Three area schools on failing schools list

The Alabama State Department of Education has released the latest list of failing schools, as determined by the Alabama Accountability Act.  There are 70 schools classified as "failing" compared to 72 last year. Three schools in the Anniston/Gadsden area are on the list.  The Anniston Middle School in Anniston, The Zora Ellis Jr. High in Talladega county and Gadsdens Litchfield Middle School.  The State will notify parents of the school's failing status. At that point parents have the option of continuing their child's enrollment in the failing school, transferring to a comparable school in the same system, or if that's not possible, to another system that will accept the student.

The fourth option parents have through the Alabama Accountability Act allows them to obtain a $3,500 tax credit to enroll their child in a private school.