As part of his fiscal year 2019 budget proposal, Gov. Nathan Deal has allocated an additional $166 million toward the state’s education budget. The amount would fully fund the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula for the first time since the recession.
According to the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, between 2010 and 2014, the state cut K-12 funding by more than a billion dollars each year. That shifted financial costs onto districts, the GBPI says. However, many districts lost a lot of local revenue when property values plunged during the recession.
Education advocates have long complained the QBE hasn’t kept up with inflation. They’ve also urged lawmakers to update the formula to include measures like technology funding.
While the governor’s budget proposal wouldn’t change the QBE, it would provide more money for schools.
A conference committee discussed the proposal Tuesday morning.
