January 16, 2024

Dear Holt High School Students and Families,

The Alabama Accountability Act of 2015 was created to provide school choice to students attending certain designated schools.  The Act also includes a provision for financial assistance through an income tax credit to a parent who transfers a student from a Priority School to another public or non-public school of the parent’s choice.

Your student’s school, Holt High School, has been designated a Priority School, pursuant to the Act. This designation does not tell the entire story of a school or reflect the progress happening at Holt High.  

Strategies are currently being implemented to ensure that your student receives the best education possible. The following strategies are currently in place at Holt High:

• Holt High is now offering academic and career technical dual enrollment classes, directly on the Holt High campus. Holt High is seeing an increase in the number of students taking dual enrollment classes. Students are also eligible for fee and textbook scholarships for dual enrollment classes. 
• Holt High is implementing many strategies and activities that benefit students and enhance the overall school culture. This includes the TCSS Whole Child Framework, which emphasizes all aspects of a student’s well-being, to set them up for academic success.
• Holt High has fully implemented the Cantrell & Waller ACT Prep curriculum to ensure that students have the best preparation possible for the ACT. Cantrell & Waller has been helping students achieve their testing goals for more than 20 years. 
• Holt High has become a national ACT testing site, making it easier for Holt students to take the test more than once and improve their performance on the test.

Under the AAA, we are required to notify you of your options as follows:

• Option 1: Your student may remain at Holt High and continue to take advantage of the programs provided by the Tuscaloosa County Board of Education. If you choose this option, there is no action you are required to take. 
• Option 2: Under the law, your student may transfer to a comparable school within the same school system, if the school you wish to transfer to is: not included on the annual list of Priority Schools, and has available space, and is willing to accept the student. Option 2 is not available in the Tuscaloosa County School System.  
• Option 3: If Option 2 is not available, your student may transfer to a comparable school in another local school system, that is not on the annual list of Priority Schools, has available space, and is willing to accept the student.
• Option 4: Your student may transfer to a qualifying non-public school in Alabama that is willing to accept the student.

Parents or guardians who elect to utilize the transfer process (Options 3 or 4) must complete the appropriate Student Transfer Form. The form is available by contacting Dr. Daniel Dickens, Holt High School Principal, at (205) 342-2768, or Mrs. Jackie Hudgins, TCSS Director of Accountability, at (205) 342-2739. 

The Student Transfer Form for the 2024-2025 School Year must be submitted to Dr. Dickens or Mrs. Hudgins no later than March 1, 2024.

Finally, please be aware that this letter is an important tax document. Please retain a copy of it and the Student Transfer Form for preparation of your upcoming state income tax return. You will need to submit the Student Transfer Form with your state tax return to the Alabama Department of Revenue, if you request a tax credit pursuant to Alabama Act No. 2015-434 and Alabama Act 2023-418.

If you have any questions regarding this notification, please contact Dr. Daniel Dickens or Mrs. Jackie Hudgins at the contact information listed above.

Sincerely,

Dr. Keri C. Johnson

Superintendent