House Bill 396 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Terri CollinsRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Public school grading system, revised to include and weight specific indicators for schools that include a 12th grade class and schools that do not include a 12th grade class; Alabama Workforce Development Board and State Department of Education to develop system to analyze student performance data, Accountability Council created

Summary

HB396 updates Alabama's school grading system to weight indicators differently for schools with and without a 12th grade, adds a college-and-career-readiness data system, and creates an Accountability Council to oversee revisions.

What This Bill Does

It changes the A–F grading design by using separate weightings for 12th-grade and non-12th-grade schools, and adds college and career readiness indicators for 12th-grade schools. For non-12th-grade schools, grades are 40% achievement (LA 20%, Math 20%), 40% growth, and 20% growth for the lowest-performing 25% (10% LA, 10% Math); for 12th-grade schools, grades are 30% achievement, 20% growth, 10% growth for the lowest-performing 25% (5% LA, 5% Math), plus 30% CCR and 10% graduation rate. The bill requires the Alabama Workforce Development Board, with input from the DOE, to build a system to collect and report CCR outcomes and creates an Accountability Council with duties to review and revise the system, plus public posting of grades to parents and annual reporting on return on investment. It also directs alignment of state assessments with NAEP and includes provisions on English-language learners and transfer students; the act becomes effective October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Public school students and their families in Alabama: their school grades will be calculated using new weightings that depend on whether the school has a 12th grade, and grades will be published publicly and sent to parents annually; English-language learner and transfer student rules affect how some grades are counted for a period of time.
• Public schools, school districts, and state education/governance bodies (including the Alabama Workforce Development Board, the State Department of Education, and the Accountability Council): these groups must implement the new grading design, develop and manage the CCR data system, collect and report outcomes, and participate in the council's review and revision process.

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 16-6C-2 to revise the school grading system and create separate grade designs for schools with and without a 12th-grade class, including explicit weightings.
• Non-12th-grade schools: 40% academic achievement (LA 20%, Math 20%), 40% achievement growth, and 20% growth for the lowest-performing 25% (10% LA, 10% Math).
• 12th-grade schools: 30% academic achievement, 20% academic achievement growth, 10% growth for the lowest-performing 25% (5% Language Arts, 5% Math), plus 30% college and career readiness and 10% graduation rate; CCR indicators include ACT benchmark, IB score 4+, dual enrollment with A/B, AP with 3+, WorkKeys, industry credentials, apprenticeships/work-based learning, and career-technical degrees.
• The State DOE shall align proficiency on state assessments with NAEP; require the CCR data system to be developed by the Alabama Workforce Development Board in consultation with the DOE, including an annual ROI report with metrics like postsecondary enrollment, military enlistment, credentials, and median income.
• Establishes a standing Accountability Council with specified members (governor-appointed, legislative leaders, DOE, educator groups, and other education partners) to review the entire accountability system at least annually and recommend revisions.
• Public posting of grades by the State Superintendent and annual delivery of grade information to parents; ensures grade comparability across schools and districts.
• A 60% threshold of A or B across schools would trigger raising the grading scale by 10 points the following year.
• ESL and transfer-student provisions adjust how their academic achievement grades are counted in initial years (ELL students may have five years where achievement grades are adjusted; transfer students from nonpublic schools may have three years before their academic achievement is counted).
• Effective date: October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 12, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education