Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has proposed a one-time funding boost of $50 million for school safety in public schools. This comes after a tragic shooting incident at Apalachee High School, which left four people dead. While the funding is a step in the right direction, it does not address the school officials’ requests for more counseling resources to support students.
The proposed $50 million is in addition to the existing $109 million that schools already receive. Kemp’s plan also includes increased funding for school psychologists, aiming to enhance mental health support and crisis counseling. The governor emphasizes that his funding package aims to improve school safety, educational facilities, and support for teachers.
Here are some key elements of Kemp’s proposal:
- A total of $120.8 million for education in the amended fiscal year 2025 and $402.2 million for fiscal year 2026.
- Additional $10.3 million for pupil transportation to help cover operational costs and bus supplies.
- Funding of $1.25 million for technical education labs that prepare students for in-demand careers.
- Increased benefits for the Public School Indemnification Fund and improvements to the Teachers’ State Health Benefit Plan.
- One-time school safety grants totaling $158.9 million, providing each school with approximately $68,760 for safety initiatives.
- $3 million for expanded internet bandwidth in schools.
To address mental health further, the plan allocates funding for crisis counseling training for school counselors and includes $872,000 to improve the student-to-psychologist ratio in schools.
The governor also proposed a capital package of $212.4 million, which encompasses $178.5 million for facility upgrades, $20 million for new school buses, and lab equipment for vocational training programs.
Support for these initiatives has come from key Republican leaders, including Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and House Speaker Jon Burns. They believe these measures will provide schools with the flexibility needed to meet their unique challenges. Jones has additionally pushed for legislation requiring panic buttons for teachers, while Burns advocates for better information sharing across educational and child welfare agencies.
Overall, while the funding plan aims to enhance safety and support for students and teachers, the call for additional mental health resources remains a pressing issue in the wake of recent violence against students.
