Title 16

(a)(1) The Legislature recognizes that Erin Merryn was raped and molested for six and a half years by a neighbor and a family member. She began a crusade her senior year of high school in 2004 to end the silence and shame around sexual abuse. Erin’s Law has been adopted in a numb…

(a) A public school may offer elective courses in the objective study of the Bible and religious history in grades six to 12, inclusive, as follows: (1) A social studies course on the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament of the Bible. (2) A social studies course on the Greek Sc…

(a) Elective courses offered pursuant to this article shall be designed to do all of the following: (1) Teach students about Bible characters, poetry, and narratives that are useful for understanding history and contemporary society and culture, including art, music, social mores…

No teacher shall be required to teach any course under this article and, any provision of the law to the contrary notwithstanding, no teacher shall be subject to any retaliation for declining to teach such a course, including, but not limited to, non-renewal of contract, terminat…

The Attorney General shall defend any litigation filed against any local board of education in the state or any officer, employee, or agent thereof based upon the board’s actions in implementing this article without cost to the local board of education. Should any local board of …

(a) The State Department of Education shall develop and award a State Seal of Biliteracy to those high school students who have demonstrated an indicated level of proficiency in English and at least one other world language, including American Sign Language. School district parti…

The State Seal of Biliteracy certifies attainment of an intermediate level of proficiency by a graduating student in English and at least one other world language, and certifies that the graduate meets all of the following criteria: (1) Completion of the graduation requirements o…

The State Department of Education shall do both of the following: (1) Prepare and deliver to participating school districts an appropriate insignia to be affixed to the diploma or transcript of the student indicating that the student has been awarded a State Seal of Biliteracy by…

A school district that participates in the program under this article shall do both of the following: (1) Maintain appropriate records in order to identify students who have earned a State Seal of Biliteracy. (2) Affix the appropriate insignia to the diploma and transcript of eac…

It is the intent of the Legislature that no fee be charged to a student to participate in the State Seal of Biliteracy pursuant to this article. (Act 2022-200, §5.)

For the purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) BOARD. The State Board of Education. (2) DEPARTMENT. The State Department of Education. (3) EDUCATOR PREPARATION PROGRAM. Any state-approved program that prepares an individual for certificatio…

(a) All reading instructional materials approved for use in Alabama schools, whether through the textbook law or a local textbook review process as provided in Chapter 36, the Alabama Literacy Act as provided in Chapter 6G, or other vetting or selection process, shall use structu…

(a)(1) A local board of education shall not use instructional materials as defined in this article for students in any grade kindergarten through 12 which use either of the following: a. The three-cueing system model of teaching students to read. b. Visual memory for teaching wor…

(a) The Legislature finds that: (1) Pregnancy and childbirth among unmarried adolescents, particularly young adolescents, often results in severe adverse health, social, and economic consequences, including: a higher percentage of pregnancy and childbirth complications; a higher …

(a) Any program or curriculum in the public schools in Alabama which includes sex education or the human reproductive process shall teach sexual risk avoidance content and, at a minimum, include each of the following: (1) Abstinence from all sexual activity is the only 100 percen…

(a) Any program or curriculum in the public schools of this state that includes drug education or instructs on the use of drugs or alcohol, at a minimum, shall include all of the following: (1) Age-appropriate, developmentally-based drug and alcohol education and prevention progr…

Conduct that is illegal under state or federal law, including but not limited to, illegal use or distribution of controlled substances, under-age alcohol use or distribution, sexual intercourse imposed by means of force, or sexual actions which are otherwise illegal, shall not be…

(a) An individual or group of individuals providing classroom instruction to students in kindergarten through the fifth grade at a public K-12 school shall not engage in classroom discussion or provide classroom instruction regarding sexual orientation or gender identity in a man…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as “The Drug Abuse Education Act of 1971.” (Acts 1971, No. 1934, p. 3122, §1.)

The State Superintendent of Education shall, at least 30 days prior to the 1973 Regular Session and each regular session thereafter, transmit to the members of the state board, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Chairman of the Senate and the Chairman of t…

As used in this chapter, the term “drug” shall include barbiturates, central nervous system stimulants, hallucinogenics, and all other drugs to which the narcotic and drug abuse laws of the United States apply. It shall also include alcoholic and intoxicating liquor and beverages…

The purpose of this chapter is to insure the development of a comprehensive drug abuse education program for all children and youth in grades one through 12. It is the legislative intent that this program shall teach the adverse and dangerous effects on the human mind and body of…

(a) The State Superintendent of Education shall administer this chapter pursuant to regulations adopted by the State Board of Education. In administering this chapter, the superintendent shall seek and ask for advice and assistance from the medical association of the State of Ala…

No teacher or school administrator employed by a nonpublic school shall be excluded from participating in in-service teacher education institutes or curriculum development programs conducted pursuant to this chapter. (Acts 1971, No. 1934, p. 3122, §5.)

Any child whose parent presents to the school principal a signed statement that the teaching of disease, its symptoms, development and treatment and the use of instructional aids and materials of such subjects conflict with the religious teachings of his church shall be exempt fr…

The state board shall adopt regulations to insure the teaching of drug abuse education to all pupils. Every county and city school system shall schedule drug abuse education courses as part of the curriculum of every school, K-12. (Acts 1971, No. 1934, p. 3122, §7.)

Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to authorize or require the teaching of sex education in any form. (Acts 1971, No. 1934, p. 3122, §8.)

In implementing this chapter, every effort shall be made to combine funds appropriated for this purpose with funds available from all other sources, federal, state, local or private, in order to achieve maximum benefits for improving drug abuse education. (Acts 1971, No. 1934, p.…

(a) On or before September 1, 2025, the State Board of Education shall adopt a model policy for the establishment of a vape awareness, education, and prevention program to prohibit the possession and use of prohibited tobacco, tobacco products, electronic nicotine delivery system…

The county commissions and the governing bodies of all municipalities in the State of Alabama are hereby authorized and empowered to promote education by undertaking research into the history of the State of Alabama, its several counties and municipalities, its coastline and boun…

To carry out the authority vested in the county commissions and the governing bodies of the municipalities by the provisions of Section 16-42-1, the county governing bodies and the governing bodies of the municipalities of the state are hereby authorized and empowered to set asid…

To carry out the provisions of this chapter, all county governing bodies and the governing bodies of all municipalities are hereby authorized to enter into contracts with historical corporations, foundations or associations which are duly incorporated within this state. (Acts 195…

(a) Each school and educational institution located in this state, that is supported in whole or in part by public funds, shall display the United States Flag and the Alabama State Flag at all times when the school or educational institution is in session in accordance with appro…

Unless otherwise acquired pursuant to gift, donation, or other means, the flags and flag poles required by this chapter shall be purchased within three years after August 1, 2001, by either the local board of education or the respective educational institution. (School Code 1927,…

The pledge of allegiance to the United States flag shall be conducted at the beginning of each school day and all students attending public kindergarten, primary, and secondary schools shall be given the opportunity each school day to voluntarily recite the pledge of allegiance t…

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) The Ten Commandments are a key part of the Judeo-Christian religious and moral tradition that shaped Western Civilization and ultimately the founding of the United States. In particular, because they include what John Q…

(a) Beginning January 1, 2027, and subject to the availability of donated funds or donated displays pursuant to subsection (c) as determined by the State Superintendent of Education, each local board of education shall display a poster or framed document that meets the requiremen…

(a) The Legislature finds that the 1986 and 1992 Commissions on the Future of the South, under the auspices of the Southern Growth Policies Board, called for youth and community leadership development and support as critical to southern economic development and progress. The Legi…

The membership and fiscal year shall begin on October 1 annually and end on the following September 30. Dues shall be set as provided in Section 16-44A-14. (Acts 1994, No. 94-482, p. 799, §10.)

Advisory committees shall be created to make recommendations regarding strategies to meet the purposes of the compact. Committees shall include compact members, potential users of services, school teachers, educators, K-12 and postsecondary/higher education representatives, commu…

(a) The board of directors shall consider recommendations of advisory committees and may hold hearings, review, revise, and adopt a plan of educational work which furthers the purposes of the compact and the leadership goals of the Commission on the Future of the South and which …

The compact shall encourage, support, and provide high quality educational programs, learning, and service experiences related to the history and diverse cultures of the United States and the State of Alabama, and especially American citizenship, its origins and development, and …

In furtherance of the purposes of the compact, the board of directors may do the following: (1) Accept donations of funds or land, bequests, grants, appropriations, loans, membership fees, or other forms of financial assistance for educational and other purposes in furtherance of…

The members of the board shall not be compensated for their services, but shall be entitled to the same expense and per diem as authorized to state employees, for official board business as approved by the chair of the board. (Acts 1994, No. 94-482, p. 799, §15.)

(a) The board shall establish its account(s) and deposit its funds therein with any bank qualified to serve as a state depositary. All funds shall be governed by the applicable laws of Alabama, including the state bid law and the ethics act. Nothing herein shall be deemed to requ…

In the event of dissolution of the compact, which may be accomplished only by legislative act, the residual assets shall be turned over to another public corporation or organization which is exempt from federal income tax as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the I…