Mobile Register

With millions of square feet of painted surfaces in the schools of Mobile and Baldwin counties, administrators say it would require a herculean effort to test every wall, doorjamb, windowsill, restroom stall or bookshelf for lead.

Gov. Bob Riley's plan to expand the state's pre-kindergarten program could run into a major obstacle: a shortage of qualified teachers.

Schools on both sides of the bay grapple with the hidden problem of homeless families
The two school-age children said their mother worked two jobs to keep the lights on and food on the table. But she missed a week of wages -- a difficult setback -- when one of them caught the flu and needed care at home.

DAPHNE -- Landon Sykora had already scored 34 on the ACT, an achievement sure to impress college recruiters. So the Daphne High School senior had no plans to retake the ACT -- one of two major, standardized tests for college admission -- until a few words of encouragement from English teacher Andre LaPalme.

Spring Hill College's $23,100 tuition might have parents reaching for the Pepto-Bismol. But a recent study by U.S. News & World Report could provide more relief than the pink stuff.

Though officials are reluctant to say it, some positions in the Mobile County Public School System may be cut for the 2008-09 school year because the school system is bringing in less tax revenue than expected.

"This is a new experience for me," he said. "When I came here, I wanted to experience a different culture, the American culture. When I come here, I have the culture shock. Maybe for the students, they have culture shock, too."

TUSCALOOSA -- The University of Alabama is examining every scholarship athlete to see who may have violated NCAA rules by obtaining more textbooks than they were allotted for their own classes.

Mobile County is poised to get either its first female or first black superintendent, maybe even both, according to how the board's search is going.

Mystery continues to surround the grades of several Mobile County public school student-athletes whose scores were changed, in turn helping them become eligible to play sports or qualify academically to play college football.

Low enrollment at Bishop State Community College could decline another 10 percent by fall, its interim president cautioned Wednesday.

Eighty-two percent of Alabama's 1,358 schools met state standards in reading and math this year, according to reports released Monday by the Alabama Department of Education.

Five "bogus" local candidates have applied to be Mobile County's next schools superintendent, according to school board President Judy Stout.

Parents and students will find out three days before the public school year starts in Mobile and Baldwin counties whether students will be allowed to transfer from their assigned schools.

Legislators would be barred from working for Alabama's two-year college system under a proposal Chancellor Bradley Byrne sent to the state school board Monday.