Alabama Teacher Of The Year Resigns After State Calls Her Unqualified

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2. Teacher of the Year speaks: 'Wall of bureaucracy led to my resignation' (al.com)

By Adam Ganucheau | [e-mail]
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on October 30, 2015 at 3:19 PM

Ann Marie Corgill, the 2014-2015 Alabama Teacher of the Year and 2015 National Teacher of the Year finalist who submitted a letter of resignation to Birmingham City Schools this week after confusion over her certification, said a "wall of bureaucracy" led to the resignation.

Corgill, a fifth-grade teacher at Oliver Elementary School, was informed by the district and the Alabama Department of Education last week that she did not meet federal requirements to continue teaching fifth grade at the school.

"The wall of bureaucracy I encountered trying to straighten all of this out with my employer led to my writing the letter," Corgill told AL.com in a written statement. "This experience has shown me the importance of teachers' voices in public education."

Oliver Elementary is a Title I school, meaning it receives federal funding and special assistance because it has high numbers or high percentages of children from low-income families. Title I schools exist to help ensure that those students meet state academic standards, according to the U.S. Department of Education website.

Because of the school's special distinction, teachers there must meet the federal requirements to be considered a "highly-qualified teacher" – a designation Corgill does not meet.
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