Democratic lieutenant governor candidate and state Representative Phillip Ensler, D-Montgomery, on Tuesday celebrated continued funding for a Montgomery Public Schools conflict resolution program he helped establish while highlighting additional legislative efforts to expand conflict resolution education and telehealth counseling for students.
“As students return to school for the 2026-2027 academic year, I am pleased to announce the fourth consecutive year of state funding for the conflict resolution program I helped launch in Montgomery Public Schools,” Ensler said in a statement.
The Montgomery Public Schools conflict resolution program provides students with services including one-on-one counseling, small-group workshops, peer-to-peer mediation and engagement with parents.
The Legislature has provided MPS with $200,000 annually to hire additional counselors who teach students how to manage and resolve conflicts without violence. According to Ensler’s office, the school system is finalizing the list of schools that will receive funding.
Ensler said additional statewide measures will complement the Montgomery program as part of broader efforts to reduce youth violence.
“As a former educator at Montgomery’s Percy Julian High School (formerly Lee High School), I know all too well that the importance of programs like these cannot be overstated,” Ensler said. “I have lost twelve former students to gun violence. While no law or program can stop every tragedy, these types of initiatives can save lives.”
“Students who participate in such programs are more likely to attend class, receive fewer disciplinary infractions, and improve their grades,” Ensler said. “When we prioritize our students’ mental health and learning environment we take some of the burden off of our teachers, allowing them to focus on learning and growth in the classroom.”
Along with continued funding for the Montgomery conflict resolution program, the state will invest $2.5 million in tele-mental health services aimed at expanding students’ access to professional counseling. The Fiscal Year 2027 funding was included in the state’s Education Trust Fund budget.
“I am especially grateful to Representative Danny Garrett and Senator Arthur Orr, the chairmen of the House and Senate Education Trust Fund Budget Committees, for their support,” Ensler said. “Our work is an example of the bipartisanship that is necessary to deliver meaningful results for our students and the great state of Alabama.”
Ensler also highlighted Senate Bill 364, sponsored by state Senator Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham.
The Legislature passed SB364 during the 2026 Legislative Session, and it was later enacted into law. Ensler carried the bill in the House.
Beginning in the 2027-2028 school year, the law will require each Alabama public school student in grades six through 12 to complete instruction in violence prevention, conflict resolution and mediation before graduating from high school.
SB364 passed the Senate unanimously and received one dissenting vote in the House from state Representative Ben Harrison, R-Elkmont.
The 2026 Legislative Session marked Ensler’s final year representing House District 74. Ensler announced in April that he would not seek reelection to the House as he campaigns for lieutenant governor.
