2023 GAEL Legislative Priorities

Legislative Priorities (printable PDF)

Provide Adequate Funding and Resources for Georgia’s Students

• PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF THE MAJORITY OF GEORGIA’S CHILDREN, WHO ARE SERVED BY PUBLIC EDUCATION, by limiting the diversion of public funds to private education institutions through vouchers, scholarships, tuition credits, or tax exemptions.
• MANDATE ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY of private education institutions who accept public taxpayer funds by mandating accountability equivalent to public schools and requiring them to annually post their financial audits, academic progress, and demographic data to the public.
• COMMIT TO INCREASED STUDENT, TEACHER, AND STAKEHOLDER SAFETY by adding an annual categorical grant in the QBE system allotment to help support increased safety on campus.
• PROVIDE VITAL MENTAL HEALTH, ACADEMIC, AND CAREER SUPPORT FOR GA STUDENTS by decreasing the student-to-school counselor ratio.
• ACKNOWLEDGE AND ADDRESS THE GROWING GAP between the costs to LEAs of safely transporting students and the amount of state funding for those costs.
• RESTORE AUSTERITY CUTS FOR REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL SERVICE AGENCIES (RESAs) to support rural schools and to maximize collaboration and training for all Georgia school systems.

Provide Qualified Teachers and Leaders to Serve Georgia’s Students

• ENCOURAGE TEACHERS TO REMAIN IN GEORGIA AND IN THE PROFESSION by supporting and strengthening Georgia’s Teacher Retirement System (TRS) and state salary schedule.
• EXPAND EFFORTS TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TEACHERS AND LEADERS to address the growing shortage of quality applicants needed by our children.
• REDUCE THE CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF TEACHERS in Georgia classrooms by permitting retired educators in high-needs areas that are designated annually by individual school systems to return to work full-time for children without losing their retirement benefits.
• ENSURE FAIR ACCOUNTABILITY for teachers and school leaders through valid, reliable, and effective measures.

Support Local School Board Authority

• STAND FOR LOCAL GOVERNANCE BY COMMUNITY BOARDS OF EDUCATION by ensuring that legislation is aligned with constitutional provisions regarding public school governance.
• ENSURE THAT SUPERINTENDENTS SERVING CHILDREN CONTINUE TO BE APPOINTED by locally elected boards based on a leader’s training and expertise.

SUPPORT THE POSITION STATEMENTS AND PRIORITIES OF THE GEORGIA ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATIONAL LEADERS (GAEL) AFFILIATES/ASSOCIATES AND GEORGIA SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION (GSBA)