Ivey proposes 2% teacher pay raise in record $8.8 billion education budget

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey released her proposal Tuesday for how lawmakers should spend a record $8.8 billion from the Education Trust Fund budget for fiscal year 2024, which starts Oct. 1. The proposal reflects a 6.5% increase over the current year’s $8.3 billion education budget. Included in Ivey’s proposal is a 2% pay raise for education employees, new investments in teacher recruitment, childcare, and more spending for laying the foundations of early grades learning required under the Literacy and Numeracy Acts. Ivey’s proposal also includes big increases for childcare, and...