“Georgia’s FY 2026 budget marks meaningful progress on issues from providing enhanced support for students living in poverty to working toward pay parity for frontline eligibility workers at the Department of Human Services,” said Staci Fox. “And as the prospect of deep budget cuts looms at the federal level, state leaders must remain prepared to
preserve and strengthen the progress made this year, while ensuring that Georgia can preserve the gains we’ve made since the pandemic and continuing to invest in the programs and services that matter most to the quality of life for our residents.”
GBPI was pleased to hear that key additions passed by the Georgia General Assembly remained intact:
- $15 million for an opportunity weight, which is additional funding for students experiencing poverty in our public K-12 schools
- Over $5 million to fund a $3,000 pay bump for DFCS eligibility caseworkers
- Over $19 million for student mental health supports
- $20 million for school bus replacement (227 buses)
- $3 million to provide home visiting in rural communities during pregnancy and early childhood
Other less desirable items also remained in the budget:
- $141 million to fully fund the Promise Scholarship Program, a voucher program that provides $6,500 vouchers toward private school tuition for eligible students. This scholarship diverts funds away from our public schools and towards private institutions that not every Georgia child can access.
- The state broke with its historic approach of using cash instead of bonds to fund capital projects. There are urgent needs that could be met with that cash, such as opening more subsidized child care slots for children as well as investing in
Georgia’s public health infrastructure, which has experienced decreased
investment in recent years, with underfunding likely to accelerate due to cuts at the federal level.
