Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
March is Women's History Month!

WVAS Local News

The Alabama Legislature has wrapped up the first half of its 2013 session and gone on spring break.  Wednesday marked the 15th meeting day of the session.  Lawmakers left the capital city last night and will return April 2nd for their final 15 meeting days. 

Common Core Standards

Alabama's common core standards for public schools have survived another challenge.  It appears a bill to abolish the standards is unlikely to pass the Legislature.  The Common Core standards for learning in math and English were recommended by the National Governors Association.  Bills were introduced in the House and Senate to prevent adoption of the standards.  The Senate bill has been indefinitely postponed.  A subcommittee of the House Education Policy Committee voted Wednesday to kill the bill. 

Accountability Act

The Republican leader of the state Senate has formed a nonprofit organization to support a new state law providing private school tax credits.  Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh says the goal of the Foundation for Accountability in Education is to educate the public about the new Alabama Accountability Act. 

AEA Lawsuit

The Alabama Education Association has filed a new lawsuit seeking to overturn a law providing private school tax credits.  The suit filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court raises the same issues as the first, including whether the Legislature violated its own rules and the open meetings law when it passed the legislation February 29th.  The Alabama Supreme Court dismissed AEA's first suit because it was filed before the governor signed the legislation.  The law provides tax credits to parents who choose to send their children to private school rather than a public school rated as failing. 

Homes Damaged

The Alabama Red Cross says 370 homes were damaged during the powerful storms that struck Alabama on Monday.  Results so far from the nonprofit agency's damage assessment found that more than 65 homes were destroyed.  Another 95 homes sustained major damage and more than 200 homes had minor damage.