K-12 Education Reports Stephen Owens Districts Turn to Federal Money to Fill Holes Made by the State: Results from GBPI’s 2021 School District Survey August 23, 2021 / August 25, 2021 by Stephen Owens This report was co-authored by Allie Schneider, Southern Education Foundation Policy Fellow Key Takeaways: 93 percent of surveyed districts reported planning to use federal relief funds to address budget shortfalls. School leaders have used Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) I and II funds to update technology, fill budget gaps and […] Read more » COVID-19 Education K-12
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
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 Budget and Taxes Caitlin Highland Sine Die 2021: Lawmakers Can Do More to Put People First March 31, 2021 / April 1, 2021 by Caitlin Highland The 2021 Legislative Session has officially ended. Much of the session was focused on efforts to undermine democracy and voting rights. Legislators also approved several bills that hinder economic prosperity and did not advance several measures that would put people first. However, some bills that passed do mark positive movement toward improved outcomes in our […] Read more » Budget Budget Cuts Education health K-12 tax breaks
K-12 Education Stephen Owens School Vouchers: Myth vs. Fact March 5, 2021 / March 6, 2021 by Stephen Owens Debates around school funding and the best use of public dollars are rife with confusion. Discussion around school vouchers, which provide public funding for private education, seem to be a particular magnet for half-truths or previously disproven claims. The following table gives a few of the most popular myths, and the reality that runs counter. […] Read more » Education K-12 school vouchers vouchers
Blog Budget and Taxes House Appropriations Approves Changes to Fiscal Year 2022 Budget March 4, 2021 / March 4, 2021 by Alex Welch This morning, the House Committee on Appropriations approved changes to House Bill 81, the proposal for Georgia’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 budget, which will take effect on July 1. This proposal now moves to the full House floor for a vote. Gov. Kemp’s initial budget proposal included $1.2 billion in continued budget cuts, following the […] Read more » Budget Budget Cuts Department of Human Services Education health State Budget
Blog K-12 Education Stephen Owens Testimony on Senate Bill 47 February 8, 2021 / February 8, 2021 by Stephen Owens Dear Chairman Payne and Members of the Georgia Senate Committee on Education and Youth: By way of introduction my name is Stephen Owens, and I’m a senior K-12 education policy analyst for the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. It is always my desire to give testimony in-person, but as my elderly mother-in-law lives with us, I want to try to stay as safe as possible during the pandemic […] Read more » disabilities act Education k-12 education
Fact Sheets K-12 Education Stephen Owens Fact Sheet: English for Speakers of Other Languages November 19, 2020 / February 4, 2021 by Stephen Owens Thank you to Latin American Association & Center for Pan Asian Community Services for translation services Enrollment Georgia educates the eighth-highest number of ELs in the nation (FY 2017).[1] 108,752 total students in ESOL in Georgia (FY 2019).[2] EL enrollment in ESOL grew by 61 percent FY 2011 to 2019.[3] Spanish is the […] Read more » Education ESOL K-12
