TUSCALOOSA, Ala.  (AP) — A 56-year-old grandmother of 14 says she’s had enough of budget cuts that have slashed funding for public education in Alabama.

Lori Tippets, a member of the Jacksonville, Ala., Board of Education, started running last week to increase awareness about the impact of funding cuts. She plans to run 6.2 miles in 30 cities throughout the state for 30 days.

On Tuesday, she arrived in Tuscaloosa. She’s already run in Anniston, Heflin, Piedmont, Orange Beach and Mobile.

Public schools in Alabama receive most of their funding from the state and federal governments. Tippets says local governments can create funding sources and earmark money for education.

Tippets says she hopes her run inspires people to go to school boards and government officials and demand that they make education their top priority.

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