She taught for 25 years in the Decatur School System, and served two terms as the president of the Alabama Education Association (AEA) from 1983-1984 and 1995-1997.

[3] She won various teaching awards including Teacher of the Year; a Teacher Hall of Fame nominee; honored by the Alabama Jaycees as Alabama’s Outstanding Young Educator; and Good Housekeeping’s "100 Young Women of Promise.

[6] Worley was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury in March 2007 on five misdemeanor and one felony charge.

The charges, resulting from an investigation by Alabama Attorney General Troy King, accused Worley of soliciting support from five of her employees during her unsuccessful re-election campaign in 2006.

[7] In October 2012, Worley pleaded guilty via a "best interest" plea on one misdemeanor count and agreed to pay a $100 fine.