New Multi-Billion Dollar Education Budget Affords Significant Raise To Alabama Teachers

School teachers in Alabama will be receiving a significant increase in pay. The raise is part of the state's newly-approved multi-billion-dollar budget for education. Could the new budget allow schools to improve and address concerns?

Compensation Vital In Attracting Quality Employees

The Alabama Senate on Thursday voted in favor of a $6.3 billion cash grant which affords a 4 percent increase for principals, assistant principals and teachers earning $75,000 per year. Those who earn more than that will be getting a 2 percent raise, as per Montgomery Advertiser.

"Most businesses, you have to attract good people," said Arthur Orr, Senate Finance and Taxation Education chairperson. "The way to attract good people is how you compensate them. We need to compensate people in the education system accordingly to get the best that we can."

Additionally, the 2017 Education Trust Fund budget amplifies Alabama's allocation of education employees' insurance. An extra $20 will be added to the previous $780 on a per month, per employee basis. Meanwhile, a sum of $16 million will be apportioned to Alabama's pre-kindergarten program, increasing the program's total budget from $48 million to $64 million.

Toddlers, Retirees To Benefit As Well

The Alabama School Readiness Alliance claimed the budget would financially support roughly 3,000 more four-year-olds to enroll in pre-kindergarten. In turn, the surge of enrollees would greatly help with the salaries of teachers.

According to Anniston Star, retirees will also be receiving financial bonuses. However, the raise will only be given if Alabama racks up more income than what was initially forecasted for 2017.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

The budget could have been a lot more lucrative had the Alabama Senate approved of an additional $12 million share for the PREP Act, a bill, which could have extended the time it would take for teachers reach tenure. The amount would have also funded the state's incentive program which rewards academic improvements.

Alabama's freshly-minted education budget is the most lucrative it has ever been since 2008. It's an increase of $336 million from this year's financial plan. The 2017 Education Trust Fund budget will take effect in October 2016.