Listed below are the priorities guiding State Faculty Superintendent Richard Woods’ conversations with lawmakers this upcoming legislative session.
ATLANTA — The Georgia Division of Training introduced its priorities for the 2025 legislative session on Monday. These priorities will assist information State Faculty Superintendent Richard Woods’ conversations with lawmakers in the course of the session, together with the company’s work in the course of the session and past.
Superintendent Woods stated the legislative priorities concentrate on steps the company can take to make sure a secure, profitable and supported training system — starting from enhancements to high school security to funding for ongoing literacy initiatives.
“We’re at a vital second in Georgia public training,” Woods stated. “Constructing on the investments made by the Governor’s Workplace and Common Meeting, and the work of the Division of Training and native districts and faculties, we’ve the continued alternative to make sure all faculties can put together all college students for all times.”
Beneath is a breakdown of the division’s 2025 legislative priorities:
Secure
The state Division of Training stated it’s going to concentrate on securing a secure studying atmosphere for all and a security commonplace throughout Georgia. It should make an effort to do that via the beneath concepts:
- SRO: Pay for a Faculty Useful resource Officer in each college.
- Disaster Alert System: Pay for a disaster alert system in each college.
- Psychological Well being: Increase the state’s APEX program in faculties.
- Devoted Security Funding: Help and proceed the flexibleness of line-item college security funding.
- Coordination: Pay for a faculty security coordinator place on the state Division of Training
- Report Sharing: Set up a coverage that helps elevated document sharing amongst college districts, state businesses and regulation enforcement.
- Cellphones: Set up statewide mannequin insurance policies for cellphone use that may reduce educational distractions and bullying whereas additionally offering applicable entry in security and medical conditions.
- Fentanyl Consciousness Training and Narcan Funding: Defend college students via elevated consciousness and entry to life-saving assets.
Profitable
The Georgia Division of Training stated the state’s investments in training are paying off, with proof being historic commencement charges, rising take a look at scores and beating the nation within the SAT and ACT. It believes this momentum may be continued via the next concepts:
- Literacy: Set up a Literacy Belief to help state literacy necessities, offering state funding to high school districts for common screeners, high-quality curricula, school-level coaches, coaching, implementation and trainer stipends.
- Numeracy: Help the newly-revised Georgia Okay-12 math requirements to construct upon early successes.
- Understanding our Founding: Present all 4th-grade college students with a pocket U.S. Structure.
- Workforce Growth: Pay for summer time Work-based Studying (WBL) alternatives, outfit CTAE labs providing high-demand profession packages and help WBL for at-risk youth.
- Management Pipeline: Restore funding to extend compensation for educators who earn a management diploma.
- Instructor Pipeline: Increase the Return to Work possibility to incorporate studying, math and particular training as statewide high-need areas and take away the July 2026 sundown.
- Acknowledge Skilled and Devoted Educators: Increase the trainer wage step will increase past 21 years of service.
- Deal with Lecturers as Professionals: Safe a minimal variety of private days for academics and categorised workers.
- Totally Fund Training: Totally fund QBE.
Supported
GaDOE stated it must proceed to help those that assist college students by setting them up for fulfillment. It believes this may be completed via the beneath concepts:
- Help Barrow County and Hurricane-impacted Areas: Acknowledge the necessity for extra assets and help for Barrow County Colleges and faculties affected by Hurricane Helene.
- Modernize the Funding System: Modernize the QBE funding method with a poverty weight, funding for expertise and up to date funding weights for bus drivers, custodians, paraprofessionals, media specialists, substitutes, college nurses, college social employees, college counselors and faculty psychologists.
- Make Afterschool not an Afterthought: Pay for afterschool and summer time studying packages to develop educational time, handle studying loss and help working households.
- Character Training: Pay for character education schemes.
- Connectivity and Cybersecurity: Proceed offering vital PeachNet connectivity and cybersecurity instruments to all faculties, particularly these in rural and low-wealth areas.
- Amenities: Present services funding for constitution faculties.
