The education of our youth is one of the most important issues facing the State of Alabama today.  As the State Representative for District 49 I feel that it is crucial to maintain active communication between myself and local education leaders.  The only way to fully understand the problems facing schools at the local level is to personally participate in discussions with educators who know the problems facing our schools first hand. In an effort to maintain this active I dialogue I make it a top priority to tour every school in District 49 each year.

The answers to the problems facing education today begin with the families and teachers who are on the front line in helping to educate the leaders of tomorrow.  Throughout my term in the legislature I have made it my goal to always make local education concerns heard in the debates that take place in Montgomery.  

My priority as a State Representative is for the legislature deal with several education issues including bringing teacher salaries in Alabama up to the national average, providing more money for public school construction, and eliminate wasteful spending in Montgomery so more dollars reach the classroom. In the most recent regular session of the legislature I co-sponsored a 7% pay increase for teachers in Alabama to help us get closer to our goal of meeting the national pay average for our educators.  

In addition to salaries, schools in our area are constantly under pressure to keep up with growth. Under the 2007 Education Bond Issue recently passed by the legislature Shelby County will receive $20,177,130 and Bibb County will receive $3,265,155 for school construction.  

To view the Education Trust Fund Budget for 2007 as passed by the Alabama Legislature please click on the link below:
Education Budget