Department reviewers reported site visits to Oakwood University and Miles College and recommended seven‑year approvals for bachelor‑level educator‑preparation programs; the transcript records staff recommendations but no formal vote during the work session.

Department staff presented new accountability data showing a 91.56% four‑year graduation rate, an 87.88% college‑and‑career readiness rate (up from 84.2%) and third‑grade on‑grade reading at 88.4% under the current 444 cut score; staff said district‑ and school‑level breakdowns will be published.

A task force reviewing Alabama’s digital‑literacy and computer‑science standards told the board it is embedding artificial‑intelligence and cybersecurity concepts across kindergarten‑12 grade bands and plans an August draft release and public comment ahead of a November board review.

Department staff explained the RAISE Act funding formula allocations, the use of the Education Opportunities Reserve Fund (EORF) to start the program and the legislature’s decision to prefund the Choose (school‑choice) program; staff said roughly $166 million was reallocated or provided initially and warned nonprofits to expect reduced grant levels

The department told the board it plans to propose a rule aligning state requirements with recent federal changes that would broaden qualifications for child nutrition program directors, particularly in districts with fewer than 2,500 students.

Officials told the board the Foundations of Reading assessment used for teacher preparation will be moved onto Pearson’s national platform and renumbered from 190 to 890; the department said the content, structure and passing score will remain unchanged and the move adds practice and data features.

Department staff reported all federal Grant Award Notifications (GANs) are in and said a US Department of Education webinar is scheduled to review restored funds and any new stipulations; Senate appropriations, staff said, has restored cuts proposed in the president’s budget.

Department staff briefed the board on third-grade reading scores, summer retesting outcomes and targeted supports — including Reading Beyond Grade 3 grants and reading interventionist funding — and explained that a testing contract amendment was approved earlier to extend the current statewide assessment vendor.

State department staff briefed the board on a new state law that requires local boards to adopt anti‑vaping policies, use a department-developed model policy and form, and provide anti‑vaping curriculum for students who are cited a second time; board members questioned whether the requirement could be folded into general discipline policies and

Department staff reviewed proposed amendments to the Alabama Administrative Code to reflect legislative changes to the foundation program and to add a new section implementing the RAISE Act distribution formula; the presentation described formulas, a 5% assumed gifted rate with a 4.5 weight, a one-year hold-harmless provision and locally allowable

The Alabama State Department of Education presented unverified statewide assessment results showing reductions in the lowest-performing cohorts and modest gains in reading proficiency across most grades; middle‑grade math remained a concern, English‑language‑learner counts rose substantially, and the department previewed NAEP sampling and an active

The department told the board that the Office of Management and Budget has reviewed and temporarily frozen portions of federal allocations to states, including a pause affecting roughly $68 million for K–12 in Alabama; the department said the hold appears to be part of a broader national review and noted there have been no allegations against the

The board discussed a proposal to place the Alabama Core Teaching Standards in the professional development/teacher evaluation section of the administrative code so the state can implement a new teacher observation tool in August 2021.

Board members discussed the literacy task forces review of two candidate early‑literacy tests and heard staff explain delays in bringing an external reviewer under contract due to state vendor onboarding requirements.

The State Department of Education presented a revised rubric, scoring categories and a compressed schedule for selecting new math textbooks. Staff said publishers’ caravans should be rescheduled where possible so districts can review full scoring details after board approval and contract signature.

State textbook reviewers briefed the board on a revised scoring rubric (including alignment, rigor, supplemental vs. core classification and digital usability) and a timeline that would place final recommendations before the board in January with local adoptions in spring 2021.

The LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) professional-development rollout in Alabama now lists 9,928 educators in training, program leaders told the State Board of Education during a Dec. 10 work session. Speakers said teachers report large gains on unit post-tests and high satisfaction despite pandemic-related hurdles.

Department leaders told the board that Public Consulting Group (PCG) has helped translate the Alabama Achieves strategic plan into an active tracker of tasks and owners. Department staff reported 13 of 13 December milestones were on track and described ongoing project-management and accountability work with PCG.

A roundup of formal votes taken by the Alabama State Board of Education during the meeting: multiple ceremonial recognitions and administrative actions were approved (mostly unanimous); one substantive education policy action drew dissent.

State Department of Education staff reported rising COVID cases among local school employees and department staff, leading to school closures and quarantines; the department warned substitute teacher shortages are forcing some short, rolling school closures statewide.

Department staff outlined a new accountability framework for AMSTI warehouses, discussed opportunities to consolidate distribution to reduce costs, and described a $2.7 million initiative that funds 31 teacher‑in‑residence coaches across the state this year.

The Alabama State Board of Education voted to adopt the state textbook committee's recommendations for mathematics textbooks after extended discussion and at least two recorded no votes from board members.

Dr. Mackey told the board the official 20-day count showed about 9,800 fewer students in 2020 than 2019, including roughly 3,025 kindergarteners; he described increased remote learning, staffing shortages that have forced school closures and ongoing work on hold-harmless funding and literacy implementation.

The Alabama State Board of Education voted 6-3 on Feb. 11 to announce its intent to adopt an administrative-code rule that would require graduating seniors to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or submit an opt-out. Supporters said the rule would increase access to federal aid; opponents raised privacy and waiver-processs

After a public hearing with 12 speakers, the Alabama State Board of Education voted to adopt an amendment requiring completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as a high-school graduation condition, while preserving an opt-out process and directing the department to publish a model waiver form.