Tuscaloosa to Target Three Schools With SIG Funds

At a recent Tuscaloosa City Board of Education meeting, the board voted to apply for federal School Improvement Grant funds to help turn around a high school and two middle schools.

Central High School, Eastwood Middle School and Westlawn Middle School will each be eligible for $50,000 to $2 million to help improve graduation rates and standardized test scores. The school board has not yet decided which of four intervention models will be used at each school. The intervention models, which are required as part of the School Improvement Grant process, include:

Turnaround Model: Replace the principal and rehire no more than half the teaching staff.

Restart Model: Convert a school or close it and re-open it as a charter school or under an education management organization.

School Closure: Close the school and send the students to higher-achieving schools in the district.

Transformation Model: Replace the principal and improve the school through comprehensive curriculum reform, professional development, extending learning time, and other strategies.

Alabama has a history of using collaboration among administrators, unions and community members to improve low-performing schools.

To read more about Tuscaloosa’s plans to apply for School Improvement Grants, click here.

Related posts:

1. Washington Selects Nine Districts for SIG Funds
2. Tuscaloosa Update: City, County Schools Denied SIG
3. Department of Ed to Host Community Forums on NJ Priority Schools
4. Oregon County Plans SIG Funds for Four Schools
5. Alabama Schools Turn Tide Through Focus on Collaboration, Outreach