State Legislators updated on the progress of the Numeracy Act
On Tuesday, members of the House Ways and Means Education Committee and the House Education Policy Committee held a joint meeting where they received an update from the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) on the progress of implementing the changes in elementary math education that the Legislature ordered during the passage of the Numeracy Act. Dr. Karen Anderson is the director of ALSDE’s Office of Mathematics Improvement (OMI). She previously worked with ALSDE’s Office of School Improvement. “We are gearing up to prepare for NAEP in 2024,” Dr. Anderson said. “We are hoping to gain and improve on our stance when NAEP is given (in 2024).” Anderson said the goal is to ensure third-grade elementary students are at or above grade level in math. “An elementary school teacher should not engage in any practice that minimizes sense making and understanding of mathematics concepts,” Anderson said. “When a student is identified as having a deficiency in math, immediate action is taken,” Anderson said of the new teaching standards for math. Anderson said that the LETRS (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) program used to improve reading performance is excellent, but “we are still searching for that equivalence in math.” Anderson said it establishes elementary and postsecondary mathematics task forces and provides mathematics coaches and training. Anderson said her office has had difficulty finding vendors for their new program. “We put out an RFP (request for proposal) for a fractional reasoning screener, and we got no response,” Anderson said. “Two companies said that they would develop one for us.” The Office of Mathematics Improvement has released another RFP seeking a qualified vendor. Anderson said the act also establishes the Alabama Mathematics Summer Achievement Program. “There are 18 OMI regional coordinators,” Anderson said. “Coordinators are assigned where the need is greatest.” Anderson said that currently, OMI has 83 schools receiving full and limited support. “The numeracy act provides very specific instruction for what instruction looks like in the classroom,” Anderson said. Specifically, that means there will be 60 minutes of instruction for Tier 1. “Math is not just a sit-and-get strategy,” Anderson said. “There is a real focus on classroom discourse and problem-solving. It should not be 100% sit and get.” “Immediate intervention is to be received if a math deficiency is identified,” Anderson said. “They are immediately provided with multi-tiered support.” Anderson said that she often hears folks say that they simply don’t like math. “That has really upset me,” Anderson said. “I am appalled to hear that.” Anderson said that some parents say, “I can’t do math. My father could not do math, and my son probably will not be able to do math.” Anderson said that OMI is “working to change that (mindset). Everyone can learn math.” “This is the first year that every student identified with a mathematical deficiency was invited to attend a math camp,” Anderson continued. “Thank you for providing that funding.” “Grades K-3 should have their mathematics embedded in their reading instruction,” Anderson explained. Anderson extolled the benefits of the Fun Zone program. “Fun Zone is comprised of 8 different tasks,” Anderson said. “We have trained more than 800 teachers in Fun Zone. Those that implemented Fun Zone as it was designed to be used saw improvement across the board.” “Thank you for the funding of math coaches,” Anderson said. “205 schools in all 11 regions will have math coaches. Math coaches trained by AMSTI. The Alabama coaching framework is foundational to all of the training.” “There are a number of external partnerships that we are working on,” Anderson explained. “174 areas require data under the Alabama Numeracy Act.” “We have gone across the state to provide professional development,” Anderson added, “Regional coordinators have been invited to provide a framework for what is in the law.” Anderson said there will be repercussions for schools not achieving the ALSDE goals. “If not successful after four years, even more strict consequences will be imposed,” Anderson said. “By fall of 2027, all K-5 schools will have a math coach in the school.” The House Ways and Means Education Committee is chaired by State Rep. Danny Garrett (R-Trussville). “We have to make sure that we are implementing the Numeracy Act,” Garrett said. “How is the task force functioning? Is there any areas of dissension or disagreement that we should be aware of?” Anderson replied, “No. We do have very spirited conversations, but I find those spirited conversations very uplifting.” “I have heard from people who were against the Numeracy Act to begin with who are concerned with how things are going,” Garrett said. “There is always a lot of Monday morning quarterbacking,” Anderson said. “Things are not going as quickly as I would have liked. We are getting things recommended as quickly as we can.” Anderson said that she has issued an RFP for intervention materials. “Twelve vendors have submitted packages,” said Anderson. “Are you comfortable then that there is the urgency that we seek? At this point, what do you look at to see if we are on track?” Garrett asked. “I don’t have a lot of data,” Anderson said. “The coordinators just came on in January. They have been working on building relationships.” “Is the state department ready for (school) interventions in 2025?” Garrett asked. “If we were expected now, we are not ready, but we are on track to be ready,” Anderson said. “I think we have a very good law and a very good plan,” said Garrett. Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur) asked about the tools available to implement the plan. “NUMBERS is not even close to LETRS,” Anderson said. Collins asked about OGAP (Ongoing Assessment Project. “OGAP is pretty sophisticated training,” Anderson said. “We have many teachers working on emergency certificates. We need to make sure that teachers have the proper pedagogy to be ready for OGAP.” “We have got ongoing meetings with our IT team,” Anderson said. “We are building structures as we need them.” Many legislators were at the Southern Legislative Conference (SLC) in Charleston, South Carolina, last week. Rep. Allen Baker (R-Brewton) said, “For those who weren’t present at SLC, Dr. Anderson- she is
Alabama House to consider ambitious special-order calendar on Wednesday
The Alabama House of Representatives will meet on Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. to consider a very ambitious proposed special-order calendar. Senate Bill 206 (SB206) is sponsored by State Senator Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville). It is being carried on the floor by State Representative Allen Treadaway (R-Morris). SB206 creates the crime of organized retail theft and turns what used to be misdemeanor shoplifting into a felony. Senate Bill 261 (SB261) is sponsored by Sen. Dan Roberts (R-Mountain Brook). It is carried in the House by Rep. Chip Brown (R-Hollinger’s Island). The anti-ESG legislation would prohibit state and local governments from entering into certain contracts that boycott businesses in certain sectors or based on certain environmental or corporate governance criteria. Senate Bill 279 (SB279) is sponsored by Sen. Randy Price (R-Opelika) and carried in the House by Rep. Matt Woods (R-Jasper). SB279 deals with elected county superintendents of education. Under existing law, the salary for an elected county superintendent of education is required to be set by the county board of education before the beginning of the term of office. This bill would remove that requirement retroactive to July 1, 2021. Senate Bill 94 (SB94) is sponsored by Sen. April Weaver (R-Briarfield) and is carried in the House by Rep. Corley Ellis (R-Columbiana). SB94 would move the Shelby County juvenile probation services and probation officers into the state court system. Senate Bill 99 (SB99) is sponsored by Sen. Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville) and carried in the House by Rep. Prince Chestnut (D-Selma). SB99 would increase the mileage reimbursement rate received by jurors Senate Bill 56 (SB56) is sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) and carried in the House by Rep. Allen Baker (R-Brewton). SB56 would require the use of video cameras in certain special education classrooms. Allen is bringing a substitute version of the bill. Senate Bill 292 (SB292) is sponsored by Sen. Roberts and carried by Rep. Joe Lovvorn (R-Auburn). SB292 would provide for the Department of Revenue to grant certificates of exemption from sales and use taxes to contractors and subcontractors licensed by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors for the purchase of building materials and construction materials to be used in the construction of a project for an entity that is exempt by law from paying sales and use taxes. Senate Bill 223 (SB223) is sponsored by Sen. Vivian Figures (D-Mobile) and carried in the House by Rep. Matt Simpson (R-Daphne) would include a child witness in the definition of “a physical offense, sexual offense, or violent offense” for the purpose of the Child Physical and Sexual Abuse Victim Protection Act. Senate Bill 309 (SB309) is sponsored by Sen. Chambliss and carried by Rep. Wood in the House. SB309 is related to contracts for professional services to provide for the procurement of certain professional service contracts based on competitive, qualification-based policies and procedures, as well as to provide for the advertisement of such contracts; and to subject such contracts to a fee schedule established by the Division of Construction Management of the Department of Finance. Senate Bill 198 (SB198) is sponsored by Sen. Orr and carried in the House by Rep. Cynthia Almond (R-Tuscaloosa). It would add additional offenses that would be subject to the presumptive sentencing guidelines; to modify the criminal penalties for criminal solicitation, attempt, and criminal conspiracy; to give a judge discretion when sentencing a person convicted of a Class C or Class D felony offense. Senate Bill 184 (SB184) is sponsored by Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) and carried in the House by Rep. Kyle South (R-Fayette). SB184 would authorize the Department of Corrections to expend funds for the recruitment and training of law enforcement officers and to further the mission of the department. South will introduce a substitute version of the bill. Senate Bill 224 (SB224) is sponsored by Sen. Figures and carried in the House by Rep. Simpson. It provides for the age of a child for the crime of transmitting obscene material to a child by computer, to establish jurisdiction for a violation of distributing a private image, and further provides for the crime of incest. Senate Bill 281 (SB281) is sponsored by Sen. Albritton and carried by Rep. Margie Wilcox (R-Mobile). SB281 creates a new distinctive license plate to benefit the USS Alabama Battleship Commission. Senate Bill 285 (SB285) is sponsored by Sen. Jones and carried in the House by Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur).SB285 will allow nonprofit organizations to host wine festivals. Senate Bill 176 (SB176) is sponsored by Sen Orr and carried by Rep. Collins. SB176 is the Student Right to Know Act of 2023. It requires the Alabama Commission on Higher Education to collect and make available online data for students to plan for their educational and professional futures; and for the Workforce Division of the Department of Commerce to share data and information with ACHE. Senate Bill 192 (SB192) is sponsored by Sen. Albritton and is carried in the House by Rep. Donna Givens (R-Loxley). SB192 would allow private corporations to limit access to industrial facilities and that industrial access roads to continue to be maintained as a public corporation. Senate Bill 263 (SB263) is sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Dothan) and carried in the House by Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur). SB263 makes changes to the Alabama Accountability Act of 2013. It revises the law to change the term failing school to priority school and nonfailing to qualifying school to make other changes. Senate Bill 258 (SB258) is sponsored by Sen. Andrew Jones (R-Centre). It deals with nonprofit corporations that provide water services to the public authorizing a one-time audit by the Department of Examiners of Public Accounts. There is a substitute version of this bill. Senate Bill 103 (SB103) is sponsored by Sen. Orr: and carried by Rep. Almond. It would require the Alabama Ethics Commission to provide exonerating evidence to persons accused of ethics wrongdoing. Almond will introduce a substitute. Senate Bill 76 (SB76) is sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road). It is carried in the House by Rep. Lovvorn. SB76 establishes the Rural Logging Support Act, funding supporting rural economic Development. Wednesday will be Day 28 of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
House committee advances bill to overhaul Alabama’s adoption laws
On Wednesday, the Alabama House Children and Seniors Advocacy Committee gave a favorable report to a bill to replace Alabama’s existing adoption statutes with new code language that sponsors claim will make the adoption process faster, less burdensome, and more affordable. House Bill 101 (HB101) is sponsored by State Representative Ginny Shaver, who Chairs the committee. “This a Law Institute (ALI) bill,” Shaver said. “I started working on a bill and found out that they already had a committee working on rewriting the state’s adoption code.” “The committee has worked for over four years,” Shaver explained, “The Committee has brought in stakeholders from all over the adoption field.” “I started working with the committee in 2021, not to write the bill, but to learn,” Shaver said. “Alabama’s adoption law has not been touched in 30 years.” Shaver said the rewritten 80-page bill “is very comprehensive and detailed.” “The goal was to update the language and streamline the process and protect the confidentiality of the parties,” said Shaver. “To put it as simply as I can, this bill repeals that current adoption code and replaces it.” Shaver said that the new legislation divided minor adoptions versus adult adoptions. It also clarifies which court is the proper court, allows courts handling adoptions to work together and communicate, allows for electronic communication, provides rules for a contest of adoptions in certain situations, and clarifies procedures about relatives and stepparents who adopt a minor. “My concern about adoption is to make it simpler and also to save time and money,” Shaver said. “We want to do everything possible to get a child into a permanent home as soon as possible.” “This streamlines the process and provides clarity to make it better going forward,” Shaver said. State Rep. Barbara Boyd said, “When you are changing codes, you really don’t know what we are voting on unless you are an attorney. I read the whole bill, but I still don’t understand it. In my opinion, it is not a good job.” “We did have a summary, and the Law Institute did provide answers to questions after each section,” Shaver said. State Rep. Randall Shedd, “I want to thank you for your work. A lot of people worked hard on this bill. It may not be a perfect bill, but it is real close to it.” State Rep. Barbara Drummond told reporters at a minority caucus press event afterward, “This bill is a Law Institute bill that overhauls the whole code on adoption.” The committee voted to give HB101 bill a favorable report as amended. The committee also voted to give a favorable report to House Bill 103 (HB103), which is sponsored by State Rep. Allen Baker. “This is an adoption-related bill,” Baker said. “This bill would authorize sick leave for state employees to deal with issues related to adoption.” Boyd asked, “How does this bill differ from current law?” “This clarifies more than changes,” Baker said. “This adds clarity. To this point, this has been up to the discretion of the agency.” Drummond asked, “Is higher ed in there?” Baker said the community college system and four-year higher education institutions were included. Two technical amendments were approved by the committee. HB103 received a favorable report from the Committee in a unanimous vote. Both HB101 and HB103 could be considered by the full House of Representatives as early as Thursday. Thursday will be day four of the 2023 Alabama Regular Legislative Session. Regular sessions are limited to no more than thirty legislative days. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
