reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22 - Officers and Employees Generally. › Section 16-22-6 - Policies as to Salary Deductions; Purposes for Which Deductions May Be Made; Application.

Section 16-22-6
Policies as to salary deductions; purposes for which deductions may be made; application.
(a) Each local board of education and certain postsecondary institutions shall adopt policies or regulations which will provide for deductions from salaries of its employees or groups of employees whenever a request is presented to the board or postsecondary institution by the employees or groups. The deductions shall be made from salaries earned in at least nine different pay periods and shall be remitted to the appropriate company, association, or organization as specified by the employees within 10 days following each deduction. The deductions may be made for, but not limited to, savings plans, tax sheltered annuities, the Public Employees' Individual Retirement Account Fund, membership dues, voluntary contributions, and group insurance premiums. Deductions for membership dues and voluntary contributions shall be made based upon membership lists and forms provided by the employees' organization. Such lists are to be corrected, updated, and returned to the employees' designated organization(s) not later than November 10 of each school year. The 1982-83 membership dues and voluntary contribution authorized, with appropriate yearly adjustments, shall be deducted for each succeeding year unless the employee revokes the deductions in writing on or before September 15 of that year. Voluntary contributions may be revoked by giving a 30-day notice in writing. New authorizations for deduction of dues, voluntary contributions, or employee savings plans, must be submitted to the payroll office and deductions shall begin with the pay period next following the receipt of authorization. Upon termination of employment, amounts owed under the authorization of the employee shall be deducted from employee's final pay due. With the exception of membership dues and voluntary contributions, the board or postsecondary institution shall not be required to make more than one remittance of amounts deducted during a pay period for a separate type of deduction. Health insurance, life insurance, and tax sheltered annuities shall be interpreted as separate types of deductions. When amounts have been correctly deducted and remitted by the board or postsecondary institution, the board or postsecondary institution shall bear no further responsibility or liability for subsequent transactions. No board or postsecondary institution shall be liable for any error when acting in good faith pursuant to this section.
(b) This section shall not apply to any four-year postsecondary institution.
(Acts 1973, No. 655, p. 984, §2; Acts 1983, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 83-207, p. 385; Act 2001-960, 3rd Sp. Sess., p. 840, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22 - Officers and Employees Generally. › Section 16-22-7 - Presumption as to Payments and Deductions; Eligibility for Foundation Program Not Affected.

Section 16-22-7
Presumption as to payments and deductions; eligibility for Foundation Program not affected.
Payments and deductions made by the board of education under the authority of Sections 16-22-5 and 16-22-6 are presumed to be for services rendered and for the benefit of the public school; and the payments and deductions do not affect the eligibility of any school system to participate in the Foundation Program as established in Sections 16-13-50 through 16-13-59.
(Acts 1973, No. 655, p. 984, §3.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22 - Officers and Employees Generally. › Section 16-22-8 - Dental Insurance.

Section 16-22-8
Dental insurance.
(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the annual allotments for hospital medical insurance made to educational personnel may be used to purchase dental insurance.
(b) Local boards of education shall approve the plan and carrier for dental coverage. Employee review and evaluation of available policies shall be considered by the board before final approval of a plan.
(Acts 1982, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 82-673, p. 106, §§1, 2.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22 - Officers and Employees Generally. › Section 16-22-16 - Registered Nurses Required.

Section 16-22-16
Registered nurses required.
(a) The State Department of Education and the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind shall require the employment of school nurses in each local school system.
(b) There shall not be greater than five licensed practical nurses to one registered nurse within each school system. However, based upon individual circumstances, including specific medical needs and tasks which must be performed by a registered nurse as set forth in the Nurse Practice Act and the Administrative Code rules of the Alabama Board of Nursing, there may be a lower registered nurse to licensed practical nurse ratio within each school system.
(c) The allotment of school nurses shall be distributed so that each school system shall receive one registered nurse and an additional nurse or nurses or fraction of a nursing allocation based upon the average daily membership during the first 20 scholastic days after Labor Day of the preceding school year.
(d) Each local school superintendent shall designate one registered nurse for the entire school system whose responsibilities shall include annually providing a full and comprehensive assessment of all student health needs within that system. Based upon the assessment findings, the designated nurse shall make a recommendation to the local school superintendent concerning the implementation and coordination of student health needs.
(e) The State Department of Education shall employ a School Nurse Consultant, who shall be a registered nurse, to provide supervision of programs statewide and implement school nursing programs as established by the State Board of Education.
(f) At a minimum, all school nurses shall be paid according to the statewide salary schedule for school nurses which shall be included in the annual budget act for the public schools.
(g) The amounts necessary to meet the requirements of this section shall be appropriated in the annual budget act for the public schools and in the annual budget act for the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind. The funding for this requirement is contingent upon available revenue in the Education Trust Fund and appropriation by the Legislature.
(h) Funding provisions of the School Nurses Act shall be met once every public school in Alabama has a school nurse and a ratio of one state-funded school nurse for every 500 pupils exists statewide.
(i) This section shall be construed in pari materia with other laws, but to the effect that this section specifically conflicts with other laws in direct conflict with this section, then those laws or parts of laws are hereby repealed.
(Act 98-672, p. 1477, §§1, 3; Act 2009-280, p. 470, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22 - Officers and Employees Generally. › Section 16-22-16.1 - Hiring of Registered Nurses or Licensed Practical Nurses.

Section 16-22-16.1
Hiring of registered nurses or licensed practical nurses.
The State Board of Education shall ensure that a registered nurse or a licensed practical nurse shall be hired in every public K-12 school from funds appropriated for that purpose.
(Act 2021-519, §2.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22 - Officers and Employees Generally. › Section 16-22-18 - Annual Stipend or Supplement for Certified Counselors.

Section 16-22-18
Annual stipend or supplement for certified counselors.
(a) Public elementary and secondary school counselors who were certified as nationally certified school counselors by the National Board for Certified Counselors prior to January 1, 2003, shall receive the same annual stipend or supplement as is provided for public school counselors who have received certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The annual budget act for public education shall contain an appropriation of at least five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each qualified public school counselor certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors. Nothing in this section shall imply or be interpreted as a right to additional compensation for any prior school year.
(b) Effective in 2013, upon certificate renewal, all public elementary and secondary school counselors meeting the qualifying criteria as set forth in this section shall obtain school counseling certification by the NBPTS or forfeit their annual stipend.
(Act 2006-507, p. 1150, §§1-3.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22 - Officers and Employees Generally. › Section 16-22-19 - Annual Stipend or Supplement for School Principals.

Section 16-22-19
Annual stipend or supplement for school principals.
Commencing on January 1, 2013, any public elementary or secondary school principal who receives national board certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards shall receive the same annual stipend or supplement as is provided for public school teachers and public school counselors who have received certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Nothing in this section shall imply or be interpreted as a right to any additional compensation for any prior school year.
(Act 2012-263, p. 509, §2.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-1 - Short Title; Purpose.

Section 16-22A-1
Short title; purpose.
This chapter shall be known and cited as the Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. Article 1 provides the procedure for conducting criminal history background information checks on all applicants for certification, public and nonpublic applicants for employment, nonpublic current employees, and current employees under review. Article 2 provides the procedure for conducting criminal history background information checks on current public certified and noncertified employees.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §1; Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-2 - Legislative Intent.

Section 16-22A-2
Legislative intent.
Under the National Child Protection Act of 1993, Public Law 103-209, 42 U.S.C. 5119, et seq., the states are required to implement a computerized information system to provide child abuse crime information through the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Criminal History Record Information System and may conduct a nationwide criminal history background information check for the purpose of determining whether an individual who will have unsupervised access to children is suitable for employment or has been convicted of a crime that bears upon the fitness of the individual to teach or have responsibility for the safety and well-being of children as defined in this chapter.
The Legislature finds that there is a compelling state interest and it is in the best interest of the children of Alabama to protect them from those persons who may inflict physical or mental injury or abuse, sexual abuse or exploitation, or maltreatment or other mistreatment upon children. Therefore, in establishing the Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999, it is the intent of the Legislature to provide for the implementation of a system that allows the State Superintendent of Education, local boards of education, and other nonpublic schools to ensure that prospective employees and current employees are suitable for employment and have not been convicted of a crime that bears upon their fitness to teach or to have responsibility for the safety and well-being of children as defined in this chapter.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §2; Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-4 - Initiation of Request for Criminal History Background Check.

Section 16-22A-4
Initiation of request for criminal history background check.
Any person who wishes to initiate a request for a criminal history background check of a current employee shall be required to provide a written signed statement to the designated chief executive officer of an authorized employer containing the reasonable articulable grounds supporting a request and initiation of review.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §4.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-8 - Fingerprint Training Courses.

Section 16-22A-8
Fingerprint training courses.
(a) The Department of Public Safety and the State Department of Education shall cooperatively schedule sufficient training throughout the state to train all local superintendents of education, or their duly appointed representatives, in proper fingerprinting techniques.
(b) The chief executive officers of nonpublic schools shall arrange with the Department of Public Safety for sufficient training in proper fingerprinting techniques of their superintendent, headmaster, or other duly appointed representatives.
(c) The Department of Public Safety shall notify the State Superintendent of Education regarding the dates and times of scheduled training sessions. The State Superintendent of Education shall then notify all local superintendents of education.
(d) Nonpublic schools required or desiring to participate in fingerprint training sessions shall contact the Department of Public Safety for information concerning dates, times, and cost of training.
(e) The State Superintendent of Education and the Department of Public Safety shall train sufficient personnel to ensure implementation of this chapter.
(f) Nonpublic school employers required to submit fingerprint cards pursuant to this article shall properly train their own representatives to ensure the implementation of this article.
(g) The Department of Public Safety may charge a reasonable fee for the training on proper fingerprinting techniques, provided that the fee is standard and equal for all participants in the program, regardless of whether the participant represents a public or nonpublic entity.
(h) The Department of Public Safety shall furnish standard fingerprint cards to the State Department of Education, local employing boards, and, upon request, to nonpublic schools to be used only by those personnel who have been trained in proper fingerprinting techniques.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §8; Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-10 - Confidentiality of Information.

Section 16-22A-10
Confidentiality of information.
(a)(1) Any criminal history background information reports received by the State Department of Education from the Department of Public Safety shall be confidential, conspicuously marked as confidential, and not further disclosed or made available for public inspection.
(2) Any criminal history background information report received by a local employing board from the State Department of Education shall be confidential, conspicuously marked as confidential, and not further disclosed or made available for public inspection.
(b) All criminal history background information reports are specifically excluded from any requirement of public disclosure as a public record as the Legislature finds these documents to be sensitive personnel records.
(c) Transmittal of any criminal history background information at any time shall be accomplished in a nontransparent package, sealed, and marked confidential with instructions to be opened only by the person named on the package and authorized to receive the information pursuant to this chapter.
(d) Without additional public disclosure, the following actions shall not be construed to violate this section:
(1) Showing the report of criminal history background information to the applicant for certification, applicant for employment, current employee, or current employee under review to give him or her the opportunity to challenge the report.
(2) Releasing the report to a court of competent jurisdiction in the event of litigation brought by the applicant for certification, applicant for employment, current employee, or current employee under review.
(3) Use of the information in preparation, investigation, and presentation during administrative proceedings involving revocation of certification or suitability determination brought by the State Superintendent of Education, termination by the employer, or restriction on unsupervised access to a child in an educational setting.
(e) Any person having access to criminal history background information check reports and releasing same as provided herein, shall be required to maintain a register consistent with the National Child Protection Act of 1993, Public Law 103-209, 42 U.S.C. 5119, et seq.
(f) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prohibit the distribution of employment or certification status through the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification Educator Identification Clearinghouse.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §10; Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-11 - Rules and Regulations.

Section 16-22A-11
Rules and regulations.
The State Department of Education and the Department of Public Safety may adopt rules and regulations to implement the procedures and requirements of this chapter.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §11.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-12 - Penalties.

Section 16-22A-12
Penalties.
(a) Violations. Any person convicted of any of the following actions under this chapter shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor:
(1) Violating the confidentiality of records provisions.
(2) Violating lawfully adopted policies which are provided for in this chapter.
(3) Knowingly, willfully, and intentionally making or transmitting a false report or complaint against any current employee, current employee under review, or applicant without reason to believe the accuracy of such report or complaint.
(b) False information or failure to disclose. Any person who knowingly submits false information concerning past convictions on an application for employment may be subject to loss of employment under provisions for termination according to applicable existing statutes and to the loss of any certificate issued by the State Superintendent of Education under this chapter.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §12; Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-13 - Liability.

Section 16-22A-13
Liability.
An authorized employer shall not be liable in any action for damages solely for failure to conduct a criminal history background information check on an educational employee pursuant to this chapter if such failure is due to reasonable time constraints of background check backlogs, nor shall the state or political subdivision thereof, nor any agency, officer, or employee thereof, be liable in any action for damages for the failure of a qualified entity to take action adverse to an individual who was the subject of a criminal history background information check. Neither the State Superintendent of Education, the State Department of Education, nor any agent thereof shall be liable in civil court in an action for damages arising out of any suitability determination. Nothing herein shall be construed as a waiver of any sovereign or qualified immunity.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §13; Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-14 - Exceptions - Nonpublic Schools.

Section 16-22A-14
Exceptions - Nonpublic schools.
If a nonpublic school wishes not to do the fingerprinting procedure of their applicants, current employees, or current employees under review, they shall not be required to do so, then the applicant for nonpublic employment, nonpublic current employee, or nonpublic current employee under review shall request a criminal history background information check through the local employing board in the city or county in which the nonpublic school is located.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §14; Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-15 - Exceptions - Church Officials.

Section 16-22A-15
Exceptions - Church officials.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any pastor, priest, rabbi, clergyman, or other church official except when acting in the capacity of a full-time regular classroom teacher.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §15; Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-16 - Construction.

Section 16-22A-16
Construction.
Except as expressly specified in this chapter pertaining to criminal history background information checks of applicants for nonpublic employment, nonpublic current employees, and nonpublic current employees under review, nothing in this chapter shall be construed to establish state control over curriculum or the selection of personnel in private or parochial/church schools, nor is this chapter intended to establish additional regulatory authority over private or parochial/church schools.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §16; Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-17 - Disposition of Fees.

Section 16-22A-17
Disposition of fees.
All fees received by the Department of Public Safety for criminal history background information checks and fingerprint training courses conducted pursuant to this chapter shall be deposited to the Public Safety Automated Fingerprint Identification System Fund, to be appropriated to and expended by the Department of Public Safety in accordance with Section 32-2-61.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §17.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 1 - Criminal History Background Information Checks on Applicants for Certification, Applicants for Employment, Nonpublic Current Employees, and Current Employees Under Review. › Section 16-22A-18 - Repealer.

Section 16-22A-18
Repealer.
This chapter is supplementary to and shall be construed in pari materia with other laws. To the extent that this chapter specifically conflicts with other laws pertaining to criminal history background information checks, this chapter shall take precedence. Nothing contained within this chapter shall be construed to diminish, reduce, or conflict with the authority of the State Superintendent of Education to interpret and apply federal and state education law for the State of Alabama. Those portions of Sections 26-20-1 through 26-20-6 relating to criminal background checks of public, private, parochial, and home school employees are repealed.
(Act 99-361, p. 566, §18; Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 2 - Criminal History Background Checks of Current Public Certified and Current Public Noncertified Employees. › Section 16-22A-30 - Criminal Background Information Checks of Current Public Employees.

Section 16-22A-30
Criminal background information checks of current public employees.
(a) A criminal history background information check shall be conducted on all current public certified employees and all current public noncertified employees employed by a local employing board, and any State Department of Education personnel, as determined by the State Superintendent of Education, who have unsupervised access to and provide education, training, instruction, or supervision for children in an educational setting.
(b) Each current public certified employee and current public noncertified employee employed by a local employing board shall be notified by the State Department of Education that the State Superintendent of Education will provide a suitability determination, based upon convictions, pending criminal charges, and suitability criteria for public employment, to his or her local employing board. Each current public certified employee and current public noncertified employee shall also be notified by the State Department of Education of his or her right to obtain a copy of the criminal history background information reports, challenge the accuracy and completeness of any information contained in the reports, to supply additional information on his or her behalf to the State Department of Education, and obtain a prompt determination as to the validity of such challenge before a final suitability determination regarding the current public certified employee and current public noncertified employee is made by the State Department of Education. Any personnel action taken against a current public certified employee or current public noncertified employee shall be in accordance with all applicable state and federal laws as well as any adopted applicable local policies or procedures.
(c) Any fee required in conjunction with a criminal history background information check of a public current employee shall be paid by the State Department of Education, subject to Section 16-22A-34.
(Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §2.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 2 - Criminal History Background Checks of Current Public Certified and Current Public Noncertified Employees. › Section 16-22A-31 - Written Consent; Additional Check.

Section 16-22A-31
Written consent; additional check.
(a) The following persons shall obtain a signed and dated written consent to obtain criminal history background information checks for current public certified employees and current public noncertified employees who have or seek to have unsupervised access to children in an educational setting:
(1) Persons designated by the public local employing board.
(2) Persons designated by the State Department of Education.
(b) Refusal by a current public certified employee and current public noncertified employee to sign and date a consent to obtain a criminal history background information check and to provide two acceptable sets of fingerprints shall result in the preclusion of continued employment or certification of the employee in a position requiring unsupervised access to children, until such time as written permission has been given to the local employing board to conduct the criminal history background information check.
(c) If a current public certified employee or current public noncertified employee has completed a criminal history background information check pursuant to this chapter after July 1, 1999, he or she shall not be subject to an additional criminal history background information check pursuant to this chapter based only upon his or her status as a current public certified employee or current public noncertified employee. Such an employee may be subject to an additional criminal history background information check pursuant to this chapter if the employee has the status of current employee under review.
(Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §2.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 2 - Criminal History Background Checks of Current Public Certified and Current Public Noncertified Employees. › Section 16-22A-32 - Collection of Fingerprints; Submission of Materials.

Section 16-22A-32
Collection of fingerprints; submission of materials.
(a) Each local employing board and other public educational entity required to obtain criminal history background information checks of current public certified employees and current public noncertified employees pursuant to this article shall cooperate with the State Department of Education in obtaining two complete acceptable sets of fingerprints and written consent from each current employee who has or seeks to have unsupervised access to a child or children.
(b)(1) Each local employing board and other public educational entity shall, upon request, submit the following items to the State Department of Education for each current public certified employee and current public noncertified employee:
a. Two functional acceptable fingerprint cards, bearing the fingerprints of the individual, properly executed by an individual properly trained in fingerprinting techniques.
b. Written consent authorizing the release of any criminal history background information to the State Department of Education.
c. Acknowledgment that the current public certified employee or current public noncertified employee received notice that the State Superintendent of Education will provide a suitability determination, based upon criminal history information reports and suitability criteria for public employment, to the current public certified employee, current public noncertified employee, and local employing board.
(2) When a local employing board or other public authorized employer sends the items listed in subdivision (1) to the State Department of Education, the State Department of Education shall record receipt of the items and forward them to the Department of Public Safety to request a criminal history background information check.
(c) Fingerprints of individuals subject to this chapter may be obtained by the State Department of Education through the use of digital fingerprint machines, if available, or by any other appropriate means. Fingerprinting of current employees shall be conducted at locations that are convenient to current employees, during reasonable business hours, and at no charge to the current employee. For purposes of this section, convenient locations for fingerprinting current employees include, but are not limited to, central education offices and other education facilities. Mobile units may be utilized at these locations. Fingerprinting of current employees may not be conducted at a criminal justice agency or law enforcement or correctional office or facility.
(Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §2.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 22A - Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999. › Article 2 - Criminal History Background Checks of Current Public Certified and Current Public Noncertified Employees. › Section 16-22A-34 - Satisfaction of Contingencies; Procedures.

Section 16-22A-34
Satisfaction of contingencies; procedures.
(a) The requirement to conduct a criminal history background information check on public and nonpublic current employees pursuant to this chapter is contingent upon the State Superintendent of Education determining that sufficient funds have been appropriated by the Legislature or made available from another source to fund such background checks and related procedures. The State Superintendent of Education shall certify to each local employing board, each nonpublic school, the State Finance Director, and the Code Commissioner when sufficient funds have been appropriated for use by the State Department of Education for purposes of conducting background checks and related procedures on public and nonpublic current employees.
(b) Upon the satisfaction of contingencies provided in subsection (a) and upon the State Superintendent of Education certifying in writing to the State Board of Education and each authorized employer that the procedures for implementing criminal history background information checks of public and nonpublic current employees have been finalized, criminal history background checks shall commence on current public certified employees, current public noncertified employees, and nonpublic current employees as provided by this chapter and subsection (c). Appropriate officials shall endeavor to complete the criminal history background information checks on all public and nonpublic current employees within two years from the date of certification by the State Superintendent of Education as provided in subsection (a). If this deadline date is not met, the State Board of Education, upon written request of the State Superintendent of Education, may extend the deadline date.
(c)(1) Procedures in conformity with this chapter for implementing criminal history background information checks for public and nonpublic current employees shall be established by the State Superintendent of Education. These procedures shall give initial and primary focus to the local employing boards employing the greatest number of current employees. These procedures shall be implemented as to each local employing board in descending order based upon the number of current employees employed.
(2) Within each local employing board, first priority for conducting criminal history background information checks of public and nonpublic current employees shall be given to those schools with the greatest student populations.
(Act 2002-457, p. 1171, §2.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-1 - Certain Public School Employees Must Hold Certificate.

Section 16-23-1
Certain public school employees must hold certificate.
No person shall be employed in the public schools of the state as county superintendent of education, city superintendent of schools, assistant superintendent, supervisor, principal, teacher or attendance officer unless such person shall hold a certificate issued by the State Superintendent of Education.
(School Code 1927, §339; Code 1940, T. 52, §322.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-2 - Issuance, Extension and Renewal of Certificates.

Section 16-23-2
Issuance, extension and renewal of certificates.
All matters relating to the issuance, extension and renewal of certificates based upon credentials, including transcripts of applicants' records submitted by institutions of higher learning in Alabama approved for the training of teachers, or by institutions operated under the control of the State Board of Education for the training of teachers, or by institutions located in other states whose standards of training teachers are the same or equivalent to those approved by the State Board of Education shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education. It shall be the duty of the State Superintendent of Education to submit for the approval of the State Board of Education from time to time rules and regulations governing the issuance, renewal and extension of certificates and to have printed a bulletin or bulletins which shall contain full information relating to the issuance, renewal and extension of certificates on credentials, including transcripts of applicants' records.
(School Code 1927, §340; Code 1940, T. 52, §323.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-4 - Fee of Applicant for Certificate.

Section 16-23-4
Fee of applicant for certificate.
(a) An application fee of thirty dollars ($30) shall be paid by an applicant.
(b) The fees paid by the applicants shall be deposited to a special account for the State Department of Education into the State Treasury at least monthly and used for the operation of the teacher education and certification program.
(School Code 1927, §350; Code 1940, T. 52, §333; Acts 1943, No. 313, p. 300; Acts 1975, No. 426, p. 1023, §1; Acts 1990, No. 90-622, p. 1137, §1; Act 2008-281, p. 546, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-4.1 - Fee for Evaluation of Transcript.

Section 16-23-4.1
Fee for evaluation of transcript.
The State Board of Education shall be authorized to establish reasonable charges for evaluation of transcripts.
(Acts 1990, No. 90-622, p. 1137, §2.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-6 - Placement Bureau for Teachers.

Section 16-23-6
Placement bureau for teachers.
The State Superintendent of Education shall make known to county superintendents of education and city superintendents of schools or other interested parties the names of teachers who are unemployed and who are seeking positions. In order that this service may be effective, a placement bureau shall be organized in the State Department of Education.
(School Code 1927, §348; Code 1940, T. 52, §331.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-7 - Institutes - Conduct; Duration; Character of Instruction.

Section 16-23-7
Institutes - Conduct; duration; character of instruction.
As a means of stimulating the improvement of teachers in service in the public schools of the state, institutes shall be held annually, one or more in each county or for a group of counties, at such times and at such places as the State Superintendent of Education, after advising with the county superintendent of education, shall direct. The duration of institutes shall not exceed four days in any one year for any county or group of counties. The character of instruction shall be such as to promote the best interest of the schools.
(School Code 1927, §356; Code 1940, T. 52, §339.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-8 - Institutes - Attendance Required; Penalty for Failure to Attend.

Section 16-23-8
Institutes - Attendance required; penalty for failure to attend.
Every person employed in a teaching, supervisory or administrative capacity by the county or city board of education in the public schools of the state shall attend the institute held for the county or city in which such person is employed; provided, that the institute is held during the term-time or during the week immediately preceding the date of opening of the schools in the county or city. All persons attending such institute shall be paid as for time taught, and any person subject to institute attendance who fails to attend an institute called in accordance with the provisions of this chapter shall forfeit his or her contract with the respective county or city board of education as the case may be and shall be ineligible to employment in the public schools of the state for a period of six months from the date of such delinquency, unless excused as hereinafter provided.
(School Code 1927, §357; Code 1940, T. 52, §340.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-9 - Institutes - Excuses for Nonattendance.

Section 16-23-9
Institutes - Excuses for nonattendance.
The county superintendent of education or the city superintendent of education shall have the power to excuse and accept excuses from educators for failure to attend institutes held under the provisions of this chapter. Such actions shall be governed by the same policies which govern leave on any other regularly scheduled workday. Persons so excused shall be deemed to have met all requirements of institute attendance and shall be entitled to pay.
(School Code 1927, §358; Code 1940, T. 52, §341; Acts 1975, No. 139, p. 628, §1.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-10 - Institutes - List of Persons Subject to Attendance.

Section 16-23-10
Institutes - List of persons subject to attendance.
At the beginning of the institute it shall be the duty of the county superintendent of education or city superintendent of schools, as the case may be, to furnish the conductor of the institute, appointed by the State Superintendent of Education, on forms provided by the Department of Education, duplicate lists of all persons employed in his jurisdiction subject to institute attendance. At the close of the institute, or as soon thereafter as possible, the conductor shall file with the county superintendent of education and with the city superintendent of schools a duplicate list of all persons employed in the county or city, as the case may be, who have met the legal requirements of institute attendance, or who have been excused in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The original of the list shall be filed in the office of the Department of Education.
(School Code 1927, §359; Code 1940, T. 52, §342.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-11 - Institutes - Persons Not Attending Not Placed on Payroll.

Section 16-23-11
Institutes - Persons not attending not placed on payroll.
It shall be unlawful for any county superintendent of education or any superintendent of city schools to place the name of any person, subject to institute attendance, on his payroll during the period of six months following the close of the institute so held, who at the time said institute was held failed to attend or submit an excuse approved by the county superintendent of education or the city superintendent of schools as the case may be and accepted by the State Superintendent of Education.
(School Code 1927, §360; Code 1940, T. 52, §343.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-12 - Teachers' Conferences.

Section 16-23-12
Teachers' conferences.
As a further means of improving teachers in service, the county superintendent of education or the city superintendent of schools shall arrange for and conduct conferences in convenient centers upon the courses of study or on problems of instruction, supervision and administration.
(School Code 1927, §361; Code 1940, T. 52, §344.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-13 - Training-in-Service Work.

Section 16-23-13
Training-in-service work.
In the conduct of institutes and group conferences as provided in this chapter, it is made the duty of the state-supported institutions of higher learning offering teacher-training courses to cooperate as far as practicable with the Department of Education in furthering training-in-service activities. The Department of Education in cooperation with the state-supported institutions of higher learning offering teacher-training courses shall arrange as far as may be practicable for extension courses as a part of or in lieu of group conferences hereinbefore provided. County superintendents of education and city superintendents of schools shall from time to time make known their training-in-service needs to the Department of Education, and the department through cooperation with teacher-training institutions shall endeavor to assist county and city superintendents in setting up and carrying into effect a training-in-service program.
(School Code 1927, §363; Code 1940, T. 52, §346.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-14 - Standards and Minimum Requirements for Training.

Section 16-23-14
Standards and minimum requirements for training.
For the purpose of setting up standards for the preparation of teachers, supervisors and administrative employees for service in the public schools, the State Board of Education shall, subject to other provisions of this chapter, authorize and prescribe minimum requirements on courses of study, organization, qualifications of instructors, buildings and equipment and sanitary conditions, and it shall be the duty of the State Superintendent of Education or his professional assistants to visit institutions engaged in teacher-training, hold conferences with the teachers and officials of such institutions, explain the requirements of the State Board of Education relating to the preparation of teachers, look into the character of work being done and perform such other services as may be deemed advisable for the improvement of the training provided for prospective teachers of the public schools of the state.
(School Code 1927, §364; Code 1940, T. 52, §347; Acts 1991, No. 91-323, p. 602, §3.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-16 - Rules and Regulations Relative to Training.

Section 16-23-16
Rules and regulations relative to training.
All laws and all rules and regulations of the State Board of Education relating to the preparation of teachers for service or the training of teachers in service shall be administered by the State Superintendent of Education, or through his professional assistants; provided, that the provisions of this section shall not be interpreted as being in conflict with other provisions of this title.
(School Code 1927, §366; Code 1940, T. 52, §349.)
2023 Code of Alabama › Title 16 - Education. › Chapter 23 - Teacher Training and Certification. › Section 16-23-16.2 - Criminal History Background Check for Teacher Preparation Program Applicants.

Section 16-23-16.2
Criminal history background check for teacher preparation program applicants.
(a) Each two-year and four-year institution of higher education in the state shall require each applicant for admission to a teacher preparation program to complete a criminal history background information check as a part of the initial application process.
(b) The criminal history background information check shall be administered in a manner prescribed by the institution of higher education that is consistent with the Alabama Child Protection Act of 1999, and rules promulgated by the State Department of Education.
(c) Any publication of an institution of higher education, that describes the requirements for or application process for a teacher preparation program offered by the institution, shall also inform prospective students of the requirements of this section.
(Act 2009-628, p. 1926, §1.)