Federal Policy Health Justice K-12 Education Worker Justice New GBPI Poll Shows Georgians Want American Rescue Plan Dollars to Support Health, Economic Recovery, Education August 3, 2021 / October 4, 2021 by Caitlin Highland | 4 Comments on New GBPI Poll Shows Georgians Want American Rescue Plan Dollars to Support Health, Economic Recovery, Education Georgia will receive $4.9 billion in federal emergency relief and infrastructure funding as part of the American Rescue Plan (ARP). This money is meant to be used to support Georgians as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. State leaders are currently exploring the best ways to spend these funds. Targeted investments to bolster education outcomes, […] Read more » American Rescue Plan COVID-19 Economic Security Education health
K-12 Education Learning the Basics Stephen Owens Retirement in Georgia’s Public Schools August 2, 2021 / August 2, 2021 by Stephen Owens Overview The state of Georgia maintains two pension systems for employees in public schools: the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) and the Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS). TRS members include full-time, certificated public teachers and school leaders. Once you retire, a formula dictates your monthly check based on your years of service and highest […] Read more » Education K-12 Teachers Retirement System of Georgia
Blog K-12 Education Stephen Owens Updated: Georgia Risks Losing Billions in Federal Funds for Public Schools July 29, 2021 / August 11, 2021 by Stephen Owens UPDATE: On 8/6/21 the U.S. Department of Education released updated guidance on the calculation for Maintenance of Equity requirements for the American Rescue Plan Act. Under this new determination for state expenditures, Georgia will likely not be found in violation of the provisions. Regardless of future action by the federal agency, Georgia’s public school system […] Read more » Education K-12
Fact Sheets Higher Education Jennifer Lee Learning the Basics 2021 Fast Facts on HOPE July 19, 2021 / July 19, 2021 by Jennifer Lee HOPE At-a-Glance provides a quick and simple reference of the state’s six lottery-funded HOPE programs. HOPE provides grants and scholarships to students pursuing technical certificates and diplomas and associate and bachelor’s degrees. This downloadable, one-page fact sheet includes state budget information, eligibility requirements and number of students served. For more detailed information on HOPE, […] Read more » higher ed Higher Education HOPE Scholarship
Higher Education Jennifer Lee A Brief History of HOPE July 16, 2021 / July 19, 2021 by Jennifer Lee | 1 Comment on A Brief History of HOPE This blog was co-authored by Allie Schneider, a Southern Education Foundation Policy Fellow. HOPE (Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally) is Georgia’s best-known state financial aid program. Funded by the Georgia Lottery, it has provided college scholarships and grants to almost 2 million public, private and technical college students in Georgia during the more than 25 […] Read more »
Blog Higher Education Jennifer Lee Keeping and Losing HOPE July 1, 2021 / July 12, 2021 by Jennifer Lee | 1 Comment on Keeping and Losing HOPE HOPE scholarships financially support tens of thousands of Georgia college students each year. A first-of-its-kind study from Georgia State University’s Georgia Policy Labs examines how students enrolled in colleges in the University System of Georgia gain and lose HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships throughout their college experience. To enter college with the HOPE scholarship, students must have at […] Read more » higher ed Higher Education HOPE Scholarship
Budget Primer Higher Education K-12 Education Georgia Education Budget Primer for State Fiscal Year 2022 June 28, 2021 / July 1, 2021 by Stephen Owens This section is co-authored by K-12 Senior Policy Analyst Dr. Stephen Owens and Higher Education Senior Policy Analyst Jennifer Lee Georgia’s 2022 Education Budget The state budget for K-12 public schools is $10.2 billion in FY 2022. In the 2020 General Assembly, state lawmakers passed a budget with $1 billion in cuts to the Department […] Read more » Education Higher Education K-12 State Budget
Blog Community Impact K-12 Education Stephen Owens Fund Georgia’s Future and Partners Recommend a Plan for ARPA Funding May 19, 2021 / May 19, 2021 by Stephen Owens Dear Superintendent Woods: The undersigned civil rights and education advocacy organizations in Georgia write to provide public input for the Georgia Department of Education’s (GaDOE) use of funds provided through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP). This joint letter was authored by steering committee members for Fund Georgia’s Future, a new coalition created […] Read more » American Rescue Plan arp arpa k-12 education
Blog Budget and Taxes Cash and Safety Net Coronavirus Health Justice Higher Education Inclusive Economy for Immigrants Worker Justice Provisions in the American Families Plan May 11, 2021 / July 15, 2021 by Caitlin Highland President Joe Biden recently unveiled his American Families Plan, which, along with his American Jobs Plan, form the basis of his recovery agenda during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of these plans is to address inequities faced by people of color and women, jumpstart recovery and then foster a new era of prosperity […] Read more » american families plan american jobs plan joe biden Unemployment Insurance
K-12 Education Reports Stephen Owens Betting on our Future: Results from Pre-K Survey on Lottery Funding, Effects of COVID-19 May 5, 2021 / May 21, 2021 by Stephen Owens This report was co-authored by Stephen Owens, Ph.D, Senior Policy Analyst & Denae Clowers, Policy Intern Key Takeaways Reliable lottery funding helped grow Georgia’s Pre-K Program in early years, but a change to raise class sizes has endured for a decade. 48 percent of respondents do not believe the funding provided is adequate […] Read more » DECAL Lottery Pre-K
