In his state of the state address, Governor Brian Kemp (R-GA) outlined several increases over last year's tough budget.
The Governor's budget restores "more than $647 million in Amended FY2021 and $573 million in FY2022 for K-12 education, fully-funding enrollment growth and holding individual school systems harmless in the current fiscal year for any reductions in enrollment they have had this school year due to COVID-19."
The items below are taken from a report from the Georgia School Board Association, here are some highlights from the Governor's Budget as it relates to education:
Amended FY2021
$567.5 million to partially restore cuts made in 2020 to QBE
$9.2 million to restore the previous cuts to other programs directly supporting K-12 education
$26.4 million for the state charter supplement plus $3.3 million for Training & Experience for teachers
$5.4 million to administer Milestones as required federally
$1.2 million to revise testing standards to align with curriculum changes in Math and English Language Arts in accordance with ESEA
$889,508 back to RESAs to offset the austerity (part of the $9.2 million above)
$647,030 to offset the reductions to Extended Day/Year, Vocational Supervisors, Industry Certification, and Youth Apprenticeship programs
$419,658 for charter system grants
$362,641 for PSAT and AP exams
There were no changes to the Governor's Office of Student Achievement or dual enrollment. There is $20 million for the OneGeorgia Authority to establish a rural broadband infrastructure program which will help schools and communities.FY2022
$567.5 million to offset the QBE reduction in the FY2021 budget
$9.2 million to offset reductions to other programs directly supporting K-12 education
$36.2 million for state charter supplement
$166 million reduction to QBE for school year 2021-22 declining enrollment of 2.07%
$96.6 million for training & experience
$72 million equalization
$17 million for health insurance
$5.3 million for Milestones assessments
$889,508 to offset the austerity reduction to RESAs
$124.8 million in bonds for capital outlay
$12.3 million in bonds for career, technical, and agricultural equipment
$20 million in bonds for school buses
$40 million for the OneGeorgia Authority to establish a Rural Innovation Fund
$10 million for the OneGeorgia Authority rural Georgia broadband infrastructure grant program
The employer [local school district] contribution to TRS goes up to 19.81% from 19.06%
The Governor's budget now goes to the State House of Representatives to begin budget hearings and amending the FY2021 budget. You can find a full list of appropriations hearings at the State House of Representatives here.
To see a replay of Governor Kemp's State of the State address, click here.
It is great to see that Georgia is beginning a revenue recovery after last year's tough budget, and, as always, MAC's policy staff will continue to advocate for support for Georgia's education and workforce efforts.
