Alabama Constitution Section 261 Percentage of school funds for teachers' salaries
🔹 Alabama Constitution – Section 261
Title: Percentage of school funds for teachers' salaries
📘 Text Summary:
Section 261 of the Alabama Constitution states that:
Not less than 80% of all funds raised and available for public schools (excluding money specifically for building or equipment) must be used to pay teachers’ salaries.
🔍 Detailed Explanation:
Purpose of the Section:
To ensure that the majority of school funding goes directly to instruction, by paying teachers.
It limits how much can be spent on administrative costs or other non-instructional expenses.
What Counts Toward the 80%:
Salaries of classroom teachers, instructional staff, and sometimes instructional support staff.
This is aimed at improving education quality by investing in those who teach directly.
What’s Excluded from the 80% Rule:
Funds specifically raised or allocated for:
School buildings
Maintenance
Supplies
Transportation
Technology or equipment
Those can be used differently and are not counted in the 80% requirement.
🎯 Why It Matters:
This ensures most of the education budget supports teaching, not bureaucracy.
It helps maintain competitive pay for teachers, which can improve recruitment and retention.
Encourages efficiency in school district budgeting.
🧠 In Simple Words:
At least 80% of regular school money must be spent on teachers' pay, not on buildings, buses, or admin salaries.
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