Starting a Private School in Alabama
Regulations, Resources, & Support
Alabama State Regulations
General Regulations
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Alabama revised its laws in 2013, removing all restrictions on private schools. The state does not have accreditation, licensing, or approval requirements for private schools, but does require they report student registration to the state.
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The US Office of Innovation & Improvement has assembled a summary of regulations for private schools operating in Alabama
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Alabama has no requirements or restrictions on home schooling environments, and home schools are exempt from reporting requirements.
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Alabama does not have specific insurance requirements for private schools
State Funding Sources & Support
Alabama does not provide funding for private education.
Curriculum Requirements
The Alabama State Department of Education is not authorized to license or regulate any private, nonpublic, or church school offering instruction in grades K-12 or any combination thereof.
Teacher Certification & Hiring
All applicants and employees are required to undergo a criminal background check.
Food Services / Lunch
In Alabama, school lunch requirements, including funding for schools offering the National School Lunch Program, are managed by the Child Nutrition Programs division of the Alabama State Department of Education.
Length of School Year
The Alabama State Department of Education is not authorized to license or regulate any private, nonpublic, or church school offering instruction in grades K-12 or any combination thereof.
Recordkeeping & Reports
Schools must report the names and addresses of enrolled students to the state.
Healthy & Safety Requirements
The Alabama State Department of Education is not authorized to license or regulate any private, nonpublic, or church school offering instruction in grades K-12 or any combination thereof.
Transportation
A license tax or registration fee of $13.00 is imposed on motor buses owned by a church or a private school that are used only for the purposes of the institution.
Testing
There are no state policies in place regarding private school testing.
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Alabama State Resources
State & Regional Associations
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Alabama Independent School Association: The Alabama Independent School Association’s mission is to serve independent schools in the state of Alabama by providing its member schools with educational and corporate services and programs focusing on excellence in academics, accreditation, and athletics.
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Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS): The mission of SAIS is to strengthen member schools by providing high-quality accreditation processes, comprehensive professional growth opportunities, and visionary leadership development programs.
Government Websites
Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters
Quick Guide Nav
We gathered so much information that we had to break it down into 10 chapters. This free information is well-researched- we even hunted down the rules and regulations for each state! If you're thinking about starting a private school, you will find this guide very handy!
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