[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6571597,"mediaKeyId","3159608-34385a53225f6bf5b4c9d43f9ee77bb4","parentId",3159608,"title","Committee backs bill to let local boards authorize districtwide conversion charter schools","audioSeconds",801,"startMs",377000,"endMs",1178000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3159608-34385a53225f6bf5b4c9d43f9ee77bb4&start=377&end=1178","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3159608-34385a53225f6bf5b4c9d43f9ee77bb4/thumbnail_377000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6571597/Alabama/Committee-backs-bill-to-let-local-boards-authorize-districtwide-conversion-charter-schools","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571597-5377e8bd57fef8ca452ea06f8cdd96e0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770949161&Signature=ZCrf14Ug8b5rQp6X0cl~1XU60MGVNkARTP-cMGPBlQ2OjslCwaO0ydJFsXl-QiWJdqZXszB9cGmm0hr3udbCFpqguHYjTomvDWlnXvFzc0QUNFxdh7riRtr53-xtjiqdS5JhlE2NWMW8-tGAIh3Ii9Fd-jggZC4b9YI0-qi~rfgilQVYosHrB4sXv9NL8FvT7HdQ01kP-kriN6qUcIMM5hmcjBlzcDbOjgmIBOJcsCeuef~eJkozLJA-HGm~ViT7bflXUb5juEhUTCyG8blWYl5smVG0xe2GNfGavm1H6kjSP~ksUvBqfQ69htKWANsRrWhXK936ZZ6W9JlxRkJeTQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alabama Senate Sessions","date","2025-04-30T19:07:43.66Z","article","The Senate Education Policy Committee voted to report SB336 favorably after a public hearing that included superintendents and charter advocates. The bill distinguishes between charter startups and conversions and would allow a local school board to serve as the authorizer for conversion public charter schools, a change sponsors say is intended to give low-funded districts greater flexibility.

Senator Chambliss, sponsor of SB336, said the bill was developed after discussions with local superintendents from lower-funded systems who want more options to use limited resources. “Flexibility is paramount,” he said, explaining that some requirements appropriate for startup charter schools are unnecessary for conversions. The measure also confirms current practice in some districts that a local school board may serve as the authorizer and conversion board.

Proponents at the public hearing included Richard Dennis, superintendent of Elmore County, who said Elmore ranks near the bottom in state per-pupil funding and described the proposal as a way for small districts to gain curriculum and operational flexibility. Emily Schultz, executive director of Alabama Families for Great Schools, supported the bill’s purpose but urged clarifications: she recommended maintaining a clear distinction between an authorizer and a school operator, noted that Montgomery’s three conversion public charter schools operate under a single governing board, and warned that forcing conversions to purchase services from a specific vendor would undermine operational autonomy.

Wyman Woodfin, a county superintendent, said the bill would avoid the impractical requirement that each school in a district have a separate charter board; he described the proposal as allowing the local board to vote to become a charter district and oversee conversions without creating many separate boards. Committee members asked questions about how the authorizer/operator relationship would affect accountability; Emily Schultz and others emphasized that accountability mechanisms work when the authorizer and operator are distinct entities and pointed to the Montgomery Education Foundation model, where a nonprofit runs conversion schools and the county board holds the operator accountable.

Committee members voted the bill out of committee with a favorable recommendation; the chair called for a favorable motion, members responded “Aye,” and the transcript records the chair’s announcement that the bill was given a favorable report. Sponsor Chambliss and proponents said they would continue working to finalize technical language, particularly around the authorizer/operator distinction.

SB336 will now move to the Senate calendar for further consideration.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Education Policy Committee voted to report SB336 favorably after testimony from superintendents and charter advocates; the bill would let a local board authorize districtwide conversion public charter schools and distinguish conversions from startups.","taxTitle","Senate, Alabama Legislative Sessions, Alabama","taxId",62183,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6571603,"Senate committee advances bill banning classroom discussion and some symbols related to sexual orientation and gender identity",799,1297000,2096000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3159608-34385a53225f6bf5b4c9d43f9ee77bb4&start=1297&end=2096","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3159608-34385a53225f6bf5b4c9d43f9ee77bb4/thumbnail_1297000.jpg","/articles/6571603/Alabama/Senate-committee-advances-bill-banning-classroom-discussion-and-some-symbols-related-to-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571603-a50442339817bcf6f3f5dd10aacf8f8b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770949161&Signature=cHZe8wItj4GgdpQ22Z~p3bMip~mI~6QVJFlDLTefu9hyH~vf0TRDk-vxIjfT5J35Z1ijLBoG9MRLUkHmotHSjcTliZEV2dlcHt1QcUkB47pk2vGFjcH8BMlVEVrRhMaulajgqcF2pIw1GUnBB3LQsFYA9KXPhejNF5OXhnc-D-yqjdII9xQGPOcPypSZ-7OoTmDhrMrF949Ne07GrVH-eTBr3SMbRqjkNqmmAIBJH63~GsnlQgk37Kttgsar0hJyz3FX4GoKZGfCRdNi16rb2Vl1WmaR-w50n8tOnjilwYRcGi1gEPchLLN9XpzEFjRfM0LGmWcJ26Au-vhE-eau9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee voted to give HB244 a favorable report after a public hearing and extended debate, moving the measure to the full Senate for further consideration.

Proponent Representative Butler introduced HB244 as an expansion of an existing restriction that now bars classroom instruction about sexual orientation and sexual identity for K–5 students; the bill would extend that prohibition to prekindergarten through 12th grade. Representative Butler said the bill “align[s] with president Trump’s executive order” and framed the measure as a response to parental concerns about school curricula.

Opponents at the committee hearing urged the senators to reject or narrow the measure. Dr. Paige Hann, a constituent, said the bill “does not accomplish anything besides further creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in school” and argued that banning classroom discussion would not change students’ awareness of gay and transgender people. Aaron DeJager warned the bill’s use of the undefined term “gender identity” could be interpreted broadly and cited federal protections, including the Equal Access Act of 1984 and the U.S. Supreme Court’s student-speech jurisprudence (Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District), to argue the measure could conflict with federal law. A witness who identified himself as a detransitioner recounted his personal experience and urged caution about gender-affirming care for minors.

Committee members debated the bill’s scope and timing. Senator Hatcher said parts of the bill were “late in the session” and urged sponsors to bring bills earlier next year. Some senators expressed reservations about expanding state regulation into sensitive identity matters; others supported the bill as responding to parental concerns. At the committee’s request, members moved to a roll-call vote on the motion to report the bill favorably. The transcript records several named votes (for example, Senator Butler voted “Aye”; Senator Chastain voted “Aye”; Senator Hatcher registered “No”; Senator Hovey voted “Aye”), and the chair announced the motion as favorable and that the bill would be reported out of committee.

Supporters said the bill simply extends existing classroom restrictions and that students retain their First Amendment rights to speak outside of classroom instruction and to consult school staff individually. Opponents pressed for narrowing language to instructional materials only and for precise definitions; they warned the measure could place teachers and school employees in the position of conflicting federal obligations or create uncertain enforcement over noninstructional displays. Aaron DeJager gave examples he said could fall into the bill’s scope if read broadly, such as organizational logos or historical symbols.

The committee chair thanked members and said the committee will continue its work; the bill will proceed to the Senate calendar for further action. The committee hearing concluded for the session.","The Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee voted to give HB244 a favorable report after a public hearing and extended debate; the bill would expand a ban on classroom instruction about sexual orientation and related symbols from K–5 to prekindergarten through 12th grade.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6571593,"Committee adopts amendment and advances bill to codify computer science as a graduation requirement",343,44000,387000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3159608-34385a53225f6bf5b4c9d43f9ee77bb4&start=44&end=387","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3159608-34385a53225f6bf5b4c9d43f9ee77bb4/thumbnail_44000.jpg","/articles/6571593/Alabama/Committee-adopts-amendment-and-advances-bill-to-codify-computer-science-as-a-graduation-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571593-065f34cff895d1ed21b35fb1b8a6280b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770949161&Signature=X18bYjMgYQZymAX74F3s7kdk2baaJq~S4j99tt2phOl4HNw08vkBSwM66J9YWQgc8GGePXHVWAMPk6RUvdLy8a7hr3sLygRz678ohbN1fiNbifirJenMwj2un8Y3CAr59kdxeaDr0ejGJLUmWCU~kwaYtL~eszUkynmHqRe2zCf25zSHEzsjp6vWZjfcYL7tOcR82jm2-DxT7G4SV78j~bJCKPVbFHT~F-FXGI53bjS1zVeaz5M7yVN4caXdnipIsuxhef~z35kuWMWAVtj7e1y9btg4iQJbqJ2oIiWbluJFbXYjXImMidua37rtKEPh1rk8MrFgQxhxQ1mURUeVFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Policy Committee adopted an amendment and moved HB332 forward after a staff explanation about how the measure would codify the State Board of Education’s computer science graduation requirement and tighten language about which courses count toward college- and career-ready indicators.

Senators listed attendance and the chair called up HB332, introduced in the transcript as “HB332 by Representative Faulkner.” A sponsor or presenting member told the committee that Alabama had been an early adopter of Code.org’s K–12 computer science standards and that the State Board of Education had adopted computer science as a graduation requirement. The sponsor said the bill would “codify that” and streamline language around which courses count for different purposes.

Committee members discussed a line in the amendment about “department-approved courses with embedded computer science skills and experiences” and whether such embedded courses should count as a college- and career-ready indicator. Mark Dixon, introduced to the committee as a staff resource, explained that there are two types of courses: full computer science courses that count as a college- and career-ready indicator and other courses that embed computer science skills but would count for graduation rather than as the higher-level indicator. Dixon said, “For it to count as a college and career indicator, it would have to be the full course in computer science.”

The committee approved the amendment (moved and seconded on the record) and then moved the bill favorably; the chair called for an affirmative voice vote, members responded “Aye,” and the chair thanked Representative Volker for carrying the bill in the Senate. The committee announced the bill would be reported favorably to the Senate.

The amendment’s effect, as explained in the hearing, is to restore “embedded” language worked on with superintendents and the State Department of Education while tightening the statutory text to clarify the distinction between embedded coursework (counts for graduation) and a standalone computer science course (counts as a college- and career-ready indicator).

HB332 will be reported to the Senate calendar for further consideration.","HB332, introduced in committee as a measure to codify the State Board of Education’s computer science graduation requirement, had an amendment adopted to clarify embedded-course language; committee members and staff explained the difference between courses that qualify as graduation credit and those that count as a college- and career-ready","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee backs bill to let local boards authorize districtwide conversion charter schools

Senate committee advances bill banning classroom discussion and some symbols related to sexual orientation and gender identity

Committee adopts amendment and advances bill to codify computer science as a graduation requirement