Across the Board January 2025: Key Takeaways from the ALBOE Board Meeting

Recapping important State Board of Education policy decisions for you

Here are our key takeaways from the January 9th State Board of Education meeting – and what they mean for Alabama’s students. All board members were present. Click here to see the agenda for the full meeting and work session.

Top 4 Takeaways

1. Belinda McRae and Stephanie Bell Transitioning Off the Board

During the meeting, the board recognized Stephanie Bell and Belinda McRae for their contributions and service. Belinda McRae, from District 7, served on the board for four years. Prior to her service at the state level, McRae was the first woman to serve on the Marion Board of Education. Stephanie Bell, from District 3, has served the board since 1994. She has served eight consecutive terms, making her the longest-serving board member in Alabama history and the longest-serving state board member in the country. Thank you both for your service! A+ especially wants to thank Ms. Bell for her long-standing commitment to high expectations and accountability.

Kelley Mooney from District 3 and Allen Long from District 7 were elected in November 5, 2024 and will be sworn in at the Board Retreat on February 28, 2025 for their four-year term.

2. Revisions to Administrative Code Pertaining to Educator Preparation

During the meeting, the board announced their intent to repeal and replace the Alabama Administrative Code pertaining to educator preparation (Chapter 290-3-3) by a unanimous vote. The Alabama Administrative Code for education includes rules and regulations that govern public schools in Alabama. These are set and amended by the State Board of Education. The educator preparation revisions will replace the Continuous Improvement in Educator Preparation (CIEP) process with a new progress titled the Alabama Program Improvement for Educators (AL-PIE). AL-PIE will be the new process the ALSDE will use to evaluate educator prep programs prior to SBOE approval.

The resolution is currently open for public comment, and the board will be voting on the resolution during the March board meeting. More information about the resolution can be found in the December Across the Board post, linked here.

3. Committee to Revise the Digital Literacy and Computer Science Course of Study

During the meeting, the board initiated a committee to review the Digital Literacy and Computer Science Course of Study. The course of study was created in 2018, and the goal of the committee is to recommend updated standards for Alabama’s K-12 public schools. 

During the work session, Dr. Mackey shared that the committee will consider how to help students differentiate between correct information and misinformation in the online world. He stated that the most important skill a student can get out of school is the ability to think for themselves and evaluate critically.

4. Resolution to honor top 25% schools and most improved 25 schools

During the work session, Dr. Mackey shared and congratulated the schools that will be recognized in the February board meeting through the Legislative School Performance Recognition Program. The top 25 high-performing schools and the 25 most improved schools will be honored. Dr. Mackey mentioned that there would be a financial stipend given to each recognized school. The schools are listed below:

The next Board Retreat will be January 28-29, 2025, at the Marriott in Prattville. At the Retreat, new board members Kelly Mooney and Allen Long will be sworn in on January 28.

The Alabama State Board of Education usually meets on the second Thursday of each month, with the exception of the July meeting, to discuss important policies, procedures, and changes for Alabama’s K-12 public schools. The Board takes official action during their monthly meeting and then follows up with a Work Session to get updates and discuss future action that will be voted on at the next board meeting. You can watch them live and see old meetings here.

Contact Your Board Member:

Have feedback on any of the above items – or anything else? Contact your state school board member using the resources below:

-To contact your State Board of Education Member, click here.

-To find out which district you live and/or teach in, click here. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and enter your address in the “Polling Place Search” box. Once entered, it will take you to a page that shows your polling place and the districts you live in.

-To view a map of the state school board districts, click here.