The Alabama State Board of Education’s staff outlined plans for a late‑August board retreat to be held at the Alabama Association of Realtors building in Montgomery, with a dinner invitation for Monday evening, Aug. 23, and a work day scheduled 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 24.

Board members were told the Realtors’ organization has offered to host a dinner on the evening of Aug. 23 and that the department can livestream retreat sessions so members of the public can watch. Staff said the department will limit in‑room attendance to preserve social distancing while enabling an online overflow option.

Board staff and members discussed what to cover at the retreat and proposed front‑burner items: refining the FY22 foundation program budget request to the governor and executive budget office; a session on teacher recruitment that would include the communications team that produced the department’s recruitment videos and a researcher who surveyed teacher attrition; a briefing on PowerSchool implementation and vendor responsiveness; and preliminary review of assessment results and proposed cut scores to be discussed at the September work session.

Department staff said the foundation program budget request must be finalized so the board can vote in October and submit a recommendation to the governor’s executive budget office by the November 1 deadline. Staff suggested the retreat could be used to draft the board’s request and return to the September work session for final adjustments.

On PowerSchool, members asked for a status report at the retreat about district integration, vendor responsiveness and whether the department needs extra staffing to assist districts. Staff committed to bring PowerSchool updates to the September work session if full ACAP (Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program) results were not yet available for the retreat.

Board members also proposed inviting legislative leaders and the chairs of education and budget committees to portions of the retreat so the board and lawmakers could discuss funding and legislative priorities before the next session. Staff indicated invitations could be extended promptly given the limited time before the retreat.

The retreat planning exchange included logistical decisions (in‑room seating limits, overflow room uncertainties and livestream capability) and a proposed retreat schedule that prioritizes teacher recruitment, budget planning and testing/accountability briefings.

Looking ahead, staff said ACAP cut‑score recommendations and proposed literacy policy items would be scheduled for September. The retreat will also include opportunities for board input on agenda items that arise before the board’s next formal meetings.