HB344 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Terri CollinsRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Provisional release from educational intervention

Summary

HB344 would expand state oversight during educational intervention in Alabama by giving the State Superintendent subpoena powers and creating a provisional release option with a five-year window to reinstate intervention if conditions aren’t met.

What This Bill Does

The bill adds authority for the State Superintendent of Education to summon witnesses and subpoena records during an educational intervention. It also creates a provisional release mechanism, allowing a local board to operate under its own control for up to five years if approved, with the possibility of revocation back to state intervention if conditions aren’t satisfied. Additionally, it allows the State Board to authorize intervention and appoint a chief administrative officer to oversee local boards, with detailed procedures for notices, plans, and oversight during intervention, and it makes the new provisions effective October 1, 2025.

Who It Affects

• City or county local boards of education that are operating under educational intervention (they may be subject to subpoenas, advisory oversight, or reinstatement of intervention; they can pursue provisional release and must follow state-directed plans).
• State Superintendent of Education and State Board of Education (they gain enhanced powers to issue subpoenas, oversee intervention, appoint a chief administrative officer, and authorize intervention).
• Students, parents, and school communities in districts under intervention (their districts’ operations and oversight may shift from state to local control during provisional releases and back if conditions are met or unmet).
• District employees and officials (they may be subject to state-directed personnel actions and documentation during intervention).

Key Provisions

• Authorizes the State Superintendent of Education to summon witnesses and subpoena records or information during an educational intervention.
• Authorizes the State Superintendent to reinstate educational intervention for a local board of education that has been released from intervention within five years if the release conditions are not satisfied.
• Establishes a provisional release mechanism: a local board may be provisionally released from intervention for up to five years upon approval by the State Board of Education or by written petition from two-thirds of the local board and a State Board review; oversight returns to the local board during provisional release.
• If a provisional release is granted, the five-year period may be revoked if conditions are not satisfied or the State Superintendent determines the local board cannot properly oversee operations; full release occurs only if the five-year period passes without revival, otherwise a new five-year period starts with a new provisional release.
• The State Board may authorize intervention, describe release criteria, and empower the State Superintendent or a chief administrative officer to take necessary actions to correct deficiencies; intervention authority can be exercised directly or through the chief administrative officer.
• During intervention, local boards operate under state supervision; the State Superintendent or chief administrative officer may delegate administrative authority and employ consultants or staff as needed, with proper reporting and record-keeping requirements.
• Intervention-related personnel actions must comply with existing laws and Acts (including Students First Act) and be documented in minutes and personnel files.
• Effective date: October 1, 2025.

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