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School leaders detail legislative requests |
2010-01-15 |
By Martha Barksdale |
The Georgia General Assembly began its 2010 session Monday, and the state’s tight financial situation is expected to play a big part in the legislative agenda.
At its meeting Monday night, members of the Fayette County Board of Education discussed what they will tell the county’s legislative delegation when they meet in Atlanta on Feb. 11.
School Superintendent John DeCotis presented six items to the board that he said he felt were important to discuss with the legislators. He said other items could be discussed as well at the Feb. 11 meeting.
DeCotis said he would ask the legislators to study and eliminate tax breaks for special interest groups. “Several hundred million dollars are lost in tax breaks to certain groups,� he said, adding that this takes money from homeowners and working people.
Unfunded mandates--items the government requires but does not pay for--burden school districts. The superintendent said compliance with these mandates is one of the school system’s biggest expenses.
One issue that greatly concerns Fayette’s education leaders is House Bill 251, the public school choice bill that allows students to attend schools not in their district if the school they want to attend is under capacity. There is talk this year of amending it to make empty classrooms, not the number of teachers, the criterion. DeCotis is concerned that Fayette could be forced to take in students from other school districts if the bill is changed.
Currently, each school system in Georgia contributes 5 mills of its tax revenue in a statewide mill-share program. The money is then divided among all school systems with the purpose of giving less-affluent counties more of an equal slice of the revenue pie. DeCotis wants to tell Fayette’s legislators to keep the current cap on the 5 mills.
DeCotis said the local boards can’t give up any money in these days of declining revenue. “Three or four years ago, 1,500 building permits were issued in this county; last year, it was 57,� he poined out.
Fayette’s school leaders will also tell the local delegation that local funding should not be given to schools approved by the state charter school commission. These charter schools have not been sanctioned by the local board, and DeCotis said local tax dollars should not be used to fund them.
Another priority is fully funding the Quality Basic Education formula, or giving local systems more flexibility, as is done for charter schools and private schools receiving SB10 voucher funding.
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Comments:
Sue Bell, Ed.S, NBCT writes: As a teacher from the Liberty County School System, I applaud the Fayette County Board of Education's initiative in communicating concerns to the legislators. I encourage every Board of Education in Georgia to follow your example.
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