AL SB88

Authorizes the State Department of Education to award competitive two-year grants to public schools for developing new or continuing existing programs for gifted or talented children, pending available funding.

Grants are made for a single year with a rebuttable presumption of renewal for one additional year contingent upon available funding.

Grant awards must consider curriculum quality, instructor qualifications, school integration, preference for traditional school day or after-school transportation programs, and programs explicitly encouraging participation by traditionally underserved populations.

Requires the State Department of Education to adopt rules with an explicit formula for evaluating grant applications, with scoring to be considered public information.

Mandates local boards of education to match any grant funds awarded by the department and requires compliance with guidelines in Chapter 39, Title 16, Code of Alabama 1975.