Celebration took center stage at Thursday’s State Board of Education meeting, where members recognized Alabama 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year Katie Collins of Bluff Park Elementary School (Hoover City Schools) and Alternate Teacher of the Year Aubrey Bennett of George Washington Carver High School (Birmingham City Schools), along with 14 district finalists.

The board work session included a lengthy discussion of the Alabama Public Employees Paid Parental Leave law, as the board prepares to approve emergency rules at next month’s meeting while permanent rules are posted for public comment. The new benefit program, which goes into effect July 1, provides up to eight weeks paid leave for female education employees and up to two weeks for male employees in connection with the birth, stillbirth or miscarriage of their child. Adoptive parents of a child aged three or younger also will be eligible for parental leave – eight weeks for one parent and two weeks for the other at the choice of the parents, if both are eligible employees. This is the state's first-ever paid parental leave law. The FY26 Education Trust Fund (ETF) includes a new $9.6 million line item to cover paid parental leave for education employees, although the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) estimates a $12 million annual cost.

State Superintendent of Education Dr. Eric Mackey provided a legislative update with an overview of the ETF budget package and the newly enacted hybrid student-weighted funding model, Renewing Alabama’s Investment in Student Excellence “RAISE” Act, both of which were signed by Gov. Kay Ivey May 5.

The RAISE Act creates a hybrid student-weighted funding model to provide additional funding for specific student groups in addition to the current Foundation Program. The Act will be implemented in the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. Of the $166 million designated for the RAISE Act, $58 million of this amount is from existing budget line items that have been consolidated, including at-risk line items, and the remaining $108 million is new one-time money transferred from the Educational Opportunities Reserve Fund. "This really is a small amount of money," Mackey said, noting several details about the funding model's implementation are yet to be determined.

The "true funding crisis" looming for school systems is the impact of increasing costs and new tariffs on school bus costs, Mackey warned. He urged the legislature to address funding within the next two budget cycles. The state currently funds only 54% of the cost of new school buses, around $160,000. The ALSDE this year requested $100 million in one-time supplemental funds for fleet renewal, but the legislature eliminated the request. Systems are currently experiencing surcharges of $2,500 to $4,500 per school bus as a result of recent tariffs.

Over the next three months, the board will receive and review this school year's Alabama Comprehensive Assessment Program (ACAP) testing data. Mackey cautioned the board that data will show more students testing below grade level in reading because of the new 10-point cut score increase. In comparing with last year's cut score, however, students are performing much better. Statewide English Language Arts (ELA), math and science scores by grade level will be made available in the July work session, with district-level data available by the August work session.

Other Board Meeting and Work Session News 

The SBOE approved a resolution recognizing Alabama’s “Grow Our Own” initiative and “Future Teachers of Alabama” organization. Several high school students currently participating in these programs in Cullman, Calhoun and Fayette counties discussed their experiences and answered questions during the board work session.

Resolutions

• Approval of Huntingdon College's education preparation program
• 2025-2026 District Teachers of the Year
• Vinemont High School, Cullman County School System, 2025 Alabama Green Ribbon Schools Award Nominee, SBOE District Six
• Helen Keller School of Alabama, 2025 Alabama Green Ribbon Schools Award Nominee, SBOE District Six
• Barbara Fannin Memorial Employee of the Quarter, April-June 2025: Leah Johnston
• 100th Anniversary of the Alabama State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance

Next SBOE Meeting and Work Session

The board’s next regular meeting will take place Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 10 a.m. in Montgomery with a work session immediately following:

• Gordon Persons Building Auditorium
• Livestream viewing: https://www.youtube.com/user/aldeptofed/live 
• Archived meeting and work session recordings: https://www.alabamaachieves.org/state-board-of-education/meeting-videos/ 

Ada Katherine van Wyhe, MPA
AASB Director of Governmental Relations