Click here for blog


Alabama’s public schools, colleges and universities will have $500 million for repairs and construction needs if legislators approve a supplemental appropriation Gov. Bob Riley is proposing this month.

Cherokee County schools would get $1,465,558, including $1,265,558 based on an average daily enrollment of 4199.4.

To help make the case for his sweeping proposal, Gov. Riley Wednesday began circulating to legislators a list of how much funding each school system in Alabama will receive.

The governor’s proposal divides $250 million among public K-12 systems. The other $250 million is divided among two-year colleges, four-year universities, K-12 schools damaged by natural disasters, school systems that want to consolidate schools, and other needs.

Funding levels for each school system are set by a formula so there is no hint of politics involved in the distribution of the $500 million. Each system will receive a minimum of $200,000. Additional allocations above that are based upon a system’s student population.

“This $500 million is one-time money and it will be used wisely and responsibly on these one-time expenses,” Gov. Riley said. “There are tremendous needs in every school system in Alabama. We should direct this one-time appropriation to address those needs without raising taxes, incurring debt or spending it on recurring expenses.”

Every school system in the state will benefit under Gov. Riley’s proposal. The funds can be used by school systems for new construction, building repairs and upgrades, and to pay down debt school systems incurred from previous construction projects.

Gov. Riley will formally introduce his school construction plan when the Legislature begins the 2006 regular session Tuesday. The governor’s annual State of the State Address will be made Tuesday to a joint session of the Legislature at the State Capitol