HB30 Alabama 2023 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Artis McCampbellRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2023

Title

To amend Sections 16-6C-2, as amended by Act 2022-374, 2022 Regular Session, 16-6D-3, 16-6D-4, 16-6D-6, 16-6D-8, and 16-6D-9, as amended by Act 2022-390, 2022 Regular Session, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to the public K-12 school grading system and the Alabama Accountability Act of 2013; to change the designation of a failing school to a lowest sixth percent school and the designation of a nonfailing school to a highest 94th percent school; and to require the State Board of Education to reflect those changes in terminology when amending or adopting rules.

Summary

HB30 renames the public school performance labels in the grading system and Alabama Accountability Act from 'failing' and 'nonfailing' to 'lowest sixth percent' and 'highest 94th percent,' and requires rule updates to reflect the change.

What This Bill Does

It designates 'lowest sixth percent schools' as the new label for previously failing schools and 'highest 94th percent schools' for previously nonfailing schools, applying this terminology to both the school grading system and the Alabama Accountability Act of 2013. It requires the State Board of Education to reflect these terminology changes in rules when amending or adopting them. It amends multiple Code sections to implement these renaming changes and sets an effective date based on the bill's passage and approval.

Who It Affects

• Public K-12 schools and school districts currently labeled as failing, who would be renamed as 'lowest sixth percent schools' in grading and accountability materials.
• Public K-12 schools currently labeled as nonfailing, who would be renamed as 'highest 94th percent schools' in grading and accountability materials.
• Parents and students involved with the Alabama Accountability Act (tax-credit scholarship program), who will see the renamed categories reflected in program references.
• The State Board of Education and the Department of Education, who must update rules and guidance to use the new terminology.

Key Provisions

• Rename 'failing school' to 'lowest sixth percent school' and 'nonfailing school' to 'highest 94th percent school' in the public K-12 school grading system and the Alabama Accountability Act of 2013.
• Require the State Board of Education to reflect these terminology changes in any rules when amending or adopting rules.
• Apply these changes by amending Sections 16-6C-2, 16-6D-3, 16-6D-4, 16-6D-6, 16-6D-8, and 16-6D-9 of the Code of Alabama 1975.
• Set the act's effective date as the first day of the third month after its passage and governor approval.

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