HB5 Alabama 2015 Session

Updated Feb 26, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Donnie ChesteenSenator
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2015
Title: Flexible School Calendar Act, temporary calendar parameters removed, local board of education may provide for 1080 instructional hours, Sec. 16-13-231 am'd.
Summary: HB5 removes the temporary 2013-2014 calendar limits and lets local school boards set a calendar with at least 180 instructional days or 1080 hours, funded through the Foundation Program.
What This Bill Does
The bill eliminates the temporary 2013-2014 calendar rules and allows local boards to provide 180 full instructional days or the hourly equivalent of 1080 hours. It preserves the Foundation Program funding structure, including local effort requirements and a minimum teacher salary schedule, and requires local boards to allocate funds to schools accordingly. It notes that implementing these changes could mean new or increased local spending, but it qualifies for constitutional exceptions and would take effect on the first day of the third month after it becomes law.

Who It Affects
Local boards of education: responsible for adopting and administering calendars that meet the 180 days / 1080 hours requirement and for budgeting and reporting Foundation Program funds across schools.
Teachers and school staff: affected by the salary schedule requirement (at least 100% of the state minimum) and by how benefits and other classroom expenditures are funded under the Foundation Program.

Key Provisions
Removes the temporary 2013-2014 academic calendar parameters and allows 180 full instructional days or an hourly equivalent of at least 1080 hours.
Maintains the Foundation Program Fund framework, including local effort requirements (mills), equitable term length, salary schedules, and reporting to the State Board of Education.
Local boards must provide at least 180 days or 1080 hours, with flexibility to adjust days or hours under the Foundation Program, and must allocate funds to schools and programs (salaries, benefits, instructional support, textbooks, etc.).
Requires no reduction in existing teacher contracts or salaries due to the calendar changes; salary appropriations must be based on contract days or hourly equivalents.
Constitutional note: the bill is treated as potentially requiring new or increased local funds but falls under exceptions to Amendment 621; effective date is the first day of the third month after passage and governor's 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