Alabama Healthcare School Names Center for Ivey
The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences honored Governor Kay Ivey by naming its academic center after her.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Healthcare
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The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences named its academic center after Governor Kay Ivey, announced October 29, 2026. The tuition-free residential public high school opened in August with 79 ninth- and 10th-grade students on a temporary campus at the University of West Alabama in Livingston.
Why it matters
The school is Alabama's first residential public high school focused on healthcare careers and aims to address workforce shortages, particularly in rural communities. Hospital leaders across the state have cited vacancies for physical therapy assistants, respiratory therapists, lab technicians, phlebotomists, doctors, and nurses.
The school opened with 79 ninth- and 10th-grade students, backed by a $26.4 million Bloomberg Philanthropies investment announced in January 2024. Roughly 42 percent of Alabama residents, more than 2.1 million people, live in rural areas, the population the school is designed to serve.
The players
Kay Ivey
Kay Ivey is the Governor of Alabama, who signed the legislation establishing the school in 2024 and is now honored by the naming of its academic center.
Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences
The Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences is Alabama's first residential public high school focused on healthcare careers, offering tuition-free education.
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies is the global philanthropic organization founded by Michael Bloomberg that funded the school with a $26.4 million investment.
The details
The school combines college-preparatory academics with specialized health care instruction, hands-on training, and industry-recognized credentials. It partners with hospitals and health care facilities across Alabama to provide clinical experiences and internships.
Timeline
May 2024: Governor Ivey signed legislation establishing the school.
October 2025: Campus groundbreaking held in Demopolis.
August 2026: School opened with 79 students at a temporary campus.
October 29, 2026: Academic center named after Governor Ivey.
2027-28 academic year: Permanent campus scheduled to welcome students.
Industry Landscape
The school follows the 2024 Alabama legislation that created it, extending that law into a named, permanent public institution. It is one of Bloomberg Philanthropies' health care-focused high school initiatives, which the extraction notes span 13 communities.
Families in Alabama, particularly in rural areas, can apply now for the 2027-28 school year at no tuition cost. Students who enroll gain clinical experience and a path toward industry-recognized healthcare credentials.
The takeaway
Students interested in healthcare careers can pursue a tuition-free, residential path into the field starting with the 2027-28 academic year. Families should check application deadlines early, since the school is enrolling its first permanent-campus class.
What happens next
The permanent 10-acre campus adjacent to Whitfield Regional Hospital is scheduled to welcome students for the 2027-28 academic year, and applications for that year are open.
Further reading
For broader context on workforce pipelines, see Healthcare coverage across the state.
More information
Applications for the 2027-28 school year are available through the Alabama School of Healthcare Sciences application portal.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Alabama Political Reporter.
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