SB165 Alabama 2018 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2018

Title

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

Summary

SB165 is Alabama's FY2019 education budget bill, allocating public education funding across K-12, community colleges, and universities for support, debt service, and capital needs.

What This Bill Does

It appropriates money from the Education Trust Fund and other funds for the 2019 fiscal year to support public education, debt service, and capital outlay. It distributes funds to a wide range of programs and institutions, including the K-12 Foundation Program, At-Risk and Reading Initiatives, the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative, reading coaches, dual enrollment, and various higher education programs. It sets spending rules (such as salary and benefit formulas, per-unit costs, and prohibitions on repurposing certain funds) and requires reporting and audit provisions; unexpended funds may be reappropriated in many cases. It also provides for specific governance and programmatic requirements, including discretionary grants for At-Risk/High Hopes and performance reporting, with effective dates and mechanisms for administration.

Who It Affects

• Public school students in Alabama (K-12) who would benefit from more reading coaches, enhanced reading, math, and science instruction, dual enrollment opportunities, health services, and stronger early childhood programs.
• Local boards of education, community colleges, and public universities that receive funding to operate and manage programs and must implement, monitor, and report on outcomes, budgets, and program effectiveness.

Key Provisions

• Provides FY2019 appropriation of funds from the Education Trust Fund and other sources for public education, debt service, and capital outlay.
• Allocates funds to major programs (e.g., Foundation Program for K-12, At-Risk, Reading Initiative, AMSTI, school nurses, and various higher-education initiatives) with specific per-unit and salary-related guidance.
• Includes a prohibition that funds for the Alabama Reading Initiative and the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative may not be repurposed by the State Superintendent for other uses.
• Establishes a 40%/60% split for At-Risk/High Hopes funding, with discretionary use by the State Superintendent and grant-based awards to school systems, prioritizing direct student outcomes and required reporting.
• Sets reporting requirements to legislative leaders and fiscal officers, and outlines audit, accountability, and transparency obligations for funded programs.
• Authorizes reappropriation of unexpended funds in many earmarked programs for the following fiscal year and outlines effective date (October 1, 2018) and related administrative guidelines.

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