SB174 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Shay ShelnuttSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Department of Children's Affairs, named changed to Department of Early Childhood Education, Commissioner of Department of Children's Affairs changed to Secretary of Early Childhood Education, Secs. 26-24-1 to 26-24-6, inclusive, 26-24-20, 26-24-22, 26-24-23, 26-24-30, 26-24-34 am'd.

Summary

This bill would rename the Department of Children's Affairs to the Department of Early Childhood Education, change the leader's title to Secretary, and expand duties to build a statewide, high-quality early learning and care system.

What This Bill Does

It changes the department's name and the head's title in state law and assigns the expanded responsibility of creating a cohesive, comprehensive system for high-quality early learning and care. It creates the Office of School Readiness to manage the state’s prekindergarten and related preschool programs, coordinate with other agencies, and oversee funding and licensing matters. It establishes the Alabama Children's Policy Council and county policy councils to guide policy, collect data, produce annual reports, and publish local and state resource guides. It also sets up governance for the Office of School Readiness, including a director and staff, and specifies reporting and coordination requirements across agencies.

Who It Affects

• Young children and their families in Alabama, who would benefit from a coordinated, higher-quality system of early childhood education and a state prekindergarten program.
• State and local government agencies involved with children's services, including the Department of Early Childhood Education and its Office of School Readiness, which would coordinate programs, funding, licensing, reporting, and policy guidance through the Alabama Children's Policy Council and county councils.

Key Provisions

• Rename the Department of Children's Affairs to the Department of Early Childhood Education and change all references in law accordingly.
• Rename the Commissioner of the Department of Children's Affairs to the Secretary of the Department of Early Childhood Education and designate the Secretary as the head of the department.
• Expand the duties of the Secretary to include developing a cohesive and comprehensive system of high-quality early learning and care.
• Create the Office of School Readiness within the department, appoint a director (in unclassified service) who reports to the Secretary, and empower the office to hire staff.
• Authorize the Office of School Readiness to administer a voluntary prekindergarten program, coordinate preschool and related child development programs, manage funds, assist local units, coordinate licensing and nutrition programs, provide annual reports, and lead efforts to improve school readiness.
• Establish the Alabama Children's Policy Council and county children's policy councils with specified members, terms, and duties to review programs, develop local resource guides, and provide annual recommendations to the Governor and Legislature.
• Require the department and councils to produce and distribute local and state resource guides for services available to children and to coordinate data collection and reporting on child-related programs.
• Set an effective date for the act: it 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

Infants and Children