Title 16

The Legislature makes the following findings and determinations: (1) In a number of instances, the Legislature, by general or local act, has authorized the levy and collection within a county or municipality of a tax, other than an ad valorem tax, for school purposes and has spec…

In any instance in which the Legislature, by general or local act, has provided for or authorized the levy and collection within any county or municipality of a tax, other than an ad valorem tax, for school purposes, herein called a “special school tax,” and has specified that th…

In no event shall this article be construed or applied in a manner that results in a termination date for the levy of any special school tax that is earlier than the termination date that would have been applicable if this article had not become effective. (Act 98-361, p. 631, §3…

This article shall apply with respect to any special school tax heretofore or hereafter authorized by the Legislature that is subject to a termination provision of the type described herein and shall be given effect if related refunding obligations are issued either before or aft…

As used in this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) BOARD. Each county or city board of education; the Board of Trustees of the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind; the Alabama Youth Services Board in its capacity as the Board of Education for the…

(a) The average salary of Alabama teachers, including the State Minimum Salary Schedule, local salary supplementals, state incentive pay such as National Board of Professional Teaching Standards certification, and any other salary compensation paid to Alabama teachers, shall be i…

(a) It is the goal of the Governor and the Legislature to raise Alabama’s non-salaried expenditures per public school student to the national average in conjunction with this commitment to teachers’ salaries. (b) It is the goal of the Governor and the Legislature to continue and …

(a) It is the intention of the Legislature by the adoption of this article to authorize each county board of education and each city board of education in the State of Alabama to issue and sell, at public or private sale, upon the prior written approval of the State Superintenden…

The following terms as used in this article shall have the following meanings: (1) BOARD. Any county board of education and any city board of education. (2) COSTS. When used with reference to or in connection with any public school facility or any portion thereof, all or any part…

(a) In addition to all other notes, obligations, warrants, and other forms or types of indebtedness which any board shall have the power to issue pursuant to laws other than this article, each board shall have full and continuing power from time to time to issue and sell warrants…

(a) Warrants issued under this article shall not be general obligations of the board issuing such warrants but shall be payable solely from the designated revenues or tax proceeds of the board which may be lawfully applied to the payment of indebtedness of such board, including f…

(a)(1) Warrants issued pursuant to this article may be in the denomination or denominations; shall have a maturity or maturities not exceeding 30 years from their date; may bear interest from their date at the rate or rates payable in the manner and at the times; may be payable a…

(a) A board shall obtain the prior written approval of the State Superintendent for the issuance of any warrants under this article. Before entering into any agreement or contract for the issuance and sale, and before the issuance and sale, of any warrants under this article, the…

Warrants reciting that they are issued pursuant to the terms of this article shall in any action or proceeding involving their validity be conclusively deemed to be fully authorized thereby and to have been issued, sold, executed, and delivered in conformity therewith and with al…

All warrants and interest accruing thereon issued hereunder shall forever be exempt from all state, county, municipal, and other taxation under the laws of the State of Alabama. (Act 2011-631, p. 1495, §8.)

The warrants issued pursuant to the provisions of this article shall be legal investments for executors, administrators, trustees, and other fiduciaries. (Act 2011-631, p. 1495, §9.)

Any county may, with respect to the county board of education within its jurisdiction and any city board of education within, in whole or in part, its jurisdiction, and any municipality may, with respect to the city board of education (if any) within its jurisdiction and with res…

(a) Upon the request of a public person who shall have issued or incurred obligations for the benefit of a board and for a purpose or purposes for which a board could issue warrants under this article, and upon compliance with the following terms and conditions, a board may under…

Insofar as the provisions of this article may be in conflict or inconsistent with any provisions of any other law concerning actions authorized by this article, the provisions of this article shall control and govern, any other provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding. Su…

There is created the Teacher Excellence and Accountability for Mathematics and Science (TEAMS) Salary Schedule Program. (Act 2021-340, §1.)

For the purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings: (1) DEPARTMENT. The State Department of Education. (2) ELIGIBLE TEACHER. A teacher employed by a local board who satisfies all the criteria for application in the program provided in this art…

The department shall administer the program and may establish necessary procedures for the administration of the program. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules necessary to implement this article. (Act 2021-340, §3.)

(a) An eligible teacher shall satisfy each of the following criteria to participate in the program: (1) Hold a valid Alabama professional educator certificate or valid alternate certificate, approved for middle level or secondary math, science, or computer science courses. (2) Te…

(a) A participating teacher shall be offered a preliminary or advanced contract under the provisions of this article. (b)(1) A participating teacher not meeting the criteria for an advanced contract as provided in subsection (c) shall be offered a preliminary contract if this is …

(a) In addition to the other provisions of this article, participating teachers shall be eligible for the hard-to-staff supplement. The hard-to-staff supplement shall be five thousand dollars ($5,000) per year. (b)(1) To qualify for the hard-to-staff supplement, a participating t…

(a) The TEAMS Fund is created in the State Treasury for the purpose of providing funding for differential pay and salary supplements to participating teachers as provided by this article. The Legislature shall appropriate to this fund amounts sufficient to sustain the operation o…

(a) Beginning with the 2021-2022 school year and each year thereafter, each participating teacher shall be employed on a 189-day contract with the local board. (b) After completion of a preliminary contract period, the local board, upon the recommendation of the local superintend…

(a) If the local board, upon the recommendation of the local superintendent, votes to terminate the employment of a participating teacher before the completion of his or her contract without cause, the teacher shall be paid the balance of salary and benefits due for the contract …

(a)(1) The department may develop a model participating teacher contract for use pursuant to this article. (2) Each model preliminary contract shall include a provision to ensure a participating teacher’s adequate progress toward advanced contract qualification, to include benchm…

(a) Public charter schools created pursuant to the Alabama School Choice and Student Opportunity Act, Chapter 6F, shall be allocated TEAMS positions and funding in the same manner as local boards under this article, provided the public charter school complies with all requirement…

This article shall be known and may be cited as the Renewing Alabama’s Investment in Student Excellence (RAISE) Act. (Act 2025-257, §1.)

For purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (1) AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP (ADM). Average enrollment from the first 20 days of school after Labor Day of the preceding year. (2) BASE FUNDING FACTOR. The sum certified by the Legislative Fiscal Offic…

(a) There is established a fund in the State Treasury for the public schools of this state which shall be known as the Renewing Alabama’s Investment in Student Excellence (RAISE) Fund. The fund shall be used to provide additional funding for public schools for the purpose of addr…

(a) The department shall implement this article commencing with the 2025-2026 school year contingent upon funding being appropriated by the Legislature for such purpose. (b) The funding described in this article shall be allocated in accordance with this article and rules adopted…

(a)(1) DETERMINING THE ANNUAL COST OF THE RAISE PROGRAM. Subject to available funding for the RAISE Fund for any fiscal year of the state, the RAISE Fund weighted allocations for each qualifying student group shall be established in the annual Education Trust Fund appropriations …

(a) Each LEA shall produce an accountability plan and report that: (1) Establishes goals for the achievement of qualifying students in weighted categories. These goals shall be in alignment with the student achievement goals established in Alabama’s plan under the Every Student S…

(a) By January 1, 2028, the Legislature shall establish the RAISE Act Review Committee to review the overall progress of the RAISE Act and make recommendations for continuous improvement. (b) The committee shall be led by the Chair of the Senate Finance and Taxation Education Com…

(a) By July 1, 2028, the Legislature shall establish the RAISE Act Accountability and Implementation Board to establish a hearing process to monitor the progress of LEAs and schools to ensure that RAISE Act funds are spent effectively and hold them accountable for results. (b) Th…

(a) The department shall develop, with the support of an external partner with expertise in streamlining state and federal funding, a unified application that aligns policy priorities, planning, and budgeting in one application. The unified application shall streamline applicatio…