Alabama House Passes Education Budget That Includes Teacher Pay Raise

By a vote of 105-0, the Alabama House has approved a $6.3 billion Education Trust Fund budget that includes a teacher pay raise, cuts to classroom sizes and makes investments in proven classroom programs. The plan still has to be approved by the Alabama Senate.

The budget plan says teachers and support personnel, such as bus drivers, lunchroom workers and others earning less than $75,000 a year would get a 4% pay raise, while administrators and others earning more than $75,000 would get a 2% raise. The proposed budget also includes a 4% pay raise for all community college employees. The budget also fully-funds health insurance and retirement program funding requests.

The highlights in the budget plan include:

· Providing funding for an additional 475 teachers in 7-12 grade classrooms

· Increased spending for textbooks ($8 million for FY2017 and $20.8 million over the past two years combined) and transportation ($13.5 million for FY2017 and $18 million over the past two years combined).

· Expansion of Alabama’s Pre-K program, with an additional $14 million in funding in FY2017 and $24.3 million over the past two years combined.

· A $3.1 million increase in funding for student materials ($6.1 million over the past two years combined) to prevent teachers from pay out-of-pocket for needed classroom supplies.

· Allowing local school systems to set priorities and meet urgent needs by providing an additional $47 million in discretionary “Other Current Expense” funding.

· Providing full funding for the Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Program (PEEHIP) with a $20 million increase that is intended to avoid premium increases.