Legacy Prep

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Legacy Prep (originally STAR Academy) is a K-8 charter school, created under the authority of Alabama Public Charter School Commission. The school opened for K-2 grades in August 2019 and has added a grade level each year through 2025. It is located in the Daniel Payne Plaza at 1500 Daniel Payne Drive. The executive director / head of school is Reneta Johnson.

STAR Academy was the first charter school proposed for Birmingham since the passage of the 2015 Alabama School Choice and Student Opportunity Act. The organization was founded in June 2016 by New Rising Star Baptist Church pastor Thomas Beavers. Jonta Morris was hired as the school's executive director.

The Birmingham Board of Education rejected the charter school application in January 2017, but their decision was reversed on appeal to the state Charter School Commission. The board filed a lawsuit claiming that the school lacked grounds for an appeal, but the claim was dismissed by order of the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals in January 2018.

Meanwhile, Beavers sued Morris for allegedly exceeding her authority in creating a governing board for the school. Judge Bob Vance ruled for the defendant, after which Beavers and New Rising Star ended their relationship with the school, which was renamed Legacy Prep. The planned school was awarded a three-year $1,115,137 grant from the U.S. Department of Education's Charter Schools Program in October 2018.

References

  • Faulk, Kent (January 5, 2018) "Appeals court tosses Birmingham BOE lawsuit that seeks to block charter school." The Birmingham News
  • Crain, Trisha Powell (March 1, 2018) "Birmingham charter school changes name, opening date and leadership after lawsuits settled." The Birmingham News
  • Crain, Trisha Powell (October 9, 2018) "Three Alabama charter schools win $1 million each in federal education grants." The Birmingham News

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