Entries Tagged 'Schools' ↓
November 19th, 2008 — Schools
Baldwin County school officials say that a state law that moves tax money from wealthy districts to poorer ones is shortchanging local campuses.
The school board met Monday in Daphne with its chief financial officer and attorneys to discuss equity funding, a program that requires school systems statewide to contribute a certain amount of property tax revenue to receive funding from the Alabama Department of Education.
After the meeting, board member Robert Wills, who also works as an attorney in Bay Minette, said the board could pursue three different options to lower its contribution amounts: A lawsuit, help from the Legislature or regulatory assistance from the state department of education.
Board says equity rule hurts local education
November 18th, 2008 — Schools
The Baldwin County Board of Education may soon have to a find new top administrator. Schools Superintendent Faron Hollinger has been named as one of three finalists for the same position in Muscogee County, Ga. The school district, which includes the city of Columbus, educates a similar number of students as Baldwin County but has a larger staff.
Hollinger, who was hired by Baldwin County schools in 2002, said the Broad Superintendents Academy notified him of the opening. The selective academy, which puts about a dozen applicants through a 10-month training program every year, prepares administrators for superintendent positions in urban communities.
“I’ve always had a career interest in the challenges of urban school districts,” Hollinger said. “When they invited me to apply, it seemed to fit right.”
Superintendent Hollinger interested in Georgia position
November 17th, 2008 — Schools
Baldwin County sends almost $30 million in property taxes to the state, to help other, smaller school systems.
But because of these tough economic times, Baldwin schools says it needs a cut of those funds as well. The school board plans to challenge the state’s equitable funding law. They met with legal council Monday to look at their options.
By next year, Baldwin School officials say the county will pay close to $40 million in equitable funding without seeing a penny. The board plans to make a decision on what plan of action to take before the next legislative session scheduled for February.
Baldwin County School Money
November 17th, 2008 — Gulf Shores, Schools
Gulf Shores football coach Duane Davis has been fired less than two weeks after the Dolphins made their first playoff appearance in school history.
Baldwin County Public Schools spokesman Terry Wilhite confirmed Monday afternoon that Davis has been relieved of his coaching duties by first-year principal Ernie Rosado.
Davis served as the school’s athletic director, head football coach and head track coach. The Dolphins finished the 2008 season with a 7-4 record, losing 41-13 to Valley in the first round of the AHSAA Class 5A playoffs.
Gulf Shores’ Duane Davis relieved of coaching duties
A reader forwarded us this statement sent out by Terry Wilhite:
Press-Register sports reporter Josh Bean is working on a story about an announcement earlier today from Gulf Shores High School Principal Ernie Rosado which stated that coach Duane Davis has been relieved of all coaching responsibilities at the high school. In his statement, Dr. Rosado said he was taking the sports program in another direction. Davis’ contract goes through June 30, 2008. He has been reassigned other duties at the school. This story will appear in the sports section of the paper tomorrow.
November 16th, 2008 — Schools
Baldwin County school officials are concerned about a state property tax policy that they say is reducing the amount of money the district receives from the Alabama Department of Education. Board members are planning a special meeting this week to further discuss the issue.
Equity funding, established in the mid’90s, reduces the amount of state aid a school district receives based on local property tax revenues. Counties that have higher property values, like coastal Baldwin County, receive less funding equal to 10 mills of property tax. One mill is equal to $1 in taxes for each $1,000 in assessed property value. That money is withheld from state aid payments and goes into a fund that pays for teacher salaries, benefits, school supplies and other expenses.
The intent is to redistribute funds from more affluent school systems to poorer ones. The remaining local funds are considered “discretionary” and can be spent on capital improvements, like building schools, said Mobile attorney Matthew McDonald, who will make a presentation to the board during the meeting Monday at Trojan Hall on Lawson Road, next to Daphne High.
School board calls special meeting
November 14th, 2008 — Bay Minette, Other News, Schools, Spanish Fort
November 10th, 2008 — Schools
The Baldwin County Board of Education’s lawsuit against a Loxley couple continues to move forward, despite filings from the defendants to have the case dismissed from Circuit Court.
On Oct. 24, Orlando and Glynis Bethel, who represent themselves, filed two motions for dismissal. The couple asked the court to place sanctions on the school board and its attorney for filing a frivolous lawsuit against them.
The Baldwin County Board of Education’s lawsuit against a Loxley couple continues to move forward, despite filings from the defendants to have the case dismissed from Circuit Court.
On Oct. 24, Orlando and Glynis Bethel, who represent themselves, filed two motions for dismissal. The couple asked the court to place sanctions on the school board and its attorney for filing a frivolous lawsuit against them.
Bethal case to move forward
Flashback: School system sued for religious intolerance and repression
November 8th, 2008 — Schools
A week late, Mobile County public schools Friday received its remaining funds for October from the Alabama Department of Education.
Baldwin County, though, still had not received its funds as of Friday afternoon. Others, including Baldwin County, used money from their savings accounts to cover paychecks.
Baldwin school system finally sees October money
November 6th, 2008 — Schools
School officials in Mobile and Baldwin counties breathed a collective sigh of relief Wednesday over the passage of an amendment that will allow the state to borrow hundreds of millions of dollars for education, thus lessening the blow of expected budget cuts.
State schools Superintendent Joe Morton said he has no doubt that Gov. Bob Riley will declare the budget cuts, known as proration, possibly in December, and borrow the now-allowed $437 million from the Rainy Day Fund for schools.
The state would then have six years to pay that money back.
Baldwin school officials relieved by vote
October 30th, 2008 — Schools
On Wednesday, Oct. 29, Baldwin County Schools’ Communications Director sent out an email to his “key communicators” list with the subject line shouting, “BALDWIN SCHOOLS TO MEET PAYROLL WITHOUT BORROWING MONEY.”
Now the Press-Register says:
Baldwin County school officials maintain that system employees should receive paychecks as normal Friday and in November and December for the holidays. The school board may vote to take out a multi-million dollar loan to make the holiday payroll, officials said.
The board will vote in November to approve a loan that could amount to as much as $25 million. The details of the line of credit have not yet been determined.
Either they have money for payroll or they don’t. Which is it?
With the state only sending 75% of the money owed to the schools even a Mobile County student could do the math and determine they’ll be 25% short somewhere.
Where does all the money go? Where can the school system cut costs to save money?
October 30th, 2008 — Fairhope, Schools
An area principal has been temporarily relieved of his duties while the school board completes an internal investigation, education officials said Wednesday.
Baldwin County Alternative School Principal Donald Lee Johnson, who has worked for the public school system since 1993, was put on paid administrative leave Oct. 20. Baldwin County schools spokesman Terry Wilhite said the district’s human resources department is conducting a “review of operations” and that Assistant Principal Pat Malisham will run the school in Johnson’s absence.
The Alternative School is in Fairhope and serves students who have posed behavioral problems or faced disciplinary action from the school system.
Principal put on administrative leave
October 29th, 2008 — Schools
Local school officials across the state are scurrying to find dollars to meet payroll after an announcement late today from State Superintendent Joe Morton that says that school districts will only receive 75 percent of their state check from which they normally pay employees.
For many systems in Alabama that means a scramble to the bank to borrow the money.
In Baldwin County, school finance chief Jean McCutchen says the system will delve into its “fund balance” - a savings account of sorts - to the tune of $2.5 million to make ends meet for payroll. Currently, Baldwin’s fund balance is about $22 million or 1.13 months operating balance. Many districts statewide have already depleted their reserves.
State officials say that school systems should receive the balance of their October month end check by Nov. 7. The check delay from the state is being blamed on revenue shortfall across Alabama. State and local officials have warned of looming proration - further reductions to the already slashed budget - which today’s announcement seems to reinforce will be a certainty. Baldwin County Public School System employees should receive their check at month’s end as they always do because of a rapid response by the district’s Business and Finance Division to move dollars in its general fund to make ends meet for payroll, according to system officials.
The Baldwin County Public School System has about 4,000 employees and its monthly payroll is about $16 million.
BALDWIN EMPLOYEES TO RECEIVE OCT. CHECK ON TIME
October 27th, 2008 — Crime, Robertsdale, Schools
Gun on Baldwin County Campus
A seventh grader at Central Baldwin Middle School in Robertsdale faces expulsion and weapons charges after police say he brought an unloaded gun to school.
No one was hurt and police say no one appeared to be in danger.
A 12 year old in handcuffs. Police Sgt. Rex Bishop says he brought an unloaded firearm to Central Baldwin Middle school. “The student was asked to be patted down and was patted down and the weapon was recovered.”
An unloaded, 9 millimeter handgun was found tucked inside the 7th graders waist band. Students reported seeing the gun in a bathroom and told school administrators.
September 19th, 2008 — Schools, Spanish Fort
Construction of the Spanish Fort High School football field was put on hold earlier this week while Baldwin County Board of Education members changed plans for sewer service. School officials said there was confusion with the contractor about two different routes for the pipes.
Superintendent Faron Hollinger described the situation as an oversight in communication. “I can’t tell you where that communication ultimately broke down,” he told board members this week.
School officials said MBC Southeast was awarded a $2.5 million contract earlier this year to excavate a hill, build the football field, bleachers and rest rooms and install sewer lines. The original plans, however, did not include a lift station, which would be required to move effluent to a nearby waste treatment plant.
Board changes SFHS sewer plan
September 14th, 2008 — Schools
New figures show that most Baldwin County students are meeting or exceeding state test score standards, but those at some schools still have work to do.
The Alabama Department of Education recently released test results for elementary, intermediate and middle schools that helped gauge their performance, and also provided a window into student achievement at the various campuses.
Mobile and Baldwin county students performed better than the state averages this year on standardized reading and math tests at almost every grade level in elementary and middle school.
Baldwin schools score well; some could do better
Baldwin students outscore state test averages
