Alabama's reading scores continue to improve, with 88% of third graders reading on or above grade level, up from 86% last year. However, over 6,400 students risk being held back after the state raised its reading benchmark, even as overall literacy rates rise.

Under a bill pre-filed for the legislative session, Alabama public school students who repeatedly violate rules restricting the use of cell phones in classrooms would be subject to fines. The bill, which aims to emphasize the seriousness of the issue, does not specify any amounts of fines or other specifics on penalties.

Joeshannon Kimble saw struggling students. And she wanted to help. In 2022, Kimble had taught various grades in the district for 25 years. She knew, though, that local middle school students were struggling academically. And she wanted to change that trajectory.

"I think that's very clear that they're trying to open the pathway to more folks who couldn't meet the first set of rules," State Superintendent Eric Mackey told AL.com Tuesday.

HB129, called the CHOOSE Act, would create education savings accounts, or ESAs, for families of students to use toward eligible education expenses.

Other priorities for Ivey include school security, replacing technology devices, funding the turnaround school initiative and ensuring the Numeracy Act and Literacy Act, which push for improvements in math and reading, are funded.

State Superintendent Eric Mackey told board members in December that they couldn't outright ban cell phones from schools, but he would like to give some additional guidance to districts.

An Alabama state representative has filed a bill that would allow high school athletes to make money off of their image. The bill is limited to the athlete and does not allow the use of "marks, including a school logo, school name, school mascot, or trademarked logo or acronym of an athletic association."