This amendment provides over $419 million in extra funding from the Education Trust Fund to support schools, universities, and various state programs for safety, technology, reading improvement, and transportation.
Alabama2026Enacted
HB235
HB235: Extra Education Funding for Fiscal Year 2026
Last scannedAug 24, 2026, 9:06 AM
In one sentence
This law provides $419,717,091 from the Education Trust Fund to various Alabama agencies and schools for specific projects during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.
What it does
- Provides money for local school systems to buy new buses or pay off old bus debt; up-to-date districts may apply to use these funds for other educational needs.
- Funds programs for school safety training and mapping, summer learning, career technology equipment including heavy machinery simulators, and specific centers like the McWane Center and EdFarm.
- Gives grants to charter schools on a per-pupil basis, community colleges, universities, and specialized academies such as those for cyber technology, fine arts, mathematics, science, and healthcare.
- Transfers small amounts of money from student assistance, court monitor, and teacher scholarship loan funds into the Commission on Higher Education Fund.
- Allows conversion charter schools to use their grant money flexibly as needed instead of following strict rules.
- Reduces funding for a rural teaching health center while increasing support for a graduate medical education program in Decatur.
Who it affects
- Local school boards and public schools across Alabama
- State universities, community colleges, and specialized academies like the School of Cyber Technology
- The Department of Education, Public Library Service, and other state agencies receiving funds
- Conversion charter schools that received grants under Act 2024-428
Limits and unknowns
- Funds for Junior Achievement are only available if the group proves they have raised at least $3,000,000 from other sources by August 31, 2026.
- School systems that already bought new buses must ask permission to use their bus money for different educational needs.
Plain language
Terms to know
- Education Trust Fund
- A specific pool of money in Alabama used to pay for education-related programs and services.
- Supplemental Appropriation
- Extra funding added after the main budget was already approved.
- Conversion Charter School
- A public school that has changed its status to operate as a charter school with more flexibility in how it runs.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
This act: (1) makes supplemental appropriations from the Education Trust Fund totaling $419,717,091 to various agencies and entities for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026; (2) transfers $49,920 from the Alabama Student Assistance Program Fund, $148,192 from the Knight Court Monitor Fund, and $114,723 from the Teacher Education Scholarship Loan Fund to the Commission on Higher Education Fund and appropriates these funds to the Commission on Higher Education for specific uses; (3) appropriates $100,000,000 from the CHOOSE Act Fund to the Department of Revenue for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026; (4) authorizes conversion charter schools to use funds received under Act 2024-428 as needed; (5) authorizes the Alabama Historical Commission to use unused or returned funds previously appropriated from the Education Trust Fund; (6) amends Section 3 of Act 2025-270 to decrease the Education Trust Fund appropriation to the Rural Alabama Teaching Health Center from $1,110,000 to $385,000 and appropriate $725,000 to the Decatur Morgan Graduate Medical Education Program; (7) reappropriates unexpended or reverted appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026; and (8) appropriates amounts necessary for public funds into the State Treasury.
Official activity
Bill history
- EnactedHouse
- Delivered to GovernorHouse
- Signature RequestedSenate
- Garrett Motion to Concur In and Adopt Senate Amendment - Adopted Roll Call 1248 (Yeas 103, Nays 0)House
- EnrolledHouse
- Ready to EnrollHouse
- Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 1098 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)Senate
- Orr motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 1097 (Yeas 33, Nays 0)Senate
- Third Reading in Second House (Yeas 33, Nays 0)Senate
- Orr 2nd Substitute OfferedSenate
- Orr motion to Table - Adopted Voice VoteSenate
- Finance and Taxation Education 1st Substitute OfferedSenate
- Read for the Second Time and placed on the CalendarSenate
- Reported Out of Committee Second HouseSenate
- Finance and Taxation Education 1st SubstituteSenate
- Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass as Amended - Adopted Roll Call 865 (Yeas 105, Nays 0)House
- Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 864 (Yeas 104, Nays 0)House
- Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 863 (Yeas 105, Nays 0)House
- Motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 862 (Yeas 105, Nays 0)House
- Third Reading in House of Origin (Yeas 104, Nays 0)House
Changes
Amendments
5 stored
This amendment changes a sentence to specifically mention studying how dredging affects the environment and economy in Mobile Bay.
This amendment changes a funding line to provide $150,000 from the Education Trust Fund specifically for Oak Tree Ministries in Newton Center.
This amendment provides over $419 million in extra funding from the Education Trust Fund to schools and state agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.
This amendment provides over $419 million in extra funding from the Education Trust Fund to schools and state agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.