UA · SLP
The Alabama Policy Dashboard — a Governance Operations Center publication
Live · Updated 07:42 CT
Vol. I · No. 9 · Monday, April 13, 2026
Forty indicators.
One authoritative view
of Alabama.
A continuously updated record of the state's fiscal, educational, economic, and public-health trajectory — produced by student analysts and faculty at the School of Leadership & Policy, for legislators, agency staff, the press, and the citizens of Alabama.
01Fiscal & Budget
Updated daily · Source: Alabama Dept. of Finance, LSA
General Fund Balance
$2.84B
▲ 3.1% YoY
Rainy-day reserves at record level; interest earnings up on Fed rates.
SE region rank: 3 of 12
ETF (Education Trust Fund)
$9.12B
▲ 1.8% YoY
Sales-tax receipts cooling; income-tax receipts steady.
Per-pupil: $11,420
Medicaid Shortfall (Proj.)
$148M
▼ Widening
Enrollment +2.4%; federal match schedule unchanged.
GOC Memo: M-2026-029
State Bond Rating
Aa1/ AA+
— Stable
Moody's / S&P affirmed Q1 2026. Outlook stable.
SE region rank: 4 of 12
02Education & Workforce
Updated monthly · Source: ALSDE, ACHE, DoL
4th-Grade Reading Proficiency
54%
▲ 6 pts since 2023
Literacy Act gains sustained through Y3.
National rank: ↑ from 49th to 38th
High School Graduation Rate
92.1%
▲ 0.4 pts
Gap narrowing between urban and rural districts.
National rank: 14 of 50
Labor Force Participation
58.3%
▼ 0.2 pts
Persistent gap of 4.1 pts below U.S. average.
National rank: 48 of 50
Postsecondary Credential Attainment
47.9%
▲ 1.2 pts
On track for Success Plus 2030 target of 60%.
Target gap: −12.1 pts
03Public Health & Safety
Updated weekly · Source: ADPH, ALEA, ADOC
Infant Mortality (per 1,000)
7.4
▼ improving
Lowest level in state history; rural gap persists.
National rank: 45 of 50
Opioid Overdose Deaths (12-mo)
1,184
▼ 8.3% YoY
Fentanyl deaths flat; naloxone distribution ↑ 22%.
Counties ↑: 12 of 67
Violent Crime Rate (per 100k)
484
▲ 2.1%
Concentrated in Birmingham & Mobile metros.
National rank: 8 of 50
ADOC Population
24,812
— near capacity
Design capacity 20,400. Staffing at 68% authorized.
Occupancy: 121%
04The Floor & The Room
Bills tracked: 312 · Regular Session 2026Legislative Tracker Top 8 watched
HB 142
EducationCharter school authorizer reform; expands SPCSC board to 11
Floor · House
SB 087
MedicaidPostpartum coverage extension to 12 months
Enacted
HB 204
FiscalRainy-Day Fund deposit formula; 5% of prior-year GF
Cmte · W&M
SB 221
WorkforceApprenticeship tax credit expansion; $15M cap
Floor · Senate
HB 318
Criminal JusticeADOC infrastructure bond authorization, $725M
Cmte · Judiciary
SB 104
Rural HealthRural hospital transformation grant program
Filed
Upcoming Briefings
Thu · Apr 16 · 4:00 PM CT
The FY27 General Fund: A Stress-Test
Dir. Kent with LSA Director & Finance Dir. · livestreamed
Wed · Apr 29 · 11:00 AM CT
Rural Maternity Deserts in Alabama
Faculty panel, ADPH Commissioner
Tue · May 12 · 4:00 PM CT
Tabletop: Federal Funding Cliff '27
Invited state officials & SLP Graduate Fellows
05Recent GOC Memos
Year-to-date delivered: 34 · Public after 30 days
APR 11 · '26
House Education
Fiscal Impact of HB 142: Charter Authorizer Expansion
APR 09 · '26
Gov. Policy Office
Medicaid Postpartum Extension — One-Year Outcomes Evidence
APR 07 · '26
Senate Finance
Rainy-Day Deposit Formulas: A 12-State Comparison
APR 03 · '26
ADPH
Rural Hospital Closure Risk Index — Q1 Update
MAR 28 · '26
LSA
Apprenticeship Tax Credit: Uptake & Displacement Estimates