Gov. Nathan Deal on Wednesday proposed the largest cost-of-living pay raise for Georgia’s more than 200,000 teachers and state employees since before the Great Recession, calling on lawmakers to approve a 3 percent hike.
In his sixth State of the State address, the governor promised $300 million more for K-12 schools, following up on the recommendations of a task force he appointed last year to study education funding.
“Over the past five years, members of this General Assembly and I have shown our appreciation for our teachers by making public education a priority, and we will do so again this year by appropriating an additional $300 million for k-12 education, which is more than is required to give teachers a three percent pay raise,” the governor said.
The extra money will ease the pressure on districts that had to furlough and lay off teachers and reduce school days during the Great Recession. Deal has been adding money back into the state school funding formula the past few years in hopes of eliminating layoffs and furloughs.
“With the additional funding this year, furloughs should be a thing of the past and teachers should receive that three percent pay raise,” Deal said.
He also called for teacher merit pay and took a swipe at critics of his plans to change how schools are funded.
“The education of Georgia’s children is too important to be held hostage to a status quo that may feel comfortable to certain adults but is a disservice to our students,” he said.
The governor won’t release his budget proposal for the upcoming year until Thursday, but he hit a few of the highlights during his speech before the House and Senate.
Check back for more details after the address on myajc.com
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