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State board approves Hashtag Teach as alternative teacher-prep organization; staff outlines code amendment timeline
Summary
The Alabama State Board of Education approved recognition of Hashtag Teach as an alternative teacher preparation organization and heard staff explain a proposed administrative-code change that would allow limited, temporary operation for organizations with certain out-of-state accreditation while they seek Alabama accreditation.
The Alabama State Board of Education voted to approve a resolution recognizing Hashtag Teach as an alternative teacher preparation organization, and staff described a proposed amendment to the Alabama Administrative Code that would create a temporary pathway for some out-of-state-accredited programs to operate while seeking Alabama accreditation.
Board members voted to adopt the resolution after staff told the board Hashtag Teach had completed the required accreditation steps. "They made, all the requirements," one staff presenter said when describing the organization's application and subsequent accreditation review. The resolution as described to the board establishes recognition with ongoing annual review; board staff said the initial recognition is two years with annual reviews thereafter.
Board members pressed staff for details about oversight and statutory authority. One board member said they planned to vote against the recognition, citing concerns about “the way the law was written” and a perceived lack of ongoing oversight authority compared with traditional colleges of education. Another member urged the board to expand pathways into teaching given the state’s need for teachers.
State Department staff also asked the board to approve an intent-to-adopt notice for an amendment to Alabama Administrative Code Rule 290-3-3-.60, which governs alternative teacher preparation organizations. According to staff, the proposed amendment would add a paragraph allowing, for a limited period, an organization accredited by a recognized out-of-state accreditor to operate in Alabama for one year while seeking the state’s normal (Alabama) accreditation. Staff said the change reflects recent legislative updates and is the third iteration of the rule tied to changes at the legislature.
If the board approves the rule at final action, staff said the normal regulatory timeline would apply: the intent-to-adopt would lie on the table for roughly 45 days before a possible final vote no earlier than November; if finally approved, applications under that provision would open after the start of the next calendar year. Staff cautioned the rule change would not automatically certify any organization — it would only create a temporary pathway for organizations meeting the specified accreditation condition.
The board’s discussion recorded both support for increasing teacher pipelines and concern about whether the board’s oversight tools are sufficient for nontraditional providers. The transcript shows supportive remarks noting the need for “innovative” approaches and another board member explicitly stating opposition based on oversight concerns.
The board set the administrative-rule timeline and approved recognition of Hashtag Teach; the recognition will be subject to the review schedule described in staff comments and to any further final rulemaking by the board.
