SB200 Alabama 2022 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Rodger SmithermanSenator

Democrat

Co-Sponsors

Linda Coleman-MadisonVivian Davis FiguresKirk HatcherBobby D. Singleton

Session

Regular Session 2022

Title

Literacy Act, reading proficiency, third grade retention requirement postponed until 2023-2024 school year, additional duties to State Superintendent of Ed. re implementation of law, Sec. 16-6G-5 am'd.

Summary

SB200, signed into law in 2022, postpones the Alabama Literacy Act’s third-grade retention requirement to the 2023-2024 school year while preserving reading supports.

What This Bill Does

It delays the mandatory retention of third graders until 2023-2024. It keeps the requirement for a strong, science-based reading program with targeted interventions, progress monitoring, and parent notifications, and it expands summer reading camps and related supports. It also creates promotion options (assessment or portfolio) and outlines exemptions and reporting requirements tied to reading proficiency and program implementation.

Who It Affects

• K-3 students identified with reading deficiencies or characteristics of dyslexia, who will receive explicit reading interventions, progress monitoring, and potential promotion considerations rather than automatic retention in the near term.
• Local education agencies and schools (and their teachers) responsible for implementing reading programs, interventions, summer camps, parent communications, and state reporting, as well as administering promotion options and exemption processes.

Key Provisions

• Postpones the third-grade retention requirement until the 2023-2024 school year.
• Requires a comprehensive core reading program for K-3 with adequate instructional time, plus dyslexia-specific interventions for identified students.
• Mandates ongoing progress monitoring, daily targeted small-group interventions, and written parental notifications about services, progress, and home strategies.
• Requires summer reading camps (at least 70 hours) for identified students and state-approved assessments to measure progress, with possible alignment to existing summer programs.
• Establishes the Alabama Summer Achievement Program for the lowest-performing five percent of schools, with funding, guidelines, and data reporting; directs allocation of any excess funds to support high-quality summer programs.
• Provides third-grade promotion options (board-approved reading assessment, alternative assessment, or reading portfolio) and specifies good-cause exemptions with a defined process for retention decisions.

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