RAISE Act 2025: 7 Bold Reforms You Need to Know

The RAISE Act (Renewing Alabama’s Investment in Student Excellence), though recently reintroduced in 2025, is not a singular piece of legislation. The term “RAISE Act” has been applied to multiple U.S. and state-level legislative efforts across immigration, education, and caregiving policies over the years. In this article, we unpack the most recent 2025 iteration of the RAISE Act, its relation to past versions, and what you need to know about its policy aims and public impact.

From Alabama’s K-12 school funding overhaul to national debates on immigration and family caregiving, the RAISE Act has evolved into a term that captures reformist ambition in both state and federal legislatures. This guide offers a deep, contextualized breakdown; from student equity to green card point systems and caregiver advocacy, exploring how the RAISE Act is shaping America’s legal and social landscape.

What Is the RAISE Act? A Historical and Contemporary Breakdown

Understanding the Many Faces of the RAISE Act

The term RAISE Act may refer to:

Despite their differences, all these bills share a common motive: restructuring foundational systems, whether in immigration, education, or caregiving, to better serve constituents through efficiency, equity, or merit-based systems.

The RAISE Act 2025: Alabama’s Education Overhaul

The RAISE Act 2025 in Alabama, short for Renewing Alabama’s Investment in Student Excellence, represents a revolution in public school funding. It replaces outdated models based on raw enrollment numbers with a hybrid weighted funding formula, prioritizing students with special needs, disabilities, low income, or language barriers.

Key Highlights:

• Phased $375 million fund allocation to help districts adapt.
• Funding weights applied for poverty, special education, ELL, and gifted students.
• Linked with the Foundation Program, ensuring continuity and flexibility.
• Establishes a RAISE Act Review Committee for annual accountability.

This RAISE Act has already been passed and is expected to go into full effect in October 2026.

The Federal RAISE Act on Immigration: Still Controversial

Introduced in 2017 by Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and David Perdue (R-GA) and later endorsed by President Donald Trump, this RAISE Act stood for Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment. It sought to cut legal immigration by 50% and introduce a point-based green card system, focusing on:

• Age
• English proficiency
• Education
• High-paying job offers

Why it failed:

• Intense opposition from business groups and immigration advocates
• Lack of bipartisan support
• Broader political polarization around immigration under Trump’s presidency

Current status (2025): It has not been reintroduced officially in Congress, though similar language is used by Republican 2024 presidential contenders and echoed in online discussions (e.g., “RAISE Act Reddit”).

RAISE Family Caregivers Act: A Win for Advocacy

Enacted in 2018, the RAISE Family Caregivers Act (short for Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage) aimed to support America’s 40+ million family caregivers. It called for:

• A national strategy to recognize unpaid caregiving
• Inclusion of caregiver training and mental health support
• Policy frameworks across health, labor, and education departments

In 2025, the act’s strategies are being evaluated by the Department of Health and Human Services, with renewed push for funding.

Comparing the RAISE Acts

Why the RAISE Act Is Trending in 2025

• Alabama’s version directly affects millions of students and teachers.
• Caregiver rights have gained urgency post-COVID-19.
• Immigration policy remains a top 5 voter concern in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
• Ongoing Google and Reddit searches (e.g., “What is the RAISE Act?”, “Is the RAISE Act in effect?”) signal public confusion and interest.

Deep Dive into the Alabama RAISE Act Funding Model and Impact

How the RAISE Act Transforms Alabama’s K-12 Funding Model

The RAISE Act 2025 is being celebrated as a long-overdue correction to Alabama’s rigid and outdated education finance system, which hadn’t changed significantly since 1995. By pivoting to a hybrid weighted funding formula, the state aims to match resources more precisely with student needs; a concept known to education experts as “equity-based funding.”

From Enrollment to Equity: The Shift in School Finance

How Much Money Is Involved?

The RAISE Fund will inject $375 million into Alabama’s schools over three years, pulled from the Educational Opportunities Reserve Fund (EORF); a budget safety cushion built over time from surplus education funds.

Annual Allocation Plan:

• Year 1 (FY 2025-26): $166M
  • $108M in new funds
  • $ 58M in repurposed allocations
• Year 2 (FY 2026-27): $125M
• Year 3 (FY 2027-28): $150M

Budget Context:

• Total Education Trust Fund (ETF) Budget 2026: $9.9 Billion
• RAISE Allocation as % of ETF: ~3.78%

The RAISE Act’s funding design avoids tax increases by utilizing savings, earning it bipartisan support despite concerns about sustainability.

Implementation Timeline (2025–2028)

This structured timeline helps districts transition gradually while preventing mid-year budget disruptions, which historically caused chaos during funding proration in Alabama.

District-Level Impact: Who Benefits the Most?

The RAISE Act 2025 uses a needs-based calculation to distribute new funds, this means rural, high-poverty, and special education-heavy districts stand to benefit the most.

Example:

Wilcox County Schools, one of the poorest districts, may see:

• A 30% increase in state per-pupil funding
• Funding for additional ELL specialists
• Summer literacy programs for K-3

Meanwhile, urban schools with larger ELL or special ed populations (like in Jefferson County) may receive targeted boosts for tech integration and bilingual staff.

Projected Outcomes: What Changes Can We Expect?

By 2028, Alabama aims to achieve:

• 25% reduction in reading / math performance gaps for low-income students
• 10% increase in high school graduation rates statewide
• 5–10% teacher retention boost; especially in rural schools
• Universal access to technology and online curriculum platforms

Researchers at A+ Education Partnership estimate that $1,000 more per student results in:

• 72 more days of learning
• Higher ACT scores
• Long-term wage increases of up to 7%

These projections, while ambitious, are based on comparable data from states like Tennessee and Mississippi, which implemented similar weighted formulas in 2022 and 2024.

Accountability: How Will the RAISE Act Be Monitored?

The RAISE Act Review Committee, composed of:

• Alabama State Superintendent
• 2 Senate appointees
• 2 House appointees
• 2 ALSDE representatives

will convene each November to:

• Review district performance data
• Adjust funding weights as needed
• Recommend policy improvements to the Legislature

Additionally, the ALSDE digital platform (to be launched by Feb 2028) will automate:

• Fund application processes
• Reporting on literacy / numeracy outcomes
• Teacher development tracking

RAISE Act vs. Federal Legislation & Political Misunderstandings

Clearing the Confusion: RAISE Act 2025 vs. RAISE Act (Trump-Era Immigration Bill)

One of the most misunderstood aspects surrounding the Alabama RAISE Act 2025 is its name, which mirrors a completely unrelated federal proposal introduced during the Trump administration: the RAISE Act immigration bill (Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment).

Despite sharing an acronym, these two policies serve entirely different purposes:

Important: When people search “Was the RAISE Act passed?” or “What happened to the RAISE Act?” they often confuse the two versions. The RAISE Act 2025 is a passed and implemented state law, while the immigration version died in Congress.

Political Tensions: Why the RAISE Act Became a Flashpoint in Alabama

Although the RAISE Act was passed unanimously, it exists in a highly charged political climate in Alabama, where debates over public vs. private schooling, teacher pay, and rural access have intensified in recent years.

Key Points of Tension:

• CHOOSE Act Overlap:
  Critics argue that simultaneous passage of the CHOOSE Act, which gives tax-funded Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) to private school families, could dilute the RAISE Act’s impact on public schools.
• No Teacher Raise Built-In:
  Despite a $9.9 billion ETF, the RAISE Act didn’t mandate a teacher pay raise, leading some educators to label it a missed opportunity.
• Equity Concerns:
  While the weighted formula favors high-needs students, some rural districts worry that urban centers with high ELL and special ed populations will receive disproportionate benefits.
• Accountability Skepticism:
  The Every Child Alabama Coalition and other watchdogs are cautiously optimistic but have demanded third-party audits and public-facing dashboards by 2027.

Public Sentiment: What Do Alabamians Think?

A June 2025 AL Daily News poll of 1,000 registered voters found:

Public support for the RAISE Act is strong, especially among parents of school-aged children and urban voters, while opposition is stronger in rural and conservative districts skeptical of centralized oversight.

RAISE Act on Reddit & X: Trending But Misunderstood

On platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter), posts tagged with “#RAISEAct” often go viral, for the wrong reasons. Many users misattribute Alabama’s education policy to the federal immigration debate. Here are some real user takes:

“I thought the RAISE Act was that Trump bill about immigrants, but it’s actually about helping rural schools? Good on Alabama!”

 “The RAISE Act is a win, but where’s the teacher raise? We’ve been waiting since 2022.”

Common Misinformation:

• “The RAISE Act bans immigration” → ❌ False. That’s a different bill entirely.
• “This gives money to private schools” → ❌ Partially misleading. That’s the CHOOSE Act, not RAISE.
• “RAISE is only for urban kids” → ❌ Misleading. It uses weighted funding but applies across all districts.

Related Legislation in the South: Who’s Doing What?

Alabama’s move isn’t isolated. Several Southeastern states have modernized education funding recently, creating a regional trend.

✅ The RAISE Act 2025 is aligned with this shift, making Alabama more competitive for federal education innovation grants.

Educational Think Tanks React

Several education reform organizations have issued statements on the RAISE Act:

• A+ Education Partnership:

“A milestone in equity-based investment. The weighted formula provides transparency and predictability for every Alabama student.”

• ExcelinEd (Jeb Bush’s initiative):

“Alabama joins other leading states in putting student needs first. We expect academic gains within 3 years.”

• Southern Education Foundation:

“Equity-focused legislation like the RAISE Act helps bridge racial and socioeconomic disparities.”

Meanwhile, groups like the Alabama Federation of Teachers (AFT) say the lack of salary increases undercuts the act’s promise, calling for immediate wage legislation before 2026.

Final Analysis: Is the RAISE Act a Game-Changer for Alabama?

The RAISE Act 2025 is arguably the most transformational education reform in Alabama in the past two decades. By addressing systemic funding inequities and incorporating weighted formulas, it has shifted the state’s model from a one-size-fits-all approach to one that reflects student realities.

Strengths:

• Equity-Centered Funding: Weighted allocations for poverty, English language learners, special education, and gifted programs.
• Stability & Planning: A 3-year phased funding rollout offers financial predictability to districts.
• Bipartisan Appeal: Unanimous legislative passage highlights rare political consensus around public education.
• Digital Streamlining: Mandates for a unified platform reduce paperwork and improve transparency.

Weaknesses:

• No Built-In Teacher Raise: Fails to address Alabama’s ranked 38th teacher pay, which remains a key issue.
• Overshadowed by CHOOSE Act: Ongoing debates over school choice and ESA funding may drain attention and budget from public school reforms.
• Urban-Rural Balance: Despite intentions, rural districts may still lack capacity to capitalize on available funding without administrative support.
• RAISE Act Highlights

Powerful Conclusion: Why the RAISE Act Matters for Alabama’s Future

• The RAISE Act marks a bold new chapter in Alabama’s journey toward fairer, smarter education funding. In a state long burdened by outdated formulas and underperforming rankings, this reform isn’t just timely, it’s necessary.
• With its data-driven, equity-based approach, the law positions Alabama to close achievement gaps, retain teachers, and prepare a generation of students for the modern workforce. But its success will depend on execution, particularly on how districts use new funding, how oversight bodies enforce transparency, and whether complementary laws like the CHOOSE Act compete or collaborate with it.
• Bottom Line: The RAISE Act is not a silver bullet, but it is a strategic, research-backed reform. If implemented with vision and accountability, it could become a national model for education equity in the Deep South.

FAQs: Your Top Questions About the RAISE Act