Governor Ivey, with Demopolis legislative delegation looking on signs bill to create Healthcare High School

By Kirsten J. Barnes, Communications Director for the Alabama Senate Minority

Alabama is embarking on an innovative journey as it embraces training high school students
to focus on the healthcare industry.

By the fall of 2026, the Alabama School of Healthcare Science will open to high school
students from 9th and 10th grade who are interested in focusing on a broad range of
healthcare fields.

“I am honored that the state of Alabama chose my district to house this new school,
said Alabama Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro). “This school will give communities throughout the state, along with hospitals and doctors’ offices a steady stream of trained medical professionals and staff.

Governor Kay Ivey came to the Demopolis Civic Center yesterday to sign the legislation. She was accompanied by State Senator Bobby Singleton and State Representative A. J. McCampbell and others to sign House Bill 163 creating the new high school.
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The high school will be open to students from throughout the state and will be a residential
school like the Alabama School of Cyber Technology & Engineering in Huntsville, Alabama
School of Math & Science in Mobile, and Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham.
“I want to thank Gov. Kay Ivey and all the legislators who supported this effort. Demopolis is
ready to make you proud,” Singleton said.

This school will be located next to Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital, allowing students to
have classroom and practical experience daily. The students will graduate with certificates in various programs related to science, technology, engineering, math, and medicine that will address the chronic healthcare workforce shortage in Alabama. Graduates will have the ability to immediately enter the workforce, while others will build a strong foundation for advanced studies at both two-and-four-year colleges and technical schools.

The initial legislative appropriation will be $15 million and will allow the school to open in the
fall of 2026 with approximately 400 ninth and 10th graders in the first year and then add an
additional grade each year.

“While the school is under construction, we will partner with the University of West Alabama
to house students,” Singleton said. “We have matching dollars that will come from private
foundations to help with the costs and construction.
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The school will be in Marengo County, a growing community that is poised to support the
needs of the school. There is also a partnership in place with The University of Alabama at
Birmingham.

Additionally, the school may also offer short courses, workshops, seminars, weekend
instructional programs, and other innovative programs to students not enrolled as full-time.
students in the school.

For more information, contact: kirsten.Barnes@alsenate.gov. or phone: 334-261-0331.