Board hears budget and staffing updates: $5M for struggling readers beyond Grade 3, assistant-principal increases and concerns about interventionist layoffs

Department leaders briefed the board on several budget and staffing items affecting local schools: a proposed $5 million supplemental line item for struggling readers beyond grade 3, partial funding for additional assistant principals, a new principal supplement and concerns about losing interventionist positions as federal ESSER funds end.

Department staff said the House budget includes a separate $5 million appropriation for reading supports beyond Grade 3. The department framed the funding as targeted at fourth through sixth grades and schools with concentrations of students who are near the promotion cut score or who received a "good cause" exemption. "We asked for $22 million. We got $5 million," a department presenter said, noting the agency remains engaged with legislative leaders about larger proposals.

On school leaders and building administration, staff described about $20 million proposed for additional assistant principals: the current plan would provide a half-time assistant principal for elementary schools starting at 300 students (rather than 250) and a full-time assistant principal for middle and high schools starting at 300 students. Staff said they will continue to press for a 250-student threshold and additional funding in the next budget cycle.

The board was told the principal-supplement program will pay eligible principals up to $10,000 after completion of required duties; department staff explained the statute and budget mechanics will require district verification and end-of-year draws to distribute the supplement. Department staff also said retired principals are expected to serve as mentors for new principals and that mentors may serve multiple mentees; the meeting included confirmation that retired teachers can serve as mentors for up to five beginning teachers.

Members raised concern about interventionists—staff who work directly with students—whose positions were often funded by ESSER federal relief. Department staff said many districts are reducing or eliminating interventionist positions as federal funds remain unavailable to replace that expense, and that some veteran interventionists may choose retirement rather than returning to classroom assignments. "We're going to lose some people through attrition," a department presenter said, and staff discussed options such as part-time return-to-work arrangements or redeploying retirees to high-need schools or mentoring roles.

The department also said summer reading and math camp funding is in the budget for 2025 and that ARI (Alabama Reading Initiative) work continues. Presenters flagged that protecting coaches' time and training principals to be instructional leaders remain key priorities, referencing a statewide survey of reading specialists in which respondents said the principal's support and protected coaching time were the most important factors for coaching success.

Board members asked for follow-up materials on program rollout and district impacts; staff committed to provide additional implementation detail and to return with further guidance on grant timelines and mentor staffing.