Terri Collins
Alabama state commission to study school safety
A state commission Tuesday focused on two topics: preventing threats to school safety and ensuring proper communication when a violent incident erupts. School shootings were a focus of the School Safety Advisory Commission’s discussion, but there was little talk of guns. Alabama has some of the highest firearm death rates in the country. Rep. Terri […]
Alabama House passes expansion of the Accountability Act
The Alabama House Wednesday passed a bill that could significantly expand the Alabama Accountability Act. SB 263, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, passed the House on a 75-22 vote. The bill goes to Gov. Kay Ivey. Chesteen’s legislation would make significant changes to the 2013 law, including expanding the number of schools falling under […]
Expansion of Alabama’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law won’t move this year, says committee chair
A bill that would have expanded Alabama’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill will not move out of committee this year. House Education Policy Committee chair Terri Collins, R-Decatur, said HB 354, sponsored by Rep. Mack Butler, R-Rainbow City, would not come to a vote after a public hearing where members of the LGBTQ+ community said the […]
Alabama House advances bill tightening Literacy Task Force duties
The Alabama House of Representatives Tuesday approved a bill that would give the state’s Literacy Task Force more duties in the content creation for the state’s comprehensive core reading and reading intervention programs. HB 430, sponsored by Rep. Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, passed the chamber on a 94-4 vote. It goes to the Senate. Garrett said […]
Alabama school discipline bill sparks concerns over anonymity, demographics
The House Education Policy Committee held a hearing Wednesday on a bill that would standardize school disciplinary procedures statewide, particularly in cases of long-term suspension and expulsion. The legislation, HB 269, sponsored by committee chair Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, was not voted on this week. Collins told the committee that the bill is focused on […]
Alabama House passes bill making changes to charter school process
The Alabama House of Representatives Thursday approved a bill that makes changes to a board overseeing charters and requires local school districts that authorize charter schools to submit to state reviews. HB 363, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, passed the House on a 76-25 vote, with one abstention. “I’m not talking about additional local […]
Charter school, voucher bills debut in Alabama legislative committees
A long-awaited charter school bill appeared in an Alabama House committee Wednesday as two other bills on Alabama school attendance made their debuts. But only one moved out of committee. SB 202, sponsored by Sen. Larry Stutts, R-Tuscumbia, would give families in public schools $6,900 a year to spend at a different school. “I think […]
Alabama House passes bill to require ‘first-grade readiness’
The Alabama House of Representatives Tuesday approved a bill that would require students to attend kindergarten or show the ability to do the work to advance to first grade. The bill passed the chamber 87-12. It moves to the Senate. HB 43, sponsored by Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, would drop the mandatory age of school […]
Bill requiring college or career readiness passes Senate committee
A bill that would require college or career readiness to graduate an Alabama high school passed a second committee on Wednesday. The Senate Education Policy committee approved HB 109 Wednesday morning after amending the bill to push implementation back a year. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, would make a college and career […]
Workforce Development Board backs college and career readiness bill
Workforce development advocates are urging supporters to back a bill for the coming legislative session to address information gaps for credentialing programs. HB 109, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, would make college or career readiness a requirement for high school graduation and create resources aimed at connecting students to career resources. Nick Moore, the […]
Bill requiring declaration of school district’s open enrollment policies passes House committee
The Alabama House Education Policy Committee approved legislation requiring school districts to declare their open enrollment policies and another making college and career readiness a requirement for high school graduation HB 73,sponsored by House Ways and Means Education Committee Chair Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, will require school districts to develop and publicize open enrollment policies. “This […]
Alabama education budget committee approves bidding, sales tax bills
The Alabama House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday approved legislation that would raise the floors on competitive bid projects and sales tax liabilities. HB 65, sponsored by Rep. Terri Collins, R-Decatur, raises the amount needed for a competitive bid on contracts by school boards. As filed, the bill raised that amount from $15,000 to $25,000. […]