A Policy Analysis of the Alabama Teachers’ Bill of Rights and its Focus on Improving Teacher Retention Issues by Addressing Classroom Management and Student Discipline in Alabama

Abstract

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, public schools across the United States have documented significant increases in disruptive behavior and assaults, leading to heightened teacher burnout and turnover rates.. In response, various states have implemented policies aimed at mitigating misconduct. This study evaluates Alabama’s Teachers’ Bill of Rights (ALTBOR) through the lens of Dunn’s Integrated Framework and a SWOT analysis, assessing legislative intent, implementation feasibility, and early administrative effects. The analysis encompasses several critical components including legislative development, stakeholder influence, alignment with statewide goals to strengthen classroom authority and discipline, as well as historical trends in retention and student behavior incidents. Additionally, the study examines the implementation challenges encountered in relation to existing policies, along with the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with ALTBOR. A qualitative case study methodology, supplemented by descriptive data, was employed drawing on legislative documents, administrator interviews, stakeholder public statements, and legislator public statements and interviews. The analysis utilized NVivo 15 for deductive thematic coding (Braun & Clarke, 2006) aligned with Dunn’s functions (problem structuring, forecasting, prescription, monitoring, evaluation) and synthesis via SWOT. Findings indicate ALTBOR expands teacher authority to reduce disruptions and limits liability, while administrators report persistent issues of clarity, resources, and equitable enforcement. The integrated assessment suggests a balance between protection and accountability, contingent on ongoing monitoring for fairness and feasibility. To enhance the efficacy of ALTBOR, recommendations proposed an annual ALSDE accountability report on retention, incidents, discipline trends, and compliance; a standardized implementation toolkit; mandatory professional development on ALTBOR, restorative practices, and culturally responsive discipline; systematic integration of restorative practices to reduce exclusionary placements; stakeholder advisory councils; biannual independent equity audits; and a five-year sunset review linked to outcomes and stakeholder input. These measures aim to institutionalize accountability, standardization, and adaptive learning for a fair, effective, and data-driven application of ALTBOR. By strengthening the framework around teacher authority and accountability, Alabama can foster a more conducive environment for both educators and students.