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The needs of many students are also changing. Yet Georgia has made few adjustments to its school funding system over the past 30 years.
State funding schemes simply do not take into account the demand for today’s schools. As such, many education leaders and advocates have made recommendations for students who often need additional support, such as those who live in low-income households, are learning English, or have disabilities. It urges states to establish “opportunity weights” in the funding formula for quality basic education schools. Additional service required.
A long line of Georgian leaders agreed. government at the time. Republican Nathan Deal appointed a School Funds Commission to recommend a major overhaul of state funding methods. Unfortunately, there was very little workaround.
This year, state leaders appear to be more open to these desperately needed changes. The State Senate Research Committee held public hearings on the issue across Georgia last fall. I testified at a Savannah State University hearing that the state urgently needed a new school funding system.
Georgia is one of six states that does not provide additional funding per student to students from low-income households. This targeted funding is needed to provide students with higher levels of support such as high-impact tutoring, quality after-school programs, and individualized study (including individualized graduation plans).
Our K-12 education system supports all I need to prepare my students. Fewer than 25 percent of her students currently meet those scores, according to the Georgia Governor’s Office of Student Achievement.
State results in this year’s National Report Card showed similar results. Three of her four of Georgia’s black and Hispanic students failed to meet reading and math proficiency. The same was true for all students living in low-income families. Likewise, only about half of the white students scored at that level.
Students must either finish high school and go to Georgia’s flagship university or get a job and earn a good enough salary to support a middle-class family. we are not there yet.
Improving support for Georgia schools is not a partisan issue. I believe our leaders can work together on this important issue. Research shows that better-educated students earn more, pay more taxes, have better health and quality of life, are more likely to participate in civic and volunteer work, and even live longer.
Advances in technology are forcing massive changes in our economies and communities. Think of all the high-tech manufacturing jobs coming to Georgia. Many require a two- or four-year college degree or adequate training.
The state has come a long way, but only about 37% of working-age white adults in Georgia have a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 25% of black adults and 19% of Hispanic adults. It’s not too much.
How would life in Georgia change if we jointly decided to invest more in K-12 preschool?
• High quality early childhood education programs: Georgia was once a national leader in establishing strong preschool programs, but only about 61% of the state’s 4-year-olds attend public kindergarten. . Lower rates than Florida and Oklahoma. , for example. Too many children are lagging behind in literacy, numeracy and social skills when they start school. The state also needs to adopt more proven strategies to serve more children from birth to age 3 and to equalize both wages and benefits for the early learning workforce. there is.
• Developing Great Educators in Every Classroom: Many schools and school districts, especially those most in need, struggle to retain the best teachers. Educators earn about 20% less than similar professionals in other fields, lack of teacher preparation and support, and little effort to add more diverse talent in the field. Not to mention other factors for the shortage, such as the absence of
• Develop more wraparound services and community schools: Everyone recognizes the need for more mental health, after-school programs, and other types of services in many schools. Your investment in these integrated support services will pay off immeasurably.
Some naysayers claim that the funding to make such investments in the public education system does not exist, but that claim is baseless. The state has an incredible $6 billion surplus. If there ever was a year in our future where we would make these investments, it would be it.
Other states are ahead of Georgia in record new investments in education. Tennessee and Maryland leaders, for example, plan to add billions more to improve public schools. You may need to do the same.
Most Georgians understand the need to invest in improving the education of every family and community. Each of us will enjoy future rewards.
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