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Thursday, March 23, 2023 - Day 38

Two legislative days remain in 2023 session!
Archive of Past Legislative Alerts

HOUSE TABLES VOUCHER LEGISLATION

NOT ENOUGH VOTES TO PASS THE BILL TODAY
LEADERSHIP HOLDS THE BILL UNTIL MONDAY

SB 233, the largest expansion of private school vouchers in the state's history, was suddenly called to the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote this evening. However, lacking the majority necessary to assure passage of the bill, House leadership elected to table the measure to find more support for an expected vote on Monday.

As cruel as it seems, SB 233 strips state funding from the poorest schools in Georgia to help pay the private school bills of more privileged students. The bill calls for the development of a list of the lowest performing (lowest wealth) schools in the state and makes students in the lowest quartile of those schools eligible for a $6,500 private school voucher, taking with them the state QBE funds intended for the public school.

For every tax dollar an "under-performing" public school receives from the state for an enrolled student, two dollars are transferred to the private school that enrolls a student enrolls with the voucher. Homeschooling costs are also covered by the bill, which are on average six times less than the $6,500 voucher.

FIGHT ON! Please continue to contact legislators expressing your opposition to the bill. Click here to submit a letter to members of the House of Representatives asking them to vote NO on SB 233. Please ask your colleagues, friends, and families to also weigh in.

The fact that the advocates for taxpayer-funded private school were forced to stand down today, at least temporarily, is a reflection of the many communications to legislators from GAE members and others concerned with bill. Your voice was heard and must continue to be heard.

Senate passes 2024 state budget

INCLUDES $2,000 PAY RAISE FOR TEACHERS

BONUSES FOR CUSTODIANS OF $1,000

5.1% RAISE FOR CAFETERIA WORKERS,
BUS DRIVERS, AND SCHOOL NURSES

INCREASES ESP RETIREMENT PENSIONS

The state Senate today passed their version of the 2023-2024 state budget. The Senate version differs from the House budget so a committee of three legislators from each chamber will meet to try and resolve the differences.

The Senate-approved budget and the House-approved budget both provide a $2,000 salary increase for teachers. Custodians receive a one-time bonus of $1,000, and school cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and school nurses are scheduled to receive a 5.1% raise.

The bill also increases the monthly retirement benefits for ESPs who are covered under the Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS) to the maximum currently allowed by law.

The bill includes $846 million to cover a 67% rate increase in employer costs for the State Health Benefit Plan for certified educators and $229 million to cover cost increases for non-certified educators.

The Senate also restored funding to allow HOPE Scholarships to cover 100% of tuition for all eligible students. This was in the Governor's original budget but the House had cut it back to 95%.

Teacher planning-time bill added to Senate floor calendar for Monday vote

HB 340, a bill that would protect daily planning periods for educators in grades K-12, was added to the list of bills scheduled to be heard Monday in the Senate.

"Planning period" is described in the bill as: "A block of time when a teacher is not responsible for the direct supervision of student safety or conduct or for providing instruction to students."

The bill also states: "No local board of education shall increase the number of hours to be worked by an employee as a result of such employee's being granted a planning period ..." and "planning period[s] shall not be calculated under any circumstances as a part of any daily lunch period or other non-instructional time."

Bill to increase tax breaks for donors to private schools dies in committee

HB 101, a bill to increase the tax break the state gives to donor to private schools, apparently died in the Senate Finance Committee. The bill was scheduled to be heard Wednesday in committee but was dropped from the agenda at the last minute.

The bill proposed to increase by $10 million annually the amount the state gives in tax breaks to donors to private schools.

Amendments to increase accountability and transparency for the tax credit were apparently too much for the proponents of the tax break to stomach, causing them pull back their support.

Next Update will be Monday, March 27 - Day 39

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