SB5 Alabama 2016 Session

Under existing law, the Alabama Ahead Act, commencing with the 2012-2013 school year, phased in the provision of textbooks and other instructional materials to students and teachers in electronic format through pen-enabled tablets and mobile computers. The law provides for the reassignment of the tablets and mobile computers to students, requires the State Department of Education to establish an advisory committee, and provides for a bond issue. The law authorizes the Alabama Public School and College Authority to issue bonds for the purposes of the law contingent upon a separate legislative enactment

This bill, commencing with the 2015-2016 school year, would delete the requirement that the tablets and mobile computers be pen-enabled, would delete the phase-in provisions, would delete the reassignment provisions, would delete the requirement for the establishment of an advisory committee and would establish the Alabama Ahead Implementation Committee

This bill would amend the Alabama Ahead Act to provide that funds be used to purchase and install, as a first priority, a high-quality standards-based broadband Wi-Fi infrastructure in every classroom in every public school; and use other funds to purchase mobile digital resources

This bill would provide local school systems with the option of participating in the plan

This bill would also make an appropriation of up to $75,000,000 from the Education Trust Fund Budget Stabilization Fund and/or the Education Trust Fund Capital Fund to the Alabama Public School and College Authority for the purpose of implementing the Alabama Ahead Act, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016

To amend Sections 16-16B-1 and 16-16B-2, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to the Alabama Ahead Act; commencing with the 2015-2016 school year, to delete the requirement that tablets and mobile computers be pen-enabled; to delete the phase-in provisions; to delete the reassignment provisions; to delete the requirement for the establishment of an advisory committee; to establish the Alabama Ahead Implementation Committee; to make participation by local school systems voluntary; to provide that funds be used to purchase and install a high-quality, standards-based, broadband Wi-Fi infrastructure and mobile digital computing devices to enable access to digital instructional materials in all public school classrooms in the state in lieu of textbooks for public school students; to make an appropriation of up to $75,000,000 from the Education Trust Fund Budget Stabilization Fund and/or the Education Trust Fund Capital Fund to the Alabama Public School and College Authority for the purpose of implementing the Alabama Ahead Act for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2016; and to amend Section 14 of Act 2012-560, 2012 Regular Session, to delete the requirement that implementation of the act be contingent upon separate legislative enactment.