Local Procedures for the Expenditure of Funds on Classroom Materials and Supplies, Library Enhancement,
Professional Development, and Technology
(As required by Sections 16-1-8.1, 16-6B-10, 16-1-30 , and 16-13-231 of the Code of Alabama and Act 05-198)
- Each school must have a Budget Committee.
- Each Budget Committee must have five (5) members, four teachers elected by secret ballot and the principal or his/her designee. The committee must ELECT a chairperson from among its members. The principal cannot appoint a chairperson. The recording secretary must keep accurate minutes of meetings and actions taken to approve the budget during the secret balloting process for review by the State Examiner of Public Accounts.
- The teachers on the committee must be elected annually by a secret ballot by a majority of all teachers at the school.
- The Budget Committee develops a budget proposal to be presented to all members of the faculty.
- The proposed budget must outline common purchases for materials and supplies, i.e., the proposal for common purchases such as copy machine paper.
- The common purchases budget contains $200 for each teacher, principal, assistant principal, counselor, and librarian at the school. The 2006-2007 state budget contains this allocation for common purchases. Each teacher is to receive $525 for classroom supplies. In no case shall each teacher receive less than $525 for classroom supply purchases. It is illegal for any administrator to ask a teacher to sign a waiver on this appropriation.
- The Budget Committee’s proposed common purchase budget is to be presented to all faculty at an annual faculty meeting for their review and approval by secret ballot. Teachers must have at least two work days to review the proposed budget before a vote is taken.
- If the faculty approves the proposed budget, it becomes final. However, if the secret balloting process does not establish a majority vote for the proposed budget, the Budget Committee must return to work and try to work out the objections to the proposed budget. The Budget Committee continues to work until a proposed budget is approved by secret ballot by all faculty members. Nothing prevents the Budget Committee from meeting more than once a year and proposing amendments to the budget.
- The final budget must be sent to the local superintendent of education on a form provided by the State Department of Education. The local superintendent then transmits the notarized form to the State department of Education. (The local superintendent has no authority to alter the faculty adopted budget). The local superintendent shall certify that all funds have been properly spent and that all legal requirements have been properly observed and implemented. The local superintendent must list the amount spent on common purchases at each school and the amount given to teachers.
Further information may be obtained from your UniServ Director or the following persons at AEA:
Stephen Martin,
Joe Cottle, or
Amy Marlowe , by email or by calling 1-800-392-5839.
