POWERGRAMS

6 Alabama's top educator shared his plans to raise test scores, graduation rates and the global perception of Alabama's schools during the 2014 Alabama Power Elevate gathering of about 160 nonprofit groups serving those in need throughout the state. "You share our passion for Alabama," Alabama Power Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Crosswhite told the nonprofits. "By partnering together, I know we can bring positive change and move our state forward in the right direction." Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley expressed his appreciation to the 320 staff and volunteers who attended the conference for the work they do in their communities every day. "They say that courage is the one indispensable virtue because it makes all the other virtues possible," Zeke Smith, executive vice president of External Affairs, said in introducing Alabama Superintendent of Education Dr. Tommy Bice. "Well, a good education is indispensable. It makes so much more in life possible." Bice talked about challenges in educating children in Alabama, ranging from poor performances on standardized tests to high dropout rates. But it was Bice's encouraging signs of improvement and the innovations taking place in classrooms across the state that heartened the crowd and led many to believe what was once a source of shame for the state could soon become a source of pride. Bice said when he started as state superintendent in 2012, he saw high school graduates getting diplomas but not carrying an intellectual curiosity into college – and that was among those who graduated rather than dropping out along the way. Bice said the past emphasis on standardized tests had a negative impact on teachers and on learning, and it was showing in the graduates. "We spent a decade teaching kids to take a test rather than teaching them to be prepared for the future," Bice said. University and college leaders told Bice nearly two-thirds of Alabama public high school graduates required remedial classes in math and science when they enrolled in postsecondary education. Once it was determined what wasn't working in education in the state, Bice said the goal was to empower local schools to introduce new ways of teaching and learning and to advance what works. That has led to some inspirational results, he said. For instance, the state took over the Midfield school system in Jefferson County and made wholesale changes, replacing many administrators, staff and teachers and implementing new, proven ways of teaching. By replacing the adults, Bice said the children blossomed. A school system that had a graduation rate of less than 50 percent was at 80 percent two years later. Most importantly, the students are engaged in learning and have an intellectual curiosity they carry with them when they leave, Bice said. Whether it's a Talladega school that replaced individual desks with round tables to encourage students to work and learn together, or a rural Alabama school where pre-teen kids are programming computer codes into wheeled robots to traverse the streets of a cityscape model, Bice said amazing things are happening in Alabama's public schools. "We're excited," Bice said. "We're also very inspired." So inspired that Bice is aiming to increase the state's high school graduation rate from the 72 percent when he came into office to 90 percent by 2020. The state had an economic impact study done on what a 90 percent high school graduation rate would mean to Alabama. The result is that for every year the state achieves and maintains that rate, it equates to a $430 million per year economic impact. "That's like getting a Mercedes- Benz auto plant or an Airbus airplane plant every year," Bice said. "That's a game changer for the people affected individually and for our state." Alabama Power has identified education as a primary focus and is doing its own work to promote learning in Alabama. "We're focusing on education through our Brighter Minds initiative as well as other charitable initiatives in the arts, health and human services, the environment and community development," said John Hudson, vice president of Public Relations and Charitable Giving for Alabama Power and president of the Alabama Power Foundation. Alabama Power employees spent 55,000 hours volunteering with various organizations last year alone, Hudson said. By Mike Tomberlin Bice plans to Elevate state schools 100% CONNECTED State Superintendent of Education Bice spoke to gathering of statewide nonprofit organization leaders. Photo by Christopher Jones

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