SB243 Alabama 2020 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Vivian Davis FiguresSenator

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2020

Title

Building Exceptional School Board Team Act (BEST), provides further for boardsmanship standards, training, and discipline of local bd. of education members, Sec. 16-1-41.1 repealed; Secs. 16-8-1, 16-11-2 am'd.

Summary

The Building Exceptional School Board Teams (BEST) Act would set new boardsmanship standards, training requirements, and discipline procedures for Alabama local school board members and repeals the older governance act.

What This Bill Does

It creates the BEST Act to define boardsmanship and establish standards, training, and disciplinary processes for elected and appointed local board of education members. It requires prospective board members to publicly affirm governance principles and requires boards to set a vision, adopt goals, policies, budgets, and to work with the local superintendent while protecting student interests and confidentiality. It sets a model code of conduct, ongoing training, and a system of disciplines (censure, sanction, removal) carried out by local boards, peer review panels, and the State Superintendent of Education, with due process and transparency. It also includes residency and attendance rules, a peer review mechanism, and a framework for enforcing training and conduct requirements, and it repeals the prior School Board Governance Improvement Act of 2012 and updates county and city board provisions.

Who It Affects

• Local board of education members (elected or appointed): must meet boardsmanship standards, complete and maintain training, may be censured, sanctioned, or removed for violations, and must meet residency and attendance requirements.
• Local boards of education and the State education authorities (State Superintendent and State Board of Education): responsible for implementing the new standards, codes of conduct, training programs, disciplinary processes, and oversight including peer review panels and public posting of compliance.

Key Provisions

• Section 2 defines key terms: board member, boardsmanship, censure, local board of education, neglect of duty, peer review panel, regular meeting, sanction, scholastic year, and willful misconduct.
• Section 3 sets initial expectations: board members must publicly affirm governance principles (student-first decisions, avoiding personal/political interests, whole-system focus, consulting with others, following superintendent recommendations, promoting public support, and attending training). It also requires boards to establish a vision, adopt goals and policies, timely personnel decisions, budget coordination with the superintendent, advocacy for student needs, confidentiality, and continued duties.
• Section 3 establishes a model code of conduct and requires local boards to adopt a code of conduct; the State Board and State Superintendent will regulate and ensure due process for sanctions.
• Section 3 requires ongoing continuing education and training for board members, developed with the Alabama Association of School Boards, to improve understanding of each member's role.
• Section 4 creates disciplinary options for violation of the standards (censure, sanction, removal) and allows local boards to initiate discipline and request action from the State Superintendent.
• Section 5 sets attendance and residency rules: members must attend regular meetings, with procedures to address excessive absences; residency requirements for board members; and a process for challenging residency, including a refundable bond.
• Section 5 also provides annual training requirements, potential waivers, and withholding of compensation if training is not met, with posting of compliance status and potential further discipline.
• Sections 6-8 establish a formal peer review panel process to review alleged violations, including selection of panel members, hearings, confidentiality, due process, and potential recommendations to the State Superintendent or State Board of Education for further action.
• Section 9-10 amends and repeals: updates to sections 16-8-1 and 16-11-2 regarding county and city boards' composition, residency, and qualifications; repeals the School Board Governance Improvement Act of 2012 (16-1-41.1); creates a January 1, 2021 effective date.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education