Alabama Puts Brakes On School Report Cards

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – The Alabama Board of Education is hitting the pause button- at least temporarily – on plans to assign schools an A-F letter grade.

Board members on Thursday tabled a vote on rules pertaining to the proposed new report cards. The vote came after several board members raised skepticism over the plans and suggested additional conversations with lawmakers and new education Superintendent Michael Sentance.

Board member Stephanie Bell said the report cards were a fad and that some states were pulling away from the idea.

Sentance said Thursday that the A-F report cards were not something he would have personally recommended, but the law requires him to develop something.

Alabama lawmakers in 2012 approved legislation requiring the development of the A-F report cards. The first report cards were scheduled for December.