SB217 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tim MelsonSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

State Textbook Committee, publishers permitted to provide standards correlation evidence to State Dept. of Education, State Superintendent of Education to convene other instructional materials review committees to review and rate materials and to establish evaluation criteria, Secs. 16-36-60, 16-36-60.1, 16-36-65 am'd.

Summary

SB217 allows publishers to show how their textbooks align with state standards and lets state leaders create extra review groups and evaluation rules for instructional materials.

What This Bill Does

It lets publishers provide correlation evidence to the Department of Education using specific forms. It defines digital textbooks as true textbooks and requires them to be recommended, adopted, and purchased the same as printed textbooks. It authorizes the State Superintendent of Education and the State Board of Education to establish additional evaluation criteria for instructional materials. It authorizes the State Superintendent of Education to convene other instructional materials review committees to review and rate various instructional materials. It includes non-substantive, technical updates to align the language with current style.

Who It Affects

• Publishers and authors of instructional materials, who must provide correlation evidence showing how their materials align with state standards.
• State and local education leadership (State Superintendent of Education, State Board of Education) and any additional instructional materials review committees they convene, who will establish evaluation criteria and review materials.

Key Provisions

• Publishers may provide evidence of standards correlation on correlation forms provided by the State Department of Education.
• Digital textbooks are included in the definition of textbook and are to be recommended, adopted, and purchased in the same manner as traditional textbooks.
• The State Superintendent of Education and the State Board of Education may establish additional evaluation criteria for instructional materials.
• The State Superintendent of Education may convene other instructional materials review committees to review and rate instructional materials.
• The act makes nonsubstantive, technical revisions to update the code language to current style.

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

Subjects

State Textbook Committee