Alabama § 16-13-368 - Development and Implementation of Unified Application; Audit; Department Duties.

§ 16-13-368. Development and Implementation of Unified Application; Audit; Department Duties.

(a) The department shall develop, with the support of an external partner with expertise in streamlining state and federal funding, a unified application that aligns policy priorities, planning, and budgeting in one application. The unified application shall streamline applications and reporting for all state and federal funding programs away from multiple plans, applications, budgets, and reports into a single application. The unified application shall be operational for the 2028-2029 budget cycle.

(b) In implementing the unified application, the department shall do all of the following:

(1) Set state priorities for funding that focus on achieving key improvements for students and student outcomes.

(2) Align grants to support each spending priority, maximize dollars leveraged for student outcomes, and eliminate redundancies.

(3) Design an application process that meets state and federal compliance requirements and ensures spending is aligned with state priorities.

(4) Support LEAs to build a strong plan for student learning and federal grant spending and articulate adequate achievement and growth goals for students.

(5) Review applications against a set of criteria for plan approval and discretionary awards.

(6) Approve and allocate funding that supports a clear set of plans to support student achievement.

(c) As part of the development of the unified application, the State Superintendent, with the support of an external partner, shall conduct an audit to identify out-of-date, unnecessary, or otherwise burdensome state laws, rules, reporting requirements, and processes that apply to public schools. The audit shall include considerations and recommendations from school and system leaders, educators, advocates, and families. The State Superintendent shall file a report with the Governor, Legislature, and the public by November 1, 2026, outlining the findings of the review and recommendations for corrective actions, including executive orders, statutory changes, or regulatory reforms to empower schools, reduce bureaucracy, and improve student achievement.

(d) Beginning June 1, 2025, the department shall complete the following actions:

(1) Hire an external partner to support the audit and development of the uniform application.

(2) Launch the audit established in subsection (c) and the development of the uniform application.

(e) During the 2027-2028 school year, the department shall complete the following actions:

(1) Complete the development of the unified application no later than February 2028, to allow LEAs to be able to use the unified application for strategic and financial planning for the 2028-2029 school year.

(2) Develop and launch professional learning about the unified application no later than February 2028.

(f) LEAs shall use the unified application to plan their system’s budget beginning with the 2028-2029 school year.