Amendment Would Allow AL School Districts In Different Counties To Merge: What To Know

AL voters will decide next week whether to amend the state constitution to allow public school systems in different counties to consolidate

By Ryan Phillips, Patch Staff

Oct 29, 2026 2:37 PM CDT

(Ryan Phillips, Patch.com )

NORTHPORT, AL — Alabama voters will decide next week whether to amend the state constitution to allow public school systems in different counties to consolidate operations if they desire to do so.

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Alabama Amendment 2, one of the statewide constitutional amendments appearing on the Nov. 3 general election ballot, would establish a legal pathway for school systems across county lines to merge, something currently prohibited under Alabama's constitution.

State Rep. Bryan Brinyark, a Republican from Northport whose district covers rural parts of Tuscaloosa, Fayette and Jefferson counties, told Patch the proposal is intended to give local school officials more flexibility, particularly in rural areas where school systems may face financial challenges.

"It would change our Alabama Constitution to allow school boards from two different counties to merge if it made sense and somebody was wanting to do that," Brinyark said.

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Importantly, Brinyark emphasized that approving the amendment would not automatically consolidate any existing school systems.

"This would create a path to do that," he explained. "It would not automatically merge any school systems. There's just an ability to create a path to do that if it seemed feasible."

Why Is The Amendment Being Proposed?

According to Brinyark, lawmakers discussed the possibility that allowing school systems to consolidate across county lines could help reduce administrative expenses, especially in smaller, rural counties.

School systems typically maintain their own administrative operations, including superintendents, central offices and other district-level services.

"There was some thought when we were discussing it in Montgomery that some of the counties could cut down on administrative fees and, if they merged, they might be able to do something to save money," Brinyark said.

He added that the possibility of helping rural school systems manage limited resources was part of the discussion surrounding the proposal.

Would Any Schools Be Forced To Merge?

Amendment 2 would not itself require any school districts to consolidate, nor would its passage immediately change the boundaries of any existing school systems.

Instead, it would remove a constitutional barrier to certain cross-county consolidations, allowing the possibility of mergers under an established legal process.

Brinyark also said he was unaware of any particular school systems already preparing to merge if the amendment passes.

"Right now, I'm not aware of any," he said. "I don't remember any the discussion of any school systems that are really ready to take a look at that."

When asked whether lawmakers had a particular school district in mind when proposing the amendment, Brinyark said he did not recall any specific system being targeted.

"Obviously somebody must have wanted it to be done, or perhaps it came out of a discussion about how to help some of with school funding in some of the counties," Brinyark said.

How Would The Consolidation Process Work?

According to Ballotpedia's analysis of Amendment 2, the proposed constitutional amendment includes several requirements designed to provide oversight and opportunities for public input before any consolidation could take place.

First, two or more county school boards in neighboring counties would have to agree to consolidate. The boards would be required to adopt a formal agreement outlining how the combined system would operate, how existing debts would be handled and how responsibilities would be divided among board members.

Before a merger could proceed, the Alabama State Board of Education would also be required to conduct an impact study examining potential consequences for students, families, educational programs, staffing, transportation, finances, taxes and community identity.

That study would have to be published on the Alabama State Department of Education's website at least 30 days before adoption of the final consolidation resolution.

The amendment would also give residents an opportunity to challenge a proposed merger.

If at least 25% of qualified voters within any affected school system submitted a written protest within 30 days of the resolution, the consolidation would be subject to a referendum at the next regularly scheduled general election.

Under the amendment's text, the merger would then require approval from a majority of voters casting ballots across the combined territory of the affected school systems.

How Did The Amendment Reach The Ballot?

Amendment 2 originated as House Bill 380, introduced by state Rep. Terri Collins, a Republican from Decatur, during the 2026 legislative session.

It worth noting here that the Decatur metropolitan area stretches from Morgan County into neighboring Limestone County.

The proposal received overwhelming bipartisan support when taken up by lawmakers earlier this year, passing the Alabama House of Representatives 96-2 on March 3 before clearing the Senate 30-0 in April.

Because the proposal would change the Alabama Constitution, final approval rests with voters rather than lawmakers.

What Does A Yes Or No Vote Mean?

A "yes" vote would amend the Alabama Constitution to establish a process through which county school systems in neighboring counties could voluntarily consolidate under a single multi-county board of education.

A "no" vote would reject the proposed constitutional change, leaving the existing legal framework in place.

For voters concerned about the future of their local schools, Brinyark reiterated that the amendment is about providing an option for consolidation rather than directing any particular school system to merge.

"It's something that, if it passes statewide, it gives an opportunity to do that," he said. "If it doesn't pass statewide, the Constitution just stays the same."

Alabama voters will decide the measure during the statewide general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.