Georgia Southern University and six other Georgia colleges and universities will restore test score requirements for incoming freshmen in the fall of 2026. ATLANTA – The University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents voted Tuesday to rescind a temporary waiver of test-score requirements for undergraduate admissions starting with the fall semester of 2026. The […]
Author Archives: Dave
Posted inUncategorized
Kemp signs $36.1 billion state budget
by Dave Williams | May 7, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service Gov. Brian Kemp signed what he called an “historic” $36.1 billion state budget Tuesday containing healthy raises for state employees and public school teachers. The fiscal 2025 budget, which takes effect July 1, represents an increase of $3.7 billion over the fiscal 2024 budget the General Assembly adopted […]
Posted inGeorgia House
State Senate passes ‘culture wars’ education measure
by Dave Williams | Mar 28, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – The Georgia Senate passed legislation Tuesday crammed with multiple “culture wars” provisions affecting Georgia schools. House Bill 1104, which the Senate’s Republican majority passed 33-21 along party lines, originated in the House as a measure addressing mental-health risks for student athletes. But Senate Republicans added a […]
Posted inGeorgia Politics
Private-school vouchers win final passage from General Assembly
by Dave Williams | Mar 20, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – The state Senate gave final passage Wednesday to controversial legislation offering private-school vouchers to Georgia students attending low-performing public schools. The Republican-controlled Senate voted 33-21 along party lines to adopt a version of the vouchers bill the state House’s GOP majority narrowly passed last week. The […]
Posted inGeorgia House
Private school vouchers narrowly clear Georgia House
by Dave Williams | Mar 14, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – A controversial private-school vouchers bill squeaked through the Georgia House of Representatives Thursday. The bill, which would provide vouchers worth up to $6,500 to help students in low-performing public schools transfer to a private school, passed the Republican-controlled House 91-82, the minimum number of votes needed […]
Posted inGeorgia News
Pay raises for teachers, state workers sail through Georgia House
by Dave Williams | Mar 10, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – The Georgia House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a $36.1 billion fiscal 2025 state budget Thursday with generous raises for teachers and state employees made possible by a huge surplus. “This is an awesome budget that addresses the needs of every Georgian from all walks of life,” […]
Posted inGeorgia Politics
State Senate passes bill aimed at American Library Association
by Dave Williams |March 3, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – The Republican-controlled Georgia Senate has passed legislation that would prohibit city, county, and regional libraries from using either tax dollars or private funds on any materials offered by the American Library Association (ALA). Senate Bill 390 cleared the upper chamber in the General Assembly 33-20 along […]
Posted inGeorgia Politics
Georgia schools getting electric buses through federal grant
by Dave Williams | Jan 23, 2024 | Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – Seven Georgia school districts will receive nearly $60 million in federal funding for new electric and low-emission buses. The Georgia grant is part of $1 billion going to school systems across the country to pay for clean buses. The money comes from the bipartisan infrastructure spending […]
Posted inGeorgia Department of Education
Georgia Council on Literacy tackling tough challenge head-on
by Dave Williams | Capitol Beat News Service KENNESAW – Georgia’s low literacy rate can be fixed despite the dismal statistics currently plaguing educators, the head of a council of state legislators, literacy experts, teachers, and school district officials said Tuesday. “We will not shrink back from our mission,” Scott Johnson, chairman of the Georgia Council on Literacy, […]
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State Health Benefit Plan premiums going up 5%
by Dave Williams | Aug 10, 2023 | Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – State employees, public school teachers and retirees will pay 5% more for health insurance coverage next year on average. The Georgia Board of Community Health approved the premium increase Thursday, only the second in the last six years. The increase, which takes effect Jan. 1, will […]
Posted inGeorgia House
Lawsuit looking to block ban on gender-affirming care for Georgia transgender youth
by Dave Williams | Jun 30, 2023 | Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – A group of parents has filed a federal lawsuit challenging Georgia legislation limiting medical care for transgender children two days before the law is due to take effect. Senate Bill 140, which prevents Georgians under 18 from obtaining gender-affirming hormone replacement therapy or surgery, is scheduled […]
Posted inGeorgia Department of Education
Georgia dropping ‘woke’ words from teacher preparation rules
by Dave Williams | Jun 8, 2023 | Capitol Beat News Service ATLANTA – The Georgia Professional Standards Commission voted unanimously Thursday to delete “woke” words, including “equity” and “inclusion,” from the state’s teacher preparation rules. Along with “diversity,” a word the commission voted last month to delete from the preparation standards, the changes were requested by the University System […]