State lawmakers on Friday suggested a way to soften some of the proposed cuts to Georgia's popular pre-kindergarten program.
Gov. Nathan Deal's plan to save the pre-k and HOPE scholarship programs calls for cutting the pre-k class day from 6.5 to 4 hours a day.
During a Friday committee meeting, Reps. Jay Neal, R-Lafayette, and Kathy Ashe, D-Atlanta, suggested the state might be able to keep a full-day pre-k program and pay for it by eliminating Deal's proposal to add 5,000 extra slots while increasing the maximum number of students allowed in each class.
Both HOPE and pre-k are funded by lottery revenues, which have failed to keep up with demand for -- and cost of -- scholarships and spots in the free program for 4-year-olds. Lottery programs face a $300 million budget shortfall for the coming fiscal year.
Deal's spokesman had no comment on the possible changes.
The idea for the change came as Ginger James, a pre-k teacher at Kids R Kids in Atlanta, told the subcommittee that the cuts would force her to leave a job she's had for 15 years.
Neal asked her if she could absorb two additional children into her class without compromising the quality of instruction.
"I can handle that," James said without hesitation.
That prompted Ashe to ask the governor's office and Bobby Cagle, Deal's commissioner of the Department of Early Care and Learning to look into the idea.
"I do hope we can see the calculation of how many hours we can save by taking away the 5,000 extra slots and adding two kids," Ashe said.
The subcommittee did not vote Friday and will continue its work next week on a state budget plan for fiscal 2012, which begins July 1.
James and others, including Emily Cunningham, a pre-k teacher in Snellville, said the cuts would be devastating to quality and to their jobs.
Cunningham, who teaches at the Sunshine House, said the cut to her salary would force her to leave her job.
"Many of my peers are in similar situations and will not be able to support their families," Cunningham said. "Many are already investigating other employment opportunities."
Going from 6.5 hours to 4 hours would save the program about $66 million, Cagle said, while adding the 5,000 extra slots would cost $15 million. Simply eliminating the extra slots would not make up the progam's projected deficit, but lawmakers are hopeful that by also allowing schools to increase the maximum class size from 20 to 22 would save enough money to keep the longer class day.
Cagle told the panel that the governor's plan includes $1 million in new money to help pay for transportation. Under the new plan, some public schools that offer pre-k would have to find ways to get children home after four hours. But Cagle acknowledged the $1 million will not be enough.
After more than two hours of public comment, Cagle said he would take all of the suggestions offered by lawmakers and the public back to Deal's team for consideration.
"At this point we have got to go back and digest and discuss all the options," he said.
About the Author
