Governor Kay Ivey has recently approved a new high school that will focus on preparing students for careers in healthcare, science and technology. Located in Demopolis but open to students from all over the state, the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences will be a tuition-free public high school. The creation of this new school aims to address the shortage of healthcare workers in the state.
Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton praised the new school as another asset for Alabama to be proud of. Along with three existing residential public high schools in Alabama – the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, the Alabama School of Math and Science in Mobile, and the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering in Huntsville – this new school will provide students with opportunities for excellence in their chosen fields.
However, not everyone was happy with the decision to create this new school. Senator Larry Stutts, a doctor, was one of the three Senators who voted against it. He believed that funding smaller programs across the state would better serve students than creating a new residential high school. Despite his opposition, Governor Ivey is optimistic about the benefits that the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences will bring to students and to the healthcare workforce as a whole.