MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — The Alabama State Board of Education Thursday approved a $6.2 billion budget request for schools in fiscal year 2025.

It’s about $620 million, or 11% more, than what the Alabama Department of Education appropriated last year for K-12 schools.

Some of the increases include $108 million more for school buses, $20 million more for school nurses, $18 million more for school safety and security measures and $29 million more for a special education teacher incentive stipend.

The budget also creates new line items, including $30 million for implementing the Principal Leadership Mentoring Act, principal stipends, assistant principal stipends and an additional principal/assistant principal stipend.

Gov. Kay Ivey presides over the State Board of Education.

“We voted today on the budget proposal. It’s simply part of the budget review process,” Gov. Ivey said. “I and my staff will review all of the requests of all the budget agencies as we develop a proposed budget proposal for the next budget proposal that meets in February.”

Gov. Ivey voted with the board as a procedural step. She will propose her own budget recommendations at the start of the next legislative session.