SB219 Alabama 2014 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Clay Scofield
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2014
Title: School attendance, a child who withdraws from public school to attend an accredited online school, prohibited from being considered a drop-out or non-graduate for determining graduation rates, Sec. 16-28-3 am'd.
Summary: SB219 changes how Alabama counts students who leave public schools to attend accredited online schools, counting them as transfers instead of dropouts and requiring grade placement testing if they return.
What This Bill Does
It amends the attendance law to treat a withdrawal with enrollment in an accredited online school as a transfer, not a dropout for graduation-rate purposes. If the student later returns to a public school, they must take semester exams to determine grade placement. The change affects how districts report graduation data and track student transfers. It also requires verification of online enrollment to qualify as a transfer.

Who It Affects
Students who withdraw from a public school to enroll in an accredited online school would be counted as transfer students rather than dropouts.
Public schools and school districts would track these transfers and administer grade placement testing (semester exams) when the student returns to determine the correct grade.

Key Provisions
Amends Section 16-28-3 to require withdrawing students who enroll in an accredited online school to be counted as transfer students.
Requires semester/grade placement exams for students who return to a public school to determine proper grade level.
Adds verification of enrollment in an accredited online school as a condition for transfer status.
Effective date: becomes law on the first day of the third month after passage and governor approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Education