reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
AL Code § 16-6A-14 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6A - Programs for Improving Education.|Section 16-6A-14 - Scholarship Loans for Teacher Education Programs in Critical Needs Areas - Rules and Regulations.

Section 16-6A-14Scholarship loans for teacher education programs in critical needs areas - Rules and regulations. 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.)
AL Code § 16-6A-15 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6A - Programs for Improving Education.|Section 16-6A-15 - Tuition Grant Program for Certified Teachers; Limitations on Tuition Reimbursement; Letter of Commitment; Withholding Records Upon Failure to Satisfy Agreement.

Section 16-6A-15Tuition grant program for certified teachers; limitations on tuition reimbursement; letter of commitment; withholding records upon failure to satisfy agreement. 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 to able teachers certified in subject areas not designated critical needs areas. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education shall adopt rules to implement the mathematics, science, computer education or other critical needs areas tuition reimbursement program. Any full-time regularly certified public school teacher in Alabama shall be eligible for this program. Tuition reimbursement shall be limited to courses in mathematics, science, computer education or other critical areas as determined by the board. Such courses shall be graduate level courses leading to a new certification area or approved undergraduate courses leading to a new certification area. Participants may receive tuition reimbursements not to exceed 36 semester or 54 quarter hours in an approved teacher education program in Alabama; such reimbursement shall not exceed $4,000.00 per annum. All reimbursements will be contingent on the participant's maintaining a B average on all work attempted. Teachers participating in the tuition reimbursement program shall be eligible for all summer programs and other programs and incentives open to mathematics, science and computer education teachers. Each tuition reimbursement recipient must sign a letter of commitment to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education agreeing that upon the completion of coursework required for certification in a critical needs area, he will teach two full years of secondary mathematics, science, computer education or other critical needs area for each full academic year the grant is received. The Executive Director of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education shall require Alabama institutions of higher education to withhold the release of any records of a recipient who fails to satisfy his agreement with the Alabama Commission on Higher Education. (Acts 1984, No. 84-622, p. 1260, §15.)
AL Code § 16-6A-16 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6A - Programs for Improving Education.|Section 16-6A-16 - Plan for In-Service Education Centers; Governing Boards; Requirements of Centers; School Systems to Affiliate With Centers.

Section 16-6A-16Plan for in-service education centers; governing boards; requirements of centers; school systems to affiliate with centers. (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 school personnel. These in-service centers shall not replace the plan for in-service education which the State Department of Education adopted by resolution on June 14, 1978. The in-service centers established pursuant to this chapter shall be located in existing institutions of higher education located in strategic areas of the state as recommended by the commission and approved by the Governor. Institutions of higher education where such in-service centers may be located shall have resident faculty members in education and the academic areas taught in the public schools. (b) In addition, the commission may contract with individuals or institutions to provide approved in-service training as defined in this section. (c) A governing board shall be organized for each in-service center. The governing board of each center shall include representatives from the State Department of Education, teachers and administrators from the local school systems and the institution of higher education where the center is located. Such governing board shall, in cooperation with the staff of the State Department of Education, determine policy, programs and hours of operation of the particular in-service center. (d) The in-service centers provided for in this section shall: (1) Provide a number of days' training each year, usually in the summer, for instructional personnel in critical needs areas; (2) Be open at a specified time during the year for use; (3) Provide specialized help to instructional personnel; (4) Have a director named from the local institution's faculty; and (5) Serve as a data-gathering center for research in areas of public education. Local university, college or community college personnel shall be utilized to conduct the research. (e) Each local school system shall affiliate with the in-service center in its region and shall participate in the planning of written programs for public school personnel in the area. (f) All in-service centers shall be fully operative by July 1, 1985. (g) To carry out the provisions of this section, there is hereby appropriated from the Alabama Special Educational Trust Fund the sum of $500,000.00 for the fiscal year ending September 30, 1985. (Acts 1984, No. 84-622, p. 1260, §18.)
AL Code § 16-6B-1 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6B - Education Accountability Plan.|Section 16-6B-1 - Student Achievement.

Section 16-6B-1Student achievement. (a) The Legislature finds that the people of Alabama desire two basic things from their public schools:  (1) High achievement for students. (2) A safe and orderly environment in which to learn. (b) The Legislature encourages the State Board of Education to assist local boards of education in the development of a strong disciplinary policy and directs the State Board of Education to develop a program to closely monitor student achievement.  (1) The State Board of Education shall require implementation of an assessment program for the public schools of Alabama. The assessment program may include nationally normed tests or criterion referenced tests, or both. These tests may be used to assist in the assessment of student achievement. The State Board of Education may also require the use of other tests and assessments as the board may deem necessary. (2) In grades 11 and 12, the State Board of Education shall implement an assessment and remediation program to monitor and promote the academic achievement of students in those grades and prepare them for successfully completing the graduation examination. (c) There is no legislative intent to interfere with the provisions of Section 16-3-18.3, and it is the intent of the Legislature that the development of the total assessment program for student performance, exclusive of the requirements of student performance herein, shall be the function of the State Board of Education. The State Board of Education is instructed to develop courses of study to provide Alabama students with the content and information to enter the workforce, to compete nationally and internationally with other students, and to successfully compete at the postsecondary level. This shall include the content necessary to successfully achieve on nationally normed tests and any other tests that may be required by the State Board of Education. (Acts 1995, No. 95-313, p. 620, §1; Act 2000-753, p. 1705, §1.)
AL Code § 16-6B-4 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6B - Education Accountability Plan.|Section 16-6B-4 - Financial Accountability.

Section 16-6B-4Financial accountability. Following the analysis of the financial integrity of each local board of education as provided in subsection (a) or (b) of Section 16-13A-2, if a local board of education is determined to have submitted fiscally unsound financial reports, the State Department of Education shall provide assistance and advice. If during the assistance the State Superintendent of Education determines that the local board of education is in an unsound fiscal position, a person or persons shall be appointed by the State Superintendent of Education to advise the day-to-day financial operations of the local board of education. If after a reasonable period of time the State Superintendent of Education determines that the local board of education is still in an unsound fiscal condition, a request shall be made to the State Board of Education for the direct control of the fiscal operation of the local board of education. If the request is granted, the State Superintendent of Education shall present to the State Board of Education a proposal for the implementation of management controls necessary to restore the local school system to a sound financial condition. Upon approval by the State Board of Education, the State Superintendent of Education shall appoint an individual to be chief financial officer to manage the fiscal operation of the local board of education , until such time as the fiscal condition of the system is restored. The chief financial officer shall perform his or her duties in accordance with rules and regulations established by the State Board of Education in concert with applicable Alabama law. Any person appointed by the State Superintendent of Education to serve as chief financial officer to manage the fiscal operation of a local board of education shall be required to give bond with a surety company authorized to do business in Alabama and shall not be required to receive approval of the local superintendent to expend monies. The chief financial officer shall serve at the pleasure and under the direction of the State Superintendent of Education. The State Superintendent of Education, directly or indirectly through the chief financial officer, may direct or approve such actions as may in his or her judgment be necessary to: (1) Prevent further deterioration in the financial condition of the local board; (2) restore the local board of education to financial stability; and (3) enforce compliance with statutory, regulatory, or other binding legal standards or requirements relating to the fiscal operation of the local board of education. Nothing in Chapter 13A or this section shall be construed to deprive any employee of any procedural or substantive right that would otherwise be guaranteed to the employee under the United States Constitution and the laws of the State of Alabama. (Acts 1995, No. 95-313, p. 620, §4; Act 2006-196, p. 275, §3.)
AL Code § 16-6B-5 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6B - Education Accountability Plan.|Section 16-6B-5 - School Safety and Discipline Accountability.

Section 16-6B-5School safety and discipline accountability. In addition to providing quality instruction in classrooms and fiscal soundness, all local boards of education shall be accountable for compliance with statutes and regulations regarding school safety and discipline. The State Department of Education shall send to all local boards of education and all local superintendents of education, on or before August 1 of each year, a manual containing all acts of the Legislature and all regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education which pertain to school safety and discipline. Within thirty (30) days of receipt of this manual, each local board of education shall provide to the State Board of Education a report, in the form prescribed by the State Department of Education, describing its compliance with these acts and regulations. If a local board of education is determined by the State Board of Education to have failed to comply in any material respect with these acts and regulations, the State Department of Education shall provide assistance to obtain compliance. If after one year, the State Board of Education determines that a local board of education refuses or fails to come into compliance with these acts and regulations, the State Superintendent of Education shall intervene in and assume the direct management and day-to-day operation of the local board of education for such period of time as the State Board of Education deems necessary to bring that local board of education into compliance with these acts and regulations. (Acts 1995, No. 95-313, p. 620, §5.)
AL Code § 16-6B-6 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6B - Education Accountability Plan.|Section 16-6B-6 - Release From Intervention.

Section 16-6B-6Release from intervention. Management of a school or local board of education occasioned by state intervention based on student achievement or financial instability shall continue until such time as either condition improves to an acceptable level. The local board of education may petition the State Board of Education for release from state intervention by showing acceptable improvement in achievement or financial stability or other just cause for such release. The State Board of Education following a hearing shall have final determination on the matter of release from state intervention. (Acts 1995, No. 95-313, p. 620, §6.)
AL Code § 16-6B-7 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6B - Education Accountability Plan.|Section 16-6B-7 - Accountability Reports to the Public.

Section 16-6B-7Accountability reports to the public. (a) The local board of education shall prepare an annual accountability report for each school and area vocational/technical center under its jurisdiction, and for itself, to be provided to the public under regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education. Such accountability reports shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (1) A Funding and Expenditure Report which shall include those documents specified in Section 16-6B-4 and which shall include the amount of Foundation Program funds or vocational/technical education funds, or both, earned and of all funds expended and any other data deemed necessary by the local board of education or the State Board of Education to inform the public about the financial status of each school. (2) A Student Achievement Report which shall include a comparison of the immediately previous school year with the previous five years regarding student performance on testing required by the State Board of Education, dropout rates, attendance rates, graduation rates, college attendance, and any other data deemed necessary by the local board of education or the State Board of Education to inform the public about student achievement in each school. (3) A School Safety and Discipline Report which shall include statistical information relating to student safety and discipline in each school and any other data deemed necessary by the local board of education or the State Board of Education to inform the public about safety and discipline in each school. (b) These reports shall be released to the media, presented to parent organizations, members of the Legislature who represent the schools covered in each report, and the State Superintendent of Education. These reports shall be made available to the public upon request on or before ninety (90) days after the end of the fiscal year. (Acts 1995, No. 95-313, p. 620, §7.)
AL Code § 16-6B-8 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6B - Education Accountability Plan.|Section 16-6B-8 - Participation in Foundation Program.

Section 16-6B-8Participation in Foundation Program. (a) In order for a local board of education to participate in the state Foundation Program certain conditions shall be met. The teacher salary schedule of the local board of education shall be at least 100 percent of the amount specified within the State Minimum Salary Schedule delineated by cell for the type of degree and years of experience of each teacher. All funds allocated to a local board of education for teacher salaries shall be spent for salaries in the instructional program. (b) In order for a local board of education to participate in the state Vocational/Technical Education Program certain conditions shall be met. The teacher salary schedule of the local board of education shall be at least 100 percent of the amount specified within the State Minimum Salary Schedule adjusted for extended contracts delineated by cell for the type of degree and years of experience of each teacher. All funds allocated to a local board of education for teacher salaries shall be spent for salaries in the instructional program. (c) Each area vocational center shall earn a principal (director) and shall continue to earn a counselor should it have received a counselor unit in 1994-95. Further, it is the intent of the Legislature that area vocational centers that are serving more than one school system continue to do so. Each participating local board shall assume a pro rata share of the cost of personnel and operating cost of the vocational center. However, should any local board choose in the future to withdraw from participation in an area vocational center, such local board shall assume its pro rata share of the cost of personnel and operating expenses occurring as a result of its withdrawal. If no satisfactory financial agreement can be reached between that local board and other participating local boards, the State Superintendent of Education shall conduct an inquiry and shall render a decision which shall be final and binding. Finally, as a result of hold harmless and federal requirements of maintenance of effort, no local board shall be permitted to spend fewer state dollars for vocational/technical education than it did during the 1994-95 school year. (Acts 1995, No. 95-313, p. 620, §8; Act 2000-757, p. 1724, §1.)
AL Code § 16-6B-9 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6B - Education Accountability Plan.|Section 16-6B-9 - Salary Allocations.

Section 16-6B-9Salary allocations. No funds shall be transferred by any board of education from salary allocations to any other expenditure or for any other purpose. In times of proration, salaries shall not be subject to proration. (Acts 1995, No. 95-313, p. 620, §9.)
AL Code § 16-6B-12 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6B - Education Accountability Plan.|Section 16-6B-12 - Conflicting and Specific Laws Repealed; State Board of Education to Review and Develop Policies.

Section 16-6B-12Conflicting and specific laws repealed; State Board of Education to review and develop policies. All laws or parts of laws which conflict with this chapter are hereby repealed and specifically Sections 16-3-15, 16-3-17.2, 16-3-18.2, 16-3-18.4 and 16-13-15 are hereby repealed. Notwithstanding the repeal of the foregoing sections, the State Board of Education shall review and develop appropriate policies regarding at-risk students, social promotion, and school accreditation. (Acts 1995, No. 95-313, p. 620, §13.)
AL Code § 16-6C-1 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6C - School Grading System and Legislative School Performance Recognition Program.|Section 16-6C-1 - Legislative Findings.

Section 16-6C-1Legislative findings. (a) Just as there is value in assigning grades that reflect the performance of public school students in Alabama, the Legislature finds that there is also value in assigning grades that reflect the performance of the public schools attended by public school students in Alabama. The Legislature further finds that an easy to understand school grading system would best serve the interests of the public as a whole, and specifically the parents and guardians of public school students, by providing another transparent layer of accountability for the public dollars allocated to elementary and secondary education in the state. (b) The Legislature also finds that there is a need for a program to reward public K-12 schools in Alabama that demonstrate high achievement. The Legislature further finds that performance-based incentives and increased autonomy are commonplace in the private sector and should be infused into the public sector as a reward for productivity.  (Act 2012-402, p. 1098, §1.)
AL Code § 16-6D-1 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6D - Alabama Accountability Act of 2013.|Section 16-6D-1 - Short Title.

Section 16-6D-1Short title. This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Alabama Accountability Act of 2013. (Act 2013-64, p. 112, §1.)
AL Code § 16-6D-2 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6D - Alabama Accountability Act of 2013.|Section 16-6D-2 - Purpose.

Section 16-6D-2Purpose. (a) Innovative schools and school systems may be established in Alabama in accordance with this chapter. (b) The purpose of this chapter is to advance the benefits of local school and school system autonomy in innovation and creativity by allowing flexibility from state laws, regulations, and policies. (Act 2013-64, p. 112, §2.)
AL Code § 16-6D-3 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 16 - Education.|Chapter 6D - Alabama Accountability Act of 2013.|Section 16-6D-3 - Legislative Findings and Intent.

Section 16-6D-3Legislative findings and intent. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) To further the goals of public education throughout the state, each school system should be able to have maximum possible flexibility to meet the needs of students and the communities within its jurisdiction. (2) There is a critical need for innovative models of public education that are tailored to the unique circumstances and needs of the students in all schools and communities, and especially in schools and communities that are struggling to improve academic outcomes and close the achievement gap. (3) To better serve students and better use available resources, local boards of education, local school systems, and parents need the ability to explore flexible alternatives in an effort to be more efficient and effective in providing operational and programmatic services. (b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to do all of the following: (1) Allow school systems greater flexibility in meeting the educational needs of a diverse student population. (2) Improve educational performance through greater individual school autonomy and managerial flexibility with regard to programs and budgetary matters. (3) Encourage innovation in education by providing local school systems and school administrators with greater control over decisions including, but not limited to, budgetary matters, staffing, personnel, scheduling, and educational programming, including curriculum and instruction. (4) Provide financial assistance through an income tax credit to a parent who transfers a student from a failing public school to a nonfailing public school or nonpublic school of the parent's choice. (Act 2013-64, p. 112, §3.)