SB28 Alabama 2012 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Priscilla Dunn
Democrat
Session: Regular Session 2012
Title: Education, public school K-12, minimum mandatory age of attendance decreased from seven to six, Sec. 16-28-3 am'd.
Summary: SB28 lowers the mandatory school attendance age from seven to six and requires six- through seventeen-year-olds to attend school, with an opt-out option for six-year-olds.
What This Bill Does
If enacted, it requires children ages six to seventeen to attend a public, private, or church school or to be instructed by a private tutor for the full school term. It preserves a church-school exemption for those under sixteen if enrollment and reporting procedures are followed, and it allows parents to opt out a six-year-old by written notice to the local school board delaying enrollment until seven. It assigns enrollment decisions to local boards and notes local funding may be involved, with expenditures borne by those boards.

Who It Affects
Six-year-old students and their parents/guardians: would be subject to the attendance requirement, with an option to opt out in writing to delay enrollment until age seven.
Local boards of education and schools (public, private, church): would administer enrollment, reporting, and compliance, and would bear any local funding required to implement the attendance rule.

Key Provisions
Amends Section 16-28-3 to require six- to seventeen-year-olds to attend a public, private, or church school, or receive private tutoring, for the entire school term.
Allows a parent/guardian of a six-year-old to opt out by written notice to the local school board that the child will not be enrolled until seven.
Preserves a church-school exemption for attendees under sixteen, provided enrollment and reporting requirements are met.
Requires admission to public school to be on an individual basis, via parental application to the local board each school year.
Effective date: first day of the third month after passage and governor's approval.
The act notes potential local funding needs but is treated as expenditures by local school boards, exempt from certain constitutional spending requirements.

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