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.

The post Alabama House OKs bill allowing high school juniors, seniors to enroll full-time in college appeared first on alabamareflector.com

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.

by Alander Rocha, Alabama Reflector
May 5, 2025

Gov. Kay Ivey on Monday signed Alabama’s budgets for the 2026 fiscal year.

The Education Trust Fund (ETF) will provide nearly $10 billion in funding for the state’s various education programs and agencies, and is a 6% increase over the previous year. The General Fund budget totals $3.7 billion for the 2026 fiscal year, a 10% increase ($347 million) over the current budget.

Both budgets go into effect on Oct. 1.

Ivey said in a statement that the budgets are an investment in the state’s education.

“The budgets we made official this morning will continue investing in proven programs like the Literacy and Numeracy Acts. It will support our Turnaround Schools initiative to target some of our lowest performing schools. It will continue allowing these successful education reform policies to take shape while taking an active approach to do everything we can to support students, teachers and parents,” Ivey said in a statement.

The ETF budget includes a $99.2 million increase for the Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Plan. There are no pay raises for education employees in the budget. It also includes $9.6 million to support a newly enacted parental leave policy for state and education staff and $15.6 million designated for an employee injury compensation program. It includes significant funding boosts for key programs: AMSTI would increase by 31% ($32.2 million), ARI by 6.4% ($9 million) and transportation by approximately 9.1% ($40 million).

The budget also provides $180 million for the CHOOSE Act, a voucher-like program that provides tax credits for nonpublic education expenses, including private school tuition. The program was initially slated to receive $100 million. Over two-thirds of applicants for the CHOOSE Act come from private schools or are homeschooled.

The General Fund budget includes a $223.8 million (19%) increase over the current year for the Medicaid Agency, totaling $1.18 billion; a $90.1 million (11%) increase for the Alabama Department of Corrections, for a total of $826.7 million; a $4.7 million (3%) increase for the Alabama Department of Human Resources, totaling $148.9 million; and a $4.7 million (2%) increase for the Alabama Department of Mental Health, totally $244 million.

Funding for the Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles was reduced from $94.5 million to $90.6 million, a 4.1% decrease, in the Senate due to some lawmakers’ concerns over low parole rates and responsiveness from board members. The amendment also made the board’s funding conditional on the development of parole release guidelines. The board has faced criticism for significantly lower parole rates since 2017.

The state is also increasing its contribution to employee health insurance. For each education employee, the PEEHIP contribution will go up from $800 to $904, and the SEIB contribution for each state employee will increase from $997 to $1,025.

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.

The post Gov. Kay Ivey signs 2026 ETF, General Fund budgets appeared first on alabamareflector.com

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: Centrist

The content presents a factual and straightforward report on Gov. Kay Ivey signing the Alabama state budgets for the 2026 fiscal year. The article focuses on budget allocations and increases in funding for education, healthcare, corrections, and other state programs without evident partisan language or ideological slant. It highlights both support for public education programs and conservative-leaning initiatives such as the CHOOSE Act voucher program. The tone is neutral and informative, reflecting a balanced, centrist approach to the coverage of state budget matters.

SUMMARY: Families in Alabama have dropped their legal challenge to a state law banning gender-affirming care for minors. Mississippi lawmakers continue working on the state’s budget ahead of the new fiscal year. Emergency management officials are urging families to prepare for hurricane season, which begins June 1. In Mobile County, a truck crash caused traffic delays. Investigators in George County are looking into a deadly shooting, with a suspect arrested. The 2025 Kentucky Derby sparked unique traditions from viewers, including betting and special family customs. Finally, a hot air balloon festival in Foley prompted the question: Would you ride in a hot air balloon?

Families in Alabama have dropped their legal challenge to a state law banning gender-affirming care, Mississippi lawmakers are still trying to finalize a budget for the new fiscal year, and it’s Hurricane Preparedness Week – what you need to know ahead of potential severe weather.

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