Randolph County Board of Education approves fiscal year 2026 budget and salary schedule; multiple procurement and contract votes pass

The Randolph County Board of Education voted Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2025, to approve its fiscal year 2026 budget and salary schedule following a presentation at the board's second budget hearing for FY2026.

The board convened the hearing at 5 p.m.; Bethany Waters delivered the financial presentation and fielded questions. After the presentation, the board moved to approve the fiscal year 2026 budget and the accompanying salary schedule by motion. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote as recorded in the meeting transcript.

The budget vote followed a readout of a State of Alabama resolution recognizing Woodland Elementary School as a 2024 Science of Reading Spotlight School. The superintendent read the state resolution commending schools that met reading-growth criteria under the Alabama Reading Initiative and referenced the Alabama Literacy Act as the framework cited in the state resolution.

Other routine procurement and personnel matters were decided during the same hearing. The board accepted low bids and approved contracts recommended by the superintendent without extended discussion. Those items included awards for diesel fuel and diesel oil, a propane contract, contracts for occupational and physical therapy and behavior-analysis services, an out-of-state student field trip, and the personnel action sheet.

Votes at a glance: - Approved: Fiscal year 2026 budget and salary schedule (motion moved and seconded; outcome: approved by voice vote). - Approved: Bid for diesel fuel from Willingham Oil Company at $2.54714 per gallon. - Approved: Bid for diesel oil from Allen Oil Company (transcript-listed prices: $15.84 per gallon in gallon containers, $16.77 per gallon in quart containers, $15.05 per gallon for 55-gallon drums). - Approved: LP gas contract from Blossman Propane Gas at $1.1959 per gallon plus a $14.99 compliance fee (price as stated in meeting materials/transcript). - Approved: Contracts to provide related pupil services, listed by the superintendent: • Team Rehabilitation — occupational therapy services • The Learning Tree — board-certified behavior analyst review services • Clay County Healthcare Authority — physical therapy evaluations and therapy; occupational therapy evaluations and therapy • ACT Behavior Consulting LLC — board-certified behavior analyst • Sherry Green — psychometry services The superintendent said the district may not necessarily use all listed providers but requested approval of contracts to allow primary and backup vendors. - Approved: Out-of-state field trip for approximately 20 Wadley and Woodland students to Moultrie, Georgia, for the Sunbelt Ag Expo on Oct. 15, 2025; chaperones listed as Ally Johnson and Brad Johnson; the superintendent said the trip would be paid with “top 1 in student funding” as recorded in the meeting. - Approved: Personnel action sheet.

Discussion vs. formal action: Most agenda items were presented as recommendations from the superintendent and then approved by motion and voice vote with no recorded dissent or extended debate in the provided transcript excerpt. The State Board of Education resolution naming Woodland Elementary a Spotlight School was read into the record but no separate local vote on the resolution is recorded in the transcript excerpt.

Meeting context and next steps: The board completed the second FY2026 budget hearing as required and adopted the budget and salary schedule. Several procurement contracts and personnel items were approved to allow the district to proceed with vendor services and planned student activities. The board adjourned after completing the listed agenda items.