On Wednesday, the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE) shared its budget plan for the 2025 legislative session during a joint budget hearing. ACHE plays a crucial role in managing financial aid for the state and conducting important research on higher education and workforce needs.
Dr. Jim Purcell, the Executive Director, outlined the commission’s request for $77,859,213 from the Education Trust Fund for the upcoming fiscal year. This budget doesn’t include additional funds for day-to-day operations but does request slight increases for existing programs and funds for six new initiatives.
One exciting new program is the “Hunger Free Campus Initiative,” which aims to help colleges provide food assistance to students in need. Inspired by successful efforts at Auburn University and the University of Alabama, this initiative would direct $200,000 to support student groups in tackling hunger on various campuses.
Another important request is $250,000 for an Alabama Special Education Rural Teacher scholarship. This funding aims to address the shortage of special education teachers in rural areas and establish a collaborative program for training educators from these regions.
ACHE is also seeking $150,000 for cybersecurity insurance to safeguard sensitive student records. To improve tracking college enrollment for Alabama high school graduates attending out-of-state schools, the commission has requested $100,000 to use the National Student Clearinghouse.
There’s a request for another $100,000 to help implement the Alabama Literacy and Numeracy Acts at state colleges. However, this was met with skepticism from committee members, who questioned the effectiveness of previous funding for these initiatives.
Dr. Purcell faced further questions on a $650,000 request for the HBCU Consortium. Members wanted clarity on how this organization differs from HBCU Cares. Purcell explained that the Consortium focuses on faculty training and developing an accounting certification program for Black students, and they discussed inviting a representative to clarify these roles.
In addition, ACHE is looking for a $1.5 million boost for state financial aid programs like the Alabama Student Assistance Program and the Alabama National Guard Scholarship Program. There are also requests for $1 million for STEM teacher recruitment and $200,000 to support the Network of Alabama Academic Libraries.
Lastly, the commission seeks an extra $2 million for the (Re)Engage Alabama Grant Program, designed to help students finish their degrees. They hope to broaden eligibility to include students as young as 22 and those with an associate degree wanting to complete their bachelor’s degree.
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2025 budget,2025 Legislative Session,Alabama Commission on Higher Education,education
