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Alabama seeing more school choice, but fights continue over what works best

By Trisha Powell Crain, AL.com

Rachel Byers: Four myths to dispel during Alabama School Choice Week

By Rachel Byers, senior fellow, Alabama Policy Institute

School boards are choosing systems over students by calling for scholarship repeal

By Rachel Byers, senior fellow, Alabama Policy Institute

Are Accountability Act Scholarships Working?

By Johnathan Hardison, WBRC

The scholarship program created by the Alabama Accountability Act that uses tax-deductible donations to fund scholarships to send qualified students from state-labeled “failing” schools to private schools isn’t making a notable difference in those student’s academic achievement on average, according to a new state-funded study.

Alabama Accountability Act: How Taxpayers Benefit from donating

By Krista Johnson, Montgomery Advertiser

With changes made by the federal tax overhaul, high-income taxpayers have been on a search for ways to make up the major decrease in deductions that can be claimed. The Alabama Accountability Act appears to be one answer...

Reality vs. intent: Alabama Accountability Act serves mostly students from nonfailing schools

By Krista Johnson, Montgomery Advertiser

Alchico Grant was a T.S. Morris Elementary second-grader when his grandmother, Antionetta Jackson, started looking to get her grandson into another school and learned about the Alabama Accountability Act.

“I didn’t have a problem with his teachers, but he was coming home with too much knowledge from children — street knowledge,” Jackson said...

TRINITY PRESBYTERIAN 8TH GRADER, PARKER DUNCAN, FINDS THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS

Parker Duncan is one of Alabama’s great role models in the making. His positive outlook, his willingness to try new things and his smarts, make him a natural born leader. “I’m not sure what I want to be when I grow up, but I want to be someone who makes an impact on society and the world around me. I want to be something great. My teachers and coaches at Trinity lead me, and I know that if I take their ideas to heart and work hard, I can achieve my goals.”

Parker is one of the Alabama Accountability Act’s first scholarship recipients. He received his first scholarship from Scholarships for Kids in 2013 to attend Montgomery Christian School. I have the best memories from Montgomery Christian. “It was a small school, so I basically knew everyone. They shaped who I am, taught me to speak correctly, how to articulate my words and use manners. I am forever grateful for what they have done for me.”

Parker is currently the President of the Student Government Association. He also works with Change for Change, a program where students give coins and to people in need. He is on the football and tennis teams and won the Team Captain award in football.

“I love the atmosphere of Trinity Presbyterian School. The way things are done here changes the way you act and feel. When I walk through the doors for the first time, I felt an amazing source of comfort and relief. I felt at home and it was an amazing moment in my life. I still love the way that feels, even now, three years later. Every day at Trinity is something new and exciting. It wasn’t hard to fit in honestly. I just found out who the people were who were like me.”

We will continue to watch Parker and look forward for what’s to come for him this coming school year and beyond.

$30 MILLION IN TAX CREDITS ALREADY GONE...read more