HB264 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Bob FincherRepresentative

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

Common Core Curriculum Standards, terminated

Summary

HB264 would terminate the Common Core standards in Alabama, restore pre-Common Core transition standards for 2016-17, create Alabama Ahead Standards for 2017-18, and block adoption of other national standards or aligned assessments.

What This Bill Does

The bill directs the State Board of Education to replace Common Core Math and English Language Arts with pre-Common Core transition standards for the 2016-2017 year. It then requires revising those transition standards into the Alabama Ahead Standards to be used starting in 2017-2018. It creates the Alabama Excellence Standards Commission to advise on the new standards and requires reporting to the legislature and public, while prohibiting any adoption or implementation of other national standards or assessments, and preventing any loss of state control over education standards.

Who It Affects

• K-12 public school students in Alabama, who would study under the transition standards in 2016-2017 and under the Alabama Ahead Standards beginning in 2017-2018.
• School districts and educators (including the Alabama Department of Education), who would implement the transition standards and the Alabama Ahead Standards and must avoid national standards or assessments and maintain state control over curriculum.

Key Provisions

• Terminate all plans, programs, activities, and expenditures related to the Common Core/Alabama College- and Career-Ready Standards, including related assessments and data collection.
• Replace Common Core Standards for Math and ELA with pre-Common Core transition standards for the 2016-2017 school year.
• Revise the transition standards into the Alabama Ahead Standards to be used starting with the 2017-2018 school year.
• Create the Alabama Excellence Standards Commission to advise the Board and report findings to the legislature and the public, with a report due before the Board adopts the Alabama Ahead Standards.
• Prohibit the Board or any education entity from adopting or implementing any other national standards or assessments aligned with them (e.g., Next Generation Science Standards, History Standards, Social Studies Standards, Sexuality Standards).
• Maintain state sole control over the development, establishment, and revision of K-12 standards and prohibit joining organizations or consortia that cede control over Alabama education.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Public Education