Georgia

Powerful Georgia House Republican unveils plan to pump $100M into state’s pre-K system

Published

2 years ago

January 17, 2024

Powerful Georgia House Republican unveils plan to pump 0M into state’s pre-K system

(GA Recorder) — The Georgia House’s No. 2 legislator is calling on the state to use about $100 million in state lottery budget reserve money to help reduce class sizes for the state’s youngest students and boost salaries for their teachers.

“I know, not just anecdotally, but through conversations that the team had with superintendents and with the private providers, that they’re having a very difficult time finding lead teachers and assistant teachers that will take the job and stay in the job for the salary that we offer,” said Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, a Milton Republican. “And they’re not only competing with other industries; they’re competing with K-12, where by and large, teachers make more money. They have access to the state retirement system and state health insurance.”

“We’ve got to up our game to continue to offer one of the first universal pre-K system programs in the country, and one that’s certainly very successful,” she added.

On Tuesday, Jones announced four recommendations she hopes will raise the state’s pre-K program competitiveness using money from the Georgia Lottery’s reserve fund. Her plan has the backing of House Speaker Jon Burns.

The state is required to save half of the prior year’s net lottery proceeds in a rainy day fund but usually deposits much more than required. In Georgia’s 2023 budget year, the state had $2.2 billion in its lottery reserves, about $1.4 billion of which was in an unrestricted fund, according to the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students.

Reduced Class Sizes

When it started in 1992, Georgia’s pre-K program funded 20 students per class, but that number was increased to 22 in 2012 as the Great Recession’s effects lingered to meet declining lottery revenues. Getting back to 20 kids per class should be the state’s top early education priority, Jones said.

To meet that number, Jones’ plan calls for increasing the number of pre-K classrooms in the state from 3,818 to 4,200 and carries a price tag of just under $43 million over four years.

Lower class sizes are associated with better learning, and those with experience wrangling four-year-olds know that just two fewer students in a classroom can make a big difference, said Amy Jacobs, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning.

“Teachers say to me, two children not showing up, being absent, it’s a huge difference in that interaction, the instruction they can get, the individualized instruction they can give to these students, it’ll be a huge game changer for pre-K,” she said.

Smaller class sizes will also give teachers incentive to consider a career in pre-K instead of elementary school, Jones said.

“It also affects the particular question of workforce because for a teacher with the same credentials, it’s going to be a greater burden on the pre-K teachers by asking them to have a larger class size than a kindergarten classroom,” she said.

Higher Salaries

Kindergarten teachers often typically take home a bigger paycheck as well, and Jones’ plan calls for greater parity in salary between pre-K and K-12 teachers.

Jones’s plan would revise the base salary and raise the schedule for pre-K teachers to align with the salary schedule for K-12 teachers at an annual cost of $4.6 million.

Assistant teachers would see a raise from $20,190 to $25,741 with adjustments to assistant teacher pay benchmarked to the average K-12 paraprofessional salary. This recommendation would cost $26.2 million.

“We can’t do pre-K without teachers and we have a dedicated group of Georgia pre-K teachers, but we do have to look at salary,” Jacobs said. “We’ve made some really good adjustments in the past few years where they’re very close to K-12, but anything we can do to get exact parity with K-12 will make a huge difference in recruiting and retaining them in our Georgia pre-K classes.”

Other Costs

Jones said the state has not updated its share of funds for much of pre-K spending in decades.

The current pre-K formula provides $8,000 per classroom for start-up grants to new or expanding providers, an amount which has not been updated since 2004.

Jones calls for that grant to increase to $30,000 per classroom, with a rotating $15,000 grant to refresh each classroom every five years. Those two initiatives combined would cost about $13.4 million per year.

The current plan funds transportation at $16.50 for each low-income student, while Jones’ plan calls for funding transportation at $80.78 per student for all students at an annual cost of $4 million.

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Georgia

Florida Continues Push to Beat Out Georgia for Top LB Recruit

Published

1 hour ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Florida Continues Push to Beat Out Georgia for Top LB Recruit

After a huge ratings boost in the updated Rivals300 rankings that now has Joakim Gouda as a top-30 prospect in the 2027 class, the Florida Gators remain in contention for the elite Georgia linebacker despite an apparent leader in his recruitment.

Gouda, once unranked by Rivals, is now the second-highest-rated linebacker in his class. He has seen multiple expert predictions to land with Kirby Smart and the in-state Georgia Bulldogs recently. However, the Gators have consistently been in the mix for the athletic backer under Jon Sumrall, with both schools making his top five, as well as Texas, Auburn and Alabama, and official visits scheduled to all remaining contenders.

Despite the smoke around Georgia, Florida will still have a strong shot at the 6-foot-2, 225-pound defender with plenty of time left before his decision is officially made.

“Florida is definitely still strongly in the race,” Gouda told Florida Gators on SI. “I’m just focused on building relationships and taking my time. I’m not rushing a commitment — I want to make the best decision for me and my future.”

Though the Gators offered Gouda only just over two months ago, Florida has wasted no time in aggressively pursuing the talented athlete, who is expected back on campus for a visit this spring on top of his scheduled official visit from June 4 to June 6. While still somewhat early in the building of a relationship, the new staff member has stood out.

“Florida sits in my top 5 because I really like the program and the energy around it right now. Even with a lot of competition, I believe in my ability to compete and contribute.” Gouda said. “I think I could fit in well with Sumrall and the new staff because I’m coachable, hardworking, and focused on team success. I like their energy and vision for the program, and that’s earned them a real chance in my recruitment.”

Florida’s chances will rely heavily on the next few months, however, as Gouda goes through his visits looking for the best program fit amongst multiple premier options. With a long way to go till signing day, the Gators will have plenty of time to prove to the elite prospect that they meet his criteria.

“From Florida, I’m looking for a staff that truly believes in me, a system where I can develop, and a culture that feels like family,” Gouda said. “A program will earn my commitment by showing consistency, developing players, and giving me the best opportunity to grow on and off the field.”

After making 100 tackles during junior season at South Pauling High School (Ga.), Gouda is expected to surge up recruiting rankings as he heads toward a decision next year. While becoming one of the largest risers in his class as of late, the four-star is not getting complacent.

“The attention on Rivals feels good because it shows people are noticing my work,” Gouda said. “…I think it’s just a result of staying consistent and improving every day, but I’m still keeping my head down and grinding.”

The Gators will likely be in it till the end for the potential future five-star Gouda, with Sumrall and staff looking to fight off Smart in his home state and land one of the more exciting prospects at his position in 2027.

More From Florida Gators on SI

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Georgia

South Georgia honors Officer Caleb Abney

Published

13 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

South Georgia honors Officer Caleb Abney

VALDOSTA Ga. (WALB) – Family, friends, and law enforcement agencies from across South Georgia gathered at Martin Stadium to remember Officer Caleb Abney.

First responders from across the region stood alongside Abney’s family as Lowndes County opened the stadium for the service.

Lowndes County Board member Chris Buescher said community attendance was important.

“Obviously, these first responders give their all to our community. It is important to come out and support them. We are all heartbroken as a community as one Lowndes family,” Buescher said.

South Georgia honors Officer Caleb Abney(WALB NEWS 10)

Abney’s ties to the community

Buescher noted Abney’s deep roots in Lowndes County, describing his connection to the area beyond his role in law enforcement.

“Caleb was not only a first responder in terms of the fire department, a police officer. He was a former Lowndes County High graduate. He was a former Georgia Bridgeman. So he marched on this very field that these last respects were paid to. So his mom and dad were big volunteers within the school system. So it is important to recognize the sacrifices these first responders make for all of us in the community,” Buescher said.

Procession travels through Lowndes County

The procession exited Lowndes High School and traveled through several roadways across the area. Family members, guests, and first responders made their way to Fellowship Baptist Church.

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Man accused of raping University of Georgia student, police say

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Man accused of raping University of Georgia student, police say

ATHENS, Ga. – A 19-year-old is facing assault-related charges after police said he raped a University of Georgia student early Saturday morning while she was walking home.

What we know:

Tydarius Wingfield of Athens allegedly approached the student in the area of 400 North Thomas Street just before 1:40 a.m. and asked to walk her home.

Wingfield and the victim did not know each other.

Wingfield then forced the woman behind a building where he sexually assaulted her, police said.

Investigators used the Real Time Crime Center’s camera system to see where the assault happened and track the victim and Wingfield’s movements. Officers continued tracking Wingfield until his arrest and positively identified him using the RTCC technology.

He is charged with rape, kidnapping, aggravated sexual battery and battery.

An investigation is ongoing.

What we don’t know:

It is unclear whether the victim was taken to the hospital after being attacked.

What you can do:

Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Detective Burgamy at Charles.Burgamy@accgov.com or 762-400-7173.

The Source: Information in this report comes from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department.

Athens-Clarke CountyUniversity of GeorgiaNewsCrime and Public Safety

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