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The Coker equation
SEC win streak goes on the line against Florida
Former Florida State QB meets with Nick Saban
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TCHS among state’s 32 in new sports class Shuffle to come in 2014-15 school year with AHSAA’s 7A tier By Andrew Carroll Sports Writer
MONTGOMERY | Tuscaloosa County High School’s sports teams will begin competition next fall in a new Class 7A created by the Alabama High School Athletic Association. A HS A A of f ic ia ls a n nou nced Wednesday that the expanded system was unanimously approved by the Central Board of Control and will be in effect through the 2016 school year.
The AHSAA, which adopted a system of six classes in 1984, reclassifies its member schools every two years based on average daily enrollment numbers provided by the State Board of Education. Private schools that belong to the AHSAA supply the same enrollment information. Class 7A includes 32 schools, with Hoover (1,978.55) ranking fi rst in the A HSA A enrollment formula and TCHS (1,033.60) ranking 28th. “We’re excited about the opportunity,” TCHS football coach L ee
Gibson said. “It’s something new at the state level, and we’re glad to be a part of it. “We’ve been hearing about it for months. I don’t really know all the fi nal reasons for doing it. It’s kind of like being in the NCAA, I guess. We’ll do what we’re told to do.” Tuscaloosa County’s football team competed in Class 6A, Region 5 last season. The Wildcats’ Region 3 opponents in Class 7A include Hoover, Hewitt-Trussville, Oak Mountain, SEE CLASS | 6A
AHSAA RECLASSIFICATION Here is a look at the current (2012-13) football classification for Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) schools in Tuscaloosa County, and how those schools will be classified for 2014 and 2015: School Tuscaloosa County Hillcrest Northridge Paul W. Bryant Brookwood Central Holt Northside Sipsey Valley American Christian Academy Holy Spirit
Tuscaloosa city and county graduation rates 80
66
65**
60
82
75*
81%
75
83
83
68**
Tusc. Co. High School 85
83 82
12-13
11-12
79%
10-11
76*
09-10
86
77%
83
81 81
08-09
54**
92
12-13
61
11-12
88 65
10-11
Northside High School
79* 59
09-10
Holt High School
08-09
12-13
11-12
10-11
09-10
89
85 86
72%
Tusc. County Overall
64**
08-09
12-13
Hillcrest High School 85%
59**
60
78%
68**
56%
* Starting in the 2011-2012 school year, Alabama began using a national graduation rate formula
Sipsey Valleyy
81%
80*
12-13 1 1
11-12 1 1
10-1 1 11
09-1 0 10 0
080 80 09
12-13 1 1
11-1 1 12
101 01 11
09 1 090 10
08 0 080 09
12-13 1 1
111 11 12 2
10-1 1 11
09-1 0 10
080 80 09
12-13 1 1
11-12 1 1
10 1 101 11
09-10 0 1
08-0 0 09
12-13 1 1
11-1 1 12
101 01 11
090 91 10
08-0 0 09
40
11-12
75%
83
10-11
76 77
09-10
80
08-09
12-13
11-12
10-11
Brookwood 100 High School
66%
79 81
60**
52
09-10
40
PERCENT
80
72%
Paul W. Bryant High School
ONLY TWO YEARS RECORDED
69
77
08-09
PERCENT
80
Northridge High Schooll
Central High School
STAFF ILLUSTRATION | ANTHONY BRATINA
Local high schools improve, though overall figures still below state average By Jamon Smith Staff Writer
T
he students, teachers, parents and school administrators at all nine Tuscaloosa city and county high schools have a reason to celebrate. For the fi rst time in at least five years,
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every high school in both school systems improved its graduation rate from the past school year. According to a report from the Alabama Department of Education, the overall graduation rate in the Tuscaloosa City School System rose from 65 percent in the 2011-12 school year, to 72 percent in 2012-13. The
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7
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overall graduation rate in the Tuscaloosa County School System rose from 68 percent in 2011-12 to 77 percent in 2012-13. “This is something we’ve always thought we could get done if we could get everybody — all stakeholders, parents, students and community — to buy in,” said Tuscaloosa SEE GRADS | 5A
Senate bills to toughen welfare rules find support Republicans’ proposals involve stiffening penalties, drug-testing applicants By Phillip Rawls
The Associated Press
MONTGOMERY | Two Alabama senators are fi nding support for bills aimed at toughening the laws on welfare benefits, including requiring drug testing of some welfare applicants. The Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Accountability Committee over whel m i ngly ap - ABOUT THE proved four bills Wednesday that a re SENATE BILLS sponsored by Republi- Sens. Trip Pittman can Sens. Trip Pittman and Arthur Orr have of Daphne and Arthur four bills regarding Orr of Decatur. T he the application and bills now go to the Sen- penalty processes ate, where Pittman’s related to welfare and Orr’s roles as chair- benefits, despite men of the two Senate the Department of budget committees vir- Human Resources tually assure them of saying Alabama getting the bills up for doesn’t have a debate. widespread history T he bills apply to of welfare abuse. Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, the cash assistance program commonly called welfare. TANF is different from food stamps because it can be used for a variety of household expenses. Like food stamps, it comes on an electronic card similar to a credit card. SEE WELFARE | 6A Should welfare recipients be tested for drugs? Vote in our Web poll at www. tuscaloosanews.com.
Obama targets sexual assault epidemic at U.S. colleges White House report looks at campus crime By Nedra Pickler
The Associated Press
0
2014-2015 Class 7A, Region 3 Class 6A, Region 4 Class 6A, Region 4 Class 6A, Region 4 Class 6A, Region 4 Class 5A, Region 4 Class 4A, Region 4 Class 4A, Region 4 Class 4A, Region 4 Class 3A, Region 4 Class 2A, Region 4
Note: Tuscaloosa Academy plays in the Alabama Independent School Association. Tuscaloosa Christian plays eight-man football in the Christian Football Association. North River Christian plays as an independent eight-man program.
Grad rates up across the board Tuscaloosa 100 City Overall
Current (2012-13) Class 6A, Region 5 Class 6A, Region 5 Class 6A, Region 5 Class 5A, Region 5 Class 5A, Region 5 Class 5A, Region 5 Class 3A, Region 3 Class 3A, Region 3 Class 3A, Region 3 Class 3A, Region 3 Class 1A, Region 3
WASHINGTON | President Barack Obama shone a light Wednesday on a college sexual assault epidemic that is often shrouded in secrecy, with victims fearing stigma, police poorly trained to investigate and universities
reluctant to disclose the violence. A White House report highlights a stunning prevalence of rape on college campuses, with 1 in 5 female students assaulted while only 1 in 8 student victims report it. “No one is more at risk of being raped or sexually assaulted than women at our nation’s colleges and universities,” said the report by the White House Council on Women and Girls. Nearly 22 million American women and 1.6 million men have been raped SEE VIOLENCE | 5A
President Barack Obama, with Vice President Joe Biden, speaks at an event for the Council on Women and Girls on Wednesday before signing a memorandum creating a task force to respond to campus rapes. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS