Alabama State Superintendent Eric Mackey speaks to Alabama State Board of Education members in the Gordon Persons Building after the Alabama State Board of Education meeting on July 8, 2025, in Montgomery, Alabama. (Anna Barrett/Alabama Reflector)
The Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE) will request a $5.6 billion budget for fiscal year 2027 to support programs like the Alabama Reading Initiative (ARI), English language learners (ELL) and speech pathologists.
The department plans to request $52 million to help coach struggling readers beyond third grade. The department previously asked for the same amount and was granted $12 in supplemental funds…