In early March, Governor Bentley released his budget proposal for 2015-16 in conjunction with his State of the State address. The general fund budget — which supports state operations, excluding education — would increase 20 percent to $2.3 billion. This budget incorporates expected revenues from eight tax changes and increases that the governor proposed to help prevent general fund shortfalls.

The Education Trust Fund budget (that funds all levels of education and a number of other programs), would total nearly $6 billion, an increase of 1.1 percent. Elementary and secondary schools would receive nearly $4 billion (up 3.9 percent); two-year colleges would receive $344 million (up 3.1 percent); and four-year colleges and universities would operate at $1.1 billion (up 5.3 percent).