Education department seeks new learning‑tool platform, renews PowerSchool student‑data contract nearing $28M and extends special‑education dispute services

The Contract Review Committee reviewed multiple education contracts that included a near‑$28 million renewal for PowerSchool, a contract for a new web platform to host Alabama standards and lesson plans, and several renewals and short extensions tied to special‑education dispute resolution and training.

Tina Hammonds of the Alabama Department of Education told the committee the PowerSchool contract will serve as the state’s student information system and the basis for student data entry and state and federal reporting. She said the platform "is the actual student database" used by nearly every public and charter school; the meeting transcript lists the amount as "approaching $28,000,000." Hammonds also described a new web platform (from a recent RFP) to replace the ALEKS/Alabama Learning Exchange and to host standards, lesson plans and teacher collaboration tools.

On special education, the department presented 23 contracts that include national neutral dispute resolution specialists, hearing officers, mediators and IEP facilitators. Hammonds said the special‑education dispute program processed 209 hearing officer cases, 58 mediator cases and 62 IEP facilitator cases in the past year. She told the committee the department will wind down short extensions to allow a full RFP for the three groups.

The committee approved the Education items as presented. Committee members asked operational questions about implementation timelines and RFP cycles. The department said several contracts will be RFPed again in the coming years.

Why this matters: The PowerSchool system underpins statewide student data reporting and district decision‑making. The ALEKS replacement and the special‑education contracts affect classroom instruction, federal compliance and dispute resolution for students with individualized education programs (IEPs).