HB 604

HB604 ENGROSSED
1 HB604
2 6YT4GZ3-2
3 By Representative Collins
4 RFD: Education Policy
5 First Read: 10-Mar-26
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1
2
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4A BILL
5TO BE ENTITLED
6AN ACT
7
8Relating to public K-12 education; to create the
9 Accountability Council to review and recommend revisions to
10 the state accountability system; and to require the Alabama
11 Workforce Board, with support from the State Department of
12 Education and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, to
13 develop a system to measure student performance data
14 associated with completion of college and career readiness
15 indicators.
16 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
17Section 1. (a) To further the intent of the Legislature
18 to create transparency and ensure all agencies uphold the
19 purposes of this section, on or before July 1, 2026, a
20 standing Accountability Council shall be created. The goal of
21 the Accountability Council is to ensure that the state's
22 educational accountability system supports improved outcomes
23 and long-term success for all Alabama students, with a focus
24 on closing achievement gaps.
25(b) The Chairs of the House of Representatives and
26 Senate Education Policy Committees shall convene the
27 organizational meeting of the Accountability Council.
28 Thereafter, the   Accountability Council shall meet at least
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29 annually to accomplish all of the following:
30(1) Critically review the current state report card
31 provided in Section 16-6C-2, Code of Alabama 1975, and
32 research other state report cards for best practices for
33 improving student achievement.
34(2) Guide the relevant state agencies and experts to
35 design an annual return on investment study as provided in
36 Section 2.
37(3) Critically review the annual return on investment
38 study data to determine if college and career readiness
39 indicators are preparing students to be successful after
40 graduation.
41(4) Monitor state report card implementation and engage
42 in formal reviews at established intervals.
43(5) Provide recommendations for revisions to the
44 accountability system to the Governor, the Legislature, the
45 State Board of Education, and the State Department of
46 Education designed to increase student performance and achieve
47 lifelong success.
48(c) The council shall be under the leadership of a
49 chair annually elected by the membership of the Accountability
50 Council.
51(d) The membership of the Accountability Council shall
52 consist of all of the following:
53(1) Five members appointed by the Governor: One member
54 who is a national expert on school accountability, two members
55 who are from the business community, and two at-large members.
56(2) The Chair of the Senate Finance and Taxation
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57 Education Committee.
58(3) The Chair of the House Ways and Means Education
59 Committee.
60(4) The Chair of the Senate Education Policy Committee.
61(5) The Chair of the House Education Policy Committee.
62(6) One member each appointed by the following:
63a. The Secretary of Workforce.
64b. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
65c. The Minority Leader of the Senate.
66d. The Speaker of the House of Representatives.
67e. The Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.
68f. The State Superintendent of Education.
69g. The Alabama Education Association.
70h. The School Superintendents of Alabama.
71i. The Alabama Association of School Boards.
72j. The Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools.
73k. The A+ Education Partnership.
74l. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education.
75m. The Alabama Public Charter Schools Association.
76n. The Business Education Alliance.
77o. The Alabama STEM Council.
78(e) To inform the review of the Accountability Council
79 and to ensure that the college and career readiness indicators
80 accurately signal that students are prepared for high-wage,
81 high-growth opportunities in this state, the Alabama Workforce
82 Board, with support from the State Department of Education and
83 the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, shall develop a
84 system for collecting, analyzing, and reporting the public
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85 school student outcomes associated with the completion of each
86 college and career readiness indicator. All agencies shall
87 provide updated, relevant data as necessary to complete the
88 study on an annual basis. This shall include an annual
89 legislative report that captures the education system's return
90 on investment, ensuring the state captures and reports on
91 results beyond what is in the accountability formula
92 including, but not limited to:
93(1) Postsecondary enrollment and persistence;
94(2) Military enlistment;
95(3) Industry-recognized credentials;
96(4) Income within six years after graduation; and
97(5) Employment in high-wage, high-demand career sectors
98 and occupations.
99Section 2. This act shall become effective immediately.
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100
101
102House of Representatives
103 Read for the first time and referred ................10-Mar-26
104 to the House of Representatives
105 committee on Education Policy
106
107 Read for the second time and placed   ................12-Mar-26
108 on the calendar:
109  1 amendment
110
111 Read for the third time and passed    ................02-Apr-26
112 as amended
113Yeas 93
114Nays 1
115Abstains 6
116
117
118John Treadwell
119Clerk
120
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