MOBILE, Ala. (WPMI) Alabama Public Schools are upset about the new revised School Flexibility Bill, but private schools in Mobile are welcoming the new law.
Republicans pushed the bill through the legislature last week after adding tax credits for parents who move their children from a failing public school to a private one if their current school is failing.
Private schools like Cottage Hill Christian Acaddemy have already made room for new students.
"There's excitement. There's anticipation, and now we're beginning that stage," said Head of School Jim McMillan.
Currently, students interested must apply, take a placement test, and participate in interviews. Now that Governor Bentley announced he will sign the legislation, school officials at Cottage Hill Christian Academy have already made adjustments.
"We had a meeting with our enrollment people to see is there anything in our process we need to change or we need to adapt," said McMillan.
McMillan stated the school plans to reach out to families who live near failing schools.
"Where do we need to beef up some things? We're looking at additional staff members depending upon the mix," he said. "We have room within each one of our grades currently that we can take on another five or six students easily."
Tuition ranges from $4,300 to $6,300 a year, something a lot of parents cannot afford.
"The thing that's exciting is the opportunity and the option to for parents that want a private education," McMillan said.
While many parents are excited about tax credits, Mobile County School officials stated student may suffer because private school are not regulated.
Superintendent Martha Peek stated, "We're accountable we have to share and we readily do the accountability for our schools our testing scores."
