Title 16 — Title 16

Recordkeeping. (a) The board shall establish priorities and criteria for disbursement of monies in the Alabama Head and Spinal Cord Injury Trust Fund and to assure maximum benefits from the trust. The Division of Rehabilitation Services in the State Department of Education shall …

This chapter may be referred to as the “Alabama Exceptional Child Education Act.” History: (Acts 1971, No. 106, p. 373, §13.)

Having Other Special Learning Disabilities. The local superintendents of education are authorized to purchase and arrange for distribution among schools previously adopted textbooks, equipment and materials which are prepared in various resource and media centers for the use of v…

When authorized by regulations of the State Board of Education in lieu of the amount calculated on the basis of average daily membership otherwise authorized by law, there shall be allowed from the Education Trust Fund appropriation for transportation for each bus used exclusivel…

The State Board of Education is authorized to make training grants to professional personnel who seek special training in exceptional child education to qualify said personnel to meet professional requirements set forth in said state board’s regulations and shall be responsible f…

Education Services; Confidentiality, Retention, and Use of Recordings. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following words have the following meanings: (1) SELF-CONTAINED CLASSROOM. A public K-12 classroom in which at least half of the students in regular attendance are pro…

For purposes of this chapter, the following words, terms, and phrases shall have the following respective interpretations: (1) EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN. Persons between the ages of six and 21 years who have been certified under regulations of the State Board of Education by a special…

Each school board shall provide not less than 12 consecutive years of appropriate instruction and special services for exceptional children, beginning with those six years of age, in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Such public school instruction and special servic…

There is hereby established the Catastrophic Trust Fund for Special Education to be titled the Catastrophic Trust Fund for Special Education Act, to be administered by the State Department of Education for the purpose of assisting local education agencies providing special educat…

For the purposes of this article, the following words, terms and phrases shall have the following interpretations: (1) SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICES. Services relating to instruction of exceptional children with disabilities. (2) EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN. Those children and youth with…

All funds appropriated as a result of this article and funds obtained through donations, bequests, other forms of financial assistance, and accrued interest in the investment of all funds that are to be used to fund services for exceptional children with disabilities. All unencum…

The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules and regulations governing the total operation of the Catastrophic Trust Fund for Special Education and shall request funding for the Catastrophic Trust Fund for Special Education. History: (Acts 1991, No. 91-594, p. 1097, §4.)

The State Superintendent of Education shall provide an annual report on the status of the Catastrophic Trust Fund for Special Education to the State Board of Education, the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House, and the chairman of the Senate and House Educa…

Within 120 days after July 22, 1971, each school board in the State of Alabama shall take a careful and thorough survey of persons who (if thereafter certified by a specialist) would probably qualify as exceptional children residing in its school district, which survey shall show…

The State Board of Education shall adopt regulations covering: (1) The qualifications of specialists for each type of exceptionality and standards for certification of exceptional children; (2) Minimum standards of instruction and special services to be provided for each type of …

During the fifth year of implementation of the incremental five-year plan referred to above, each school board shall submit a long-range plan for providing appropriate instruction and special services for exceptional children and shall submit said long- range plan to the State Bo…

No child shall be given special services under the terms of this chapter as an exceptional child until he is properly classified as an exceptional child; provided, that the child’s parent or guardian shall be informed of the reasons for such classification. A copy of the report c…

The Alabama Boys Industrial School, Alabama State Training School for Girls, Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind, Alabama state Department of Mental Health, State Crippled Children’s Service, the State Board of Health and the Department of Human Resources shall direct their fiel…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Alabama Preschool Special Education Act.” History: (Acts 1991, No. 91-474, p. 859, §1.)

Education for Eligible Children in Accordance with Act. There is hereby established a preschool special education program for children with disabilities, ages three through five years, inclusive. All county and city local education agencies are required to provide free appropriat…

For purposes of this chapter, the following words, terms and phrases shall have the following interpretations: (1) PRESCHOOL CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES. Those children with disabilities, ages three through five, inclusive, determined eligible for special education services under …

Operation of This Section. Every public school and private school, except church schools as defined in Section 16-28-1, shall carry out a system of physical education, the character of which shall conform to the program or course outlined by the Department of Education. History: …

School Diploma Importance, and Study Skills; New Required Courses Not Established. (a) Each local board of education shall require, in accordance with rules and regulations of the State Board of Education, that students in grades seven to 12, inclusive, receive instruction in par…

Component. (a) Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year, as a required component for completing the government course required in the high school course of study, a student shall correctly answer at least 60 of the 100 questions listed on a civics test, which shall be made availabl…

(a) Each local board of education may offer instruction in yoga to students in grades K-12, subject to the following: (1) Instruction in yoga shall be an elective activity. Students shall have the option to opt out in favor of alternative activities, which shall be made available…

(a) Beginning with public school students entering ninth grade in the 2024-2025 school year, each student shall complete a course in personal financial literacy and money management before graduation from high school. This instruction shall include discussion of or instruction in…

Entering the Eighth Grade. (a) No later than July 1, 2025, the State Department of Education shall develop and approve an asynchronous, digitally delivered course that addresses the risks of using social media and how to use social media safely. (b) At a minimum, the course shall…

(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) BOARD. The State Board of Education. (2) SUCCESS SEQUENCE. A three-pronged framework for youths and young adults based on research from diverse institutions that individuals who complete at lea…

No later than the 2027-2028 school year, each local board of education shall adopt a screen time policy that provides guidance on the appropriate use of screen-based media in kindergarten classrooms. The policy shall: (1) Meet the requirements of Article 4, Chapter 24 of Title 26…

Religious History. (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 cou…

and Texts. (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, s…

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. History: (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) Each local board of education that operates a public school with grades nine through 12 shall include instruction in both of the following as a requirement within existing health education courses: (1) Techniques of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). (2) Beginning with the …

(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) 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 …

Curriculum. (Amended by Act 2026-577) [Effective until October 1, 2026.] AMENDED BY ACT 2026-577, EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2026. SEE ACT FOR REVISED LANGUAGE. (a) Any program or curriculum in the public schools in Alabama that includes sex education or the human reproductive process …

Curriculum; Instruction Related to Fentanyl Prevention and Drug Poisoning Awareness. (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) A…

Children. 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, sh…

to Be Provided in a Manner That Is Age Appropriate or Developmentally Appropriate. (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 pro…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as “The Drug Abuse Education Act of 1971.” History: (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…