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HB306 • 2026

Teacher certification; Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate established

Teacher certification; Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate established

Education Healthcare
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Rehm
Last action
2026-02-24
Official status
On Third Reading in House of Origin
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about the requirements beyond those explicitly stated in the bill text.

Teacher certification for military veterans

This bill establishes a new Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate in Alabama, allowing certain military veterans to teach without having a full bachelor's degree.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates the Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate for eligible military veterans.
  • Requires applicants to have completed at least 48 months of active duty service with an honorable discharge or medical separation.
  • Requires applicants to complete 60 college credits and pass specific Praxis content tests.
  • Limits the certificate to five school years, nonrenewable after that period.
  • Mandates a mentor for new veteran teachers for at least two school years.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Military veterans who want to become K-12 teachers in Alabama.
  • The State Board of Education and local superintendents responsible for issuing the certificates.

Terms To Know

Praxis content test
A standardized test that measures a teacher's knowledge in specific subjects, required by some states to obtain teaching certification.
Mentor
An experienced teacher who guides and supports new teachers during their first years of teaching.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a veteran cannot complete the requirements for a full professional certificate within five school years.
  • It is unclear how many veterans will apply or qualify for this temporary teaching certificate.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

DGMJ9NN-1

R 541

Adopted

Plain English: DGMJ9NN-1 01/28/2026 OW (H) HSE 2026-191 House Education Policy Reported Substitute for HB306 Page 1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to K-12 teacher certification; to add Section 16-23-3.2 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to establish the Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate, to authorize the State Board of Education to grant temporary teaching certificates to veterans who meet certain requirements for providing instruction in certain teaching fields for which the state board otherwise requires a bachelor's degree.

  • DGMJ9NN-1 01/28/2026 OW (H) HSE 2026-191 House Education Policy Reported Substitute for HB306 Page 1 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT Relating to K-12 teacher certification; to add Section 16-23-3.2 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to establish the Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate, to authorize the State Board of Education to grant temporary teaching certificates to veterans who meet certain requirements for providing instruction in certain teaching fields for which the state board otherwise requires a bachelor's degree.
  • BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA: Section 1.
  • Section 16-23-3.2 is added to the Code of Alabama 1975, to read as follows: §16-23-3.2 (a) The State Board of Education shall establish a Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate.
  • A Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate shall be available for a teaching field for which the state board otherwise requires a bachelor's degree.
  • This amendment summary is using official source text because generated interpretation was skipped for this run.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-24 House

    Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 541 (Yeas 102, Nays 0)

  2. 2026-02-24 House

    Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 104, Nays 0)

  3. 2026-02-24 House

    Rehm Motion to SB149 Substituted for HB306 a Companion Bill - Adopted Voice Vote

  4. 2026-02-24 House

    Ross intended to vote "Yea"

  5. 2026-02-24 House

    Military and Veterans' Affairs Engrossed Substitute Offered

  6. 2026-02-05 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  7. 2026-02-04 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  8. 2026-01-29 House

    Re-referred to Committee in House of Origin

  9. 2026-01-29 House

    Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

  10. 2026-01-28 House

    Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

  11. 2026-01-21 House

    Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

  12. 2026-01-21 House

    Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Education Policy

Official Summary Text

Teacher certification; Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate established

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB306 INTRODUCED
Page 0
HB306
YMVG5NN-1
By Representatives Rehm, Baker, Collins, Paramore, DuBose,
Paschal, Ross, Gidley, Butler, Lipscomb, Daniels, Sellers,
Chestnut, Lawrence, Lamb, Moore (P), Wilcox, Hurst, Lee
RFD: Education Policy
First Read: 21-Jan-26
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YMVG5NN-1 01/13/2026 OW (L)cr 2026-191
Page 1
First Read: 21-Jan-26
SYNOPSIS:
Under existing law, a temporary K-12 teaching
certificate specifically for military veterans does not
exist.
This bill would establish the Military Veteran
Temporary Teaching Certificate, to authorize the State
Board of Education to grant temporary teaching
certificates to veterans who meet certain requirements
for providing instruction in certain teaching fields
for which the state board otherwise requires a
bachelor's degree.
A BILL
TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
Relating to K-12 teacher certification; to add Section
16-23-3.2 to the Code of Alabama 1975; to establish the
Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate, to authorize
the State Board of Education to grant temporary teaching
certificates to veterans who meet certain requirements for
providing instruction in certain teaching fields for which the
state board otherwise requires a bachelor's degree.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
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HB306 INTRODUCED
Page 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
Section 1. Section 16-23-3.2 is added to the Code of
Alabama 1975, to read as follows:
§16-23-3.2
(a) The State Board of Education shall establish a
Military Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate. A Military
Veteran Temporary Teaching Certificate shall be available for
a teaching field for which the state board otherwise requires
a bachelor's degree. The department may issue a temporary
certificate pursuant to this section to any applicant who:
(1) Documents 48 months of active duty military service
with an honorable discharge or a medical separation;
(2) Submits to the state board the required application
forms and fees and satisfactorily completes a criminal history
background information check pursuant to the Alabama Child
Protection Act of 1999;
(3) Is recommended for certification by a local
superintendent of education or private K-12 school
administrator; and
(4) Verifies compliance with all of the following
admission criteria:
a. Completion of 60 college credits with a minimum
cumulative grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, as
evidenced by one or more accredited institutions of higher
education.
b. A passing score on the appropriate Praxis content
test of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program
(AECAP).
c. Any other admission criteria established by the
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HB306 INTRODUCED
Page 3
c. Any other admission criteria established by the
State Board of Education.
(b) After receiving temporary certification, the
individual shall be assigned a mentor by the employing
superintendent for a minimum of two school years after
commencing employment, or participate in the Alabama Teacher
Mentor Program if hired by a local board of education that
participates in the program.
(c) A temporary certificate issued pursuant to this
section is valid for five school years, is limited to a
one-time issuance, and is nonrenewable.
(d) When notifying the individual of his or her
temporary certificate approval, the department shall also
inform the individual of the certificate's expiration date and
provide a list of methods to complete the qualifications for a
professional certificate.
(e) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to
implement this section.
Section 2. This act shall become effective on October
1, 2026.
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