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Alabama Superintendent of Education
| Alabama Superintendent of Education | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Nonpartisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $299,900 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $5,048,314,985 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | Serves at the pleasure of the Alabama Board of Education |
| Authority: | Code of Alabama, Section 16-4-1 |
| Selection Method: | Appointed by Alabama Board of Education |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Alabama Superintendent of Education
Eric Mackey | |
| Other Alabama Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The Alabama Superintendent of Education is a state executive position in the Alabama government. The superintendent is the chief executive officer of the state Department of Education and exercises "general control and supervision over the public schools of the state."[1]
Current officeholder
The current Alabama Superintendent of Education is Eric Mackey (nonpartisan). Mackey assumed office in 2018.
Authority
The office of superintendent is authorized by Section 16-4-1 of the Code of Alabama.[2]
Code of Alabama, Section 16-4-1
| As the chief executive officer of the State Department of Education there shall be a State Superintendent of Education, who shall be appointed by the State Board of Education and shall serve at the pleasure of the State Board of Education; provided, however that the State Board of Education may enter into a contract with the State Superintendent of Education for his services for a period not to exceed four years. |
Qualifications
Alabama law requires that the superintendent meet the following requirements:[2]
Code of Alabama, Section 16-4-1
| The Superintendent of Education shall be a person of good moral character, with academic and professional education equivalent to graduation from a standard university or college, who is knowledgeable in school administration and has training and experience sufficient to qualify him to perform the duties of his office. |
Appointments
The superintendent is appointed by the state Board of Education and serves at its pleasure.[2]
Term limits
Alabama law does not prescribe any particular term limits for the superintendent, though the Board of Education may only offer officeholders a four year contract. Thus, an incumbent must effectively be reviewed and reappointed every four years.
Vacancies
Article V, Section 136 of the Alabama Constitution requires the governor to appoint a replacement if the office of superintendent becomes vacant or if the incumbent "shall become of unsound mind." The replacement serves until the next scheduled election.[3]
Constitution of Alabama, Article V, Section 136
| Should the office of attorney-general, state auditor, secretary of state, state treasurer, superintendent of education, or commissioner of agriculture and industries become vacant from any cause, the governor shall fill such vacancy until the disability is removed or a successor elected and qualified. In case any of said officers shall become of unsound mind, such unsoundness shall be ascertained by the supreme court upon the suggestion of the governor. |
Duties
The superintendent's statutory duties are to "explain the true intent and meaning of the school laws," and "decide... all controversies and disputes involving the proper administration of the public school system."[4] Alabama law also requires the superintendent to enforce rules made by the Alabama Board of Education.
The office also fulfills myriad administrative duties for the Department of Education; it distributes state funds to local school boards, executes school policy as determined by the state Board of Education, conducts conferences of state or local educational officials, and establishes regulations for school buildings. The superintendent also prepares budgets for the Department, performs a census of Alabama students every ten years, and establishes criteria for evaluating the performance of different schools.[5]
State budget
- See also: Alabama state budget and finances
The budget for the Alabama Department of Education in fiscal year 2025 was $5,048,314,985.[6]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
The salary of the superintendent is established by the Alabama State Board of Education, as required by law:
Code of Alabama, Section 16-4-1:
| The salary of the State Superintendent of Education shall be such amount per annum as shall be set by the State Board of Education in an amount within the range now or hereafter established by law, to be paid in installments from the annual appropriation of the State Department of Education. |
Alabama Constitution, Article V, Section 118 of the state Constitution requires that changes in compensation take effect in the term after they were passed.
Alabama Constitution, Article V, Section 118
| The governor, lieutenant governor, attorney-general, state auditor, secretary of state, state treasurer, superintendent of education, and commissioner of agriculture and industries, shall receive compensation to be fixed by law, which shall not be increased or diminished during the term for which they shall have been elected, and shall, except the lieutenant governor, reside at the state capital during the time they continue in office, except during epidemics. |
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $299,900, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $283,890, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2021
In 2021, the superintendent received a salary of $276,231, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2020
In 2020, the superintendent received a salary of $268,797 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2019
In 2019, the superintendent received a salary of $250,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2018
In 2018, the superintendent received a salary of $250,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2017
In 2017, the superintendent received a salary of $250,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2016
In 2016, the superintendent received a salary of $250,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2015
In 2015, the superintendent’s salary was increased to $250,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2014
In 2014, the superintendent's salary remained at $198,000, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2013
In 2013, the superintendent was paid an estimated $198,000, according to the Council of State Governments.
Historical officeholders
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for chronological lists of historical officeholders; information for the Alabama Superintendent of Education has not yet been added because the information was unavailable on the relevant state official websites, or we are currently in the process of formatting the list for this office. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Alabama State Superintendent Education. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact info
Physical address:
50 North Ripley Street
Montgomery, AL 36104
Mailing address:
PO Box 302101
Montgomery, AL 36130
Phone: 334-694-4900
See also
| Alabama | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Code of Alabama, "Section 16-3-11," accessed May 24, 2011
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Code of Alabama, "Section 16-4-1," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Constitution of Alabama, "Article V, Section 136," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Code of Alabama, "Section 16-4-4," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Code of Alabama, "Sections 16-4-4,6,8,10,11,14,15,18,19," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Alabama Department of Finance, "Executive Budget Fiscal Year 2025," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
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