1 HB486
2 210481-3
3 By Representatives Scott and Meadows
4 RFD: Education Policy
5 First Read: 02-MAR-21
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1
2 ENROLLED, An Act,
3 To create the Extended Learning Opportunities Act;
4 to add Chapter 46C to Title 16, Code of Alabama 1975; to
5 provide legislative findings; to provide for definitions; to
6 provide for the enrollment of students in extended learning
7 opportunities; to provide a means for allowing students to
8 request and receive credit for participation in extended
9 learning opportunities; to provide a process for awarding
10 certificates of completion; and to authorize the State Board
11 of Education to adopt rules as necessary to implement the act.
12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
13 Section 1. Chapter 46C is added to Title 16 of the
14 Code of Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
15 16-46C-1. This chapter shall be known and may be
16 cited as the Extended Learning Opportunities Act.
17 16-46C-2.
18 The Legislature finds and declares all of the
19 following:
20 (1) Students attending schools in this state would
21 benefit from experiencing extended learning opportunities
22 outside of the traditional classroom.
23 (2) Students are capable of learning both inside and
24 outside of the traditional classroom.
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1 (3) Students should earn credit for approved
2 extended learning opportunities that facilitate their mastery
3 of required skills or fulfilling state standards.
4 16-46C-3.
5 For the purposes of this chapter, the following
6 terms shall have the following meanings:
7 (1) EXTENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITY. An
8 out-of-classroom learning experience, approved by the State
9 Board of Education, a local board of education, or a public
10 charter school, that provides a student with any of the
11 following:
12 a. Enrichment opportunities.
13 b. Career readiness or employability skills
14 opportunities, including internships, pre-apprenticeships, and
15 apprenticeships.
16 c. Any other approved educational opportunity.
17 (2) STUDENT. Includes elementary and secondary
18 school students attending K-12 non-charter public schools and
19 public charter schools, as those schools are defined in
20 Section 16-6F-4.
21 16-46C-4.
22 Commencing with the 2021-2022 school year, the State
23 Board of Education and each local board of education and
24 public charter school shall routinely inform students and
25 their parents of the ability to earn credit for participating
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1 in extended learning opportunities. Employees of the State
2 Board of Education, local boards of education, and public
3 charter schools may assist students, and their parents, in
4 completing any enrollment processes required for participating
5 in approved extended learning opportunities. Permission is not
6 required from the local board of education or public charter
7 school in which the student is enrolled and attending, for a
8 parent to enroll his or her student in any approved extended
9 learning opportunity; however, before participating in an
10 extended learning opportunity, both parent and student shall
11 sign an agreement detailing all program requirements, in a
12 form provided by the State Board of Education.
13 16-46C-5.
14 (a) An extended learning opportunity shall count as
15 elective credit toward graduation requirements and the
16 achievement of applicable state standards for students, upon
17 approval of the extended learning opportunity by the State
18 Board of Education, a local board of education or public
19 charter school. To receive credit, a student shall submit a
20 written request for credit and proof of successful completion
21 of the approved extended learning opportunity, to the
22 designated administrator of the school he or she is attending.
23 The State Board of Education shall adopt, and each local board
24 of education and public charter school distribute and
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1 implement, an extended learning opportunities policy that
2 provides all of the following:
3 (1) An application process for accepting and
4 approving extended learning opportunities offered for credit
5 by outside entities.
6 (2) A list of entities that are eligible to submit
7 applications for offering extended learning opportunities.
8 Eligible entities shall include, but not be limited to, all of
9 the following:
10 a. Nonprofit organizations.
11 b. Businesses with established locations in the
12 state.
13 c. Trade associations.
14 d. Any of the Armed Forces of the United States,
15 subject to applicable age requirements.
16 (3) A process for students to follow for requesting
17 credit.
18 (4) Criteria the local board of education or public
19 charter school shall use to determine whether a proposed
20 extended learning opportunity shall be approved to count
21 toward credit.
22 (5) Criteria the local board of education or public
23 charter school shall use to award a student a certificate of
24 completion and credit for completing an approved extended
25 learning opportunity. The criteria shall include, but not be
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1 limited to, allowing a student to demonstrate competencies
2 through performance-based assessments and other methods
3 independent of instructional time and credit hours.
4 (b) An entity approved by the State Board of
5 Education to offer an extended learning opportunity shall be
6 automatically qualified to offer that extended learning
7 opportunity for all local boards of education and public
8 charter schools in the state.
9 (c) A student who successfully completes an approved
10 extended learning opportunity, and satisfies criteria
11 established for the award of a certificate of completion and
12 credit pursuant to subdivision (a)(5), shall be considered to
13 have completed all of the required coursework for the
14 particular course. If an approved extended learning
15 opportunity satisfies all required coursework for a high
16 school course, the student shall also be considered to have
17 satisfied the equivalent number of credits toward his or her
18 graduation requirements.
19 16-46C-6.
20 Any policy or procedure adopted by the State Board
21 of Education, a local board of education, or a public charter
22 school for participating in an extended learning opportunity,
23 shall provide every student an equal opportunity to
24 participate and satisfy established time lines and
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1 requirements for purposes of transcribing credits and state
2 reporting.
3 16-46C-7.
4 The State Board of Education shall adopt rules as
5 necessary to implement this chapter.
6 Section 2. This act shall become effective on the
7 first day of the third month following its passage and
8 approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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2
3
4 Speaker of the House of Representatives
5
6 President and Presiding Officer of the Senate
7 House of Representatives
8 I hereby certify that the within Act originated in
9 and was passed by the House 01-APR-21, as amended.
10
11 Jeff Woodard
12 Clerk
13
14
15
16 Senate 04-MAY-21 Passed
17
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