ALABAMA (WHNT) — The Alabama House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would not count students who are English language learners towards enrollment for classification from the Alabama High School Athletic Association.
House Bill 298, which the AHSAA opposes, was first introduced by Rep. Brock Colvin (R-Albertville) in February.
Colvin said in a statement to News 19 on Tuesday that the rise of English language learners has forced schools to move up classifications. The bill would mean English language learners wouldn’t count towards enrollment for the first five years that the student attends the school.
Colvin issued this statement reacting to the bill being passed:
I appreciate my colleagues for supporting HB298 and taking an important step to restore fairness and safety to high school athletics. For over three years, legislators have relayed their concerns regarding schools being forced to move up in classification due to a rise in English Language Learners (ELL) enrollment to the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA). Time and time again, our concerns of fairness, safety, and the discouragement of student athletes have fallen on deaf ears. Members of the Legislature would have preferred this issue be a priority of the association and handled through its governing body, so to say this legislation is the product of necessity is an understatement. All I can surmise from the AHSAA’s lack of support on HB298 is that its leadership does not view the safety of our student athletes as a high priority. Despite the AHSAA’s claims, this bill would not prevent ELL students from participating in athletics and would not treat public and private school members any differently than they are currently being treated under the 1.35x multiplier rule.
I would also like to point out that, at the association’s request, the Legislature previously passed legislation allowing AHSAA staff and its executive director to receive the same state-funded retirement benefits as school system employees – benefits granted in recognition of their service to public schools. The AHSAA depends on public school membership and the use of public-school facilities to function. So, for them to act as though they should be immune from legislation that governs their actions – which impact tens of thousands of Alabama’s student athletes – only further validates the need for HB298. The bottom line is that my only goal is to protect student athletes, and I feel we have taken a positive step in that direction.”
Brock Colvin on the passage of House Bill 298
The AHSAA said the bill would lead to English language learners being discouraged from participating in athletics.
AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon released this statement Tuesday:
While disappointed with the House of Representatives vote today passing HB298, which states Athletic Associations must adjust a public high school’s athletic classification by not counting English language learners, I believe in the legislative process established by our member schools allowing our schools to govern themselves. It is important to remember the Alabama High School Athletic Association is a private association governed by member schools and does not accept public funds in any capacity.
There are multiple issues with the bill as written.
- It establishes separate criteria for classifying public and private school members.
- An EL student who has not declared a year before classification and later decides to participate would not count toward classification of their school. As many of you know, one student can affect classification.
- Sports with a high percentage of EL students would have an advantage over areas of the state with few EL students.
- There was a similar proposal that was voted on by member schools that only received a 27% yes vote from our member schools.
- This bill would lead to the discouragement of EL student participation in athletics.
Moreover, today the bill was amended and called for the placement of a member of the House and a member of Senate on the AHSAA’s private board. Since we are a private association, with our board makeup established under a federal court order, we would be the only private board with a mandate for political representation which would interject politics into high school sports. We strive to keep politics out of the boardroom and focus on doing what is best for all student athletes. In closing, a classification directive that does not go through our democratic legislative process and classification committee lacks the support and thorough vetting that is necessary for successful implementation. As an Association, we are committed to supporting all member schools in all sports in addition to promoting participation. This bill is in direct opposition to those commitments.
AHSAA Executive Director Heath Harmon on passage of House Bill 298
AHSAA currently classifies its schools between Class 1A and Class 7A, with 7A schools having the largest enrollments.
The bill will now head over to the Senate to decide its future. If passed, Governor Kay Ivey would need to sign it into law. If Governor Ivey signs it into law, it would go into effect on June 1, 2025, but wouldn’t affect the classifications until the 2026-2027 academic school year.
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