SB229 Alabama 2016 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Dick Brewbaker

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2016

Title

Virtual education, program open to resident students and past residents who are military dependents, distribution of state and federal funds clarified, Act 2015-89, 2015 Reg. Sess., am'd; Sec. 16-46A-2 am'd.

Summary

SB229 clarifies how virtual education programs operate in Alabama, including how students are counted and funded, and how participation and exemptions work for local districts.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, the bill requires virtual program students to be counted in the local district offering the program, participate in state testing through that district, and receive diplomas from that district. It lets students be treated as attending their resident school for extracurriculars (including interdistrict transfers) and allows districts to enroll students from outside their district or military dependents temporarily outside the state. It also lays out funding rules, directing state and federal funds to the districts providing virtual programs, with additional support for students with disabilities, and requires funds to reflect student status (grade level, economic disadvantage, English learners, special needs). It grants districts exemptions from certain traditional schooling requirements and clarifies accreditation and course content rules for online offerings, with an effective date a few months after passage.

Who It Affects

• Students enrolled in full-time virtual programs (including military dependents temporarily outside Alabama, and students residing outside a district) who would be counted in the hosting district's average daily membership and participate in testing, with diploma issuance from their district of enrollment.
• Local school systems and boards that operate virtual programs, as they receive funding (state and federal) based on virtual enrollment, manage extracurricular eligibility, and implement the new guidelines and exemptions.

Key Provisions

• A virtual program student is counted in the hosting district's average daily membership and participates in state testing through that district; diploma issued by the district where enrolled.
• Virtual students are treated as attending their resident local school for extracurricular activities and must follow applicable rules (including AHSAA); interdistrict transfer provisions apply to virtual students as if they attended their local school of record.
• Districts may enroll students residing outside the district or military dependents temporarily outside the state in their virtual program.
• Funding: districts offering virtual programs receive state funds as if their virtual students were in traditional delivery; the department directs federal and state funds to districts providing virtual programs and pays disability-related aid to the hosting district; payments reflect pupil status (grade, economic disadvantage, ELL, special education).
• If local revenue measures would not otherwise allocate funds to a system, those funds won’t be allocated due to virtual enrollment outside the attendance zone unless boards agree otherwise.
• Exemptions and rules: districts are exempt from certain traditional laws (presence, monitoring, staffing, transportation, facilities, time, physical education) when those conflict with virtual delivery; online course restrictions and accreditation rules apply as specified, with coursework tied to the Alabama course of study.
• Effective date: the act takes effect on the first day of the third month after passage.

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