The 13th ranked Alabama Crimson Tide took a bad loss to the Birmingham Blazers on Tuesday night at Sewell-Thomas Field. The Blazers scored seven times in the top of the 1st and coasted to an 11-2 victory. The teams played last Tuesday at Regions Park in Birmingham with the Tide winning that contest 12-6. With the loss Alabama is 28-14 while the Blazers improved to 26-15. Casey Dunn’s squad is much improved this year and carries an RPI of 33. Alabama entered the game 4th in the nation in RPI. Bama did not help themselves by committing five errors. The Tide is now 60-29 all-time in matchups with the Blazers, including 32-13 in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama
It’s time to modernize Alabama school funding formula to better support students: op-ed
This is a guest opinion column
Alabama has made record investments and policy reforms in education over the past few years and it’s starting to pay off. Last week, we learned that Alabama has catapulted from 52nd in 4th grade math in 2019 to 32nd in 2024 and we are the only state in the country to surpass our pre-pandemic NAEP math scores. We are incredibly proud of these results and what they mean for our state. They are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, teachers, families, and state leaders.
When you take a closer look at these 4th-grade math scores, another important data point emerges. Students living in poverty are dramatically underperforming their peers who aren’t living in poverty, resulting in a 36-point gap between these student groups. Imagine what would be possible for our state if Alabama made a significant investment in supporting these students.
This is precisely why we, the Every Child Alabama Coalition, believe the time has come to address the upstream cause of our achievement gaps: our state’s school funding policy.
Recognizing the need for reform, the Alabama Legislature established the Joint Legislative Study Commission on Modernizing K-12 School Education Funding in the 2024 legislative session. Over five meetings, the commission explored pathways to modernize our outdated system. They examined our current Foundation Program formula, its inadequacies, and its inability to address each student’s unique needs. Some of their key takeaways:
● The current model is 30 years old and ranks 39th in the nation on per-pupil funding, which is $4,009 less than the national average per student.
● After adjusting for inflation, Alabama’s state funding decreased by $860 per student from 2008 to 2022.
● Our state is one of only six that still funds schools based solely on student headcount rather than individual needs.
● Most importantly, the $5.3 billion K-12 budget only allocates 1.2% to students with the greatest academic needs, including those in poverty, with disabilities, or English learners, which equates to approximately $138 per student.
With the guidance of state and national experts, the commission explored other funding models and whether Alabama could afford to implement a change. They learned:
- Forty-one states have a student-weighted formula.
- We can afford to make the transition. The Legislature can do this without a tax increase.
- The research shows money matters. An additional $1,000 through school funding reform efforts results in the same academic effect of roughly 72 additional days of learning. Increased funding also increases test scores, graduation rates, college-going rates, and adult wages, as well as improved economic outcomes for the state.
- Mississippi transitioned its funding model in 2024 and Tennessee in 2022. Other states, like North Carolina, are actively considering modernizing their funding formulas.
What’s next? The commission plans to finalize its recommendations in the first days of the 2025 legislative session, and they are examining three potential pathways forward:
- Option 1: Make no changes to the Foundation Program. Continue business as usual without any impactful investments in student needs.
- Option 2: Move to a Student-Weighted Formula. This option fully replaces the current Foundation Program.
- Option 3: Shift to a Hybrid Formula. This option pairs the existing Foundation Program with a new weighted formula for students who need additional support. In recent weeks, we have been excited to see and hear overwhelming bipartisan support for the hybrid model.
More money for students is a no-brainer! We encourage our Legislature to make modernizing school funding a priority for this session. An investment in Alabama’s students is an investment in our state’s future. And who knows! Alabama could break into the top twenty in 2026 NAEP scores, with every child performing at higher levels. We deeply believe it’s possible.
Signed by the following coalition members:
Jason Meadows, Advocacy and Partnerships Director A+ Education Partnership
Huntsville Committee of 100
David Wells, President & CEO, Goodwill Alabama
Tracye Strichik, Director, Alabama Expanded Learning Alliance
Bryan Billy, Executive Director, Teach For America Alabama
Dr. Jeremiah Newell, CEO, Mobile Area Education Foundation
Samantha Williams, Executive Director, Birmingham Promise
VOICES for Alabama’s Children
Baldwin County Education Coalition
Joel Brandon Smith, Chief Academic Officer, STAIR Birmingham
Mariohn Miichel, Executive Director, Breakthrough Birmingham
Dr. Andrew Pendola, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, Auburn University
Carlos Aleman, CEO, Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama (¡HICA!)
Ashley Lucier, Executive Director, Amp Up Arts
Alabama Possible
Faith in Action Alabama
Ann McKimmon Sikes, Executive Director, Montgomery Education Foundation
Alabama Families for Great Schools
Dr. Melissa Capehart, Parent Advocate
Black Alabamians for Education
EmpowerEd
Tyler Barnett, CEO, New Schools for Alabama
Eugene McCall Jr., President and Founder, Education 4 Life
New Life COGIC
Shannon M. Shelley-Tremblay, Executive Director, The Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program
Susie Patrick, Parent Advocate
Dr. Erica Jewel Littleton, CEO, Learning Little People
Dr. Ashley Samuels, Executive Director, Birmingham Education Foundation
The E.WE Foundation AG Gaston Business Institute
Joan Wright, Executive Director, Childcare Resources
Dr. Jason Bryant
Annette Scogin, Lifetime Educator
Brittany Wade, Propel Education
About the Every Child Alabama Coalition:
Every Child Alabama is a coalition of organizations and individuals working to ensure every child across Alabama has access to a world-class education to reach their full potential. We share a unifying belief that when every child receives a transformative education, it strengthens communities, making them better places to live, work, and raise a family. The Every Child Alabama Coalition is powered by A+ Education Partnership.
Freshman left hander Luke Smyers started on the mound for Bama and had a short lived appearance. Lead off man Kevin Hall tried to bunt and popped out to Alabama first baseman Luke Vaughn. That was the only batter retired by Smyers. JP Head followed with a walk and Smyers hit Landon Beaver and Max Price to load the bases. Brady Waugh looped a soft single into short left field to score a run. Andrew Hunt singled up the middle to score another and when Bama centerfielder Bryce Fowler fumbled the ball for an error, another run scored. Wesley Helms singled to chase Smyers in favor of JT Blackwood. Alex DuPay greeted Blackwood with a two run single. Two more runs came in on an error by Bama third baseman Jason Torres on a bunt by Baylor Roberts. By the time the dust settled and the inning ended, the Tide had put themselves in a 7-0 hole.
The Tide went down in order in the bottom half of the first against starter Isaac Warrick. Blackwood allowed two singled to begin the top of the 2nd, but a strikeout and double play held the deficit to seven. Eric Hines was hit by a pitch leading off in the bottom half but a pop out and two strikeouts kept Bama at bay. Blackwood had a perfect third with a ground out, fly out, and pop out. Alabama finally had a scoring opportunity in the in the bottom of the third, but could not capitalize.
Torres led off with a walk but was foreced out at second on a ground ball by Fowler. Justin LeBron shot a single to the right side to move Fowler to third base. LeBron then swiped second base for his 33rd stolen base of the year in 33 chances. Brady Neal walked to load the bases with two outs for Hines. Hines struck out to end the uprising. Blackwood walked Roberts to led off the top of the 4th, followed by a single by Hall. Head singled to right to drive in one run, and when Neal fumbled the ball in right, another run followed. Connor Lehman replaced Blackwood and walked the first two batters he faced to load the bases. A strikeout and a double play prevented further damage, but the score was now 9-0.
In the bottom of the 4th Bama got their second hit of the game with one out when Hall couldn’t find a pop up by Vaughn that fell in for a double. A strikeout and ground out ended the inning. Owen Sarna replaced Lehman and had a quick top of the 5th with a ground out and two strikeouts. Bama went down easily in the bottom half of the fifth. Sarna was back in the 6th and despite a walk and a single kept the Blazers from adding to their lead. Alabama final broke through in the bottom of the frame. Neal led off with a single and was forced out at second on a ground ball hit by Hines, Tide catcher Johnny Lemm crushed a 408 foot home run into the visitors bullpen to cut the lead to 9-2. A strikeout and a long fly out by Will Plattner ended the inning.
Austin Morris replaced Sarna in the top of the seventh. Hunt singled to lead off the inning and a one out double by Dupuy scored Hunt. DuPay reached third when Neal misplayed the ball in right field. Roberts put down a perfect squeeze bunt to score DuPay. Hall struck out to end the inning with the 11-2 score. The Tide went down in order in the bottom of the inning. Joe Chiardo tossed the 8th for Bama and had a perfect inning with a fly out, ground out, and strikeout.
The Tide went down in order in the 8th and Zach Kittrell made his season debut on the mound for Bama in the ninth. Kittrell walked Waugh to lead off the inning. Waugh was cut down trying to steal (in a 11-2 game in the ninth?) by Lemm. The runner was initially called safe but the call was overturned upon review. Kittrell retired the next two on a strikeout and fly ball to left field that Hines made a sliding catch on. Plattner singled with two outs in the 9th for Bama, but a strikeout of Evan Taylor ended the game with the Tide on the short end of the 11-2 score.
Alabama’s offensive woes continued with a 5-32 night at the plate with two walks, one hit batter, one double, one home run, a stolen base, nine strikeouts, and left six on base. The five hits were divided among five players. Smyers fell to o-1 with the loss.
Birmingham hit 11-33 in the game with six walks, two hit batters, one double, one stolen base, nine strikeouts, and left five men on base. Head, Beaver, Hunt, and Dupay all had two hits apiece. Riley Miller was the winning pitcher and is 3-0 on the season. Warrick left the game in the third inning with what appeared to be a shoulder injury.
No sugar coating this one. Just a stinker all the way around. The loss gave the Tide a 2-6 record in their last eight games. There were a couple of bright spots. Lemm hit a much needed home run after struggling the last 8-10 games. Sarna was impressive in his two innings, Chiardo was sharp in his inning, and Kittrell showed some velocity with his 94 mile an hour fastball. LeBron now has a 10 game hitting streak and is still yet to be caught stealing. Bama now has only 20 hits in their last four games with seven runs scored.
Next up is a road trip to Knoxville to take on the struggling Tennessee Volunteers in a Thursday- Saturday series.
Roll Tide
Alabama has become the latest state to enact a comprehensive consumer privacy regime, adding further complexity to an already fragmented U.S. regulatory landscape and raising new compliance imperatives for businesses operating across state lines.
Welcome to BamaCentral’s “Just a Minute,” a video series featuring Alabama Crimson Tide on SI’s beat writers. Multiple times per week, the writers will group up or film solo to provide their take on a topic concerning the Crimson Tide or the landscape of college sports.
Watch the above video as BamaCentral baseball beat reporter Theodore Fernandez reflects on the first two months of Alabama baseball’s season and explains why the team has left much to be desired despite success on the field.
At face value, this has been a successful campaign for Alabama baseball. Entering the final four weeks of the regular season, a Crimson Tide team that was projected to finish No. 13 in the SEC is 9-9 in conference play, and just one game out of fourth place. The first sweep of Auburn in more than a decade, the Frisco Classic title, and a road series win over Oklahoma are big-time results that speak to the potential Alabama clearly possesses.
But it continues to appear increasingly likely that this team may not realize that potential.
There are issues up and down the roster. The bulk of the attention has been on Justin Lebron’s struggles. His career-high in errors and underwhelming offensive numbers have led to his draft stock beginning to fall, and it led to him even being experimentally moved out of the two-hole for a game against Arkansas.
Players like Luke Vaughn and Jason Torres have struggled, and there is still a significant amount of regular roster experimentation occurring on a week-to-week basis. Will Plattner, Justin Osterhouse, Chase Kroberger, Andrew Purdy and Peyton Steele are all among the players who have started games over the past two weekends and still appear to have undefined roles.
The biggest question remains the bullpen, as it is nearly impossible to predict what it will provide on any given day. There was a two-weekend stretch where it gave up just five earned runs over 22.1 combined innings against Auburn and Oklahoma, willing Alabama to wins in games where the bats did not show up. Then there have been the lows: implosions against Arkansas and Texas that cast serious doubt on the unit’s ability to show up in big moments.
In all of those areas where the team has struggled, there is hope of a turnaround. There are the bullpen’s aforementioned elite stretches. There are the web-gem plays in short by Lebron, that will leave him with one of the most impressive defensive highlight reels of any player in the nation. There’s Torres responding to a 1-for-12 weekend against the Razorbacks with a two-hit game where he drove in one of Alabama’s two runs to avoid a sweep against Texas last Sunday.
In a sport defined by randomness, where the thinnest of margins can mean the difference between going home in a regional or making a run to Omaha, we simply have no way of knowing where Alabama will land.
Would we really expect it any other way?
That’s baseball.
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