Trisha Powell Crain
@trishcrain.bsky.social
I write about schools for Alabama Daily News and Alabama Public Television. All children deserve the best the grownups can give. Likes: Dogs and gardening.
Alabama’s 2025 school report cards are a mix of progress and concern. Magnet/specialty schools continue to excel. High-poverty schools face growing numbers of emergency-certified teachers. Fewer students scored at Level 1 this year. #aledchat
Seven takeaways from Alabama’s 2025 school report cards
The state report card focuses on scores in each of six categories, while the federal report card adds deeper context about teacher qualifications, score breakdowns and school-level challenges that can...
aldailynews.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Alabama’s 2025 school report cards are a mix of progress and concern. Magnet/specialty schools continue to excel. High-poverty schools face growing numbers of emergency-certified teachers. Fewer students scored at Level 1 this year. #aledchat
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
Two separate lawsuits are challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s revisions to a student loan forgiveness program that encourages college graduates to work in the nonprofit or public sectors.
Learn more: buff.ly/4Cpql8o
Learn more: buff.ly/4Cpql8o
November 4, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Two separate lawsuits are challenging the U.S. Department of Education’s revisions to a student loan forgiveness program that encourages college graduates to work in the nonprofit or public sectors.
Learn more: buff.ly/4Cpql8o
Learn more: buff.ly/4Cpql8o
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
I love this: Every senior at an Alabama high school applied for college through a new program. The result: A record $31.7 million in scholarships at a school that's traditionally had a low rate of kids going to college. Via the must-read @trishcrain.bsky.social aldailynews.com/i-got-in-dir...
'I got in!' Direct Admission gives high school seniors a new kind of hope
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – At B.C. Rain High School in Mobile, the news didn’t come all at once. Students trickled into the counselors’ office to say the words counselors Niki Dailey and Demetria Smith will n...
aldailynews.com
October 27, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I love this: Every senior at an Alabama high school applied for college through a new program. The result: A record $31.7 million in scholarships at a school that's traditionally had a low rate of kids going to college. Via the must-read @trishcrain.bsky.social aldailynews.com/i-got-in-dir...
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
Ongoing federal shutdown threatens Head Start access for 65K+ kids: "We don't want to see our children ... caught in the crosshairs of these types of political fights," Head Start's deputy director said. @amandageduld.bsky.social @the74.bsky.social #EduSky www.the74million.org/zero2eight/o...
Ongoing Federal Shutdown Threatens Head Start Access for Over 65K Children
'We don't want to see our children ... caught in the crosshairs of these types of political fights,' national deputy director said.
www.the74million.org
October 20, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Ongoing federal shutdown threatens Head Start access for 65K+ kids: "We don't want to see our children ... caught in the crosshairs of these types of political fights," Head Start's deputy director said. @amandageduld.bsky.social @the74.bsky.social #EduSky www.the74million.org/zero2eight/o...
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
New Okla. Schools Superintendent Rescinds Mandate for Bible Instruction in Schools: The directive reverses an effort by former schools chief Ryan Walters that drew a legal challenge.
New Okla. Schools Superintendent Rescinds Mandate for Bible Instruction in Schools
The directive reverses an effort by former schools chief Ryan Walters that drew a legal challenge.
www.edweek.org
October 16, 2025 at 11:46 PM
New Okla. Schools Superintendent Rescinds Mandate for Bible Instruction in Schools: The directive reverses an effort by former schools chief Ryan Walters that drew a legal challenge.
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
USC becomes the fourth university to outright reject the Trump campus "compact" -- joining MIT, Brown and UPenn www.latimes.com/california/s... @danielnmiller.bsky.social and I report:
USC rejects Trump education compact aimed at shifting the university to the right
USC interim President Beong-Soo Kim said in a statement that he had sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Education turning down the Trump offer.
www.latimes.com
October 16, 2025 at 11:22 PM
USC becomes the fourth university to outright reject the Trump campus "compact" -- joining MIT, Brown and UPenn www.latimes.com/california/s... @danielnmiller.bsky.social and I report:
I cover Alabama’s schools, students and ed policy for Alabama Daily News.
The Daily News Digest is an easy way to keep up with what’s happening in education - plus the top headlines across the state - delivered every morning.
You can sign up at the bottom of aldailynews.com
The Daily News Digest is an easy way to keep up with what’s happening in education - plus the top headlines across the state - delivered every morning.
You can sign up at the bottom of aldailynews.com
October 16, 2025 at 4:24 PM
I cover Alabama’s schools, students and ed policy for Alabama Daily News.
The Daily News Digest is an easy way to keep up with what’s happening in education - plus the top headlines across the state - delivered every morning.
You can sign up at the bottom of aldailynews.com
The Daily News Digest is an easy way to keep up with what’s happening in education - plus the top headlines across the state - delivered every morning.
You can sign up at the bottom of aldailynews.com
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
All workers except a small number of top officials are being fired at the office that implements the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the employees union said.
Special education oversight, civil rights enforcement hit hard in Education Department layoffs
All workers except a small number of top officials are being fired at the office that implements the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the employees union said.
bit.ly
October 13, 2025 at 6:50 PM
All workers except a small number of top officials are being fired at the office that implements the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the employees union said.
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
“When we saw the news coverage, we started thinking about how we could respond, especially to find out if we had any scholars who live there,” Jackson Public Schools McKinney-Vento program manager Tiffany Jones said.
Jackson Schools Help Students Facing Water Shutoffs, Evictions
The Jackson Public Schools district is helping students who are facing water shutoffs and evictions at the embattled Blossom Apartments.
buff.ly
August 25, 2025 at 10:45 PM
“When we saw the news coverage, we started thinking about how we could respond, especially to find out if we had any scholars who live there,” Jackson Public Schools McKinney-Vento program manager Tiffany Jones said.
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a new Texas law requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments in at least 11 school districts.
Judge Blocks Texas Law Requiring Ten Commandments in Schools
www.edweek.org
August 21, 2025 at 9:15 PM
A federal judge has temporarily blocked a new Texas law requiring classrooms to display the Ten Commandments in at least 11 school districts.
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
New episode of Sold a Story.
𝟭𝟰: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝘁𝘀
The Trump administration is slashing government funding for science and dismantling the Dept of Ed. We look at what the cuts mean for the science of reading — and the effort to get that science into schools.
Listen: www.apmreports.org/episode/2025...
𝟭𝟰: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝘁𝘀
The Trump administration is slashing government funding for science and dismantling the Dept of Ed. We look at what the cuts mean for the science of reading — and the effort to get that science into schools.
Listen: www.apmreports.org/episode/2025...
August 21, 2025 at 5:55 PM
New episode of Sold a Story.
𝟭𝟰: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝘁𝘀
The Trump administration is slashing government funding for science and dismantling the Dept of Ed. We look at what the cuts mean for the science of reading — and the effort to get that science into schools.
Listen: www.apmreports.org/episode/2025...
𝟭𝟰: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝘂𝘁𝘀
The Trump administration is slashing government funding for science and dismantling the Dept of Ed. We look at what the cuts mean for the science of reading — and the effort to get that science into schools.
Listen: www.apmreports.org/episode/2025...
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
@trishcrain.bsky.social has expertly detailed the gaps within school populations, both at the state and district level. For the first time, Alabama is parsing out scores between kids who live in poverty and those who don't.
And the results aren't pretty.
aldailynews.com/alabama-acap...
And the results aren't pretty.
aldailynews.com/alabama-acap...
Alabama ACAP scores rise statewide, but gaps remain: See district, school results
Alabama Daily News reviewed the spring 2025 ACAP results - and built interactive charts so you can look up results by district and by school.
aldailynews.com
August 19, 2025 at 6:12 PM
@trishcrain.bsky.social has expertly detailed the gaps within school populations, both at the state and district level. For the first time, Alabama is parsing out scores between kids who live in poverty and those who don't.
And the results aren't pretty.
aldailynews.com/alabama-acap...
And the results aren't pretty.
aldailynews.com/alabama-acap...
Excellent thread from @greezbock.bsky.social covering ACAP scores (good news!), her fantastic data-wrangling with R (I'm SO jealous) and how frustrating it is for journalists to deal with giant spreadsheets of test scores (it doesn't have to be this hard)! #aledchat
Alabama's 2025 ACAP scores are out, and lots of schools have good news to share. 🧵
August 20, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Excellent thread from @greezbock.bsky.social covering ACAP scores (good news!), her fantastic data-wrangling with R (I'm SO jealous) and how frustrating it is for journalists to deal with giant spreadsheets of test scores (it doesn't have to be this hard)! #aledchat
Curious how your Alabama school or district did on ACAP?
We built an interactive chart where you can explore results yourself - and even download the full, clean dataset.
aldailynews.com/alabama-acap...
We built an interactive chart where you can explore results yourself - and even download the full, clean dataset.
aldailynews.com/alabama-acap...
Alabama ACAP scores rise statewide, but gaps remain: See district, school results
Alabama Daily News reviewed the spring 2025 ACAP results - and built interactive charts so you can look up results by district and by school.
aldailynews.com
August 19, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Curious how your Alabama school or district did on ACAP?
We built an interactive chart where you can explore results yourself - and even download the full, clean dataset.
aldailynews.com/alabama-acap...
We built an interactive chart where you can explore results yourself - and even download the full, clean dataset.
aldailynews.com/alabama-acap...
“The decision to withhold this funding is contrary to President Trump’s goal of returning K-12 education to the states,” the letter stated.
Alabama Sen. Katie Britt joined 9 GOP senators in sending the letter. Dr. Mackey's response here, too. #alpolitics #aledchat
aldailynews.com/sen-britt-9-...
Alabama Sen. Katie Britt joined 9 GOP senators in sending the letter. Dr. Mackey's response here, too. #alpolitics #aledchat
aldailynews.com/sen-britt-9-...
Sen. Britt, 9 other GOP senators urge release of frozen federal education funding
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Alabama Sen. Katie Britt is among 10 Senate Republicans urging the Office of Management and Budget to release $6.9 billion in federal education funding currently under review, sayin...
aldailynews.com
July 17, 2025 at 1:28 AM
“The decision to withhold this funding is contrary to President Trump’s goal of returning K-12 education to the states,” the letter stated.
Alabama Sen. Katie Britt joined 9 GOP senators in sending the letter. Dr. Mackey's response here, too. #alpolitics #aledchat
aldailynews.com/sen-britt-9-...
Alabama Sen. Katie Britt joined 9 GOP senators in sending the letter. Dr. Mackey's response here, too. #alpolitics #aledchat
aldailynews.com/sen-britt-9-...
Excellent reporting from @jillbarshay.bsky.social for the @hechingerreport.org. Not gonna try to hide it - I have a huge amount of respect for Dr. Carr and am still processing what this means for federal education data's future. #aledchat
In my story, I reported that an Ed Dept official said that federal data is safe and will soon be transferred to IES’s secure servers. Just learned from a former senior ED official that "IES doesn't have secure servers. That was part of the problem." hechingerreport.org/proof-points...
Suddenly sacked
Former education stats chief describes her final days under DOGE
hechingerreport.org
July 16, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Excellent reporting from @jillbarshay.bsky.social for the @hechingerreport.org. Not gonna try to hide it - I have a huge amount of respect for Dr. Carr and am still processing what this means for federal education data's future. #aledchat
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
The big bill passed and it included a federal school choice initiative. The Gadfly goes deep on the details of this new federal-level push for choice and implications across red and blue states.
fordhaminstitute.org/national/res...
fordhaminstitute.org/national/res...
#977: New law, new questions for school choice, with Brian Jodice
On this week’s Education Gadfly Show, Brian Jodice, National Press Secretary for the American Federation for Children joins us for a lively debate on the federal school choice provision embedded in th...
fordhaminstitute.org
July 16, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The big bill passed and it included a federal school choice initiative. The Gadfly goes deep on the details of this new federal-level push for choice and implications across red and blue states.
fordhaminstitute.org/national/res...
fordhaminstitute.org/national/res...
Alabama's Gov. Ivey made a stop at a Cullman summer STEM camp to highlight National Summer Learning Week - students were building robots and marble runs as part of a two-week, grant-funded program. #aledchat aldailynews.com/gov-kay-ivey...
Gov. Kay Ivey highlights summer learning during Cullman STEM camp visit
Gov. Kay Ivey visited the camp Tuesday morning to spotlight National Summer Learning Week.
aldailynews.com
July 16, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Alabama's Gov. Ivey made a stop at a Cullman summer STEM camp to highlight National Summer Learning Week - students were building robots and marble runs as part of a two-week, grant-funded program. #aledchat aldailynews.com/gov-kay-ivey...
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
New Lumina/Gallup survey data show a slight uptick in the share of respondents who have confidence in higher education, with Republicans giving much more support to community colleges than four-year institutions. It's a rare bit of good news for the sector.
news.gallup.com/poll/692519/...
news.gallup.com/poll/692519/...
July 16, 2025 at 9:23 AM
New Lumina/Gallup survey data show a slight uptick in the share of respondents who have confidence in higher education, with Republicans giving much more support to community colleges than four-year institutions. It's a rare bit of good news for the sector.
news.gallup.com/poll/692519/...
news.gallup.com/poll/692519/...
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
Via @annabjournalist.bsky.social: Under a new public school funding formula adopted by Alabama earlier this year, a rural school district in northern Alabama is getting almost half of its additional funding for students who are learning to speak English.
Alabama's new public school funding formula could lighten ELL teachers' loads | Alabama Reflector
Anna Hairston, director of federal programs for the district, said the system has already hired two ELL teachers with the nearly $1.4 million the state is allocating to the system for ELL students.
alabamareflector.com
July 16, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Via @annabjournalist.bsky.social: Under a new public school funding formula adopted by Alabama earlier this year, a rural school district in northern Alabama is getting almost half of its additional funding for students who are learning to speak English.
While community college enrollment is recovering nationwide, Alabama’s community college enrollment is rising faster. Fall (to date) and summer enrollment are both up.
Also: A new president for Gadsden State and several big-ticket construction projects.
Read more:
aldailynews.com/alabama-comm...
Also: A new president for Gadsden State and several big-ticket construction projects.
Read more:
aldailynews.com/alabama-comm...
Alabama Community College System: Enrollment up, Gadsden State gets new president
In addition to approving salary schedules, bond issues and construction projects, the board heard updates on enrollment and federal funding and voted to appoint a new president at Gadsden State.
aldailynews.com
July 11, 2025 at 3:16 PM
While community college enrollment is recovering nationwide, Alabama’s community college enrollment is rising faster. Fall (to date) and summer enrollment are both up.
Also: A new president for Gadsden State and several big-ticket construction projects.
Read more:
aldailynews.com/alabama-comm...
Also: A new president for Gadsden State and several big-ticket construction projects.
Read more:
aldailynews.com/alabama-comm...
Tuesday's #ALBOE meeting & work session covered a lot of ground:
✔️ New board leaders
✔️ Draft rules to fund schools under the RAISE Act
✔️ Statewide anti-vaping policy for schools
✔️ A real effort to streamline teacher paperwork
Meeting brief here:
🔗 aldailynews.com/alabama-boar...
#aledchat
✔️ New board leaders
✔️ Draft rules to fund schools under the RAISE Act
✔️ Statewide anti-vaping policy for schools
✔️ A real effort to streamline teacher paperwork
Meeting brief here:
🔗 aldailynews.com/alabama-boar...
#aledchat
Alabama Board of Education meeting briefs - July 8, 2025
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Alabama State Board of Education on Tuesday elected new leadership and reviewed updates on student funding, school policies, and assessment results during its monthly meeting an...
aldailynews.com
July 10, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Tuesday's #ALBOE meeting & work session covered a lot of ground:
✔️ New board leaders
✔️ Draft rules to fund schools under the RAISE Act
✔️ Statewide anti-vaping policy for schools
✔️ A real effort to streamline teacher paperwork
Meeting brief here:
🔗 aldailynews.com/alabama-boar...
#aledchat
✔️ New board leaders
✔️ Draft rules to fund schools under the RAISE Act
✔️ Statewide anti-vaping policy for schools
✔️ A real effort to streamline teacher paperwork
Meeting brief here:
🔗 aldailynews.com/alabama-boar...
#aledchat
Reposted by Trisha Powell Crain
AERA and 10 other education research groups urge Education Department leaders to act immediately to ensure the Civil Rights Data Collection for the 2025-26 school year. Read the letter: www.aera.net/Portals/38/U...
www.aera.net
July 9, 2025 at 4:46 PM
AERA and 10 other education research groups urge Education Department leaders to act immediately to ensure the Civil Rights Data Collection for the 2025-26 school year. Read the letter: www.aera.net/Portals/38/U...
Alabama's ACAP results are out for the 2024-25 school year.
Reading and math scores are trending up — but we won’t see district and school results until August.
Take a look at the statewide data + context here:
🔗 aldailynews.com/reading-and-...
#aledchat
Reading and math scores are trending up — but we won’t see district and school results until August.
Take a look at the statewide data + context here:
🔗 aldailynews.com/reading-and-...
#aledchat
Reading and math gains highlight latest Alabama student test scores
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – More Alabama students are reading and doing math on grade level, and fewer are scoring at the lowest level, according to new statewide test results released Tuesday. State Superinte...
aldailynews.com
July 9, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Alabama's ACAP results are out for the 2024-25 school year.
Reading and math scores are trending up — but we won’t see district and school results until August.
Take a look at the statewide data + context here:
🔗 aldailynews.com/reading-and-...
#aledchat
Reading and math scores are trending up — but we won’t see district and school results until August.
Take a look at the statewide data + context here:
🔗 aldailynews.com/reading-and-...
#aledchat
Alabama’s high school graduation rate is up — but gaps remain.
📈 4 charts show long-term trends, subgroup differences & recent shifts
📊 2 tables let you look up school & district rates
Dig into the data:
🔗 aldailynews.com/graduation-r...
#aledchat *Class of 2024 data - the most recent available.
📈 4 charts show long-term trends, subgroup differences & recent shifts
📊 2 tables let you look up school & district rates
Dig into the data:
🔗 aldailynews.com/graduation-r...
#aledchat *Class of 2024 data - the most recent available.
Graduation rates are rising in Alabama: See the trends, look up your school
"We're generally seeing improvement in multiple areas across the board," State Superintendent Eric Mackey told Alabama Daily News.
aldailynews.com
July 7, 2025 at 5:50 PM
Alabama’s high school graduation rate is up — but gaps remain.
📈 4 charts show long-term trends, subgroup differences & recent shifts
📊 2 tables let you look up school & district rates
Dig into the data:
🔗 aldailynews.com/graduation-r...
#aledchat *Class of 2024 data - the most recent available.
📈 4 charts show long-term trends, subgroup differences & recent shifts
📊 2 tables let you look up school & district rates
Dig into the data:
🔗 aldailynews.com/graduation-r...
#aledchat *Class of 2024 data - the most recent available.