MONTGOMERY (AP) — A state Senate committee has approved an education budget that’s almost identical to the one that was approved by the House last week.

The Senate Finance and Taxation-Education Committee voted unanimously Tuesday for a nearly $5.5 billion budget for the next school year. The next stop for the budget is the state Senate.

State Superintendent of Education Joe Morton says the committee’s budget is 99.9 percent like the one approved unanimously by the House. He says it maintains state-funded teaching positions and is the best that can be done in tough economic times.