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Votes at a glance: Alabama State Board of Education actions, Sept. 12, 2024
Summary
Summary of motions and votes recorded at the Alabama State Board of Education meeting on Sept. 12, 2024, including agenda and minutes approvals, recognitions, the FY2025 operating budget, and other items.
The Alabama State Board of Education took several formal actions at its Sept. 12, 2024 meeting. Below is a concise summary of motions and recorded outcomes during the session.
Votes at a glance
- Approve agenda for Sept. 12, 2024 meeting — Motion moved and seconded; recorded outcome: unanimous vote.
- Approve minutes from Aug. 8, 2024 meeting — Motion moved and seconded; recorded outcome: unanimous vote.
- Adopt resolution recognizing the Tharpe Town Rocketry Team (Franklin County School System, School Board District 7) for winning the 2024 American Rocketry Challenge — Motion moved and seconded; recorded outcome: unanimous vote. Staff later reported the team was unable to attend the meeting because of weather and travel concerns.
- Adopt resolution to approve Hashtag Teach as an alternative teacher preparation organization — Motion moved and seconded; adopted. (See separate item for fuller discussion.)
- Adopt resolution recognizing National School Lunch Week (October 2024) in Alabama schools — Motion moved and seconded; recorded outcome: unanimous vote.
- Adopt Alabama State Department of Education fiscal year 2025 operating budget — Motion moved and seconded; recorded outcome: unanimous vote.
- Announce intent to adopt amended Alabama Administrative Code Rule 290-3-3-.60 (pertaining to alternative teacher preparation organizations) — Motion to announce intent to adopt moved and seconded; staff explained the proposed change and timeline. Staff said the rulemaking would lie on the table for approximately 45 days (two months in staff description), with possible final action no earlier than November; if finally approved, the provision would allow a one-year temporary operation for certain out-of-state-accredited organizations while they seek Alabama accreditation.
Notes and context
- Several items were procedural (agenda and minutes) and were approved without debate. The recognition for the Tharpe Town Rocketry Team was adopted although the team did not attend due to weather; staff said the team will appear at a future meeting.
- Board discussion was most substantive on the recognition of Hashtag Teach and the related administrative-code amendment; one board member raised concerns about oversight authority under the current law. Department staff described the accreditation steps Hashtag Teach completed and explained the proposed rule change in the context of recent legislative updates.
- A personnel appointment (Arthur Watts Jr., deputy state superintendent for administration and finance, effective November 2024) was approved during the meeting. One board member said they generally abstain on new hires but said they believe Watts is a strong candidate.
All recorded motions and outcomes above are taken from the meeting transcript and public meeting record.
