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2024 budget clears House vote

$2,000 SALARY INCREASE FOR TEACHERS;
$1,000 BONUS FOR SCHOOL CUSTODIANS

PAY RAISES FOR SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS,
SCHOOL NURSES, AND CAFETERIA WORKERS ADDED

INCREASES PSERS RETIREMENT BENEFITS FOR ESPs

Updates story from yesterday's Legislative Alert: The Georgia House of Representatives passed a proposed budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, HB 19, which begins July 1, 2023, by a vote of 167-1. The House-approved budget now goes to the state Senate for its consideration.

The committee recommended a $2,000 permanent salary increase for teachers.

House budget writers also included a $1,000 bonus for school custodians.

School cafeteria workers, bus drivers and school nurses also get 5.1% pay raise.

The House budget also increases retirement benefits for Education Support Professionals (ESP) whose pension benefits are provided by the Public School Employees Retirement System (PSERS).

PSERS uses a multiplier and years of service to determine monthly pension benefits. Currently that multiplier is set at $16. The maximum that multiplier can be under current state law is $16.50. The committee voted today to raise the multiplier to that amount.

Meanwhile, legislation has been introduced in the Senate, SB 105, to eliminate completely the cap on the multiplier and replace it with a $17 minimum multiplier.

The budget also sets aside $6.3 million to provide free breakfasts and lunches in school for students who qualify for reduced priced meals.

Gov. Brian Kemp's proposed budget included expenditures so that the Zell Miller Scholarship would cover 100 percent of tuition. The House version pares it back to 95 percent.

Equalization grants for low-wealth school districts is increased by $122.2 million. Equalization grants are provided for school districts that have a small property tax base to help fund public schools.

The bill would send $846 million to school districts to offset a huge increase in employer health insurance premiums for certified educators and $229 million for non-certified personnel.

The House-passed budget proposes a record $13.1 billion for education.

House Education subcommittees met this morning

The House Education Committee's Curriculum and Policy subcommittees met to consider four bills:

SB 32, to establish a "mobile panic alert" system for schools to use in the event of an emergency, was heard but held over to next week for a vote.

SB 45, concerning the treatment of students for epilepsy or seizure disorders, was also discussed but a vote was deferred until next week.

SB 204, regulating school system accrediting agencies, was amended by the committee to incorporate HB 506, a bill that had earlier passed the committee but was never brought to the House floor before Crossover Day. The amended version of SB 204 then passed. The bill now limits accreditation reviews to student achievement measures and financial efficacy only.

SB 211, establishing the Georgia Council on Literacy, was amended to include literacy coaches, and passed.

Next Update will be Monday, March 13 - Day 32

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