Day 22: Senate Passed Amended Fiscal Year Budget with Reduced Educator Pay Supplement

The midpoint of the 2026 session came and went during a busy sixth week of the legislative session that culminated today in brief morning floor sessions.

House Floor Action

Senate Floor Action

Senate Passes AFY 2026 with Reduced Educator Pay Supplement

The Senate approved the Amended Fiscal Year (AFY) 2026 budget, which covers the current school year. Sen. Blake Tillery (R-Vidalia), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, highlighted the inclusion of Gov. Brian Kemp’s tax refund plan as well as the House plan to provide property tax relief grants in the Senate’s proposed budget. Covering both tax relief proposals would require drawing additional funds from state reserves.

The Senate budget proposal would also reduce—from $2,000 to $1,250—the one-time salary supplement for educators and state employees proposed by Kemp and affirmed by the House. According to Tillery, this reduction would be offset by lower taxes if the Senate’s proposal to eliminate the state income tax is approved.

Senate budget writers made several other changes to the education portion of the AFY budget, including:

• Adding $100,000 for facilities within business and finance administration at the Georgia Department of Education, which is a reduction from the $1,150,000 added by the House

• Providing $500,000 in one-time funds for a planning grant for Southern Rivers Completion High School, which is a reduction from the $1 million added by Kemp and the House

• -$2.6 million reduction for the QBE local five mill share

• Adding $3.5 million for out-of-school care for BOOST grants

• Reallocating $300,000 in existing funds to America250 literacy initiatives

• Removing $50,000 in one-time funds added by the House for youth leadership programming

Most of the other K-12 funding adjustments made by Senate budget writers are based on updated data. The Senate budget plan adds $100 million for the Dream Scholarship, a need-based financial aid program for postsecondary students that Kemp seeks to establish. Kemp’s original budget proposal adds $325 million to launch the program.

Next, House and Senate leaders will negotiate a compromise on their different budget proposals.

In concert with PAGE efforts to talk with policymakers about why the one-time supplement change was made, educators who support, oppose, or have questions about the reduced salary supplement should contact their House and Senate member, using this link to look up policymakers' contact information.

Educators, please use your personal devices and email addresses outside of instructional time. Include your hometown in any email subject line, and approach policymakers in a way that builds a positive, ongoing relationship. 

Upcoming Schedule

Monday, Feb. 23 - Committee Workday

• 11 a.m. Senate Ed, 307 CLOB

• 1 p.m. House Education Policy & Innovation Subcommittee, 506 CLOB

• 1 p.m. Senate Retirement, 310 CLOB

• 2 p.m. House Education Curriculum & Academic Achievement Subcommittee, 506 CLOB

  
  

Tuesday, Feb. 24 - Legislative Day 23