State board opens teacher certification overhaul, proposes optional lifetime certificate

The Alabama State Board of Education on April 9 voted unanimously to open for public comment a proposed repeal-and-replace of Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 293‑2 governing teacher certification, a move that Dr. Mackey said would create an optional permanent certificate for eligible retirees and streamline professional renewal requirements.

Dr. Mackey told the board the package is a “big, big, big deal” and described the centerpiece as a lifetime or permanent certificate available to educators who have 25 years of service and retire in good standing. "So we are going to create a permanent certificate that will be renewed at your highest certification level," he said, adding the state plans to charge a one‑time fee of $200 for the permanent certificate while regular five‑year recertification will remain an option at the current $40 renewal cost.

Why it matters: the change would reduce recertification burdens for long‑service educators who later return to work and shift some continuing‑education requirements. Dr. Mackey said background checks required by state law would still apply when retirees return to paid service. The board’s announcement opens the proposal for a 35‑day public comment period; the board will not vote to adopt the rules as final any earlier than at a June meeting because of the public‑comment timeline.

Details and context: Dr. Mackey outlined additional changes in the draft rules intended to streamline PLU/CEU processes and make recertification simpler for teachers. He said staffers (by name) and a team within the department worked on the rules and encouraged interested parties to contact department staff for details. He also said the department incorporated a newly enacted legislative pathway for military veterans to become teachers into the proposed rules where appropriate.

Budget and related legislative context: in his report Dr. Mackey said the legislature approved what he described as the largest state education budget in the department’s history, a 2% pay raise for employees, $10 million for reading‑beyond‑grade‑three efforts, a major school safety appropriation, and $10 million in career‑tech equipment grants. He also said the department will expand regional mentor specialists tied to national board teacher certification and expand dual enrollment and AP offerings.

Next steps: the board’s action was to announce intent to adopt and to open the rule package for the statutorily required comment period; staff will collect comments and return a final recommendation at a future meeting no earlier than June. The board scheduled its next regular meeting for May 14, 2026.