This bill creates the College and Higher Education Excellence and Results (CHEER) Act, which establishes a new funding mechanism for Alabama's public higher education institutions. The legislation creates a dedicated CHEER Fund that will provide bonus funding to colleges and universities that meet specific performance goals related to student outcomes such as retention, completion rates, and post-graduation employment in high-demand or high-wage fields. The bill defines eligible institutions to include all Alabama public universities and community colleges, and establishes an Outcomes-Based Higher Education Funding Coordinating Committee to set performance metrics and oversee fund distribution. Funding will be distributed by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education based on how well institutions perform against established benchmarks, with special provisions for premier research universities that demonstrate growth in external research revenue.
This bill allows experienced teachers from accredited private schools to receive a starting salary increase when they transfer to public schools in Alabama. To qualify, teachers must have at least five years of full-time teaching experience at a private school, with salary adjustments ranging from 2.5 to 10 years based on their private school service. The adjustment applies beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, though those who transferred between 2022 and 2026 can still claim it by submitting documentation during that school year. Years of private school service counted toward this salary adjustment cannot be used for retirement purposes.
This bill extends the timeline for a study commission that was originally created to examine ways to improve after-school and summer educational programs for students. The commission, which was set to dissolve in 2026, will now continue its work until November 1, 2026, to develop recommendations for enhancing these educational opportunities. The legislation requires the commission to submit its final report to the state legislature by the new deadline and mandates that the commission notify the Secretary of State about its meetings and final documents. This procedural measure does not change any existing programs but allows the study group more time to complete its analysis before the commission is officially dissolved.
This bill establishes an Alabama Charter School Finance Authority and grants it bonding authority to manage financial operations for charter schools. It creates a board with specific powers to enter contracts and make investments on behalf of the authority. The legislation also provides immunity from lawsuits for the authority's members, officers, and employees when acting within their official duties, except in cases of intentional, willful, or wanton misconduct. This protection applies to claims involving property damage, personal injury, or other civil liabilities arising from their official actions.
This bill is a ceremonial resolution that honors two student robotics teams from Mountain Brook Junior High School for their achievements in the 2026 VEX Robotics Competition. It specifically recognizes Team Blue Wolves Robotics and Team Womp Womp for winning the Teamwork Champion Award and qualifying to represent Alabama at the national championship. The resolution acknowledges the students, their coach, and the school community for their success in engineering and teamwork. As a commemorative measure, the bill does not create new laws or policies but serves to publicly recognize the students' accomplishments.
This bill requires public K-12 schools in Alabama to equip designated employees with mobile emergency rapid response devices by October 1, 2030, and to train staff on their use. The devices must directly connect to emergency services and provide precise location data within school buildings and grounds. The State Superintendent of Education will create a list of approved vendors for these systems, and schools may use existing security and technology funds to purchase them. The law applies to teachers, administrators, custodial staff, coaches, and other personnel who have access to students during the school day.
This bill requires all public high school students in Alabama to complete a course on violence prevention, conflict resolution, and mediation before graduating, starting with the 2027-2028 school year. The instruction must cover topics such as responsible decision-making, causes of school violence, nonviolent conflict resolution techniques, and the relationship between drugs, alcohol, and violence, and must be taught to students in grades six through twelve. The State Department of Education is tasked with developing instructional standards and materials by June 30, 2027, and assisting local schools in training teachers to deliver this curriculum. Local school boards will have the authority to determine the specific curriculum used to meet these requirements. The bill takes effect on October 1, 2026.
This bill requires the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to issue a deed to specific school indemnity lands in Walker and Fayette counties upon request from the Franklin County Board of Education. The legislation adds a new section to the state code that formalizes this transfer process, ensuring the department must comply with the request for these particular lands. The bill is intended to implement a constitutional provision from a 2024 election that was ratified in November 2024. It would take effect on October 1, 2026, and applies only to lands where schools in Franklin County are the sole beneficiary. This change affects the administrative process for transferring certain school lands rather than creating new land ownership rules.
This bill creates the College and Higher Education Excellence and Results (CHEER) Act, which would provide bonus funding to specific Alabama higher education institutions that meet performance goals related to student outcomes. The program would establish a new fund and create a coordinating committee to set performance metrics, track student success, and distribute additional money to schools that improve in areas like student retention, degree completion, and post-graduation employment. Eligible institutions include all state universities, community colleges, and historically Black universities in Alabama, with funding bonuses tied to measurable achievements such as helping low-income students succeed and placing graduates in high-wage jobs. The bill defines various student categories and performance measures that the coordinating committee would use to evaluate institutional progress and determine bonus funding amounts.
This bill creates a new Accountability Council to review Alabama's public K-12 education accountability system and recommend improvements focused on closing achievement gaps and ensuring long-term student success. The council will be led by an elected chair and include members appointed by the Governor, legislative leaders, education officials, and various stakeholder groups representing business, schools, and higher education. Additionally, the bill requires the Alabama Workforce Board, along with the State Department of Education and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, to develop a system for measuring student performance data related to college and career readiness indicators. This data collection system will track outcomes such as postsecondary enrollment, industry credentials, income within six years of graduation, and employment in high-wage sectors to assess the return on investment of the education system. The council will meet annually to review current report cards, analyze the new data, and provide recommendations to state officials for revisions to the accountability system.
