House enacts bill to create statewide education accountability council to review school indicators

Representative Collins told lawmakers the bill "actually creates an accountability council that will look at the data to make sure that the indicators we're using are truly preparing our students for college or for career" and asked colleagues to place the measure on the calendar.

The measure establishes an accountability council with appointments split among the governor (five appointments), legislative committee chairs, executive education officials and a slate of stakeholders including representatives from higher education, the business community, the Alabama Education Association and the Alabama STEM Council. Collins said the council will review the state's A–F grading indicators and make recommendations to the State Board and Department of Education.

Several members pressed for clarity about who the appointing authorities would select and whether everyday classroom educators would have a seat. Representative Moore challenged the sponsor on consultation, saying she feared the bill duplicates or reverts to past formulas and asked bluntly, “Don't tell me several,” noting that local superintendents and teachers should be included in crafting any accountability review.

Representative (member of education policy) praised the bill as a result of committee work and concessions that addressed many earlier concerns. Collins and supporters said the substitute adds appointments for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education and a public charter-school association, and that the governor’s picks could include classroom representatives.

After debate, the House adopted a committee substitute and then passed HB604 as substituted. The recorded vote on final passage was announced in the chamber as the substitute passing by recorded vote (House announced the substitute and final passage during the calendar motion). The clerk recorded the final passage as the substituted HB604 having passed.

What happens next: The council must be populated according to the appointing authorities in the bill; its work will be advisory and focused on recommending indicators and measurement practices to the education leadership named in the statute.