SB179 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Trip Pittman

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Education budget, appropriations for the support, maintenance, and development of public education

Summary

SB179 enacts Alabama’s FY 2016 Education Budget, detailing Education Trust Fund allocations for public education, debt service, and capital outlays across K-12, higher education, and related state agencies.

What This Bill Does

It formally appropriates ETF and other funds for the 2016 fiscal year to support public education, including the K-12 Foundation Program and debt service; it also designates funds for a wide range of programs across state agencies and universities. It provides targeted funding for K-12 initiatives (At-Risk, Reading Initiative, School Nurses, ASIMS, etc.) and substantial allocations to public colleges and universities for operations, facilities, and special programs (STEM, dual enrollment, healthcare, cybersecurity, and more). It creates a conditional funding trigger (Section 4) that requires additional revenue of at least $11.4 million for these extra appropriations to take effect, otherwise they are reduced proportionally. It also allows local boards limited flexibility in spending among line items and establishes grant-based funding for At-Risk/Hope programs with specific criteria and reporting requirements.

Who It Affects

• Public school students and teachers in Alabama, who benefit from K-12 funding (Foundation Program, At-Risk, Reading Initiatives, school nurses, instructional resources, and district-level support).
• Higher education students and staff across Alabama’s public universities and colleges, who are affected by funding for operations, maintenance, auxiliary enterprises, campus facilities, and numerous program-specific allocations (e.g., STEM, nursing, research centers, and workforce development).

Key Provisions

• Section 2-3: Establishes appropriations from the Education Trust Fund and earmarked funds for the 2016 fiscal year to support public education, debt service, and capital outlay, with the ETF and Federal/Local Funds designated as sources.
• Section 3A-3B: Lists earmarked funding for various agencies and programs (including the Foundation Program for K-12, school nurses, workforce development, and university system allocations) with detailed totals and fund sources, creating a comprehensive funding framework for both K-12 and higher education.
• Section 4: Adds a conditional appropriation requiring an additional $11.4 million in revenue for these extra allocations; if revenue is not at least that amount, the conditional funds are reduced proportionally.
• Section 11-15: Allows local boards some flexibility in FY 2016 expenditures (without reducing teacher units or support staff), establishes a grant-based At-Risk/Hope program with criteria to improve student achievement, and sets reporting requirements for program expenditures and outcomes.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education Trust Fund