Alabama lawmakers passed a number of new laws in May that will impact schoolchildren in this 2023-24 school year. Some laws became effective the day Gov. Kay Ivey signed them while others had a one-, two-, or three-month delay.

New laws impact teacher pay, special education classrooms, scholarships and more.

Alabama Education Lab organized the new laws by their effective date.

New and already in effect

Alabama Safe at Schools Act expansion (Act 2023-75) – The state board of education must develop guidelines for how schools will support children with adrenal insufficiency before the start of the 2024-25 school year. Children with adrenal insufficiency cannot be excluded from certain activities.

Alabama Literacy Task Force changes – (Act 2023-417) – This law changes the makeup of the Literacy Task Force, the group of experts that determine which reading materials and tests will be used by students in kindergarten through third grade statewide. Schools can continue to use their current materials for the next three years, but the Task Force could change those materials at that time.

Schools must accept cash for school-sponsored events – (Act 2023-355) – Schools must accept cash along with other forms of payment for any public school-sponsored events.

Laws involving money

This is a good time to let school officials know if you’ve identified needs at your child’s school. Schools are about to receive funds for facilities, equipment and other projects.

Supplemental money (Act 2023-378) – K-12 school districts statewide will receive hundreds of millions of dollars they can spend now thanks to higher than expected tax collections last year. That money can be used for everything from buildings and maintenance to new career tech equipment to school safety.

K-12 Capital Grant Program – (Act 2023-389) – This created a new $179 million grant program for K-12 school districts. Each district could receive up to $5 million to spend on capital projects such as renovations of classrooms, athletic facilities, performing arts facilities and school security projects. Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth’s office will oversee distribution of the grants.

Effective Aug. 1, 2023

Discharging a firearm on school property is a Class B felony – (Act 2023-370) – If a person 19 years old or older shoots a firearm during school hours or during afterschool activities without justification or an exemption – school competition or school-sanctioned practice – the person will be charged with a Class B felony, which carries a two to 20-year prison sentence.

The Tyrell Spencer Act – (Act 2023-235) – This law requires certain school officials to be trained in responding to a sudden cardiac arrest. Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, parents must sign a form acknowledging the school’s cardiac arrest and prevention procedures before their child can participate in any athletic activities.

Expansion of restrictions on sports participation by transgender athletes – (Act 2023-293) – K-12 schools last year were prohibited from allowing a biological male from participating in a sport exclusively for females and from allowing a biological female from participating in a sport exclusively for males unless there is no female version of that sport. This law expands the prohibition to higher education. It also prohibits governmental entities, licensing, accrediting or athletic associations from filing a complaint or retaliating against a student who reports an alleged violation of the law.

New financial literacy course (Act 2023-179) – The course will be required for graduation for students entering ninth grade in the 2024-25 school year. The state department of education must now find a course that meets the requirements lawmakers put in the law – evaluating loans, understanding percentages and computing interest rates for example – and create a test students must take. The course could count as a math credit.

Effective Sept. 1, 2023

Parental Rights acknowledged – (Act 2023-555) – This law recognizes that parents have a “fundamental right to direct the education, upbringing, care and control of their children.”

Cameras in special education classrooms – (Act 2023-527) – Schools can install, maintain and operate video cameras in self-contained special education classrooms if funding is available. The new education budget contains $500,000 for “Cameras in the Classroom.” If a donation is made for a video camera with the purpose of placing a camera, school officials are required to install, maintain and operate the video camera. Rules were made as to when to allow the release of audio and video from the cameras.

Expansion of tax credit scholarship eligibility – (Act 2023-418) – Students with disabilities who have a Section 504 Plan or Individualized Education Program (IEP) become eligible to obtain a tax credit scholarship from a participating scholarship granting organization (SGO) to attend a participating public or private school. The threshold for eligibility for all students was raised, allowing families who earn up to 250% of the federal poverty level ($75,000 for a family of four) to be eligible.

Tax credit scholarship maximum increased to $10,000 – (Act 2023-418) – The maximum amount granted for a tax credit scholarship is increased to $10,000 for all grade levels. Prior to Sept. 1, maximum amounts differ by grade level.

Effective Oct. 1, 2023

Teachers receive a 2% pay raise – (Act 2023-376) – All public education employees will receive a 2% pay raise.

Read more about teacher pay and year-over-year changes here.

New Education Budget – (Act 2023-379) – The fiscal year 2024 education budget, a record $8.8 billion, goes into effect. Teachers will receive half of their supply money before school starts, though, which is new for teachers this year. In previous years, teachers have had to wait until Oct. 1 to receive that state funding, nearly two months after most schools have started the new year.

Learn more about the state’s education budget here.