Update on Rewrite of Georgia's School Funding Formula
Education Funding Changes Expected to Move
In 2015, Governor Deal convened the
Education Reform Commission (ERC), tasked with expanding school choice and educational options; examining teacher recruitment, retention, and compensation; moving away from student seat time and toward competency-based learning; and improving access to early childhood education. The commission was chaired by former University of Georgia president Dr. Charles Knapp, who also chaired the centerpiece subcommittee of the ERC which was tasked with rewriting Georgia's school funding formula.
The ERC's proposed funding formula rewrite was expected to move through the 2016 General Assembly, but Gov. Deal surprisingly announced during his 2016 State of the State Address that he intended to hold the proposed reforms until January 2017, when the General Assembly reconvenes.
It is now time to reexamine the ERC report and talk with legislators about its impact on Georgia students and schools.
GBPI: Schools Likely Worse Off with the New Funding Formula
In its recently-published fact sheet, the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute warns that the new funding formula, if adopted, will cause state spending on Georgia's public schools to fall behind rising costs unless an inflation factor is added to the proposed formula. The ERC report recommends moving away from teacher training and experience (T & E) as the method for calculating how the state allocates funding for local school districts and departing from T & E in calculating how individual educators are compensated. PAGE has reported in depth on the implications for educator compensation (see our archived ERC reports and our I Promise Campaign for more). GBPI's warning about how the proposed elimination of T & E will flatten Georgia school funding unless an inflation factor is added to the formula should inspire policy makers to add an inflation factor to ensure spending keeps pace with actual costs.
Contact Legislators to Discuss Elimination of T & E Proposed in the ERC Recommendations
As Georgia legislators prepare for the 2017 legislative session, which begins on January 9, 2017, it is a timely juncture for educators and public school supporters to contact their House and Senate members about the ERC's proposed elimination of T & E. Educators can use their home addresses to look up legislator contact info
HERE. Please remember to use your personal email address and electronic device outside of instructional time. Encourage legislators to work with education groups like PAGE to ensure that any changes to Georgia's school funding formula improve the formula for students and schools. Invite legislators to your school to observe what's happening there and offer to serve as a resource for policymakers so that we can work together toward a brighter future for Georgia schools.
