HB61 Alabama 2025 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Susan DuBoseRepresentative

Republican

Session

2025 Regular Session

Title

Public K-12 schools, home school students authorized to attend career and technical education programs in certain circumstances

Summary

HB61 would allow home-school students to enroll in public K-12 career and technical education programs under specified conditions, with fee parity and rules to govern participation, while letting stand-alone CTE schools opt in, and it expands CHOOSE Act expenses to include CTE fees.

What This Bill Does

Starting in 2026-2027, a home-school student may participate in any CTE program offered by a public school if they enroll as a nontraditional public school student and pay the same course fees as a public-school student. If a CTE program has limited enrollment, home-school students are considered after current public-school students. Full-time, stand-alone CTE schools are not required to allow home-school students but may choose to do so. The State Board and local boards must adopt rules/policies to implement these provisions. The CHOOSE Act will be amended to include any course fees charged to a student in a CTE program as qualifying educational expenses.

Who It Affects

• Home-school students: may participate in public school CTE programs if they meet enrollment and fee requirements.
• Public school students and districts: must manage enrollment and fees; must adopt policies to implement the new rules.
• Full-time stand-alone CTE schools: not required to participate but may opt in to allow home-school students.
• State Board of Education and local boards of education: must adopt rules and policies to implement the new participation framework.
• CHOOSE Act participants: qualifying educational expenses will now include CTE course fees.

Key Provisions

• Home-school students may participate in public school CTE programs beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, if enrolled as nontraditional public school students and paying the same fees as enrolled public school students.
• Enrollment priority in limited-capacity CTE programs is given after current public school students are enrolled.
• Full-time stand-alone CTE schools are not required to allow home-school students but may opt in to allow participation under this section.
• State Board and local boards must adopt rules and policies to implement and administer participation of home-school students in CTE programs.
• The CHOOSE Act definition of qualifying educational expenses is amended to include course fees charged to students in a CTE program.

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