FISCAL NOTE

Senate Bill 171 as introduced would increase the annual administrative and financial obligations of the State Department of Education, paid from the Education Trust Fund, by an estimated $92 million, per the State Department of Education, to implement the Alabama Numeracy Act to improve the mathematic proficiency of public K-5 students, as follows:

(1) Requires the State Superintendent of Education to convene the 17-member Elementary Mathematics Task Force to provide recommendations to the State Board of Education for comprehensive mathematics and mathematics intervention programs and curricula; a state continuum of educator development for approved professional learning; and annual list of mathematics screening, formative, and diagnostic assessment systems for selection and use by the local education agencies (LEAs).

(2) Creates the Office of Mathematics Improvement (OMI), within the State Department of Education, of which the sole responsibility of the director of OMI is to focus on K-5 mathematics, of which some of his responsibilities include: (i) developing and procuring diagnostic interview tools for grades K-2; (ii) recommending training and supports for educators; (iii) convening and overseeing the 9-member Postsecondary Mathematics Task Force to develop guidelines for institutions of postsecondary education to train elementary teachers based on current research; (iv) assigning school improvement teams to conduct on site evaluations of each low-performing school, recommend reallocation of resources, and assist in developing intensive school improvement plans focused on student achievement; and (v) provide reports to the various entities required by the provisions of this bill. In addition to the director, OMI will employ 11 regional coordinators of which some of their responsibilities will include overseeing the Alabama Mathematics Summer Achievement Program, implementation of mathematics curricula and intervention programs, implementation of appropriate professional learning approved by the Elementary Mathematics Task Force; and monitoring and evaluating data collected from AMSTI and LEAs. (Per the Department, the estimated costs for OMI, the regional coordinators, and to implement the Alabama Mathematics Summer Achievement Program is $19.5 million).

(3) Requires the State Superintendent to employ mathematic coaches to be assigned one mathematics coach for every 500 students in a K-5 school. (Per the Department, the estimated cost for the mathematics coaches is $69 million).

(4) Requires a full-time AMSTI regional math specialist to provide support to schools identified for intensive interventions and supports by OMI. (Per the Department, the estimated costs for additional regional AMSTI math specialists is $3.5 million).

This bill will further increase the administrative obligations of the Department by requiring the Department to: (1) comply with all request for data from OMI and to make every effort to assist OMI with implementing the provisions of this bill regarding assignment of school improvement teams; (2) certify that each mathematics coach satisfies the minimum qualifications provided by this bill; (3) develop an evidence-based accountability system to measure the effectiveness of mathematics coaches; (4) meet the several reporting requirements required by this bill; (5) develop and submit to the State Board of Education (SBE) for approval, recommendations for the creation of a K-5 mathematics coach endorsement for eligible teachers, as prescribed by the provisions of this bill; and (6) subject to legislative appropriation, establish an incentive program to provide a minimum of $2,500 annual stipend for any mathematics coach that has a K-5 mathematics coach endorsement.

This bill will increase the obligations of public two-year and four-year institutions of higher education with educator preparation programs to incorporate learning specific to the condition know as dyscalculia; and implement the guidelines developed by the Postsecondary Mathematics Task Force, convened by the director of OMI, to train elementary teachers.

This bill will increase the administrative obligations of LEAs by requiring the LEAs to: (1) provide specific math intervention services to K-5 students with identified mathematics deficiencies; (2) report to the State Superintendent of Education the information required by the provisions of this bill; (3) provide Alabama Mathematics Summer Achievement Program mathematic camps to all K-5 students with mathematics deficiencies to be held in conjunction with existing LEA summer programs or with community based partners.

This bill will increase the administrative obligations of local boards of education by: (1) allowing local boards of education, prior to intervention to examine data considered by the OMI in support of intervention to offer corrections, explanations, or supplements to the data; and (2) by requiring schools subject to intervention for three or more years, upon recommendation of a school management team appointed by the OMI director, to either: (i) remove certain school personnel; (ii) pursue application for public charter school status; or (ii) complete reconstitution of the school with all new staff.

This bill also increase the administrative obligations of the SBE by requiring the Board to: (1) establish a system of assistance and support for schools not attaining identified levels of achievement or not showing specified levels of progress; (2) establish a uniform format for local education agencies to use in reporting information required pursuant to the provisions of this bill to the State Superintendent; and (3) adopt rules, as necessary to implement the provisions of this bill, in conjunction with the OMI.

As substituted and reported by the Committee on Finance and Taxation Education, makes the following changes:

(1) specifies that the goal of providing one mathematics coach for every 500 students shall be completed before the 2027-2028 school year;

(2) specifies that the implementation of certain assessments for grades K-2 and grades 4-5 shall begin with the 2023-2024 school year;

(3) clarifies that if a school earns two or more mathematics coaches, the coaches shall be hired and employed simultaneously and further clarifies that they shall be employed by the LEA rather than the State Superintendent of Education;

(4) specifies that the convening of the working group by the State Superintendent of Education to create the Alabama Multi-Tiered System of Support framework to outline the evidence-based best practices must begin by January 1, 2023;

(5) specifies that the establishment of an evidence-based system of support for schools not showing specified levels of academic progress must begin by August 1, 2025;

(6) requires the State Superintendent of Education to convene, beginning October 1, 2022, a working group to create, with an external partner, the Alabama Instructional Leadership Framework applicable to all K-5 administrators beginning August 1, 2023;

(7) reduces the initial proposed obligations of the SDE, paid from the Education Trust Fund, by providing that the Alabama Mathematics Summer Achievement Program be provided to all students in grades four and five, rather than grades K-5, with an identified mathematics deficiency;

(8) requires the SDE, through the Office of School Improvement, the OMI, and any other sections within the SDE to work in coordination with each LEA to identify school improvement teams for each full support school that qualifies for state academic intervention;

(9) requires certain offices within the SDE to provide an annual report, by December 31, for any school under state academic intervention;

(10) increases the obligations of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education to submit an annual report, by December 31, to certain elected officials on the status of the implementation and adoption of the mathematics education guidelines for postsecondary institutions;

(11) requires the State Superintendant of Education, rather than the Director of OMI, to report to certain elected officials the status of teacher professional learning and student growth and proficiency;

(12) changes that the State Superintendant of Education must develop and submit the recommendations for the creation of a K-5 Mathematics Coach Endorsement to the State Board of Education from June 30, 2023 to June 30, 2024;

(13) increases membership on the Postsecondary Mathematics Task Force from 9 members to 16 members; and

(14) specifies that reimbursement for expenses incurred by members of the Elementary Mathematics Task Force in performance of their duties shall not be limited, subject to appropriation.