A commission of Alabama lawmakers is expected to recommend a blended K-12 school funding model that combines the current Foundation Program, created in 1995, with additional need-based funding.
The recommendation, which emerged after months of review, reflects the commission’s finding that the state’s existing funding formula needs modernization to better address student challenges.
Three options
The commission, composed of budget committee members from both chambers, considered three options during Thursday’s meeting:
- Retain the current funding formula;
- Replace it with a fully weighted student funding model;
- Adopt a hybrid approach that retains the current formula while adding funding weights for specific student needs and challenges.
House Education Budget Chair Danny Garrett, R-Trussville, emphasized that the hybrid model offers the most practical path forward, preserving current funding levels and ensuring local tax revenue remains within school districts. However, he expressed concern about the limitations of the existing formula.
“Keeping the current model would be short-sighted,” Garrett said. “There are a lot of specific issues that a funding formula might be able to take care of, but our current budget doesn’t allow us to address them.” He pointed out that just 1.2% of the state’s $5.3 billion of education funding in fiscal year 2024 targeted student needs.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Trisha Powell Crain and originally published by Alabama Daily News. It is reprinted with permission.
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