Gwinnett school leader pushes for state funding changes
Gwinnett Superintendent J. Alvin Wilbanks urged a group of state lawmakers Tuesday morning to pass changes that he and district leaders hope will bring more money to Georgia’s largest school district.
Wilbanks served on the state's Education Reform Commission, which last month approved a set of recommendations that they believe will more equitably distribute state funds for Georgia's public school districts and give districts greater flexibility in how they spend the money.
Gov. Nathan Deal, who called for the creation of the commission, must now decide whether to push any of them through the General Assembly next year or enact those he can independently. Wilbanks gave a brief presentation of the commission’s recommendations and discussed other issues with state lawmakers who represent Gwinnett during a meeting Tuesday in Lawrenceville.
“If you approve the recommendations that would probably be better than any other year that you’ve had in a long time,” Wilbanks said.
State lawmakers who attended the meeting appeared supportive of the recommendations.
“This has been a worthwhile endeavor,” state Sen. Fran Millar, R-Dunwoody, said of the committee’s work.
About the Author
Eric Stirgus joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2001. He is the newsroom's education editor. Born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y., Eric is active in the Atlanta Association of Black Journalists and the Education Writers Association and enjoys mentoring aspiring journalists.
