by Anna Barrett, Alabama Reflector
May 6, 2025

The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that allows high school juniors and seniors to enroll full time in college if they are not involved in extracurricular activities.

SB 196, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, allows students to “move on when ready” from high school. Rep. Matt Woods, R-Jasper, who carried the legislation in the House, said it is modeled after a similar program in Georgia that has operated for more than 20 years.

“I believe it will be a great option for students that are not participating in their extracurricular activities in high school that are very bright and are ready to move on and pursue their academic goals,” Woods said. 

Woods said the program is different from dual enrollment, a program where students can complete college courses for high school credit while still being enrolled in high school classes.

“They would no longer be enrolled in high school, they would be enrolled in college,” Woods said, responding to a question from Rep. Laura Hall, D-Huntsville, on the difference between the programs. “They would earn credit back for high school credits for their high school graduation requirements.”

The legislation passed with a House committee substitute that states that students enrolled in the program will not be counted as a high school dropout. The substitute also clarifies that students in the program cannot come back to high school to participate in extra curricular activities. 

The substitute also added reporting requirements to determine the success and use of the program. The substitute passed 100-1. 

“We have an opportunity to give our students, who are very bright and ambitious and not constrained with all the extracurriculars of high school, a chance to advance their academic careers at a faster pace,” Woods said.

The bill passed 100-2. It goes to the Senate for concurrence or conference committee. There are two days left in the legislative session.

Alabama Reflector is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alabama Reflector maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Brian Lyman for questions: info@alabamareflector.com.

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Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

This content showcases a legislative development led by Republican lawmakers in Alabama supporting a program that expands educational options for high school juniors and seniors. It reflects a pro-education reform stance often associated with center-right priorities, emphasizing individual choice, acceleration of academic progress, and less focus on traditional extracurricular involvement. The tone is factual and supportive of the bill without exhibiting strong partisan rhetoric, aligning it more closely with moderate conservative or center-right viewpoints.