SB8 Alabama 2019 Session

Under existing law, any incorporated municipality in the state with a population of 5,000 or more may establish a city board of education

This bill would increase the minimum population requirement from 5,000 to 15,000

This bill would require the State Department of Education to determine the financial capability of a city to sustain a school system before the city could establish a city school system

This bill would specify that these changes would not apply to cities that have met the inhabitant criteria under prior law and have executed a formal separation agreement with the county school system before the effective date of this amendatory act

This bill would also require a financially capable proposed city school system to acquire or build its own school facilities, and would permit the city system to purchase existing school facilities from the county for an amount that is agreed upon by both systems in the formal separation agreement

To amend Section 16-11-1, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to city boards of education; to increase the minimum population requirement for establishing a city board of education from 5,000 to 15,000; to require the State Department of Education to determine whether a city is financially capable to sustain a school system before a city may establish a city school system; to provide certain exceptions; and to provide for the acquisition or purchase of school buildings by the financially capable city school system.