BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Alabama’s Community College System board approved asking lawmakers for $694 million for their fiscal year 2026 budget, an 18% increase it says is essential to meet the state’s workforce development demands.
In that request, Chancellor Jimmy Baker said, is a “significant pay increase across the board for all employees.” The actual cost of the increase wasn’t stated during the board meeting Wednesday.
The pay raise aims to make instructor positions more competitive amid growing challenges in hiring, particularly for math and science programs.
“We’re having a difficult time across the system hiring instructors, particularly in the math and science programs,” Baker said, citing competition from K-12 schools, where teacher salaries in those subject areas have risen under the TEAMS Act. Alabama lawmakers raised salaries for middle and high school math and science teachers three years ago via the TEAMS Act. School officials say the program has helped them find and retain certified math and science teachers in sixth through 12th grade.
ACCS salary schedules range from $55,109 for a 12-month instructor to $123,547 for those with 30 or more years of experience. By comparison, TEAMS teachers earn $50,521 to $102,067 for 189-day contracts, with potential stipends adding up to $20,000 for National Board Certification and working in hard-to-staff schools.
In addition to pay raises, the ACCS proposal also seeks to expand programs that impact student success and workforce readiness.
One big ask in the budget request includes $50.5 million for dual enrollment – a $10 million increase over the current year’s $40.5 million allocation. Dual enrollment programs – where high school students take college courses – continue to grow in popularity.
The board also wants a $10 million increase for the ACCS Innovation Center, which provides specialized workforce training, raising the allocation from $15 million to $25 million.
Officials want $18.3 million in funding – a 60% increase over the current year’s allocation – for operations and maintenance at Ingram State Technical College’s Perry County Facility.
“With the advancement of the mega prisons coming our way and the overall state support that Ingram is providing to our incarcerated students, we feel this ask is very vital to the continuation and growth of Ingram’s programs,” ACCS Chief Financial Officer Sara Calhoun told the board at their November work session.
The proposed budget includes a 5% increase for operations and maintenance at each of the community college campuses, according to Calhoun.
There was good news about fall enrollment: The 89,808 students enrolled in for-credit courses is the highest number of students since the 2011-12 school year.
The Alabama Commission on Higher Education will vote on an FY26 budget proposal for all higher education operations at its Friday meeting.It is required by state statute to come up with a budget request for all of higher education each year. Its recommendations can defer from what individual schools and ACCS request.
ACCS will present their budget request to the joint legislative budget committees on Feb. 5.