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Johnson: 16th Street Baptist must not be left alone in revitalizing civil rights district

This is an opinion column.

Historic 16th Street Baptist Church did not wait. It never did. Not in its infancy — founded 152 years ago in the belly of segregation. It didn’t wait to become the soul-saving spirit and bedrock of a Birmingham community facing hatred every day.

For generations, like myriad Black churches in growing cities nationwide, it did not wait to inspire and provide — and not solely for those who walked through its doors dressed in their best seeking peace and purpose amid a world that thought the worst of them.

In 1890, one of its earliest pastors, Rev. William R. Pettiford, founded the Alabama Penny Savings Bank as its members and neighbors were denied access to white banks. It was the first Black-owned financial institution in the state, and, for more than a quarter century, it remained a wealth-building lifeline for Birmingham’s Black residents.

“Rev. Pettiford used to say, ‘You can’t just stay within your walls,’” shares Ted Debro, a member of 16th Street Baptist for more than three decades who now chairs its board of trustees. “’You’ve got to reach outside to serve the community, to develop that community.’”

You can’t wait.

Not then, and not now.

Not with 16th Street Baptist standing regally on the corner of 16th Street and Sixth Avenue North as one of the most significant historical sites in the nation, a twin-towered beacon in Birmingham’s hallowed yet anemic Civil Rights District.

It is more than a church. It is a unique place where history happened, history that changed our city, our state and our nation.

It is a testament to the young lives lost to hate there in 1963, and to brave young heroes who marched in the face of hate’s fire houses and police dogs across the street in Kelly Ingram Park.

FILE – Firefighters and ambulance attendants remove a covered body from the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., Sept. 15, 1963, after a deadly explosion detonated by members of the Ku Klux Klan during services. Alabama on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023, will mark the 60th anniversary of the bombing that killed four girls. Lisa McNair, the sister of one of the victims, said as the anniversary is remembered, she hoped people will think about what they can do to combat hate. (AP Photo, File)AP

It is a place that, like the entire civil rights district, deserves to be elevated and supported by a comprehensive, focused public and private effort to again become a catalyst for change — this time as a tourism magnet that would spark long-overdue economic development for Birmingham and the region.

Instead, block after block surrounding the distinguished church sits idle and ignored. Lots are empty and void and buildings are wheezing ghosts of their past, deteriorating beyond repair.

And the church’s venerable yet worn and aged neighbor — the 33-year-old Birmingham Civil Rights Institute — is months into pondering a plan for restoration and revival. For “reimagining,” that’s its word.

So many seem to be waiting as the district remains a quilt of unfulfilled promise.

16th Street Baptist Church is not among them. It is not waiting for any of that to change.

“We are pushing and really trying to do things in the district,” Debro says.

Unfortunately, they are largely pushing alone.

In April, the church broke ground on a 13,000 square-foot education and visitors center that is rising on church-owned land adjacent to the parsonage on Sixth Ave North. The center will be an extension of the popular space in the church’s basement that conveys the dynamic history of the church and the community it once surrounded, and of exhibits in the parsonage highlighting former pastors who led the church’s growth as a community pillar of faith and fight.

Birmingham Civil Rights District 2025
Images of the city’s historic district in summer 2025Roy S. Johnson

“We’re trying to show how religion has played a part in people’s lives,” Debro says, “We’re creating spaces to encourage collaboration and drive community progress, for people to dialogue and have a chance to discuss what they experienced when they came through the church and how they can go back and make impactful changes in their lives and communities.

“Civil Rights is just a part of what we have done,” he adds, “but religion created the environment of sharing and building the community.”

The center will also house a restaurant (thankfully, so folks visiting the church, the civil rights institute or the restored A.G. Gaston Motel around the corner won’t have to board a bus and head elsewhere to digest their experience). It’ll be modeled after Monell’s in Nashville — family-style eating “with your neighbors,” says its website, around tables designed for up to a dozen or so. “There is an old saying here in the South,” it touts. “‘There are no such things as strangers, only friends we haven’t met yet.’”

Says Debro: “They pass food around and it creates a fellowship, a way for people to really start talking. It’s almost like the Last Supper, communing and sharing with one another. That’s the kind of environment we want to generate.”

Initially, the church thought it needed to raise $7.5 million to build the structure, support programming and fund an endowment to support ongoing maintenance and operations. Local and regional private and public entities contributed, and the church says it raised $7.2 million.

Alas, their math didn’t quite math. Bids based on the preliminary construction budget of $4.5 million to $6 million came in at $8.5 million before “other things added to that,” Debro says. The church received a $2.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc., but it’s earmarked for programming, not construction.

Alabama’s new market tax credits, Debro says, might provide funds “over time.” All in, though, finishing the visitors and education center will cost $12 million to $13 million.

That’s real math.

Through its history, 16th Street Baptist has raised millions to maintain and upgrade its historic facility, enabling it to host thousands who knock on its doors for tours. Those who want to know what happened there. Who want to honor the young lives lost and those who marched for equality and respect.

It also now lends grant-writing expertise to other area churches — still building the community as it’s done for more than a century.

Truth is, though, its modest and aging congregation is being significantly stretched.

“People think 16th Street is a large church with a large membership, but in reality, we are a small church, 250 or so active members,” Debro told me, while sharing that he recently celebrated his 80th birthday. “We probably can’t really afford all of what needs to be done to the church. The membership maintains the operations as a church. We see that as valuable, but we do need the assistance of the community and other sources to move things forward.”

The church secured a bridge loan from Regions Bank to ensure construction continues, Debro says. But that’s an expensive can looming somewhere down the road.

In the meantime, the wrenchingly powerful Legacy Museum and National Memorial to Peace and Justice (the “lynching museum,” as I and so many describe it) in Montgomery draw more than 500,000 visitors annually to that city and have sparked the development of hotels and restaurants around the sites.

In the meantime, Mobile has broken ground on a $5.1 million Africatown Welcome Center that will rightfully honor a community founded by survivors of the Clotilda, the very last slave ship known to have reached our shores. And last month, it unveiled the new Hall of Fame Walk, a dynamic collection of 9-foot bronze statues honoring sons of Mobile who are in the Major League Baseball and National Football League Halls.

In the meantime, Birmingham is losing ground on the ground that should be bearing much fruit as a master plan for the district, developed five years ago by Urban Impact and Rev Birmingham, sits. And waits.

Unlike 16th Street Baptist Church. Its building project, however, should not be a spectator sport.

Right now, the historic church is the primary tourism draw in the withering district. The city, county, state and Birmingham’s private sector should see it as such and collaborate to ensure the completion of the education and visitors center and the future preservation of the church.

Birmingham Civil Rights District 2025
Images of the city’s historic district in summer 2025Roy S. Johnson

“We have been given a big task,” says Debro. “Our pastor, Rev. Thomas Price, always says that we are not a megachurch, but we have a megaministry because people are coming in from everywhere. Everybody wants to come into 16th Street, so we are trying to meet the megaministry challenge.

“We’re just trying to show how the church, how religion still develops community,” he added, “how it must in our climate right now.”

And they must not do it alone.

Let’s be better tomorrow than we are today. My column appears on AL.com, and digital editions of The Birmingham News, Huntsville Times, and Mobile Press-Register. Tell me what you think at [email protected], and follow me at twitter.com/roysj, Instagram @roysj and BlueSky.

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First-year Baker head coach Eric Scott wants to continue 7A momentum

The Baker football team became a legitimate title contender in 2024.

The Hornets went 9-3, fell four points short of a Region 1 championship and won a Class 7A playoff game for the first time in school history.

What’s next in 2025?

“Try to win another playoff game,” first-year coach Eric Scott said prior to Tuesday’s 7-on-7 event at Saraland. “I think the first thing we want to do is to continue to be competitive in our region and take that next step to a region championship. We’ve been No. 2 in the region the last three years. Then, ultimately, win in the playoffs and make our ascent toward a state championship.”

Scott, who was the team’s defensive coordinator in 2024, takes over as the head coach after the departure of Juan Johnson to James Clemens. He’s been on the Baker staff for the last four seasons.

“We’ve had a good summer, really getting after it,” he said this week. “We haven’t changed much so the teaching has been there. We have a lot of people to replace on defense, so we have definitely been working with them more this offseason. I would say our offense is definitely ahead of our defense, but we kind of knew that coming in. It’s been a good summer.”

A year ago, the Baker defense allowed an average of two touchdowns a game. Only region champ Mary G. Montgomery and second-round playoff opponent Enterprise scored 30 points or more on the Hornets. The offense averaged 26 points a game.

“We are doing the same things on defense just with new personnel,” Scott said. “Those guys are getting acclimated to being the man now. When you are just on the sidelines watching, it’s easy. Now they are in there and they are taking the butt chewings. They have to grow up quickly.”

Prior to coming to Baker, Scott also served as an assistant coach at Foley, Vigor and Saraland. His only previous head coaching stint came at B.C. Rain from 2008-2010.

“A lot has changed since then,” he said. “Now, you have 7-on-7 in the summer, you have OTAs. Also, when I was a head coach before, it was 4A ball. Now, I’m in 7A. There are a whole lot of logistics that are different in this situation. Coaching staff is bigger. Team is bigger. But at the end of the day, it’s still about motivating the kids to be the best and achieve their goals.”

Baker opens the season with a home game against rival Theodore on Aug. 22 before starting Region 1 play at Alma Bryant on Aug. 29. The Hornets host Scott’s twin brother Deric and Foley on Oct. 10.

“That’s going to be a good one,” Eric said, smiling. “I’m kind of not looking forward to it, but kind of am looking forward to it. It will be a competitive game. Foley is definitely one of our games that we have circled on the list every year. We know when it is happening, and we will definitely be prepared for it.”

Baker’s schedule also features an intriguing non-region game at reigning Class 4A champ Jackson on Sept. 12 and a home regular-season finale against Class 5A semifinalist Vigor on Oct. 30. Both of those games were extremely tight a year ago. The Hornets lost 20-13 at home to the Aggies and beat Vigor 10-9 on the road.

Scott said there are still some things his team needs to get done in practice before the season begins in six weeks.

“I need to see leadership and growth on the field,” he said. “I want to see us be more vocal leaders and compete at a high level every time out. We are starting to do that. We need to be consistently competitive every time we walk out on the field.”

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Birmingham expands Alabama Power agreement for more security cameras

Birmingham agreed to an expanded contract with Alabama Power on Tuesday to add an additional 100 security cameras and license plate readers on power poles throughout the city.

Last year, Birmingham partnered with Alabama Power to install 330 cameras on power poles throughout the city to monitor public areas and feed video directly to the Birmingham Police Department’s Real Time Crime Center.

The updated contract includes more than 100 new surveillance cameras and license plate reading Flock cameras.

“It will be spread out citywide,” said Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. “Alabama Power and the Birmingham Police Department have gone really, really deep into this relationship, as well as the deployment of where they should be.”

Birmingham Police Chief Michael Pickett said the police department will keep track of the ways the cameras help fight crime and whether some of the cameras need to be repositioned over time. They are already playing a key role in crime-fighting, he said.

“The cameras are hugely impactful to assist us and to deter crime,” Pickett said. “We’ll do an ongoing assessment to see how beneficial is this investment.”

The 2024 contract has been amended to add 20 additional months and the deal with Alabama Power is now worth $9.7 million, although the city is not shouldering the entire cost of the contract, which includes maintaining the system.

City officials gave credit to U.S. Sen. Katie Britt for helping them secure a $4.2 million Department of Justice grant available to upgrade IT systems and cybersecurity.

Chaz Mitchell, chief of staff for the city, said the agreement covers five years and the early costs will be covered by the federal grant. “We’re making payments on this yearly,” Mitchell said. “This is something we’re paying out over the next five years.”

It’s not currently coming out of the city’s budget, he said.

“Not until we expend the full grant amount,” Mitchell said. “Hopefully, we can get another grant, or budget this in future fiscal years.”

Woodfin said he’s optimistic about additional federal grants.

“We feel good about our position,” Woodfin said. “The contingency would be to plan for it out of our general fund.”

Alabama Power Public Safety Manager Jonathan Bozeman told the City Council in a special called meeting Monday that the costs include installing and maintaining cameras, along with subscriptions to video software, data plans, upgraded data connections for the Real Time Crime Center and power usage of about $3,000 a month. He said Alabama Power has camera agreements with more than 80 cities in the state to manage security cameras.

Woodfin said the cameras have played a key role in reducing crime and lowering the homicide rate this year after a record high of 151 homicides in 2024 broke the city’s record set in 1933.

“The first half of the year has seen tremendous progress,” Woodfin said. “It’s important that we made this issue a priority of public safety, especially around decreasing gun violence, and especially around decreasing homicides. We’ve done that with over a 50 percent decrease in homicides. Kudos to Michael Pickett, chief of police, and the entire police department, for their aggressive efforts and their new approach to how they’re keeping us safe. I want to thank all the partners who helped in this decrease in crime.”

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I support rescheduling cannabis. Here’s why you should too: op-ed

This is a guest opinion column

After more than 25 years in military and security operations, including 23 years of service in the U.S. Army, I have seen what real sacrifice looks like. I have led troops in combat zones, advised senior military leaders, and overseen thousands of high-risk missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. I have also watched far too many of my brothers and sisters in arms return home carrying invisible wounds—physical pain, trauma, and post-traumatic stress that no number of medals or parades can heal. That is why I support the rescheduling of cannabis from a Schedule I to a Schedule III substance under federal law.

Veterans across this country are in desperate need of effective, accessible treatments for conditions like chronic pain, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and anxiety. Alabama is home to more than 370,000 veterans, many of whom are underserved by our current healthcare system. The standard treatment options—often opioids, benzodiazepines, or powerful antidepressants—can be addictive, carry severe side effects, and do not always provide the relief our veterans need.

Cannabis, on the other hand, has shown promising therapeutic potential. A 2022 analysis of data from over a 10 year time period stated that cannabis-based treatments improved overall symptoms of PTSD. But because it remains classified as a Schedule I drug—deemed to have “no accepted medical use” under federal law—research has been stifled, VA doctors remain restricted from recommending it, and veterans are left with limited options. If cannabis is not rescheduled, scientists will continue to face numerous hurdles in their research. As it stands, researchers must abide by stricter regulations such as applying for special licenses and sourcing cannabis from specific suppliers.

Rescheduling cannabis to Schedule III would be a game-changer. It would open the door to federally approved medical research and help legitimize cannabis as a treatment option within the VA system.

This is not a call for recreational use. This is about expanding medical access for those who have worn the uniform, risked their lives, and returned home looking for a way to live with dignity and peace. This is about science, safety, and solutions—not stigma.

President Donald Trump has publicly voiced his support for rescheduling cannabis. When leaders from both sides of the aisle agree on something, especially in today’s political climate, we ought to pay attention. In 2023, the Department of Health and Human Services recommended that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) reschedule cannabis. With so many leaders weighing in and calling for this change, the DEA should move swiftly to finalize this change.

As the CEO of a security and detection services company based in Opelika, I understand the concerns around regulation, compliance, and enforcement. But I also see the opportunity—to create a responsible, medically focused cannabis framework that respects public safety while honoring those who served.

Rescheduling cannabis is not a radical idea. It is a rational step forward—and one that could change lives for thousands of veterans who call this state home. We ask our service members to fight for our freedom. The least we can do is give them the tools they need to heal.

Eric Hare serves as CEO of Global K9 Protection Group based in Opelika, Alabama.

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Where to watch Fever-Valkyries WNBA game today free livestream

The Indiana Fever play against the Golden State Valkyries in a WNBA game today. The matchup will begin at 11 a.m. CT on NBA TV. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

The Fever enter this matchup with a 9-9 record, and they have won three of their last four games. In their most recent game, the Fever defeated Minnesota 74-59.

During the victory, five Indiana players scored double-digit points: Natasha Howard, Aliyah Boston, Kelsey Mitchell, Aari McDonald, and Sophie Cunningham.

Notably, Mitchell leads the team in scoring with more than 19 points per game.

The Valkyries also enter this matchup with a 9-9 record, and they have lost back-to-back games. In their last game, the Valkyries lost 90-81 against the Atlanta Dream.

In order to win today’s game, the Valkyries will need a great performance from their star player Kayla Thornton. She leads the Golden State offense with nearly 15 points per game, so she will look to continue her offensive success this morning.

Fans can watch this WNBA game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.

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Looking for an affordable place to move? These 15 cities are booming but won’t break your budget

As Americans seek affordability and better opportunities, a new study has identified 50 cities that are both growing rapidly and remaining affordable.

GoBankingRates used U.S. Census data to find cities with booming population growth and rental or mortgage rates below the national average.

According to the Census Bureau, more Americans are moving away from downtown areas than before the COVID-19 pandemic. The fastest-growing cities across the country were located as far as 60-plus miles from large metro areas in 2023, compared to 2019, before the pandemic hit. Many of these fastest-growing cities are located in the South and Midwest.

According to the study, Texas is home to the most affordable and fastest-growing cities in the U.S. The Lone Star State dominated the top 50 with 12 cities.

Frisco, Texas, took the top spot with an estimated population increase of 26.9% over the next five years. The annual cost of living in the city is $46,718 for renters and $72,262 for homeowners.

Here’s a look at 15 cities that made the list:

1. Frisco, Texas

  • 5-year population growth: 26.9%
  • 1-year population growth: 4%
  • Median household income: $146,158
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $46,718
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $72,262
  • Average home value: $678,435

2. Goodyear, Arizona

  • 5-year population growth: 32.8%
  • 1-year population growth: 5.5%
  • Median household income: $101,814
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $49,011
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $58,494
  • Average home value: $478,276

3. McKinney, Texas

  • 5-year population growth: 16.6%
  • 1-year population growth: 3.1%
  • Median household income: $120,273
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $45,023
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $58,907
  • Average home value: $512,667

4. Fishers, Indiana

  • 5-year population growth: 13.8%
  • 1-year population growth: 1.9%
  • Median household income: $128,141
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $46,989
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $54,414
  • Average home value: $438,966

5. Allen, Texas

  • 5-year population growth: 8.5%
  • 1-year population growth: 2.1%
  • Median household income: $129,130
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $44,456
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $58,678
  • Average home value: $514,490

6. Carmel, Indiana

  • 5-year population growth: 11.5%
  • 1-year population growth: 1.1%
  • Median household income: $134,602
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $46,507
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $62,126
  • Average home value: $553,141

7. League City, Texas

  • 5-year population growth: 13.9%
  • 1-year population growth: 1.3%
  • Median household income: $119,870
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $44,264
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $47,459
  • Average home value: $369,058

8. Lewisville, Texas

  • 5-year population growth: 22.5%
  • 1-year population growth: 2.6%
  • Median household income: $85,002
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $43,995
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $53,007
  • Average home value: $404,946

9. Olathe, Kansas

  • 5-year population growth: 5.7%
  • 1-year population growth: 1.1%
  • Median household income: $112,232
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $45,070
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $51,825
  • Average home value: $401,785

10. Round Rock, Texas

  • 5-year population growth: 3.4%
  • 1-year population growth: 3.2%
  • Median household income: $97,187
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $42,390
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $52,364
  • Average home value: $433,767

11. Pearland, Texas

  • 5-year population growth: 6.9%
  • 1-year population growth: 1.2%
  • Median household income: $112,470
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $51,032
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $54,241
  • Average home value: $376,350

12. Nampa, Idaho

  • 5-year population growth: 16%
  • 1-year population growth: 3.6%
  • Median household income: $72,122
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $40,684
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $50,656
  • Average home value: $404,082

13. Murfreesboro, Tennessee

  • 5-year population growth: 20.3%
  • 1-year population growth: 2.7%
  • Median household income: $76,241
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $45,275
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $52,728
  • Average home value: $410,857

14. Peoria, Arizona

  • 5-year population growth: 18.1%
  • 1-year population growth: 1.6%
  • Median household income: $93,403
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $50,490
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $61,963
  • Average home value: $495,587

15. Rio Rancho, New Mexico

  • 5-year population growth: 12.2%
  • 1-year population growth: 2.1%
  • Median household income: $85,755
  • Total cost of living for renter annually: $45,823
  • Total cost of living for homeowner annually: $47,207
  • Average home value: $348,895

Did any Alabama city make the list?

Huntsville is Alabama’s most affordable and fastest-growing city, ranked 28th by GoBankingRates. Its population is expected to grow by 13% by 2030. The median household income is $70,778, above the state average of $62,027. Renters have an average cost of living of $40,409, while homeowners pay around $42,970. The average home value is $272,010.

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Alabama students improve on state reading, math testing: ‘Good news’

Alabama students are performing better across nearly all grade levels and subjects, a sign that recent reforms could be paying off, according to new test results.

English, math and science scores on 2025 tests jumped. Officials praised results Tuesday and said they would continue to work on weak spots in middle school grades and build on success in reading.

“It’s good news,” State Superintendent Eric Mackey told state school board members Tuesday.

“We’re moving toward the right goals, except in these middle grades… But what this does tell us is the work y’all are doing — investing in basic instruction, high-quality instructional materials, good professional development, and extra help for those students — is moving students.”

The state ACAP exam measures proficiency in English language arts, math and science among second through eighth graders.

In every subject but 7th grade math, more students met their targets and fewer were labeled low-performing.

  • In math, 36.8% of students were proficient this year, up from 34.3% in 2024
  • In ELA, 60.6% of students were proficient this year, up from 57.6% in 2024
  • In science, 39.7% of students were proficient this year, up from 37% in 2024

Alabama students are getting better at key subjects

The gains are the latest of a series of achievements for Alabama schools.

Reading scores released last month also showed improvement among the state’s second and third graders. And the state made headlines for its post-pandemic growth in reading and math on the Nation’s Report Card, which samples a number of fourth and eighth graders in local schools. In just two years, the state jumped from one of the worst-performing states to the middle of the rankings.

The ACAP test, which is aligned to national standards, is the most challenging test Alabama has given to elementary and middle schoolers. Still, officials acknowledge that scores are not where they want them to be.

“We’re obviously not satisfied with these numbers, but we know our teachers are working hard and they’re dealing with a very rigorous assessment,” said Board Member Traci West.

Students still struggle in middle grades

Middle school math continues to be a pain point for Alabama, and for schools in much of the country, Mackey said. While nearly half of elementary schoolers are now proficient in math, just a quarter of seventh and eighth graders met the same benchmark this year.

High-achieving students may start to take advanced math courses in the 7th or 8th grade, but those skills aren’t always measured by state assessments. Mackey said the state is currently working to make sure middle school curricula are properly aligned to the test.

But one bright spot, he said, is that more lower-performing students appear to be getting help. Across all subjects, fewer students scored at a Level 1, meaning they struggle with basic skills like decoding words or adding and subtracting numbers.

The upward trend could mean that more students are getting access to targeted interventions, Mackey said. The state has invested heavily in reading support, and is beginning to bolster the number of math coaches and specialists in local schools.

“They’re getting some kind of extra help, and that help is making a difference,” he told board members.

See proficiency rates by grade in the chart below, or view it here.

English learners are making progress

Alabama’s English learner population is growing rapidly, from just over 41,000 students getting some form of English language support in 2023 to more than 50,000 this year.

Because so many English learners come from different educational backgrounds, it can be tough to compare progress year over year. This year, the percentage of students who exited EL programs went up slightly, at just over 5%.

Future of ACT test

High schoolers in Alabama also have to take a state test, at least once.

This year, ACT composite scores held steady at 17.3, just a slight decrease from last year’s average of 17.4. Fewer students also earned WorkKeys certificates, which measure workplace skills like practical math problems and how to interpret data.

As more diploma pathways open up for high schoolers, testing could look a lot different down the line. Surveys show fewer principals want to stick with the ACT, Mackey said. A committee is currently evaluating other options.

District- and school-level ACAP data will be available in August after systems verify their scores.

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Top 10-ranked long snapper announces commitment to Auburn football

Auburn football added a commitment to its 2026 class for a second day in a row on Wednesday, this time adding its first specialist to the class.

Long Snapper Travis Wakefield announced his pledge to the Tigers on X (formerly Twitter) Wednesday morning, becoming the ninth commitment of Auburn’s 2026 class. Wakefield is ranked by Kohl’s Kicking as the seventh-best long snapper in the country.

His announcement comes less than 24 hours after four-star linebacker Adam Balogoun-Ali committed to Auburn.

Wakefield plays high school football at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville, where he also plays as a tight end and linebacker, according to his bio on X.

Peter Rauterkus covers Auburn sports for AL.com. You can follow him on X at @peter_rauterkus or email him at [email protected]m

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General

Mobile mayoral hopefuls say city must step up on education — but how?

Though crime remains the dominant political issue, education emerged as a central focus Tuesday as Mobile’s mayoral candidates connected youth violence to Alabama’s largest school system.

While the candidates acknowledged the city has little formal control over the school district, they argued the next mayor must engage with it anyway.

“How can we support our schools?” asked former Mobile County District Judge Spiro Cheriogotis. “It’s a county system. The mayor, some people might say, it’s not your problem. But it’s affecting the mayor of Mobile and that is the mayor’s job.”

From career tech to after-school programs, candidates at the 90-minute forum at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church in Midtown pointed to education as the key lever to pull if the city hopes to stem its surge in youth crime.

“The city is not nearly as involved in helping our school system as it should be. I’ll change that,” said Mobile County Commissioner Connie Hudson.

Still, exactly how a mayor could influence Alabama’s largest school district remains an open question. The Mobile County Public School System serves more than 50,000 students and operates independently from city government.

In recent years, security at schools and sports venues have brought the two government bodies together in purchasing security systems or sharing resources like police officers.

But publicly, the two sides are separate and are focused on different policy matters. A rare meeting at Government Plaza involving school administrators and the Mobile City Council to provide updates on career tech programs, among other things, was canceled last December. It has yet to be rescheduled.

None of the candidates talked about how they would work with the school board or the existing administration to make education a citywide priority. But they said that boosting opportunities, especially workforce development programs, was critical to reducing youth violence.

State Rep. Barbara Drummond, D-Mobile, said that Mobile needs to create a “pipeline” for building trades and welders. She said that she has met with Superintendent Chresal Threadgill to discuss projects, including new programs bolstered with additional state funding this year.

“Training the kids to stay here, that’s my goal,” she said. “To make sure superior talent stays here.”

In calling education Mobile’s “primary problem,” Drummond also praised the school district’s Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP) scores and advancements in Signature Academies and vocational education.

“We are building a system we can be proud of,” she said, but then added that “what we got to do in Mobile is we have to prop up our education system by any means necessary.”

Former Mobile Police Chief Paul Prine said Mobile needs to follow Baldwin County’s lead in career preparation education. He repeatedly cited the Baldwin County School System’s $100 million preparatory academy as an example Mobile should follow. The Baldwin County school opened last summer and offers career tech and vocational education in Loxley.

The Baldwin County school offers a rare mix of competitive academics with real-world, on-the-job-training of specialized vocations including healthcare, technology, skilled trades, and creative fields.

“They have a $100 million facility now and they are training Baldwin County high school students who will be ready at graduation for jobs coming to Mobile and Baldwin counties,” Prine said. “There is no reason why the leadership of Mobile has not been ahead of this for the past 10 years.”

Other candidates also linked the two issues, emphasizing the importance of pushing for more vocational training within Mobile.

Cheriogotis, who was a district judge until resigning from the position to run for mayor in January, said he would often see young men in his courtroom who almost uniformly “shared a look of hopelessness” who couldn’t envision a future without crime.

“You don’t need a college degree to be successful in Mobile,” he said, adding that he wanted to build on the thousands of new blue-collar jobs being added within the city. “I want to see more of that happening in high school and more kids with electrician certificates.”

Hudson, who has approached the school board in the past for funding support for projects like a new aquatics center, said it was “incumbent for the city to be a strong partner with the Mobile County Public School System.”

She encouraged the city to work with local businesses and industry to grow their talent pools.

“We have a large community in Mobile of potential workers in our system,” she said. “We need to provide opportunities and make sure they are available to young people.”

Hudson, among the candidates, was the only one to offer a specific creation through city government – the addition of a new Department of Economic Revitalization. Though not directly related to education, the office would focus on boosting certain neighborhoods within the city, focusing on economic development initiatives.

“Until all areas of the city are thriving and doing well economically, then we are not doing well,” Hudson said. “This department would provide a plan to move forward to (improve) these areas.”

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