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Class Size Reduction

The governor is proposing $163 million for class size reduction in grades K-8. This is a laudable first step and we are pleased that the governor has apparently had a change of mind regarding the importance of lower class sizes. PAGE has long had this as a legislative priority. Class size has a definite impact on student achievement, particularly among struggling learners in the earliest grades, which is why we are also encouraging full funding and full implementation of the Early Intervention Program. PAGE also believes that reduced class sizes would be most helpful in grades 9-12 and that is an issue that also must be considered.

Maximum Class Size:	Now	Proposed
Kindergarten	20	18
First through third	23	21
Fourth and fifth	32	28
Sixth through eighth	32	28

We are pleased to see $447 million in bonds for classroom construction, new equipment is included in the governor’s budget, which makes his proposal more meaningful and “real” in the sense that it will provide facilities for students and teachers rather than simply rhetoric and promises.

Requiring that 65% of all Revenue be spent in Classroom

This initiative, while perhaps well intentioned, seems to miss the mark in two important ways. One, it seems to be tinkering at the margins. Most school systems are close to or above this level. The statewide average is approximately 63%. It also seems to fly in the face of the frequently cited “local control” concern often expressed by legislators of both parties. A second problem is in the definition of what is a “classroom expense.” Currently, the definition includes athletics but omits important staff members such as counselors, media specialists, speech-hearing pathologists, school nurses and other critically important – in our view – professional staff members. Left out of the equation also are custodians, bus drivers and cafeteria staff. Can anyone reasonably say we can conduct education in our schools without these important people?

A High School Completion Counselor in every High School

In his budget proposal, Governor Perdue has allocated $23.3 million to address the issue of our state’s nearly 40% dropout rate. We can all agree that this rate is unacceptably high and that this is a worthwhile goal. More counselors will likely be welcomed by teachers, parents and students. But the “die is cast” on school dropouts very early in their learning careers, well before high school. Much research tells us that failure in the early grades, particularly failure to learn to read by grade three is a very high indicator of school dropout. We believe that the governor’s focus on class size reduction in the K-8 grades may have more impact than high school completion counselors.

High Performance Principals

The governor has included $3 million in his budget proposal that will be used to recruit “high performance principals” with a proven track record for middle and high schools that are in the "needs improvement" category. Research and student achievement report analysis have shown time and again that the most critically important and most requisite component supporting excellent teaching and high levels of student achievement – particularly with students of poverty – is the quality of leadership at the school level. Georgia students and their teachers could benefit enormously from resources devoted to improving the quality of leadership in our schools.

Teacher Gift Cards

There is no doubt that teachers, who are being called upon to spend their own funds to insure their students have what they need in the classroom, will welcome the governor’s initiative to put $10 million in the state budget to give each teacher $100 to spend during the back to school sales tax holiday for classroom supplies. Some educators may also view this move by the governor with election year skepticism. In either case, students will benefit.

Teacher Salaries and Benefits

This year PAGE’s Legislative Task Force included as one its priorities a 10% salary increase. In the budget proposal announced by Governor Perdue, a 4% pay raise is included for all teachers in addition to a step increase for those who will earn such an increase. The governor noted that more than fifty percent of educators will therefore receive an increase of approximately 7%. That news, coupled with the $138 million included in his budget to insure that teachers face no premium increase in their health insurance, means that more than half of the state’s educators will receive a substantial salary increase. However, for those thousands of veteran educators who will not realize a step increase, the news is far less welcome. Their 4% increase, coming after three years in which the increases were 0%, 2% (effective January 1, not September) and 2% respectively means that for the first four years of Governor Perdue’s administration, veteran educators received an annual salary increase averaging 2%. Given that the cost of living over this same period rose approximately 12% and that health care premiums rose, depending upon plan and type of coverage, from approximately 27% to 34%, it is not hard to see the economic ground that has been lost. We regret that the governor did not include an additional longevity step in his salary package. It is a PAGE legislative priority. PAGE is also working with legislators to – for the first time - comprehensively address the state health benefit plan. (Please see our website for a full statement on that important issue.)