PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA EDUCATORS

PAGE Legislative Priorities are created and approved by members every year. The priorities reflect areas of PAGE advocacy focus during the legislative session for which they are generated. PAGE also strongly supports and continuously advocates for policies that benefit educators, students, and public education, including raising educator salaries and promoting strong retirement and healthcare benefits for Georgia educators.

 

Combat Chronic Absenteeism Through Targeted Investments & Increased Accountability
 

Chronic absenteeism is an ongoing challenge in Georgia schools, significantly impacting student success. Chronically absent students often have lower academic performance, reduced literacy levels, and a higher chance of dropping out . Legislators should implement the following solutions to improve student attendance:

 

Expand School-Based Support Staff

Adding more mental health professionals in schools is one of the top action steps state and district leaders can take to improve student attendance, according to educators in a recent PAGE survey .

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Georgia’s current funding ratios for school mental health professionals do not meet student needs. During the 2025 session, in response to previous recommendations by PAGE members, the General Assembly lowered the school psychologist-to-student ratio to 1:2,420 and provided funding to every district for a minimum of one full-time social worker. They also made it easier for school psychologists to work when they move to Georgia. Legislators should build on these valuable steps by reducing the school counselor-to-student funding ratio from 1:450 to 1:400 as well as lowering the school social worker-to-student ratio from 1:2,475 to 1:1,856.

 

Supporting students’ physical health is also critical in combating chronic absenteeism. School nurses play a vital role in ensuring student health; however, many schools lack a full-time, licensed nurse. Lawmakers should expand funding to provide at least one licensed school nurse in every school.

 

Increase Parental Commitment to Student Attendance

Parents play a crucial role in addressing chronic absenteeism. Lawmakers should support efforts to promote parental awareness of the importance of attendance and examine current truancy laws to ensure parental accountability is upheld.

 

Invest in Local Solutions

Chronic absenteeism is caused by many factors that vary among students, families, and districts. Legislators should provide funding to allow districts to implement strategies tailored to local needs.

 

Promote Positive School Environments for Students and Educators
 

PAGE recommends legislators continue the vital work of creating safe and positive environments for students and educators in every Georgia school by implementing the following strategies.

 

Expand Georgia’s Student Mobile Device Ban to Grades 9-12

Mobile devices and other digital distractions interfere with student learning, according to educators who participated in a recent PAGE survey on digital distractions in the classroom. Educators also report that digital devices exacerbate behavioral challenges. While recognizing that limiting cell phone use by older students may present unique challenges, 93% of high school educators who participated in the survey support expanding the prohibition. Policymakers should expand the prohibition on K-8 student cell phone use established by HB 340 (2025) to students in grades 9-12.

 

Provide Mental Health Training for Teacher Candidates

Expand mental health training programs in educator preparation programs to ensure new educators enter classrooms prepared to recognize and address student mental health needs.

 

Invest in Strategies to Attract and Retain Educators and School Staff

PAGE strongly supports the work the Georgia Professional Standards Commission is leading pursuant to SR 237 (2025), which aims to strengthen the educator workforce. PAGE urges policymakers to act on the recommendations developed by the SR 237 working group. PAGE also highlights policies that educators say will improve recruitment and retention:  

 

• Reauthorizing the return-to-work program for retired teachers in high-need subject areas 

• Extending the state teacher salary schedule steps past 20 years of experience

• Providing a need-based stipend for student teachers in high-need subject areas

• Reauthorizing the Teacher Tax Credit for educators in high-need subject areas in rural or low-performing schools

• Increasing salaries for paraprofessionals

• Exploring educator workforce housing solutions

• Increasing state funding for substitute teachers

 

Legislators can also improve educator working conditions and enhance instruction by:

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• Protecting educator planning time and duty-free lunch

• Evaluating Georgia’s strategic waiver and charter district flexibility programs to ensure flexibility waivers contribute to student and educator success

 

Boost Funding for Teacher and Leader Professional Development

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Teachers and school leaders need more support to implement the Georgia Early Literacy Act, including on-site coaching and other assistance to master and embed structured literacy, new curricula, and new assessments into daily instructional practice. State funding for professional development is limited. Under the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula, professional development funding is calculated as a percentage of base teacher salary. The percentage was originally 1.5% until a series of reductions lowered it to the current level of 0.9%. Funding should be restored to the 1.5% level to reflect the cost of high-quality training for all educators.