House Bill 603 Alabama 2026 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Susan DuBoseRepresentative

Republican

Session

2026 Regular Session

Title

Higher education, Educator Preparation Provider Report Card requirements established, annual review and publication by the State Department of Education required; funds allocated

Summary

HB603 would require the state to publish annual report cards evaluating every Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) and Alternative Teacher Preparation Organization (ATPO), using data and surveys to guide improvements.

What This Bill Does

The Department of Education, in collaboration with the State Board of Education and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, would publish annual report cards on the department website. It would require EPPs, ATPOs, and other stakeholders to provide data and the department to create a standard survey for program completers and their employers to assess satisfaction. The Board would annually review each report card to decide if interventions or support are needed (including probation or denial), and funding would be allocated to implement these provisions, with an effective date of October 1, 2026.

Who It Affects

• Educator Preparation Providers (EPPs) and Alternative Teacher Preparation Organizations (ATPOs), which must be evaluated and provide data.
• Program completers and their employers, who would participate in surveys and be affected by the use of outcome data for program improvements and accreditation decisions.

Key Provisions

• Publish an annual report card evaluating each EPP and ATPO, and prominently display it on the department's website.
• Require annual data submissions from EPPs, ATPOs, and other stakeholders to populate the report cards.
• Develop and administer a standard survey to assess completion satisfaction from program completers and their employers.
• Have the Department and Board review each report card annually to determine needed interventions or support (potentially probationary approval or denial).
• Allocate funding to the Department to implement the act effectively.
• Define key terms (EPP, ATPO, Program Completer, etc.) and establish the data collection and reporting framework.
• Include a comprehensive set of metrics (applications, admissions, completions, pass rates, employment outcomes, retention, satisfaction, and alignment with literacy/numeracy standards) in the report cards.
• Effective date: October 1, 2026.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano-2025-08-07 on Mar 10, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education