Title 16 — Title 16

The following terms shall have the meanings respectively prescribed for them, except when the context otherwise requires: (1) PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION. Those public educational institutions in Alabama which have been authorized by the Legislature or by the constitu…

The commission shall exercise the following powers and duties in addition to those otherwise specified in this article: (1) To cause to be made such surveys and evaluations of higher education as are believed necessary for the purpose of providing appropriate information to carry…

For the purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) APPROVED DEGREE. A completed master’s degree recognized by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education for an athletic training program through which students become eligible…

(a) This article shall be administered by the commission in consultation with the Alabama Board of Athletic Trainers. (b) A percentage not to exceed 10 percent of any annual appropriations received by the program may be expended for the operation and administrative requirements p…

(a) The commission may award loan assistance from the program to eligible applicants. (b) To be eligible for loan assistance of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) per year worked or three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($3,750) per semester worked, for a maximum o…

Any individual or institution not satisfied with the commission’s actions in administering the program may submit a written petition to the commission within 30 days after notice of the action. If the individual or institution is not satisfied with the commission’s response, the …

(a) The commission shall develop an accountability and evaluation plan for the program which does all of the following: (1) Identifies the goals, objectives, and expected outputs and outcomes of the program. (2) Describes the specific activities of the program and how those activ…

(a) The commission is designated the agency responsible for those functions under the Southern Regional Compact for Education (Act 227, HJR 42, 1949; Act 40, HJR 21, 1955) and those functions in Sections 16-3-32 through 16-3-35, heretofore assigned to the State Board of Education…

Recommendations. During the last year of each gubernatorial term, the commission shall conduct a survey of members of the education community, the Legislature, the Executive Branch of the state, and business and industry to evaluate the effectiveness of the work of the commission…

Education; Commission Relationship with State Board and Chancellor. (a) Governing boards of the public institutions of higher education of this state shall retain all powers and duties heretofore given and conferred upon them by the constitution or by any law expressed or implied…

The commission is authorized to accept gifts, devises, grants or bequests and expend the same to carry out the provisions of this article or to promote the purposes for which it has been established. History: (Acts 1979, No. 79-461, p. 816, §14.)

Education; Review by Commission; Freeze on Construction and Acquisitions; Prioritization of Capital Budget Requests; Exemption of Facilities on Military Reservation. (a)(1) Each public two-year and four-year institution of higher education shall submit to the commission a facilit…

(a) The commission shall consist of 12 members. Ten of these members shall be appointed by the Governor, one shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, and one shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. …

New Members; Vacancies; Reappointment. (a) Members of the commission shall be selected for nine-year terms expiring on August 31 of the respective year. The current nine members are subject to reconfirmation by the Senate and shall continue to the expiration of their respective t…

Participation; Membership. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education shall establish a statewide steering committee to improve participation in two-year and four-year postsecondary education. The commission shall appoint the members of the steering committee. The committee shall…

The steering committee shall perform each of the following duties: (1) Seek methods to improve participation in two-year and four-year postsecondary education. (2) Seek methods to improve high school retention. (3) Encourage the State Board of Education and local boards of educat…

Operate Statewide Computer Network, Develop Interactive Communication System, Establish Annual Ninth Graders Data Base, Operate Toll-Free Numbers, and Research Factors Affecting Educational Choices. (a) The commission shall enter into a contract with a state educational instituti…

The Alabama Commission on Higher Education may seek additional funding from foundations, governmental entities, federal grants, businesses, and other sources to supplement the state funding necessary to implement this article. History: (Acts 1993, No. 93-369, p. 630, §4.)

Expenses; Executive Director and Employees; Retirement System. (a) The commission shall elect annually from its own members a chairperson and such other officers as it deems desirable and shall adopt rules for its organization in the conduct of its business. (b) The commission sh…

Consultant Groups; Council of Presidents. The commission, in consultation with the agencies and institutions concerned with higher education in this state, shall analyze and evaluate on a continuing basis the present and future needs for instruction, research and public service i…

2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-303, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. The Alabama Math and Science Teacher Education Program is created pursuant to this article. History: (Act 2018-504, §1.)

AMENDED BY ACT 2026-303, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. The purpose of the Alabama Math and Science Teacher Education Program is twofold: (1) To encourage individuals to enroll in and complete programs leading to Alabama certification in mathematics, scie…

AMENDED BY ACT 2026-303, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) APPROVED INSTITUTION. A state-supported institution of higher education or a private nonprofit institution…

303) [Effective until August 1, 2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-303, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. The Alabama Math and Science Teacher Education Program shall be administered by the commission, which may adopt any rules necessary for the administration of th…

(a) The commission shall develop an accountability and evaluation plan for the program that does all of the following: (1) Identifies the goals, objectives, and expected outputs and outcomes of the program. (2) Describes the specific activities of the program and how those activi…

Any eligible applicant who met the requirements of the program and received a loan repayment prior to August 1, 2026, shall remain eligible for loan repayments pursuant to the requirements of the program as long as they remain continuously employed with a qualifying school. Histo…

1, 2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-303, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. (a) To be eligible for the base program of three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($3,750) per semester for math and science teachers and one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) per …

303) [Effective until August 1, 2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-303, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. (a) Beginning in the fall semester of 2021, the benefits outlined in subsection (a) of Section 16-5-54 shall apply to the following eligible individuals, pendin…

Requirements. (Repealed by 2026-303) [Effective until August 1, 2026.] REPEALED BY ACT 2026-303, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2026. Beginning after the 2021 spring semester, an individual issued an Alabama bachelor’s level professional educator certificate in math, science, or computer sc…

Reapplication; Disbursements; Change in Status. [Effective until August 1, 2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-303, EFFECTIVE AUGUST 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. (a) The program shall be used to provide a loan repayment for federal student loans in the following amounts: (1)a. P…

Any person or institution aggrieved by the actions of the commission in its administration of the program, by written petition filed with the commission within 30 days after notice of the action complained of, may request a rehearing by the commission. The commission shall schedu…

The commission shall be responsible for statewide long-range planning for postsecondary education in Alabama. Such planning shall be the result of continuous study, analysis and evaluation. Plans will include the establishment of statewide objectives and priorities with methods a…

Record System; Definitions; State Coordinating Agency; Advisory Committee; Database Reports; Failure to Comply with Requirements. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words shall have the following meanings: (1) BIOGRAPHICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ELEMENTS. Include, …

This article shall be known and may be cited as the Students’ Right to Know Act of 2023. History: (Act 2023-556, §1.)

This article requires the Alabama Commission on Higher Education to provide information to students to allow those students to make informed decisions about their education and professional future. History: (Act 2023-556, §2.)

As used in this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) COMMISSION. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education. (2) DIVISION. The Workforce Development Division of the Department of Commerce that administers or oversees the state’s workforce programs, state …

The commission shall collect and compile all of the following information on an annual basis: (1) The 50 most in-demand jobs in the state and their corresponding starting salaries and education level requirements. (2) The average cost for all colleges and universities in the stat…

(a) The commission shall create an interactive online tool, known as the Student Horizon Database, to publish and provide to individuals information including, but not limited to, the following: (1) The 50 most popular education programs in colleges, universities, and career and …

On or before October 31, 2024, and each October thereafter, the commission shall publish and make available to high school students a Student Graduate Horizon Scorecard that shall contain all of the following data, collected and aggregated pursuant to this article: (1) The 50 hig…

The commission shall issue an annual report to the Legislature outlining the effectiveness of colleges, universities, or any other postsecondary education institutions accepting public funding in aligning their curricula or programs with the state job market, including the degree…

The commission and the division shall enter into a memorandum of understanding to share any data or information necessary to comply with this article. History: (Act 2023-556, §8.)

To satisfy the requirements of this article, the commission may do either of the following: (1) Utilize and incorporate preexisting databases, such as the United States College Scorecard, administered by the federal department of education, as well as any other data sets availabl…

The commission shall adopt any necessary rules to implement this article. History: (Act 2023-556, §10.)

Credits; Articulation and General Studies Committee. (a)(1) The Commission on Higher Education is authorized to review periodically all new and existing programs and units of instruction, research, and public service funded by state appropriations at the state universities and co…

Nothing in subsection (e) of Section 16-5-8 shall be deemed to require a public institution to include any grades earned at another institution in the computation of a student’s grade point average at that institution. However, if any public institution includes freshman and soph…

Nothing in subsection (e) of Section 16-5-8 shall be interpreted or used in any way to discourage or impede the efforts or abilities of the historically black institutions or their officials to carry out the mandates and objectives of federal court decrees and to provide equal ac…

It is the intent of the Legislature that all two-year and four-year institutions of higher education in the state comply with the intent of subsection (e) of Section 16-5-8 and the guidelines developed pursuant to it (unless otherwise exempted by subsection (e) of Section 16-5-8)…

Pursuant to Sections 16-5-7 and 16-5-8, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education shall make regular reports to the Legislature regarding the implementation of subsection (e) of Section 16-5-8. History: (Acts 1994, No. 94-202, p. 257, §5.)

Recommendations. (a) The governing boards of the public institutions of higher education shall submit to the commission through their appropriate administrative officers, not later than 90 days prior to each legislative session, its budget proposals for the operation and capital …