to another non-failing public or private school, and grants their parents tax credits to help cover the cost.

Most of the 56 failing schools listed are in underserved communities, where few—if any—alternatives existed before the Accountability Act was implemented.

Schools are considered to be “failing” by the Alabama Department of Education if they are in the bottom 6% of schools for three of the last six years, using math and reading standardized test scores.

Last year, the Alabama Policy Institute produced the video above to tell the story of Keeynaad Johnson, a young man who was stuck in a failing school, but is now able to able to attend a school where he thrives.

“When I saw this, you have no idea how it made me feel,” Keeynaad’s mother Gloria McMeans said holding her son’s scholarship letter. “Keeynaad — he has opportunity [now].”

Last week thousands of Alabama students and parents marched to the state Capitol building in the country’s largest display of support for school choice.

Recent polling suggests broad support for expanding school choice in Alabama, and the issue is expected to be a main priority of the State Legislature when legislators convene for the 2015 session in March.

Alabama is currently one of only eight states in the country that does not allow charter schools, which are publicly funded but operated by independent, non-government groups. They are open to all children, do not charge tuition and do not have special requirements for admission.

Alabama native and former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made waves in January when she said she considers school choice “biggest civil rights issue” the country faces today.

“Poor black kids trapped in failing neighborhoods schools, that’s the biggest race problem of today,” she said. “That’s the biggest civil rights issue of today. Anybody who isn’t in favor of school choice, anybody who isn’t in favor of educational reform, anybody who defends the status quo in the educational system — that’s racist to me.”

Schools designated as failing have until February 13th to notify parents that their children have the opportunity to move schools. Parents have until May 1st to submit transfer forms for the 2015-2016 school year.

The complete list of failing schools in Alabama

Like this article? Hate it? Follow me and let me know how you feel on Twitter!

— Elizabeth BeShears (@LizEBeesh) January 21, 2015