WHY NOW?
No Ad Valorem Increase in Almost 40 Years
Our Schools Are Falling Behind Our Peers
Costs Continue to Soar
Tuscaloosa City Schools have not seen an ad valorem increase since 1986—almost 40 years ago. During this time, inflation has risen 187 percent, while the costs of running our schools have increased 272 percent. Our schools have endured 38 years of inflation without an ad valorem increase.
Other school systems in the state are far outpacing Tuscaloosa in financial support. Tuscaloosa is behind Vestavia, Hoover, Auburn, Phenix City, Albertville, Boaz, Gadsden, and Madison, to name a few. This disparity in support affects our ability to attract businesses and young professionals and our competitiveness in providing quality education. Strong schools create strong communities, and it’s time for Tuscaloosa to catch up. The school funding referendum is a crucial step in this direction, as it will provide the necessary funding to improve our schools and make Tuscaloosa a more attractive place to live and work.
School costs continue to soar, and without additional funding, Tuscaloosa City Schools will face painful cuts to services and programs, undermining the great successes and programs the system has made over the years.
There is no question our schools need your YES vote on September 24.
The Financial Challenges Tuscaloosa Schools Face
Budget Deficits Must Be Eliminated
A YES Vote Solves This Funding Problem
Despite all our educational success, financial problems exist that must be addressed. Since 2018, Tuscaloosa City Schools’ costs have exceeded the funding we have budgeted. The school system must operate under a balanced budget, which means that if our costs exceed the budget, there must be cuts. This situation must be fixed, or school cuts to important programs must be made. If passed, the school funding referendum will address these financial challenges by allocating funds to specific areas such as teacher salaries, technology upgrades, and program expansions.
COVID money from the federal government helped Tuscaloosa City Schools fund programs during the last few years, but that funding will soon be gone. Without additional resources, our schools will face cuts to many of our most important programs.
School Costs Continue to Soar
A YES Vote Means More Funding
Tuscaloosa City Schools have seen a 272 percent increase in school costs since 1987. The school tax referendum is crucial in addressing these increasing costs and ensuring our schools can continue providing quality education.
The city school budget for 1986-87 was $46.5 million. The current budget passed in 2023 is $173 million.
The costs of recruiting and maintaining the best teachers continue to soar. The average Alabama teacher salary in 1985-86 was $23,320. According to the most recent data, it is $55,050 for 2022.
In 1986, there was no such thing as an iPod, iPad, iMac or iPhone. Today, Tuscaloosa City Schools provide more than 12,500 Chromebooks.
There was one high school then. Now there are three.
There was no Pre-K program in 1986. Today, It has doubled in size in the last ten years.
Summer learning has increased from 550 to 3,000 students in the last seven years.