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It’s Official: No More Alabama Kids Allowed In Florida Schools
January 9, 2009
The days of Alabama students attending school in Escambia County, Florida schools are over, and students from Escambia, Florida, including those from the closing Carver/Century K-8 School, will not be allowed to attend school in Alabama.
Since 1999, a written agreement between the school districts of Escambia County, Alabama, and Escambia County, Florida, has allowed up to 100 students per year from Escambia, Alabama, to attend school in Escambia County, Florida. At a September meeting of the Escambia County (Alabama) School Board, the board voted to rescind that agreement effective with the next school year. The Alabama board said for the agreement to officially end, Escambia County, Florida, must rescind it as well.
But Escambia Florida Superintendent Malcolm Thomas told NorthEscambia.com that he considers the agreement over, without an official vote by his school board.
“It takes two people to have an agreement,” Thomas said,”and one party has already backed out of this agreement. When they rescinded it, we no longer had an agreement.”
Alabama students currently enrolled in Escambia, Florida, schools will be allowed to finish the highest level offered by the school where they are currently enrolled.
An Alabama student in the third grade at Bratt Elementary would be allowed to attend school there through the fifth grade, for example. Once that child finished fifth grade, they would not be allowed to move on to middle school in Florida. A student attending Ernest Ward Middle School under the agreement would be allowed to finish the eighth grade but not be allowed to attend Northview High School.
“We have a policy in effect that parents must now show proof of residency and a Florida drivers license in order to enroll their child,” Thomas said. “If someone goes to the extreme of living in Alabama but somehow getting a proof of residency and a Florida drivers license, we will most likely enroll that student. I don’t have the resources to go out and verify that every student lives at the address we have.”
Your comments on this story are welcome below. However, do not mention any child or their parent/guardian by name.
Pictured above: Of the 100 students from Alabama that were allowed to attend school in Escambia County, Florida, 18 of them attend Ernest Ward Middle School. Those students will now be allowed to continue at Ernest Ward but not move on to Northview High School. NorthEscambia.com photo/graphic.
Comments
26 Responses to “It’s Official: No More Alabama Kids Allowed In Florida Schools”
ALABAME KIDS SHOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO FLORIDA SCHOOLs. all kids no matter who should be abl to go to any school they want. why punish those kids because alabama schools want more money??? they should have a right to go to a school that has a good education…… and florida schools DOES have a good education. if alabama people want more kids to go to their schools then why dont they GET A GOOD EDUCATION SYSTEM??? why punish the kids, they SHOULD get a good education!!!
Why bring EA into the discussion? THe border war is not their fault. It is the public schools fault . If the Alabama schools were good schools we would go there. But they are not so we pay an arm and leg to go to EA. I would love for my kids to go to Florida but we can’t afford it since we pay tution so we can’t save for a house. So we are stuck in Alabama. Be grateful for your school and quit bashing EA. It is a good school. We just need a new principal !!
Tina,
You are one of many misinformed parents that have somehow tied us into your border war. I can promise you that this problem started without our influence. We have had some students leave to Florida, but by and large we are holding our own, and have for almost 40 years now. I have many friends and family in Florida schools, and wish no ill will for you, your children, or your schools. For those who choose to attend EA we are thankful, but it is a parents right to choose, within the guidelines provided them. I thought of taking my children there at one time, but chose not to because I would have had to lie to do it. That was my choice. Once again, we are in the same situation you are, we don’t like our school, it’s officials, students, or parents to be wrongfully attacked or blamed, so please keep us out of “your” discussion.
Understanding “all” students deserve a Great Education, “IF” it’s Florda or Alabama who cares, but Both States require funding to do just that! “IF” you (the Parent ) feel your child should attend a Florida or Alabama School to obtain a better education..then Pay-up!. it’s only the right thing to do, then “ALL” are paying their fair share! But I can say this Escambia School District shouldn’t have Bus Stops 30 yards from the Alabama State line? as well most of the car riders dropped off and pickedup daily at E.W.M.S / N.V.H.S have Alabama plates?
The Big Picture here is Funding……
and thanks Mr. Thomas for informing “all’ how to attend Florida Schools for free, just apply for a Florida Driver license?
Well I think everyone on here needs to grow up. Kids need a good education. Bratt and EWMS both offer that. Why punish kids for where they live? I think Renea is right…..there are so many parents that BUY thier childerns way in school. You cant always buy fame for your child. I know a child that goes to Bratt and every time there is a contest, the mom will do whatever it takes to make sure he wins. Does anyone believe that is fair. If you are grown up, dont get on here and bash on others comments. EVERYONE has an opinion. The creators of this website has better things to do than read horrible comments being made.
Um, Century Girl, I go to Ernest Ward and no part of the school is closed. The only parts of the school being used for storage are the ones originally made for that specific purpose. Get your facts straight lady before you go about bashing my school!
Century girl Did you read what you wrote???? Do you really think that a teacher should live in the same community in which they work???????? And why is a teacher’s job different from anyone else who has a job in another city, come on. People travel to work everyday.
As for the Alabama situation it was Alabama not Florida.
Please think before you comment, Some people get on here just to make people angry. That’s not why this site was set up I’m sure. Be Nice
Century girl
“I have been told that about half of the Ernest Ward building is closed and being used for storage (the original elementary end). ”
Get your facts straigth……I can tell you for a fact that this is false my child has classes in this building and in the classrooms you are talking about. EWMS uses NO classrooms or buildings for storage. GET the facts and take a tour. PS. My child is in carver district and there is not a chinamen’s chance she would get half the education she has gotten at EWMS!!!! Case closed!
I don’t get how everyone talks “community” on here, yet bashes Atmore and Alabama like they are another country. Personally I am glad that Atmore is there, because, even though it is not much, it has at times given us employment, entertainment (I can go to a movie every now and then), places to eat out, places to shop, and even places for my children to play sports. I have “used” the state of Alabama probably just as much as all of ya’ll. It is currently supporting our family, because my husbands job is located in Baldwin County. I am really glad that Alabama doesn’t feel about employment and other things, in the way that some of ya’ll do about our CHILDREN! I don’t know about the rest of ya’ll but last I looked Walnut Hill wasn’t busting at the seams with things to do. I really think ya’ll should look up the word community, because I don’t believe it states that there is a line drawn to divide people. As far as the kids that do live in Alabama that this is hurting…. I pray that ya’ll get through this as painless as possible.
I can’t wait to see what is going to happen when you guys run out the Alabama kids. Talk about some fund raising!
Hmmm, if Esc County is paying to send Pensacola Beach kids to Gulf Breeze, then why not pay to send Carver-Century children to Jay k-12? It is much closer, and fixing to be rebuilt as well. That is IF the school board insists on closing Carver-Century.
Each of the remainder schools seem to be bursting at the seams already. Carver-Century is a nice facility- much newer that most of Bratt or EWMS. Why not use Carver-Century facility. IT is the newest.
I have been told that about half of the Ernest Ward building is closed and being used for storage (the original elementary end).
I am not for closing any of the schools actually. Neighborhoods need to have schools so that the kids are part of the community inwhich they live and go to school each day.
As for Alabama-Florida enrollment, in my day, you had to live in the area in which you went to school. I think it should still be that way but I think the teachers, faculty etc should also live in the community inwhich they teach and work. I don’t think they should be allowed to live across state lines and teach our children. They also need to be a part of the community inwhich they live and teach each day.
I am a mother of two children that goes to Bratt. I believe that the Alabama children should go to school in Alabama, if they are going to close schools and make even more children go to Bratt. There is not going to be enough room for all those children as it is. Bratt is a great school and I do not want to see it go down because of too many children in there.
I would have to agree with annoyed. We all know where this stems from. Let these kids go to school wherever. And before you decide to start bashing my statements,please know that all of my children attend Florida schools. We live in Florida. We pay Florida taxes. But I do not have a problem what so ever with Alabama kids attending our schools, and neither do my children. We too started out in a Alabama school. Let them go where they choose!
FYI- I am not nor have I ever been a disgruntled Academy parent.
Readhead– alabama is the one that ended the agreement. florida did not do it to keep kids out of the ernest ward
Well, what about Escambia County Florida paying to send those kids who live on the beach to Gulf Breeze instead of coming across the bridge and going to the school for their district after they finish Pens. Beach Elem. they go on to the schools in Gulf Breeze. We also pay for their senior students to graduate at the Civic Center. Thats a stupid idea anyway all students should graduate at their home schools stadium they all have one and West Florida can use the one at PFHS. It would be a lot cheaper not to hold graduation at that damn Civic Center anyway the traffic and parking are a nightmare. Also they want to get the Alabama kids out of EWMS to make room for the ones coming from Carver same way at Bratt. A dumb idea this early in the administration. Smarter to have kept those kids there so then the kids at Carver/Century could have gone over to Flomaton which is alot closer than the proposed route but that doesn’t matter does it its just Century. Sad Sad
Annoyed,
You sound like a disgruntled former Academy parent, are you? Keep the discussion in our schools please.
annoyed, you mean annoying!
This was done at the request of Escambia Academy’s principal. This would require Alabama parents who do not wish to sent their children to the public Alabama schools, to send them to private schools. Life goes on…….
If the kids are in school leave them alone just make sure they get a high school education …..and not be a drop out ……. it shouldnt matter where they go to school as long as they are in school …..you are hurting the kids not …the parents you are not thinking . how the kids feel
Wow, Somebody, your choice of words is SO INTELLIGENT! NOT!
i think this change is retarded. if an alabama family wants to send their kid to a florida school they should be able to. plus florida has a better system then alabama schools so if alabamas gettin cause all their students is going to florida schools maybe they should worry about teaching their students more then who has more kids in their schools. at least their in school!!!
It,s real simple. Keep your children in school where you pay your taxes.
This is a step, but Mr Thomas doesn’t want to address the real problem, students who have entered Florida schools under false pretenses. Appx 80% of these students came to Florida with false proofs of residency. This means that these students will not have to leave at any time. Unless the school district does some rudimentary investigations, not much will change. I challenge Mr Thomas to investigate, as the students and teachers at Ernest Ward and Bratt would appreciate making a little room for the students coming from Carver.
I am for this change but there are more students that attend other schools in the southern areas because the parents work in Florida and live in Alabama.This is a fact and should be stoped,this could relive the pressure caused from car riders.
This is great. If you live in Alabama, go to school in Alabama. If you live in Florida, go to school in Florida. This has been frustrating for me for years. My son graduated a few years ago from Northview and missed the top ten by only a few points. But there was two Alabama students in that top ten, Had they not been alowed to go to school in Florida, my child that lives in Florida and has parents that pay taxes in Florida would have made the top ten.
I guess it’s okay for Alabama to accept Florida’s trash in our landfills– but not our children in their schools?????