SB75 Alabama 2024 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2024

Title

Appropriations from Education Trust Fund for the support, maintenance, and development of public education for fiscal year ending September 30, 2025.

Summary

SB75 is Alabama's Education Trust Fund appropriations act for fiscal year 2025, detailing how ETF and other funds are allocated to public education across K-12, higher education, and related programs, including debt service and capital outlay.

What This Bill Does

Allocates Education Trust Fund and other funds for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025 to support public education, debt service, and capital outlay, with funding broken out by program and program area. Sets wage and salary rules for the Foundation Program (including a minimum $15 per hour for certain positions, salary matrices by degree and experience, and supplements for National Board Certified Teachers and Certified Academic Language Therapists), and funds a wide range of K-12 initiatives such as reading, math, STEM, distance learning, and school safety and mental health. Provides substantial funding for higher education institutions and systems (operations, maintenance, auxiliary, restricted funds, and targeted programs) and includes programs for maintenance, capital improvements, STEM and research initiatives, dual enrollment, and various student aid and training efforts. Includes reporting requirements to legislative committees, reappropriation rules for unspent funds, and targeted use of federal stimulus funds to support safe school reopening and related activities.

Who It Affects

• Public school students and teachers, through salary provisions, reading and math initiatives, STEM programs, safety and mental health funding, and instructional resources.
• Local education agencies and school systems, which receive per-pupil funding, program grants, and grants for specific initiatives, with reporting and budget rules.
• Higher education institutions in Alabama (universities and colleges), which receive operating, maintenance, auxiliary, and capital funding, plus targeted program support and scholarships.
• State agencies and the State Department of Education (and related advisory bodies) responsible for implementing and reporting on programs such as AMSTI, ACCESS, EL programs, and safety/mental health initiatives.
• Families and students benefiting from scholarships, loan forgiveness, and program supports (dual enrollment, CALT/NBCT supplements, READ/Math initiatives, and other student aid programs).

Key Provisions

• Section 2 establishes the source and scope of appropriations, designating ETF funds and other funds to specific education-related accounts for the 2025 fiscal year.
• Section 3 outlines program-level allocations across agencies and programs, including Legislative, Executive, Higher Education, and Other categories, with detailed line items for each entity.
• Foundation Program provisions set a $15/hour minimum wage, provide salary matrices for instructional staff, define fringe benefits rates, require funds for classroom materials and technology per unit earned, and prohibit using ETF funds for membership dues; it includes supplements for NBCTs and for high-need schools.
• K-3 Reading and Reading Coaches, CALT stipends, and extensive Alabama Reading Initiative funding focus on literacy and early education outcomes, with performance and reporting requirements.
• AMSTI and other STEM initiatives receive dedicated funding, with site-specific allocations and semi-annual reporting on expenditures and outcomes.
• Distance Learning, ACCESS, and related technology initiatives are funded to expand STEM education delivery and teacher training, with phased implementation and evaluation requirements.
• English Language Learners funding includes regional EL Specialists and per-student weighting to target language acquisition needs in districts with rising ELL populations.
• School Safety, Mental Health, and Regional Safety Training funding supports coordinators, programs, and services to improve school safety and student well-being.
• Higher Education funding covers the University of Alabama system, Auburn, and other state universities with numerous programs (arts, science, extension, health, desegregation planning, capital maintenance, and more), including private and auxiliary funds as applicable.
• Section 4 directs the use of federal stimulus funds for safe school reopening and sets reporting requirements for LEAs on ARP/ESSER expenditures, with a minimum distribution requirement of $100 million for pandemic-related activities.
• Section 5–7 establish fiscal procedures, including requisition, audit, transfer of funds, interagency payments, and rule adherence; Section 8 provides for lapse and reappropriation of balances; Sections 9–12 address court orders, flexibility in line-item expenditures, and insurance/benefit funding; Section 16 requires grant opportunity notifications to local delegations and supporting governance processes; Section 19 repeals conflicting laws; Section 20 sets October 1, 2024 as the act’s effective date.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 22, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Appropriations