SB329 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Linda Coleman-MadisonSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Education, Accountability Act, definition of failing school altered, Sec. 16-6D-4 am'd.

Summary

SB329 changes how 'failing schools' are defined under Alabama's Accountability Act.

What This Bill Does

It amends Section 16-6D-4 to add three main ways a public K-12 school can be labeled failing: (1) if the State Department of Education says it is persistently low-performing in the latest federal School Improvement Grant application, (2) if the State Superintendent of Education designates it as failing, or (3) based on performance under the state grading system, with specific time-based thresholds. The third criterion requires the school not to exclusively serve a special population and uses different timeframes depending on whether the state grading system is in place (before June 1, 2017: bottom six percent three or more times in six years; on/after June 1, 2017: at least one F in the last three years or at least three Ds in the last four years; if the grading system isn’t ready, the bottom 10% on reading and math applies). The act also clarifies how this affects eligibility for educational scholarships and qualifying schools, and it becomes effective on the first day of the third month after approval.

Who It Affects

• Students and families in Alabama public schools (and students receiving educational scholarships) whose schools may be reclassified as failing or qualifying for the scholarship program.
• Public and nonpublic schools and local school systems, since their status as failing or qualifying affects accountability designation and scholarship eligibility.

Key Provisions

• Provision 1: Redefines 'Failing School' with three main criteria: (a) persistently low-performing as labeled by the State Department of Education in the latest federal School Improvement Grant process, (b) designated as failing by the State Superintendent of Education, and (c) performance-based criteria under the state grading system, including time-based thresholds and a fallback if the grading system is not yet implemented (bottom performance in reading and math).
• Provision 2: Defines 'Qualifying School' to include either a public school not failing under the standards or a nonpublic school meeting accreditation and specific operational requirements (existence, attendance, school year length, day length, testing, graduation requirements, and ongoing reporting). This ties scholarship participation to the updated failing-school definitions.

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