From WBRC-TV: Alabama Governor Robert Bentley has signed a bill into law that gives schools in the state more flexibility in determining make-up days. The bill allows schools to adjust the number of instructional hours in each day and gives the State Superintendent of Education the authority to excuse days for schools in "extraordinary circumstances" such as last month's tornadoes. At least 18 schools in Alabama suffered damage or were destroyed in the storms, and several have been affected by power outages and had to cancel classes. The new bill will give those school districts more freedom in determining how best to serve the needs of their students and school buildings.
From The Associated Press: The tornadoes that raked Alabama last week heavily damaged 18 schools, according to the state's education department. Some schools--the elementary and high school in Hackleburg and three schools in Tuscaloosa--are total losses. People in other small towns hope that the school bulidings that are the centers of their small communities can be repaired.
RELATED: Joseph Morton, Alabama's superintendent of education, says in a letter to the governor that at least six schools have sustained damage that is considered catastrophic. (PDF file)
EARLIER....
From The Tuscaloosa News: All schools in the Tuscaloosa City School System will remain closed today, but all employees have been asked to return to work. Some schools have been destroyed or heavily damaged and other obstacles, such as closed roads, widespread power outages and homeless students, are also making it difficult for school to resume. Five schools were without power Friday. That doesn’t include Alberta Elementary School, which was destroyed, and University Place elementary/middle schools, which were severely damaged. Students at those schools will be transferred to other schools for the remainder of the year.
From The Tuscaloosa City school district: Two school sites sustained heavy damage during the storm: Alberta Elementary and University Place Elementary/Middle Schools. The 1,004 students who attended those schools will be reassigned to other campuses for the remainder of the school year.
ALSO: Staff and teachers in the Tuscaloosa County (Ala.) School System are reporting back to work today, but students do not have to return to school yet. As of Friday, On Friday, 10 county schools were without power, and staff members were trying to assess the feasibility of transportation routes to schools.
