HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT)- Dr. Tommy Bice is welcoming his new role as State Superintendent, even as Govenor Bentley alludes to further cuts to the education budget.

"I understand the governor is under huge pressure to make some tough decisions with very limited resources.  I don't support, however, taking a woefully under-funded education budget and using it as a revenue source for the general fund," says Dr. Bice.  Parents, teachers, and administrators are full of questions for the man who's spent less than a month at the helm of Alabama's school systems.  "There needs to be a way to, not get rid of fire, but to replace teachers who are ineffective," says Kathy Hedrich, who has two children that graduated from Spain Park High School and has another currently enrolled.  She adds that she's pleased with the job SPHS has done in the faculty department.  Brian Cain is the principal at Simmons Middle School.  He liked what Dr. Bice had to say, emphasizing his committment to the children.  His problem is with the emphasis placed on state testing.  "'No Child Left Behind' has it's warts, like he said, and we need to work through that and not forget all the wonderful positive things that are happening for our kids," he says.

Unfortunately, when talking about education the past few years, you've probably been talking budget cuts.  Dr. Bice thinks diminishing funds is no excuse for diminishing results in the classroom.  "The parents of the children that attend Alabama schools, and the children themselves, they don't understand the word 'proration.'  They expect us to have school every day and provide them with the best possible education we can.  We're going to make sure we do that."

Governor Bentley is expected to make an announcement about the education budget in February.