Alabama Senate Committee Approves Historic $12.1 Billion Education Budget
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – In a historic move, an Alabama Senate committee has approved a $12.1 billion education budget package that will provide significant investments in both K-12 and higher education. The budget breakdown includes $6.7 billion for K-12 schools, a 5.9% increase, $2.6 billion for higher education, a 6.7% increase, and $611 million for other entities. Crafting this budget was a challenging task, according to Senate Finance and Taxation Education Chair Sen. Arthur Orr, as lawmakers had to coordinate funding from multiple sources to ensure fairness between K-12 and higher education.
A major change introduced this year is the RAISE Act, which aims to allocate funding based on student needs in special education, poverty, gifted, and English learners categories. The new system will draw from the Educational Opportunities Reserve Fund (EORF) to provide additional funds for at least three years. Additionally, a $524 million supplemental appropriation will also be distributed, with a larger share going to higher education due to the RAISE Act.
The proposed budget also includes a $1.25 billion Advancement and Technology Fund for one-time expenses like capital projects and technology upgrades. New initiatives and funding increases for existing programs are also part of the budget, including provisions for the CHOOSE Act, career technical programs, and mental health tele-counseling. The education budget is set to be discussed on the Senate floor in the coming days.
Overall, this education budget package represents a significant investment in the future of Alabama’s education system, prioritizing student needs and advancements in both K-12 and higher education.
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