The bill amends Section 16-28A-3 of the Code of Alabama 1975 to establish the role of assistant principals in public K-12 schools, effective from the 2024-2025 school year. It defines the assistant principal's responsibilities, which include assisting the principal with administration, enforcement of board policy, and student discipline, among other duties. The bill mandates that each public K-12 school must have an assistant principal, contingent upon available funding. In schools with multiple assistant principals, the local superintendent will determine how to allocate responsibilities among them.

Additionally, the bill requires the State Board of Education to ensure that each local board of education develops and disseminates a written policy on student discipline and behavior. The previous requirement for local boards to broadly disseminate "them" is replaced with the specific term "the policy." This legislative change aims to enhance support for principals and improve the overall administration of public K-12 schools in Alabama. The act is set to take effect on October 1, 2024.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 16-28A-3
Engrossed: 16-28A-3
Enrolled: 16-28A-3