HB43 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Richard Lindsey

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Foundation Program, alternative method for calculating teacher units in certain extreme circumstances, State Superintendent of Education to approve, Sec. 16-13-232 am'd.

Summary

Allows local school boards to use an alternate method for calculating teacher units in extreme circumstances, with approval from the State Superintendent of Education, for Foundation Program funding.

What This Bill Does

Amends Section 16-13-232 to let a local board, with the State Superintendent's approval, use an alternative calculation method provided by the State Department of Education to determine teacher units in extreme natural, health, or extenuating circumstances. The alternative method uses days different from the first 20 after Labor Day and is set by the Department on a case-by-case basis. The State Superintendent must report the decision to the Senate Finance-Education and House Education Appropriations committees and the Examiners of Public Accounts within 30 days after the end of the ADM reporting period. The bill also changes how teacher units are counted and funded, including a baseline principal unit for all schools starting in 2008-2009, adjustments to instructional support unit values by school type, and annual salary supplement considerations.

Who It Affects

• Local boards of education and school districts would be allowed to request and apply an alternative ADM-based teacher unit calculation in extreme circumstances, subject to approval and DOE decisions with reporting requirements.
• School staff such as principals, assistant principals, counselors, and librarians—and the schools they serve—would see changes in how units are counted and how funding and salary supplements are allocated, including a baseline principal unit and various multipliers by school level.

Key Provisions

• authorizes an alternative calculation method for teacher units in extreme circumstances, with approval from the State Superintendent of Education and a case-by-case determination by the State Department of Education.
• requires the State Superintendent to report the decision to the Senate Finance-Education committee, the House Education Appropriations committee, and the Examiners of Public Accounts within 30 days after the ADM reporting period.
• defines average daily membership and allows the alternative method to use days other than the first 20 days after Labor Day for extreme cases.
• beginning in 2008-2009, requires each school to earn one full-time principal unit, with multipliers increasing principal units for high schools, unit schools, and area vocational centers; different multipliers apply to middle and elementary schools.
• establishes multipliers for instructional support units earned by principals, assistant principals, and high school counselors; area vocational centers have a special rule for one instructional support unit (principal) and may continue to earn a counselor if they had one previously.
• beginning in 2009-10, requires salary supplement factors for instructional support units to be recommended annually by the State Board of Education, but not be less than the established factors.
• allows one additional teacher unit (or fraction) if an ADM increase occurs during the first 20 scholastic days after Labor Day, for each specified ADM increase.
• provides that funds for current teacher units are allocated based on the average allocation per unit and may be prorated if funds are insufficient; local boards manage the allocation of current teacher unit funds.
• states that the act becomes effective immediately upon approval by the Governor.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education