Reductions in Force: Alabama

Analysis of Alabama's policies

In Alabama, the factors used by districts to determine which teachers are laid off during a reduction in force are decided at the district level and must be based on "objective criteria."

Citation

Code of Alabama 16-1-33

Recommendations for Alabama

Require that districts consider classroom performance as a factor in determining which teachers are laid off during reductions in force.
Alabama can still leave districts flexibility in determining layoff policies, but it should do so within a framework that ensures that classroom performance is considered.  

Ensure that seniority is not the only factor used to determine which teachers are laid off.
Unlike some states, Alabama does not require that districts consider seniority; however, the state should do more to prevent districts from making decisions solely on this basis.  

State response to our analysis

Alabama recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. The state added that "as noted in response to Goals 5-B and 5-C, EDUCATE Alabama is a formative rather than a summative process. Employment decisions are made by local boards of education based on the recommendations of local superintendents of education. School system personnel are advised to use progressive discipline procedures when teachers' performance is less than acceptable and does not improve."

Last word

This issue in this goal is not whether districts use "progressive discipline procedures" with low-performing teachers but whether districts will consider performance in deciding which teachers to lay off in a reduction in force.   While still allowing local flexibility, the state should send a clear message that the "last in, first out" policies that predominate are not in the best interest of students.