SB303 Alabama 2025 Session

Updated Feb 23, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: Arthur OrrSenator
Republican
Session: 2025 Regular Session
Title: School Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act, amending definitions
Summary: SB303 updates how Alabama determines stipend eligibility for principals and assistant principals by revising definitions in the School Principal Leadership and Mentoring Act, including the high-poverty school threshold.
What This Bill Does
It amends Section 16-6I-2 to revise the definitions used to determine eligibility for annual stipends for principals and assistant principals. It sets specific definitions for high-poverty schools (75% or more of students qualifying for free/reduced-price meals or served via community eligibility) and for other terms like mentoring, new principal, principal mentor/mentee, and professional learning. It establishes the Alabama Principal Leadership Development System and related concepts (design teams, leadership standards, leadership academy, ongoing professional learning, evaluation, etc.) to support growth of school leaders. The act becomes effective on June 1, 2025.

Who It Affects
Principals and assistant principals, whose eligibility for annual stipends will be determined using the revised definitions (including high-poverty status).
Local boards of education and the Alabama Department of Education, which will implement and administer the mentoring system, professional learning, and stipend program under the new definitions.

Key Provisions
Amends Section 16-6I-2 to revise the definitions used to determine eligibility for annual stipends for principals and assistant principals.
Defines High-Poverty School as a school with 75% or greater of students eligible for free and reduced-price meals (by direct certification or through the Community Eligibility Provision).
Defines terms such as Assistant Principal, Principal, Mentoring, New Principal, Principal Mentor, Principal Mentee, Professional Learning, Professional Learning Unit, and Program to support the leadership development framework.
Establishes the Alabama Principal Leadership Development System (the Program) and related components (design team, leadership standards, leadership academy, ongoing professional learning, evaluation system).
Includes a broad definition of School Administrator and related roles to be covered under the program.
States the act becomes effective June 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