Alabama State Board of Education approves routine resolutions, announces rule intent and hires assistant state superintendent

The Alabama State Board of Education on Jan. 12 adopted a bundle of routine resolutions, approved textbook recommendations and program reviews, announced intent to adopt two new administrative rules and confirmed the hiring of an assistant state superintendent.

The actions, taken at a regularly scheduled meeting in Montgomery, included unanimous approval of multiple recognition resolutions for teachers and employees, authorization to review a K–6 STEM educator preparation program at Troy University, adoption of state textbook committee recommendations for career and technical education clusters, and board votes to begin rulemaking on first-grade readiness and alternative teacher preparation organizations. The board voted to hire Dr. Melissa Shields as assistant state superintendent for student learning with one member recorded as abstaining.

Why it matters: These motions affect teacher preparation and instructional materials used in Alabama classrooms, and the hire fills a senior management post in the State Department of Education that oversees K–12 instructional policy.

Most significant actions

The board voted to hire Dr. Melissa Shields as assistant state superintendent for student learning at pay grade 90, step 17, to be effective Jan. 16, 2023. The motion carried with one abstention; no roll-call names were recorded in the transcript. The personnel recommendation was presented to the board and was seconded before the vote.

The board also authorized a formal review of a class K–6 STEM educator preparation program at Troy University and approved recommendations from the State Textbook Committee to adopt textbooks for the architecture and construction, information technology, and transportation, distribution and logistics career and technical education clusters. Both measures passed unanimously by raised-hand vote.

Rulemaking and policy notices

The board announced intent to adopt two additions to the Alabama Administrative Code: rule 290-3-1-.04 pertaining to first-grade readiness and rule 290-3-3-.60 pertaining to alternative teacher preparation organizations. The announcements were approved by unanimous vote; the board recorded the motions as notices of intent to begin the rule-adoption process.

Recognitions and routine resolutions

The board unanimously approved a series of ceremonial resolutions recognizing educators named as 2022 presidential award finalists and other honors. Resolutions adopted included recognitions for Amy Garcia De La Torre (Oak Mountain Intermediate School, Shelby County), Nicole Daniel Bolton (Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies, Mobile County), Corey Wilkes (Bankhead Middle School, Walker County), April Smith (Cahawba Elementary School, Trussville City), Sadie Bess Shannon (Austin Middle School, Decatur City) and Kimberly Denise Gullidge (Riverton Elementary School, Madison County). The board also adopted a resolution honoring Donna Cannon as the Barbara Fannin Memorial employee of the quarter and declared January 2023 as Gifted Education Month in Alabama schools. All such resolutions passed by unanimous vote.

Process notes and attendance

Board members present at roll call included Mrs. Bell; Dr. Chestnut; Gov. Kay Ivey (chair); Dr. Cynthia McCarty (District 6); Miss McRae; Dr. Reynolds; Dr. Richardson; Miss West; and Miss Sigler. The meeting record shows no members of the public signed up to speak during the public comment period.

Next steps and logistics

The board set the next meeting for Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, at 10 a.m. in the Gordon Persons Building Auditorium, with a work session to follow in Room P-103. After the Jan. 12 meeting the board took a group photograph with recognized teachers and the governor.

Quote

"It has been a joy to serve this state in this role," Dr. Cynthia McCarty, Alabama State Board of Education member for District 6, said during remarks after the board adopted a resolution honoring her eight years of service.

Details omitted or not specified

The transcript does not include roll-call vote names tied to individual votes beyond general raised-hand tallies for each motion. Where the transcript recorded an abstention on the personnel vote, the speaker who abstained was not identified by name in the meeting record provided.