HB245 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 24, 2026

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Ed Henry
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Education, local boards of education, adopt policy providing virtual school option, eligible students in grades 9 to 12
Summary: HB245 would require local boards of education to offer a virtual school option for eligible high school students (grades 9–12) starting with the 2016-2017 school year.
What This Bill Does
Local boards must adopt a policy that provides a virtual education option for eligible ninth- through twelfth-grade students and that governs how the program works. The policy must cover the scope of virtual options, eligibility, how student performance and testing are monitored, and attendance requirements (if any). Full-time virtual students would be counted in the district's average daily membership, participate in state testing through the local system, and earn a diploma from the local district; they would be treated like traditional students for extracurricular activities. The bill also asks the state to maintain a content repository and continue the ACCESS program, and establishes a task force to review ACCESS funding, structure, and curriculum.

Who It Affects
Local boards of education - must adopt and oversee a virtual education policy and program for grades 9–12.
Eligible high school students in grades 9–12 (and their families) - may enroll in the district's virtual program to pursue a high school diploma, subject to eligibility, monitoring, and attendance rules.

Key Provisions
Local boards must adopt a policy by the 2016-2017 school year that provides a virtual education option for grades 9–12, including scope, eligibility, monitoring/testing, and attendance requirements.
The policy may govern delivery options and student participation without requiring use of a state program, requires full-time virtual students to be counted in ADM, participate in state testing, and graduate with a local diploma, and mandates that coursework align with the Alabama course of study; the state DOE must provide a content repository and continue ACCESS, and a legislative task force will review ACCESS funding, structure, and curriculum.

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