Alabama teachers and school staff are making progress towards receiving a well-deserved raise.
The state Senate has recently approved a budget for the education trust fund, setting a new record. Currently, the budget is pending further action in the House. Notably, the budget includes a 2% salary increase for education employees.
State Superintendent Eric Mackey explained that the recent raise marks the fourth consecutive increase in teacher salaries. While acknowledging the desire to pay teachers even more, Mackey noted that these annual raises play a crucial role in helping educators stay ahead of inflation.
The current budget exceeds $9 billion, providing funding for pre-K, K-12 schools, and higher education.
According to the state superintendent, Alabama is finally recovering from the Great Recession.
“For years, we eliminated textbooks completely. Teachers were not given any funds to spend in their classrooms. We went without raises for a long time,” Mackey stated.
The budget was indeed modified by the Senate.
Alabama has secured $10 million in state funding to provide meals for children during the summer of 2025. Although the deadline was missed for this summer, State Superintendent Eric Mackey emphasized that children will still receive meals.
“We have established dedicated sites where we cook and provide food for children in Alabama. Sometimes, the meals are prepackaged, but we are able to distribute tens of thousands of meals every day,” he explained.
Parents can easily locate these feeding sites at various community locations such as local YMCA facilities, Boys and Girls Clubs, churches, and daycares, according to the state superintendent.
The budget will go into effect this October if it is approved and signed by the governor.
