HB338 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tracy EstesRepresentative

Republican

Co-Sponsors

Chip BrownTerri CollinsDanny GarrettNathaniel LedbetterEd OliverRex ReynoldsMatt Simpson

Session

Regular Session 2021

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 of education members, Sec. 16-1-41.1 repealed; Secs. 16-8-1, 16-11-2 am'd.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

HB338 creates the Building Exceptional School Board Teams (BEST) Act to raise standards for local school boards, require training and a code of conduct, and establish new discipline processes for board members in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

It sets new boardsmanship standards and requires prospective board members to publicly affirm governance principles; it requires local boards to adopt a model code of conduct and ongoing training. It creates disciplinary options (censure, sanction, removal) and establishes peer review panels to handle complaints, with processes that involve both local boards and the State Superintendent. It also updates how county and city boards are formed and governed, including residency rules and the repeal of the previous School Board Governance Improvement Act of 2012, with an effective date of January 1, 2022.

Who It Affects

• Local board of education members (elected or appointed): must follow new boardsmanship standards, complete mandatory training, publicly affirm governance principles, attend meetings, and potentially face censure, sanctions, or removal for neglect of duty or willful misconduct.
• State and local governance bodies and school systems: must implement the new BEST framework, including a model code of conduct, ongoing training programs, disciplinary procedures, and oversight by the State Superintendent of Education and the State Board of Education.

Key Provisions

• Establishes the Building Exceptional School Board Teams (BEST) Act with new definitions for boardsmanship, censure, sanction, and willful misconduct, and repeals the School Board Governance Improvement Act of 2012.
• Requires prospective board members to publicly affirm in writing certain governance principles for each term of office.
• Requires local boards to adopt a model code of conduct and for the State Board to adopt regulations to implement Sections 1-8, including sanction processes.
• Creates continuing education and training programs for board members, with annual training requirements, possible waivers, and withholding of compensation if training is not completed (effective Sept. 1 after the training year).
• Allows local boards to censure or sanction members and, in some cases, request state-level disciplinary action; establishes a peer review process with a panel to consider disciplinary matters.
• Imposes attendance and residency requirements for board members, with consequences for excessive absences and residency challenges, including bonds for challenges and potential removal for not meeting residency or training rules.
• Enables a system of peer review panels appointed by the State Superintendent and State Board to review complaints, conduct hearings, and recommend actions up to removal from the local board of education.
• Changes to county and city boards of education regarding composition (e.g., single-member districts, residency requirements, and qualifications) and provides for reapportionment after federal census data, with an effective date of January 1, 2022.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education