Press Release: Declining Enrollment Shifts Teacher Funding in Alabama’s K-12 Schools
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A recent analysis reveals that over half of Alabama’s K-12 public school districts will experience reductions in state-funded teacher units for the upcoming 2025–26 school year, according to documents obtained by Alabama Daily News from the Alabama Department of Education. This decrease is largely attributed to ongoing declines in student enrollment.
Funding allocations for the next school year hinge on the previous year’s enrollment, which reached 720,175, marking a modest increase of approximately 1,500 students. However, this growth is not uniformly distributed among districts, resulting in stark disparities in teacher funding. Rural and small city schools, particularly in the Black Belt region, will face some of the steepest proportional losses. Notable examples include Selma City, which will see a 10% decline from 143 to 128 teacher units, and Sumter County, which will decrease from 54 to 50 units, reflecting a concerning trend for districts that rely heavily on state funding.
Conversely, districts with virtual or charter schools are witnessing significant increases in teacher units due to enrollment gains. The complexity of the funding landscape is further exacerbated by the introduction of education savings accounts (ESAs), which may impact public school enrollment, as nearly 11,000 public school students have applied for these accounts.
While the loss of teacher units often leads to staff reductions—primarily affecting non-tenured teachers—some districts may utilize local funds to maintain staffing levels. Additionally, districts losing teacher units will receive supplementary funding under the new RAISE Act, aimed at supporting students with greater needs.
As these changes unfold, the Alabama State Department of Education is expected to release comprehensive funding documents in the near future.
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