Gov. Ivey Touts Education Accomplishments At The Governor Albert Brewer Legacy Lunch

Governor Kay Ivey touted her education accomplishments as governor during her keynote address for The Governor Albert Brewer Legacy Lunch as part of the PARCA Annual Forum 2026 held in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, today. With the 47th Governor of Alabama, Albert Preston Brewer, having helped found the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama , and being known for having done "more to improve education in Alabama than most of his predecessors and all but a few of his successors." Kay Ivey ,as the 54th governor of Alabama, emphasized how her education initiatives have been a part of her "goal to make Alabama the best state to live, work, and raise a family."

Stating that "a child needs an education" to fulfill her goal of making Alabama the best state to live in, Governor Ivey emphasized how when she took office Alabama ranked "dead last" in the nation in mathematics. But, now, Alabama ranks 32nd in the nation in mathematics proficiency and 34th in the country in reading proficiency. With Alabama coming in 1st in the nation for mathematics recovery and #1 in classroom participation in the nation as Governor Ivey has signed into legislation various laws limiting cell phone use in schools.

Clad in a dark navy blue suit with a silky green blouse, Kay Ivey also spoke about her turnaround schools initiative during her keynote address for PARCA. As she pointed out how through this initiative the Washington K-8 School in Birmingham went from an "F" on the state report card to a "B". And now the students are excited about their future career prospects as the school is a certified STEM institution.

Hal Yeager / Governor's Press Office

PARCA luncheon

The introduction for Governor Kay Ivey as the keynote address speaker was made by Charles Nailen, the vice president of the board for PARCA, and also a sponsor of the Governor Albert Brewer Legacy Lunch as he and his wife, Kay, have owned and operated a chain of southeast Taco Bell and Kentucky Fried Chicken franchises in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Nailen described Governor Ivey in his introduction as "a genius". Specifically, "a political genius" and an "economic development genius" as during Governor Ivey's time in office, Alabama has experienced the lowest unemployment rate in the state's history.

Luisa Reyes

Alabert Brewer was Governor from 1968 - 1971. He was also the founder of the Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama.

Nailed also emphasized that Governor Ivey has always known "who she is and what she always stands for" ever since her childhood growing up in Camden, Alabama. With Governor Ivey following up on her Alabama roots in her keynote address as she stated that "Alabamians can achieve anything if they put their mind to it." And closing her address with her classic phrase of "May God continue to bless each of you and the great State of Alabama."

Luisa Reyes

PARCA lunch

The Governor Albert Brewer Lunch was attended by around 200 people who partook of a salad, grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, and a cheesecake for desert as part of the lunch. The lunch was sponsored by Vulcan Materials company, the Landscape Workshop, Project XYZ, VitAL, Bank Independent, Charles & Kay Nailen, and the Sheriff's Office of Jefferson County. With the stated goal of PARCA being to "support sound policy."

Luisa Reyes is a Tuscaloosa Attorney, piano instructor, reporter, poet, vocalist, and columnist who writes on current affairs and the arts.