Alabama House passes record $7.7 billion education budget
Updated 5:02 PM;
Public education in Alabama would receive its largest ever amount of state dollars in the annual budget passed by the House of Representatives today.
The budget is for the 2022 fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. It appropriates $7.7 billion from the Education Trust Fund, which would be $452 million more than this year, about a 6% increase.
The budget funds a 2% raise for teachers and education employees in public schools and community colleges. The House approved a separate bill for the raise by a vote of 100-1.
The House later approved the budget by a vote of 101-1. The legislation returns to the Senate, which had already passed it. The Senate could agree to changes made by the House and give the bill final passage, or or send it to a conference committee.
A House committee Thursday approved an education budget that would provide a pay raise for teachers and increases to several education programs.
The $7.65 billion Education Trust Fund budget, which passed the Senate on March 18, goes to the full House for consideration. I don t think it takes much for us all to pause and realize how significant the compensating effects of the fortunate position that we re in, particularly as compared to many states who have cut their education budgets, said House Ways and Means Education chair Bill Poole, R-Tuscaloosa.
The budget reflects a more hopeful outlook for the state economy as vaccinations for COVID increase. The Legislature last year abandoned ambitious plans for the education budget last year as the pandemic, and the fears of major economic losses, took hold.
th consecutive year.
“Ensuring our youngest learners have a strong start to their educational journeys is important now, more than ever. Alabama continues to set the nationwide bar for our success with the Alabama First Class Pre-K program,” Ivey said in a statement.
Each year since 2017, Alabama First Class Pre-K has received increased support from the Education Trust Fund as recommended by the governor and approved by the Alabama Legislature.
Access to Pre-K grew to more than 34% of four-year-olds in the state while continuing to meet all 10 NIEER quality standards benchmarks in the 2019-2020 school year. The Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education, which administers the First Class Pre-K program through the Office of School Readiness, requires all First Class Pre-K lead teachers to have a bachelor’s degree, at a minimum, and provides salary parity with K-3 teachers. Access for the 2020-2021 school year now stands as 37 %.
Senate panel saddles up for machine horse racing, not yet for online taxes
By Garry Rayno - InDepthNH | Apr 20, 2021
Rep. Patrick Abrami, R-Stratham
CONCORD The Senate Ways and Means Committee made quick work Monday of a bill to allow historical horse racing under charitable gaming but wants more information on a bill the sponsor said closes a loophole in the rooms and meals tax by taxing online platforms for car rentals and short-term rentals.
The committee voted 5-0 to recommend House Bill 626 be approved by the full Senate. The House passed the bill earlier this month in one of its three-day marathon sessions.