[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6480818,"mediaKeyId","5595142-eafe2fde45a7e92ba06484ba3fdde171","parentId",5595142,"title","House leaders press for clearer state plan on early childhood, teacher pipeline and workforce; board pledges closer cooperation","audioSeconds",5242,"startMs",8000,"endMs",5250000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5595142-eafe2fde45a7e92ba06484ba3fdde171&start=8&end=5250","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5595142-eafe2fde45a7e92ba06484ba3fdde171/thumbnail_8000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6480818/Alabama/House-leaders-press-for-clearer-state-plan-on-early-childhood-teacher-pipeline-and-workforce-board-pledges-closer-cooperation","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480818-046d9b08e3e5241e6cde1d44cb2b80a3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770562901&Signature=W8n2CeR5AGmba~yGXxl~CQm857REXQPxpQ6jyIFYq5nRzM0qsBaup16vyyIxva~ducerTy97i3m1sKhaTkQWnSBvrdE0bPYuecr6xrLrOHcTFlqEMQSdu2u3ScJu6WIOIScVSxEdjJc9edtWdQBmgneVpnjcNld7lW-NJcvBEt0gXcpaRu79o1lyqsqLgpkbeD6~qov8CogD0yTvevEHf0Y-2PATrH82898vj~syLEnAIK0wMp3b-eEqTnJ0lCZ3nM~YsiyRavzf0CxmHX-TRxNWZP~HL76BZuPYJ4PU-foMlpvrEgFcRzJOSEchWLzFGRT~q-qE5xhLhNVA4ZwINA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Alabama State Department of Education","date","2025-08-18T18:49:12Z","article","State Rep. Anthony Daniels, a former classroom teacher, told the Alabama State Board of Education that legislators want a clear, collaborative roadmap from the board on improving early childhood access, literacy and workforce pipelines.

“I am an ally, and I understand education on a number of levels,” Daniels said, describing his background and urging the board to lay out “a plan and a path forward.”

Daniels and Majority Leader Scott met with the board as part of the board’s outreach to the Legislature. Both lawmakers said they want the board’s strategic and tactical plans made more visible to legislators so the Legislature can support and defend board priorities. Daniels emphasized early childhood expansion and equity in funding, telling the board that Alabama has not yet built universal high-quality pre-K and urging more collaboration with higher education, early-childhood providers and business partners. He said investments in early childhood pay long-term dividends, saying “every dollar that's invested in early childhood saves us $7 in corrections.”

Majority Leader Scott focused on workforce development and targeted interventions for low-performing schools. “If we were corporations and I was a CEO, I would get a list of the corporations that were not performing,” he said. He called for “boots on the ground” and community-specific solutions rather than one-size-fits-all policies.

Board members pushed back where needed and asked for more specificity. Board member Belinda (last names not provided in the meeting transcript) asked Daniels to expand on what he meant by a plan; Daniels repeated that the plan should include strengthened reading and math supports, pre-K expansion and stronger career- and dual-enrollment pathways for rural and urban districts alike. Board members and the State Department of Education said they already have initiatives under way — including a strategic plan called Alabama CHIEFs and school-improvement work through the Office of School Improvement — but acknowledged communication gaps between the department, local districts and legislators.

Superintendent and other board members described existing programs: targeted literacy and numeracy efforts, growing pre-K pilots in some districts, and partnerships on career-technical education. The board and department said they will make more effort to surface tactical details to legislators and local leaders, and to coordinate outreach during the legislative off-cycle so newly elected legislators understand ongoing education work before session.

Why it matters: Daniels and Scott are influential on budget and education priorities. Their request for a clear, communicated plan increases pressure on the department and board to show measurable near-term steps — not just strategic goals — that legislators can support in appropriations and law.

What’s next: Board and department staff said they would produce and circulate more detailed frameworks and convene follow-up meetings; the board and legislators agreed to continue the dialogue and to invite senate leadership in a coming month.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Alabama Board of Education Work Session","oneSentenceSummary","State Rep. Anthony Daniels and House Majority Leader Scott met with the Alabama State Board of Education to press for a clear, collaborative plan on early childhood, K–12 literacy and workforce-aligned pathways, and board members said they would improve communication of tactical steps and resources to the Legislature.","taxTitle","Alabama State Department of Education, State Agencies, Executive, Alabama","taxId",80275,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6480808,"State textbook committee recommends K–3 ELA materials after second review; board to consider vote in March",1090,16098000,17188000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5595142-eafe2fde45a7e92ba06484ba3fdde171&start=16098&end=17188","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5595142-eafe2fde45a7e92ba06484ba3fdde171/thumbnail_16098000.jpg","/articles/6480808/Alabama/State-textbook-committee-recommends-K3-ELA-materials-after-second-review-board-to-consider-vote-in-March","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480808-68ff3aa9216769344dcc6a3ed1e4c556/orig.mp4?Expires=1770562901&Signature=b-tNcB3q7vDO61TyBqGu3L03sbuGsUdCg1TfrbWUJ3Jo8BK5ZSJ5l6Q9mfIfyUxS6yoN-JuHaXlWfOakf5qi4-ch8VcZ9uIwJ5Ww5w3EDRdIaqY3uflXTxfvfx4wjGhjK3v1jt8AL2-kCBmVPrbgF6x~MMFnUKV3zf2fGctYkAvugKztjcVzkeftMgMwFIRvv5WDPDeCKqpcyLaMnJBq9~stsuFXyFnhoIRvLMviBauEKS3N7DDba32bH8tPyHaSabhKN7DuqgUU3mSBzmohSNPtdjiIpP0L8agZw-m54oePJ6bWrGoWSPFFNA4q5Io0Ql0zceCwv42nyQOAcKqRGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State textbook reviewers and the literacy task force presented the State Board with confidential recommendations for K–3 English language arts materials. The department said the literacy task force screened submitted materials to confirm statutory literacy requirements, then the textbook committee reviewed and rated materials for classroom use. Committee members described a multi-step rubric and a two-day virtual vendor presentation schedule they used to evaluate submissions.

Sean Stevens, division director of instructional services, and committee lead Kevin Bayless (committee chair) described the process: publishers first submitted materials for vetting by the literacy task force; comprehensive (core) programs were then evaluated against a rubric that included nonnegotiables (e.g., timely copyright/editions), alignment to course of study, classroom-implementation evidence and additional criteria. Committee reviewers signed off on ratings and averaged scores to place programs into tiers (recommended, acceptable with reservations, not recommended).

The board was reminded of four options at decision time: (1) approve the committee’s recommendation as submitted; (2) reject the committee’s recommendation (which would mean none of the listed titles may be purchased with state textbook funds); (3) not act (which leaves purchasing to local textbook committees and district decisions); or (4) modify the committee’s recommendation (board-level changes can create legal/administrative risk and are uncommon).

Department staff said earlier vendor deadlines and an updated process were intended to create transparency; they also noted statutory constraints that prevent releasing committee vendor lists to the public before the board votes, but staff will publish results immediately after a formal board vote. Several board members and superintendents in the meeting urged a timely vote because districts that plan to buy for fall implementation need contract time: staff said more than half of districts have already purchased material and about 20% had not yet placed any order and were waiting on state guidance.

Why it matters: K–3 ELA adoptions shape reading instruction, and district purchasing cycles are time-sensitive. The board’s March schedule was identified as the likely date for a final vote to keep local procurement on a normal timeline.

What’s next: Department staff plan to place the committee recommendation on the board agenda for the March meeting; if the board approves the recommendation the list will be made public and vendors will proceed with contracting for district purchases.","The State Textbook Committee and the literacy task force completed a second review of submitted K–3 English Language Arts materials and returned a confidential recommendation to the State Board. The board's choices are: accept the committee list, reject it, take no action (return decision to local districts) or amend the committee findings. Staff",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6480813,"Alabama STEM Council and UTeach program aim to add roughly 250 new STEM teachers per year once fully built out",983,11477000,12460000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5595142-eafe2fde45a7e92ba06484ba3fdde171&start=11477&end=12460","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5595142-eafe2fde45a7e92ba06484ba3fdde171/thumbnail_11477000.jpg","/articles/6480813/Alabama/Alabama-STEM-Council-and-UTeach-program-aim-to-add-roughly-250-new-STEM-teachers-per-year-once-fully-built-out","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6480813-1170d3b12dd2456e205d2a1f64081411/orig.mp4?Expires=1770562901&Signature=Q2OXh6SE1kyecxPiHBygh75x6vhXTofslu5aHKuG0-orw7n9g3alIbcHyvfp5hwYFHojVkjmF2ETa25Vs2GcOQIwjK0-dIOBX-v0q7bP4s4JP2CXHXJArwLLK0MwMCQhMLMJIXObiafeFa2X4j9us6VmlAXEAYq72RytfamDiJtrtQxMI8m2iIAW6mTk-2CoX5TlYeL7ldBrCFnuS~KPlBm1wLZNL9-8rUml6GL3RalHw9F6kWdIOH6qysHK55QaltQdtkmiGCxIuxyZjVyHwxqinEZ6NcAC9vFS-7DnBunGUM6qbLlPe7U98XX0SOBcopk2hFOD293J3T9JML4efQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lee Meadows, director of the Alabama STEM Council, told the State Board of Education that a statewide rollout of the UTeach model — funded through a legislative appropriation — aims to produce roughly 250 new STEM teachers in Alabama each year once seven university sites are fully built out.

Meadows said the program will take three to four years to reach full capacity because it recruits incoming freshmen into a STEM-major-plus-teaching-certificate pathway. “With UTeach Alabama, it's gonna take us 3 to 4 years to get there because the program starts at freshmen with seven universities,” Meadows said. He emphasized that the model produces STEM majors who add a teaching certificate rather than alternative-route emergency hires.

Meadows laid out the partnership structure: a $4.5 million annual legislative appropriation; the Alabama STEM Council providing oversight; ACHE (Alabama Commission on Higher Education) acting as fiscal agent; and the UTeach Institute providing mentoring/coaching to the new campus sites. He said the funding is an annual appropriation and that the council ran an RFP that resulted in six awarded proposals (in addition to the existing UAB Teach site) to create geographic spread across the state.

Meadows cited national UTeach statistics to describe expected outcomes: high rates of program graduates entering the classroom and sustained retention (he said 84% of UTeach graduates nationally enter teaching and 87% remain teaching five years later, with many choosing to serve in higher-need schools). He also described complementary STEM Council initiatives, including teacher externships (3–5 day industry placements paid by the council) and a STEM proficiency data dashboard that displays system- and school-level STEM trends.

Why it matters: Alabama has persistent shortages in math and science teachers. The state appropriation and the UTeach model together aim to create a steady pipeline of credentialed STEM teachers, improve diversity in the STEM teaching workforce and strengthen links between K–12 and local industry.

What’s next: Sites will begin recruiting this summer; Meadows said the first cohort recruiting will yield an estimated 325 freshmen statewide exploring STEM teaching, and the program anticipates producing the stated annual numbers after program build-out. The board and department staff signaled close coordination to leverage the program for statewide teacher recruitment targets and for alignment with TFA/teams contract eligibility where appropriate.

","Lee Meadows of the Alabama STEM Council briefed the State Board on a legislatively-funded, statewide UTeach rollout that the council and the UTeach Institute estimate will produce about 250 new certified STEM teachers per year from seven universities when fully implemented over three to four years. The program is financed by a $4.5 million annual","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House leaders press for clearer state plan on early childhood, teacher pipeline and workforce; board pledges closer cooperation

State textbook committee recommends K–3 ELA materials after second review; board to consider vote in March

Alabama STEM Council and UTeach program aim to add roughly 250 new STEM teachers per year once fully built out