As Gov. Nathan Deal prepares for another all-out fight over his education legacy, he'll have in mind a bit of gubernatorial history: Nearly every one of his predecessors for decades has been tripped up by bruising fights over school policy.
The Republican made overhauling the school funding formula the centerpiece of his 2014 re-election campaign before pivoting the next year to a contentious plan to empower the state to take control of failing schools.
With another legislative session nearing, he’s preparing a “Plan B” after his proposed constitutional amendment to take over failing schools was trounced at the polls in November. He could also revisit his plans to remake how k-12 schools are funded.
But he could face an even tougher road than before. A pair of controversial vetoes last year deepened the divide between him and GOP lawmakers, and Democrats emboldened by the defeat of his school takeover plan could have less incentive to work with him.
More: Georgia governor faces another education fight in 2017
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