Title 16

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. (Act …

(a) The program shall provide two levels of payment for loan assistance: (i) base support in the amount of seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) per year worked or three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($3,750) per semester, for a maximum of four consecutive years, an…

Beginning in the fall semester of 2021, the benefits outlined in Section 16-5-54(a) and the criteria outlined in Section 16-5-54(b) and (c) shall also apply to eligible individuals who are authorized to be educators in Alabama and are subsequently employed in an Alabama public K-…

(a) Program funds shall be awarded and distributed by the commission in the following manner: (1) Loan assistance awards shall be distributed directly to eligible applicants in two disbursements during the applicable year: One disbursement shall be made after January 1 and the se…

Any individual or institution not satisfied with the actions of the commission in its administration of the program may submit a written petition to the commission within 30 days after notice of the action. If not satisfied with the response of the commission to the written petit…

For the purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) GOVERNING BOARD. The body charged with policy direction of any public institution of higher education, including, but not limited to, the board of trustees. (2) PUBLIC INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDU…

(a) Each governing board shall adopt a policy regarding tenure. The policy shall: (1) Address the granting of tenure; (2) Allow for the dismissal of a tenured faculty member pursuant to Section 16-5A-52; (3) Provide periodic post-tenure review for all tenured faculty at the insti…

A tenured faculty member may be dismissed at any time after being provided with legally required due process based on any of the following determinations: (1) The faculty member has done any of the following: a. Exhibited professional incompetence. b. Failed to perform duties or …

(a) Each tenured faculty member shall be subject to periodic post-tenure review by his or her respective institution no more often than once every year, but no less often than once every six years, after the date the faculty member was granted tenure. Each governing board shall c…

(a) Each governing board shall adopt a policy to authorize the dismissal of a tenured faculty member based on a finding that the faculty member committed serious misconduct, provided the governing board must provide the faculty member with legally required due process before the …

(a) Each governing board shall file a copy of the policies adopted pursuant to this article, and any amendments or revisions to these policies, with the provost, who shall make the policies publicly available on or before September 1 of each year. (b) It is the intent of the Legi…

(a) No accrediting agency or association may: (1) Compel a public institution of higher education to violate this article; or (2) Take adverse action against a public institution of higher education based in whole or in part on that institution’s compliance with this article. (b)…

No private cause of action is created by or exists under this article. (Act 2026-432, §2.)

This article shall be known and may be cited as the Students’ Right to Know Act of 2023. (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. (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. (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. (Act 2023-556, §10.)

(a) For the purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) ADMINISTRATION. The institutional administration of a public institution of higher education, including any university system administration. (2) GOVERNING BOARD. The body charged with poli…

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…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the College and Higher Education Excellence and Results (CHEER) Act. (Act 2026-422, §1.)

For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) ACADEMICALLY UNDERPREPARED STUDENT. A student who started his or her academic program without meeting the readiness requirements established by the Outcomes-Based Higher Education Funding Coord…

(a) There is established a fund in the State Treasury for higher education institutions of this state which shall be known as the College and Higher Education Excellence and Results (CHEER) Fund. The fund shall be used to provide bonus funding to higher education institutions tha…

(a) There shall be an outcomes-based higher education funding program. The commission shall implement the program commencing with the fiscal year that begins on October 1, 2026, contingent upon funding being appropriated by the Legislature for such purpose. (b) The bonus funding …

(a) Subject to available funding for the CHEER Fund for any fiscal year of the state, the committee in discussion with the individual eligible institutions shall select factors for inclusion in the performance outcome categories for CHEER Fund bonus funding to be identified in th…

(a) There shall be established the Outcomes-Based Higher Education Funding Coordinating Committee led by the Chair of the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee and the Chair of the House Ways and Means Education Committee. (b) The membership of the committee shall inclu…

Each year, the committee shall publish a report on the implementation and impact of the program. (1) The report shall include, for the entire state and each eligible institution, data that shows: a. The number and percentage of students eligible for bonus funding for each eligibl…

The outcomes-based funding program established in this chapter shall supersede and replace any existing outcomes-based funding program for eligible institutions, including the program for the Alabama Community College System developed by the Alabama Community College Advisory Cou…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the “Educational Reform Act of 1984.” (Acts 1984, No. 84-622, p. 1260, §1.)

(a) Local school boards are hereby authorized, pursuant to rules and regulations established by the State Board of Education, to employ provisionally certified persons from business, industry or other areas or military retirees who have extensive preparation in mathematics, scien…

The Alabama Commission on Higher Education shall have the authority to make reasonable rules and regulations for implementing and carrying out the provisions of this chapter relating to the scholarship loan program. (Acts 1984, No. 84-622, p. 1260, §14.)

The Alabama Commission on Higher Education shall implement a tuition grant program for certified teachers. Tuition grants in institutions of higher education for adding mathematics, science, computer education or other critical needs areas to their certificates shall be provided …

(a) A comprehensive plan shall be established by the Governor’s Educational Reform Commission and implemented for the development and location of in-service education centers for the purpose of providing rigorous in-service training in critical needs areas for the state’s public …

For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them by this section: (1) A.C.H.E. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education. (2) BOARD or BOARD OF EDUCATION. The State Board of Education. (3) COMMISSION. The Governor’s Educationa…

The Legislature finds that a true need exists within the state for improving education. In furtherance of this goal, a “plan for excellence” and other reform reports have been submitted to the Legislature and the Governor, including therein numerous recommendations that we strong…

The Governor’s program for improving education shall be implemented subject to sufficient appropriations as provided for herein or as provided for in any other appropriation legislation for public education in the state. Such program shall include, but not be limited to, the foll…

(a) There is hereby created the Governor’s Educational Reform Commission. Such commission shall be composed of the Governor, the State Superintendent of Education, the President of the Alabama Parent-Teacher Association, the Executive Director of the Alabama Education Association…