SB355 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tom Whatley

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Schools, K-12, compel attendance from ages 6 to 18, raise dropout age to 19, Secs. 16-11-16, 16-28-3, 16-28-3.1 am'd.

Summary

SB355 would raise the compulsory school attendance age from 17 to 18 and raise the withdrawal age from 18 to 19 in Alabama.

What This Bill Does

If enacted, children aged six through 18 would be required to attend school for the full term in approved settings. Withdrawal would generally be possible only at age 19, with parental consent and an exit interview that informs about likely effects on future earnings and job prospects, plus information on available programs; online instruction requirements are clarified but not treated as dropout. The bill also directs the Department of Education to create targeted dropout-prevention strategies for districts with low graduation rates and to report on their outcomes.

Who It Affects

• Students aged six through 18 will be required to attend school, expanding who must enroll and stay in school.
• Parents/guardians and school administrators will handle withdrawal decisions through consent and exit interviews, and districts will implement the new attendance rules and dropout-prevention duties.

Key Provisions

• Raises compulsory attendance age from 17 to 18 years (six to 18 years old) and aligns admission rules accordingly.
• Raises the withdrawal age from 18 to 19; requires parental/legal guardian consent and an exit interview; provides information about the impacts of withdrawal and available programs; clarifies that accredited online instruction is not counted as a dropout.
• Allows older students on track to graduate to enroll in public schools without being denied admission solely due to age; requires individualized admission processes.
• Requires the State Department of Education to develop and implement dropout-prevention strategies in districts with the lowest four-year graduation rates, including early intervention, alternative education, dual enrollment, AP courses, tuition waivers for dual credit, flexible programs, coaching, and teacher advisories.
• Mandates data collection and reporting to the Legislature on dropout prevention outcomes and program effectiveness, including metrics like suspensions related to truancy, enrollment in alternative programs, reenrollment in flexible or community college programs, and failure rates in key courses.
• Includes conforming changes affecting city boards of education and related administrative provisions; effective date is the first day of the third month after passage.

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

Subjects

Public Schools