SB353 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Del Marsh

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Public education, reduction-in-force policies, contents further provided for, significant factors specified, compliance with antidiscrimination laws required, Sec. 16-1-33 am'd.

Summary

The bill updates Alabama's reduction-in-force policies to emphasize student growth and instructional quality, limiting seniority as the main factor and requiring anti-discrimination compliance.

What This Bill Does

It requires local boards of education to adopt written reduction-in-force policies with contents on layoffs, recalls, and notifications based on objective criteria. It ties these policies to a new employee performance evaluation system that uses student growth as a significant factor. By 2015-2016, seniority cannot be the most significant factor, and by 2016-2017 (or when reliable student-growth measures exist) policies must prioritize demonstrated quality instruction, consider advanced degrees in relevant subjects, prohibit salary from influencing layoff decisions, and comply with anti-discrimination laws.

Who It Affects

• Public school teachers and other district employees who may be laid off, as layoff decisions must use objective criteria focused on instructional quality and student growth rather than seniority or salary.
• Local boards of education and school districts, which must adopt and implement the expanded policies and ensure they comply with antidiscrimination laws and align with the new performance evaluation framework.

Key Provisions

• Boards must adopt a written reduction-in-force policy that includes layoffs, recalls, and layoff/recall notifications, based on objective criteria.
• By the 2015-2016 academic year, seniority may not be the most significant factor in layoff decisions.
• By the 2016-2017 academic year (or when the most reliable student-growth measures are available), policies must: (a) treat demonstrated experience in providing quality instruction as a significant factor, as documented in annual performance evaluations; (b) allow consideration of an advanced degree in the subject taught (or early childhood education/development for elementary teachers); (c) not use seniority as the most significant factor; (d) not allow salary to influence layoff decisions.
• Policies must comply with all state and federal antidiscrimination laws, rules, and regulations.
• Teacher policies must be developed in consultation with teachers and administrators to ensure the primary goal is providing quality instruction to students.

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