Alabama voters on Super Tuesday will decide the fate of the state school board.

A proposed constitutional amendment, called Amendment One, asks whether or not voters want to change how the folks in charge of education at the state level are selected. Currently, voters elect eight state school board members by district.

A yes vote would end the current system. That means state school board members would no longer be elected. They would be chosen by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.

A no vote would keep things the way they are.

Why should I care?

According to the National Association of State Boards of Education, Alabama is one of just seven states and the District of Columbia where voters still elect all members of the state board of education.

Supporters are pushing for a more professional board on multiple fronts, pointing to Alabama’s dead last ranking in math on the recent national report card, but also criticizing the elected board for having five different superintendents—three permanent, two interim—in a short period of time and initially adopting Common Core standards. Opponents argue its wrong to limit the people’s right to choose.

How would this work?

The biggest change, and the reason a Constitutional Amendment is required is because the proposal converts the 8-member elected state school board into a 9-member appointed commission. The Governor will choose appointees—one from each of Alabama's seven Congressional districts—and two at-large members, and the Senate will have to confirm those appointees. It sets term limits for commissioners, too. Commissioners will serve no more than two consecutive 6-year terms.

Won't that put a lot of control in the Governor's hands?

Yes, it puts all control in the Governor's hands. The Senate will still have to confirm commission members, though, so they'll have veto power.

What does the state school board do?

The state school board’s most prominent role is appointing the state superintendent of education and approving the contract, including salary.

The board also adopts the state’s standards of learning, called the course of study, for each subject area, including a list of textbooks local schools can use. The board approves all teacher preparation programs at the state’s universities and colleges, approves changes and additions to certification programs, and sets cut scores for teacher testing.

Related: Common Core math ‘eradicated,’ Ivey says, after Alabama school board vote on new math standards

Will the Governor remain as a voting member of the school Commission?

If the Amendment passes, the Governor will no longer be a member of the state school commission and will no longer have a vote. Currently, the Governor serves as President of the state school board.

When does the Amendment take effect if voters approve it?

If voters approve Amendment One, it takes effect immediately.

What happens to the board members who are already in place if Amendment One passes?

The terms of current school board members will end as soon as new commission members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. The legislative session is underway, so that could happen before the session ends in May.

What else does Amendment One do?

Amendment One calls for a few things, including changing how the people who govern K-12 public education in Alabama are selected. It also calls for a new set of learning standards—minus the controversial Common Core standards—to be developed.

It also converts the State Superintendent to the state Secretary of Education, a cabinet-level position. The Secretary will still be appointed by the commission and confirmed by the Senate. There is no mention of any limit to the number of years a Secretary of Education can serve.

How will this affect the makeup of the board?

Additional representation for African Americans is one of the benefits of the change, supporters say. There are provisions in the law attached to the changes that require commission members to "reflect the geographical, gender, and racial diversity of students."

The current state school board is made up of six females, four of whom are white and two of whom are African American, and two white males.

K-12 public school enrollment, however, breaks down this way:

32% African American students,

54% white students, and

9% Hispanic students.

Fewer than 5% of students are American Indian, Asian, or identified themselves as two or more races.

The minority caucuses in the House and Senate will be responsible for submitting a total of three nominees for the Commission to the Governor.

What will happen to the current state superintendent, Dr. Mackey?

Dr. Mackey's current contract runs through May 2022. The authorizing law doesn't specify exactly what happens to the current superintendent. It says “the chief state school officer shall be the Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education,” which could mean Mackey stays in place. But it’s likely open to interpretation.

In Mackey's recent annual evaluation, Ivey gave him above-average marks, as did other current board members, with the exception of one board member, Stephanie Bell, who was first elected in 1994.

Are there any other new requirements if Amendment One passes?

Yes. If Amendment One passes, a second law requires the Secretary to submit an annual report to the chairmen of the House Education Policy and Senate Education committees

What about the Common Core? Isn't there something about that in the Amendment, too?

Yes, Amendment One requires the newly appointed commission to replace Common Core standards.

Didn't the school board already get rid of the Common Core math standards?

According to Gov. Ivey, yes, when the school board voted in a new set of math standards (to be used beginning in 2021), Common Core math was “eradicated.” Alabama teachers compiled the new set of standards based on what Alabama students need to know, she said.

While it is true that the math standards were changed, it doesn’t mean every word connected to Common Core is gone. Most of the changes in standards were at the middle and high school level, and elementary math appears to remain mostly the same.

Who supports the Amendment?

Gov. Ivey has been a strong supporter from the start, announcing her “Take the Lead, Alabama” initiative in June, complete with a fact sheet of how poorly Alabama ranks in K-12 education. “Ranking after ranking shows that Alabama is failing its school children,” the sheet proclaims.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, in sponsoring the authorizing law, has said from the start that this is one change that should be made. Marsh told AL.com, “Currently, one of the reasons that education is consistently the most pressing issue for most Alabamians is because our state school board is completely dysfunctional."

What do school support groups say?

Of the education special interest groups, the Alabama Education Association, the School Superintendents of Alabama, A+ Education Partnership and the Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools aren’t taking a position.

The Alabama Association of School Boards issued a statement in May that their board of directors voted to support the amendment. The change in governance is needed, they wrote, “to drive significant, sustained improvement in our schools across the state.”

They say this could be a “pivotal turning point” adding that their support “is not a personal attack or driven by a particular issue.”

Former state Sen. Phil Williams, who now leads policy strategy for the right-leaning Alabama Policy Institute, also supports the measure. In an editorial in November, Williams wrote Alabama needs an appointed school board “so that the likelihood of dysfunction is mitigated and a team approach to setting policy can be emplaced.”

Who is opposed to the Amendment?

The Alabama Republican Party’s executive committee in August passed a resolution opposing the Amendment, saying it is wrong to take away the ability to vote for the state school board.

State school board member Jackie Zeigler, who represents parts of south Alabama and is running for re-election this year, launched a campaign in October to save the elected board. “As representative for State Board of Education District One,” Zeigler wrote, “I am vehemently opposed to any attempt take away the voice of the people.”

What about other states? How are their state school board members chosen?

Most states appoint the state board. In 32 states, the Governor appoints members and lawmakers approve the appointments. In four states (Mississippi, New York, South Carolina and Washington), governors and other officials appoint state school board members.

Five states—Alabama, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan, and Texas—elect state school board members by partisan ballot. Two states—Nebraska and Utah—and D.C. elect via nonpartisan ballot. Utah is moving to a partisan ballot for state school board elections this year.

In three states—Louisiana, Nevada, and Ohio—some members are elected and some are appointed.

Four states—Minnesota, Wisconsin, New Mexico and North Dakota—have no state school board.

Can I vote on Amendment One without voting in the primary?

Yes. According to the Alabama Secretary of State’s Press Secretary Grace Newcombe, voters can request a ballot with only the constitutional amendment on it. The same voting requirements (photo ID, etc.) apply.

What will I see on the March 3 ballot?

Sample ballots, posted on the Alabama Secretary of State’s website, show the following language at the end of the ballot:

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, to change the name of the State Board of Education to the Alabama Commission on Elementary and Secondary Education; to provide for the appointment of the members of the commission by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate; to change the name of the State Superintendent of Education to the Secretary of Elementary and Secondary Education; to provide for the appointment of the secretary by the commission, subject to confirmation by the Senate; and to authorize the Governor to appoint a team of local educators and other officials to advise the commission on matters relating to the functioning and duties of the State Department of Education. (Proposed by Act 2019-345)

Yes ( ) No ( )

For all Alabama education coverage, click here: https://www.al.com/education/.

Update: 3:45 p.m. to correctly describe the gender breakdown of the current state school board. We regret the error.

Updated: 2/18/20 10:45 a.m. to correct the title of the Alabama Policy Institute’s Phil Williams.