Page 31 - Eric Mackey News Today

Six Alabama educators indicted on conspiracy, fraud charges in alleged enrollment scheme The Montgomery Advertiser 2/24/2021 Melissa Brown, Montgomery Advertiser © Mickey Welsh / Advertiser U.S. Attorney from the Middle District of Alabama, Louis Franklin Sr., along with representatives from the FBI, the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General, the Alabama Department of Education and the Alabama Attorney Generals office, announce a federal indictment during...

Six former Alabama educators are facing dozens of conspiracy, identity theft and fraud charges in a wide-reaching federal probe into enrollment practices at virtual schools in the state.  Federal investigators say three former north Alabama educators conspired to fraudulently inflate enrollment data at virtual schools within their districts, triggering larger reimbursements from state education funds they then personally skimmed off.  Former Athens City Schools (ACS) Superintendent Trey Holla...

Trey Holladay and Tom Sisk were indicted by a federal grand jury along with four other people.

Alabama State Department of Education leaders believe that new quarantine guidance could cut down on school absences.

Debate continues on students returning to in-person learning Debate continues on students returning to in-person learning By Ashley Bowerman | February 11, 2021 at 9:28 PM CST - Updated February 11 at 10:21 PM MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - As we approach the one-year mark of school closures across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the calls for returning to in-person learning are growing more urgent. A timeline for returning to in-person school remains a fierce topic of debate. The big...

Local union leaders say they’re happy of course that teachers are eligible, but eligible doesn’t always mean quick access.

Alabama should increase mental health funding Updated Jan 31, 2021; Posted Jan 31, 2021 Rep. Nathan Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, appears with Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth, Mental Health Commissioner Lynn Beshear and lawmakers from both parties at a news conference to discuss initiatives to expand mental health care in Alabama. (Mike Cason/mcason@al.com) Facebook Share I’ve written before about how difficult it is for Alabamians to access adequate mental health care. Our state has operated with a ca...

Educators rally for funds to expand mental health services State looks to expand school mental health services By Jennifer Horton | January 27, 2021 at 7:27 PM CST - Updated January 27 at 7:27 PM MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Mental health coordinators in nearly every school district across the state are the latest public school champions in Alabama.  The Alabama Legislature allocated $4.5 million dollars to fund positions for 102 licensed social workers in public schools starting in October...

Auburn University vaccinating employees under 75 Auburn University has begun vaccinating individuals under 75 years old. (Source: WTVM) By WSFA Staff | January 28, 2021 at 3:29 PM CST - Updated January 28 at 4:09 PM AUBURN, Ala. (WSFA) - Auburn University has begun vaccinating individuals in its campus community, including employees, under 75 years old. According to the university’s COVID Resource Center, Auburn is currently in Phase 1C. Those included in Phase 1C are: Individuals 1...

COVID education funds aimed at extra classroom time help offset learning disruptions Updated Jan 26, 2021; Posted Jan 26, 2021 Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey speaks to reporters after a budget hearing at the Alabama Legislature on Tuesday. Facebook Share State Superintendent Eric Mackey told legislators today about efforts to use education funds, including the latest round of federal dollars provided by Congress for COVID-19 relief, to help students make up the learning time they’...