Slow Day on Education Issues
There was little action on education issues at the Capitol today. Neither the House or Senate education committees met, nor did other committees hear education-related bills. However, new education-focused bills were introduced, so the pace will likely pick up next week when committees begin reviewing them.
PAGE Digs into Details of Proposed Educator Raises in Budget Webinar
In a webinar presentation Feb. 2, the PAGE legislative team described key elements of Gov. Brian Kemp’s budget recommendations. The team addressed the proposed Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) budget, as well as changes he has recommended to the current budget in his Amended Fiscal Year 2022 spending plan.
Budget items detailed in the webinar include:
$2,000 pay raise for certified educators funded under the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula, the state’s formula for funding public schools, proposed for FY23.
One-time salary supplement for educators recommended in the Amended Fiscal Year 2022 (AFY22) budget.
$383 million added back to both budgets, which had been previously cut from the QBE formula.
Additional dollars to replace 1,747 old school buses and a 5.4 percent salary increase for bus drivers.
In addition to these encouraging budget proposals, the team also reviewed several budget areas that continue to need legislative attention. These include student transportation, school counselors, and substitute teachers.
The team’s presentation, which walks through this information, is available HERE or at the link above. Video footage of the webinar will be posted on the PAGE website Feb. 6.