[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6520072,"mediaKeyId","5335876-df0c793c52568091c2abbbea402a42b1","parentId",5335876,"title","Board approves personnel changes, meal-price increase, student trip and legal action on SSUT","audioSeconds",454,"startMs",2340000,"endMs",2794000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5335876-df0c793c52568091c2abbbea402a42b1&start=2340&end=2794","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5335876-df0c793c52568091c2abbbea402a42b1/thumbnail_2340000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6520072/Alabama/Board-approves-personnel-changes-meal-price-increase-student-trip-and-legal-action-on-SSUT","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520072-67bdc17a4f0205eaff16543cccda9fdd/orig.mp4?Expires=1773613784&Signature=KIJne7UUQlf3yQYoluZKATBP-qIhagmw2NCGu8HIf1DrIaJmj6nrZ7LmvlqK4UdCFNg91~HWoRCYrV3cfIJLxtq5~CwGzrb2qTcXZPSQviky3OuNz4WpNZ8rxlJcfkJml-jM5XsFy6loI4dHc7TQlAviVRNPx5djwojigna7sIBSY0LnHgEpyQFUKMh1hKeKO7jpV~Mia66bYVBXTjWGCLFHS1~HG1u-rx89swKQlUmhSkLdY2hWL-WYm~HNTqhCHAWu1uQvlBTLBNKYBk2ZutCbNsFh71AvoRla3l0p6f0B-3Z0A4wC1kJmo9-qabPgulmxCXIGKj4YioR7n2FBqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tuscaloosa City Schools, Alabama","date","2025-07-08T22:06:21Z","article","At its meeting the Tuscaloosa City Schools Board of Education took a series of final-adoption votes recorded by voice vote.

Consent agenda: The board approved items 9A–9C on the consent agenda by voice vote after a motion and second; no set-asides were requested.

Personnel (Item 10A): The board approved the superintendent’s personnel recommendations, including one retirement, five resignations, two new certified personnel, transfers, reassignments and summer learning academy staffing. The supplemental list approved included six resignations, six new certified personnel, one declination, three new classified personnel, two rehired certified personnel, one rehired administrative personnel and ten part-time extended-day tutors. The board approved the item by voice vote after questions and a motion.

CNP employee/visitor meal-price increase (Item 10B): The board approved an increase in employee and visitor breakfast and lunch prices for the 2025–26 Child Nutrition Program cycle. District staff said the change is driven by expected commodity cost increases and reimbursement rates; the presenter asked the board to consider another review next year as needed. The motion carried by voice vote.

Student participation in Ronald Reagan Great American Leadership program (Item 10C): The board approved sending students to the leadership program at Pepperdine University in Simi Valley, California, July 12–15. Initially offered two slots, the district requested and was given a third but, with short notice, Northridge could not provide a student; the approved trip will send one student each from Central High School and Bryant High School with travel arranged from Birmingham. The board approved the item by voice vote.

Resolution authorizing legal action regarding SSUT (Item 10D): The board approved a resolution authorizing the board’s attorneys to file suit on behalf of the school system regarding the Simplified Sellers Use Tax (SSUT), in collaboration with the City of Tuscaloosa. Presenters and other board members described the step as an initial legal action that may be followed by lobbying or legislative work; the resolution passed by voice vote.

Votes: In each case the meeting record shows a motion, a second and approval by voice vote; no roll-call tallies or opposition were recorded on the transcript for these items.

Ending: The board had no unfinished business and set the next regular meeting for July 22.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tuscaloosa City Schools Regular Board Meeting - July 8, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Tuscaloosa City Schools Board of Education approved consent items, personnel recommendations, a CNP employee/visitor meal-price increase, two student slots for a leadership program, and a resolution authorizing attorneys to file legal action regarding SSUT.","taxTitle","Tuscaloosa City Schools, School Districts, Alabama","taxId",13593,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6520077,"CFO warns district loses about $5 million a year from online sales tax exclusion",144,2390000,2534000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5335876-df0c793c52568091c2abbbea402a42b1&start=2390&end=2534","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5335876-df0c793c52568091c2abbbea402a42b1/thumbnail_2390000.jpg","/articles/6520077/Alabama/CFO-warns-district-loses-about-5-million-a-year-from-online-sales-tax-exclusion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520077-6c56763ea450907551cf41930494f9bf/orig.mp4?Expires=1773613784&Signature=NpMmHgbXkb3Q0scbAeYqi4JzPwR0hohvlL1rpuUyEf2HGb6Z5P0rxqCJtXoiqMjtgJL9p-r~V5o7Lr7wG2e~s2AyaGydKVKOHahECr7pPo8JePasrcndjDiLLxXHYiP6y1~uHFKLtwThfP-ca0NwfU03XCvrQ5kZbET3iAwm4ASL0Gof1MMsE1qkgnDp5UV4oM3uuGTUgzfck-77qn2whaLYa342CaWmxvngjNeMWnHR7kdNhXAvquQq8PgSgWlEnCYkMkEp9jowrxqFgG6nki-NVRK-8R6rvCeHTgox3FsXHS8GaISAtpLH8W3554TN03L1v9fEem7kCx2imzUH5w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jay Duke, the district’s chief school financial officer, told the Tuscaloosa City Schools Board of Education that the district receives no share of Alabama’s Simplified Sellers Use Tax (SSUT) on remote/online sales and estimated that gap at roughly $5 million per year.

Duke compared growth in SSUT receipts to brick-and-mortar sales tax and said that over time the divergence creates a significant funding shortfall for local governments and school systems that do not receive SSUT distributions. \"That translates into about $5,000,000 a year that we are not getting because we are not getting anything from the SSUT tax,\" Duke said. He described the issue as potentially reaching \"a crisis level\" for some systems and said it may require litigation and legislative action to address.

Duke also reviewed the district’s general fund management through April 30 (seven months into the fiscal year). He noted the district is slightly below its 58.3 percent expenditure target at 54.71 percent spent. Duke explained a large April outlay associated with the arrival of about 49 school buses — he said that purchase accounted for roughly $3,000,000 of spending compared with roughly $611,000 in the prior year period.

He concluded by noting the monthly financial statement submitted to the Alabama State Department of Education covers all funds and that the district remains slightly under budget on expenditures through April.

Ending: Duke said the SSUT gap will remain a topic for the board and that the district will continue to pursue remedies; later in the meeting the board approved a resolution authorizing attorneys to begin legal action related to SSUT.","Chief School Financial Officer Jay Duke told the board that the district receives no revenue from the state's Simplified Sellers Use Tax (SSUT) on internet sales, which he estimated translates to roughly $5 million annually; he also discussed a recent bulk school-bus purchase and monthly financials.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6520081,"Tuscaloosa athletics report: state titles, scholarship counts and 50% student participation",666,764000,1430000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5335876-df0c793c52568091c2abbbea402a42b1&start=764&end=1430","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5335876-df0c793c52568091c2abbbea402a42b1/thumbnail_764000.jpg","/articles/6520081/Alabama/Tuscaloosa-athletics-report-state-titles-scholarship-counts-and-50-student-participation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520081-f8f2b87c558370f6c279595aa4bc6495/orig.mp4?Expires=1773613784&Signature=omkvYFmtEAtjIgU1RNi71iNZ9y19LAOzZ~uwtljmvGiEeBwM9LGPhIBrfXK-vPYh1sLkThBZEiUiRr5bKAZUkxkCA8of3tJD4ZSo~XW5~nEZIu23YKxd5pmxiy5kO7M1vyU7ARnA0QLIhzgjXXzYaCrP~jYJB5U9JxF5dJlIXUD5bpqfNhlAXOKeNN1PQopvPy95woHqvvV-F~tfQZZtx9YSEumPUFcR3TXBAGSKUv8dEqfOkGCWdxq4jFLLrKXY9l~7~g5LJz4vkuSMsRuG7NtODzu1VD-spCfDJ5PKrD-namYFBga5wAxUDrXP4I4fPwgapuy5L-AzhgAO7OpuIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mr. Hurd, the district’s athletics presenter, told the Tuscaloosa City Schools Board of Education that the district’s fall 2024–25 athletics year included state championships, individual state champions and a notable percentage of student participation in athletics.

At the high school level, Mr. Hurd highlighted Bryant High School’s 6A boys basketball state championship and individual state champions in track and field. He reported increases and decreases in college athletic scholarship counts at each high school: Central High School increased from six to eight scholarship recipients; Northridge High School reported 14 scholarship recipients, down from 20 the previous year; and Paul Bryant High School increased from four to six. Mr. Hurd noted several individual championships and relay titles across the district’s programs.

On participation, Mr. Hurd said the district’s overall high-school participation rate is about 50 percent, above a stated national average of about 45 percent. \"So we're right about 5 out of 10 students participating in athletics,\" he said. He also reported middle-school participation nearer 22.9 percent and said district leaders want to raise that, aiming for about 40 percent at the middle-school level.

Mr. Hurd discussed Special Olympics participation — he said the district had about 75 gymnastic athletes and more than 420 track and field athletes — and recounted award and ribbon distribution for all competitors. He also reviewed technology and facilities upgrades used this year, including Huddle focus cameras that produce faster film breakdowns for coaches and plans for NFHS camera upgrades to improve broadcast quality. He said the district is exploring digital ticketing revenue-sharing options, stadium Wi‑Fi enhancements, fundraising for video boards at high-school stadiums and continued coach clinics (one was led by a New Orleans Saints assistant coach).

Board members raised questions about whether cheerleaders are counted in participation totals (Mr. Hurd said the Alabama High School Athletic Association does not sanction cheerleading as a sport for weekly competition and so cheerleading is not included in official sport counts; he agreed to add an asterisked breakdown with cheer numbers for context). Members also asked about adding sports such as bass fishing, girls wrestling and swimming; Mr. Hurd said the district is exploring sponsorships, coaches and practice facilities.

Ending: Mr. Hurd closed by urging coaches and athletic directors to keep recruiting at the middle-school and PE levels to broaden participation and to \"never get comfortable\" in order to improve programs every year.","Athletics director Mr. Hurd told the board that city high schools won state championships, produced several scholarship recipients and maintain roughly 50% student participation in athletics while middle school participation lags.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6520085,"Northridge Middle credits A+ grant with test-score gains, teacher pay and supplies",289,145000,434000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5335876-df0c793c52568091c2abbbea402a42b1&start=145&end=434","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5335876-df0c793c52568091c2abbbea402a42b1/thumbnail_145000.jpg","/articles/6520085/Alabama/Northridge-Middle-credits-A-grant-with-test-score-gains-teacher-pay-and-supplies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6520085-71d953a69dedd28c5563f87c84819465/orig.mp4?Expires=1773613784&Signature=XDe6FApQmqxzXYcwfX-~DZZVTmk2fLICtdEcW4VHp~nGFQqJYF4siyU2z5THjXElnDpe-dIzaJYDORiT2PQyQHS7FeHKbQk6sqPjgTTC84s9ksqo8~VUIEG9hlRgjlKAv7odnGhkud59cFlGUthFixTZNiJEPZT-We90FZ9uDVK77qJH0h1kJ53wODxgoECj1LFrRRdfF2RlYdPANz14xeI3WBTwfas3iGMXAxMGK-n1-oaHRtDnyI~bS24awLnL-Q0NMQ4FbY8OxBpZsQBAV6fT7TQdw1v0XWcpdUlGMJ6OmIzTl2iU6E7eepPw8X9f-l0isZO2WPponAtlr33V0g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Rainey, a school staff member at Northridge Middle School, told the Tuscaloosa City Schools Board of Education that the school surpassed its PSAT 8/9 growth goal after joining the A+ Schools program and a related MS-TIP grant awarded in spring 2023.

The presentation said the school’s growth goal was 60 points (one year’s expected growth) and that Northridge posted a 70-point growth indicator this year. As a result, the school was named an A+ School of Excellence and teachers qualified for a $500 bonus; 120 students who met growth or benchmarked in both reading and math received $50 Visa gift cards funded by A+. \"I really believe in A plus. It is who we are,\" Dr. Rainey said.

The speaker described A+ program elements: a four-day summer training for teachers, in-year vertical team meetings and instructional rounds, fall workshops and student surveys. The MS-TIP (middle school training incentive program) grant pays stipends and incentives: up to $500 per teacher for participation; a $300 classroom supply stipend for most teachers and $400 for science teachers; and registration for the training (presenter said the training normally costs $1,000 per person and that the grant covered that cost). The presentation included cumulative figures the school reported as grant-funded benefits over two years: $42,900 in direct teacher stipends, $20,400 in classroom supply funds and about $63,000 in covered registration costs; when combined with student incentives and other covered expenses the presenter said the grant provided in excess of $140,000 to the school over two years.

Dr. Rainey tied the A+ work to improved ACAP scores and increased numbers of students at the highest achievement level in math, saying the school’s weighted growth proficiency was above 100 percent and projecting a 3–5 point increase on the school report card for the year. The presenter also noted that some teachers who attended summer training are being asked to serve as A+ trainers going forward and that the grant runs one more year before the school considers continuing as a partner school.

Board members thanked Dr. Rainey and faculty (one board member referenced \"Ms. Thomas\" by name as a participant in training). Commenters praised leadership and asked about expanding the program districtwide; Dr. Rainey said the grant has recurring three-year cycles and that other schools could apply or implement similar training independently.

Ending: The presentation closed with the board and superintendent expressing appreciation for the work at Northridge Middle School and an indication that the A+ partnership will continue for at least one more year while the district considers broader application.","School leader Dr. Rainey told the Tuscaloosa City Schools board that Northridge Middle School exceeded its growth goal after joining the A+ program, bringing student incentives, teacher stipends and classroom supplies funded by a multi-year grant.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves personnel changes, meal-price increase, student trip and legal action on SSUT

CFO warns district loses about $5 million a year from online sales tax exclusion

Tuscaloosa athletics report: state titles, scholarship counts and 50% student participation

Northridge Middle credits A+ grant with test-score gains, teacher pay and supplies