4 minute read

Funding:

Next Article
SERVICE DIRECTORY

SERVICE DIRECTORY

Continued from Page 1 the QBE has rarely been fully funded, or appropriately adjusted to the current education environment.

Four decades ago when QBE was implemented, technology in classrooms was limited. Students used typewriters to submit papers, phones were still wired to walls, and there were fewer options available for students with unique learning needs.

Georgia’s last three governors have made fully funding QBE a priority, but it will take the will of the General Assembly to see it through.

“I look forward to working with the Georgia General Assembly and other partners to strengthen supports and opportunities for students [and] support for public education,” said State School Superintendent Richard Woods, who has made funding the QBE a 2023 priority for the Georgia Department of Education.

“We have an enormous opportunity as we move beyond the pandemic to build a public education system that is truly centered on the needs of Georgia students.”

In an amended 2023 budget, Gov. Brian Kemp has requested an additional $745 million for schools and proposed more than

Once this project finishes, many Milton residents will no longer have to hop in a car to reach the Greenway. Instead, they’ll be able to get there directly and safely by walking, strolling or biking without mingling with cars on a busy road.

New multi-use paths would stretch from the Cambridge High School area along Cogburn Road, on Webb Road, then to Morris Road and ultimately to McGinnis Ferry Road, the Milton border. The route would meet up with the Georgia Department of Transportation’s McGinnis Ferry Road/Ga. 400 interchange construction project that features a trail connection to the Big Creek Greenway.

The Milton route runs by North Park, with the named original owner. The handgun, title and wallet were all collected as evidence on scene. No returns were found on the handgun. The vehicle was impounded and removed. A hold was placed on the vehicle for the investigation of fleeing and eluding. The handgun, wallet and its contents, and vehicle’s title were all placed into Milton evidence. The name that appeared on wallet contents was used to conduct a search. The man had a suspended driver’s license status for a failure to appear and had a warrant for a probation violation for an Alpharetta space surrounded by Milton, as well as Freedom Park. The impact on the park properties would be minimal, affecting only small slivers where they meet the roadway. Still, one condition of the federal grant application is that the public be notified and have an opportunity to share their views on these park impacts. dangerous drugs out of Clayton County Sheriff’s Office.

Citizen input on this matter can be sent to Milton Engineering Project Manager Rob Dell-Ross at robert.dellross@miltonga.gov. The opportunity for public comment lasts 30 days, closing on March 3. Details on this project, including relevant documents and imagery, can be found on the Milton’s online transparency portal at cleargov.com.

Police attempted to contact the man, but his number was disconnected. His probation officer said the suspect had not checked in since 2017 and there is an active probation warrant for him. The officer also said the man is a convicted felon and that he was on probation for a felony Schedule II narcotics charge.

Police were unable to positively identify the suspect driver as the named man at the time of the report.

$1.1

billion to fully fund the QBE formula. Committee to review QBE

Last year, the Georgia Senate approved a resolution to form the “Senate Study Committee to Review Educational Funding Mechanisms.” Meetings were held across the state last fall to gather input from the public as it looks to address shortfalls in QBE this session.

The five-member committee is tasked with reviewing the “efficacy and sufficiency” of school funding, primarily the QBE, to determine if it is meeting the needs of Georgia’s 1.7 million public school students and 2,300 public schools.

Owens said the QBE formula is working for the most part, but in serious need of review and updates.

“Georgia has one of the fairer funding systems in the nation,” Owens said during a recent media symposium hosted by the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education. “But it is getting less fair year after year.”

He noted in the recent past Georgia was among the top 10 states in the country for how much money was directed to public schools with high numbers of economically disadvantaged students. Georgia has now dropped to 16, and is one of only six states that does not have targeted funding for students in poverty.

Owens also pointed to the state’s $6.6 billion in surplus revenue above the “rainy day” fund that sits at the discretion of the governor and Legislature.

“So we will all be watching with bated breath on how that money is spent this year [to see if it is used] to increase services for the people of Georgia,” Owens said.

Local districts pay ‘fair share’

QBE is considered a funding partnership between state and local school boards. Local school districts are expected to contribute revenues equal to five mills on the property tax digest to the school system – whether they actually assess it or not. This is referred to as the Local Five Mill Share.

This local share is calculated for each county, then subtracted from the QBE formula before state dollars are allocated. According to the Georgia Department of Education, the Local Five Mill Share in FY2021 equaled $2 billion of funds deducted from QBE. This is the equivalent of $1,176 per student earned but not provided by state funds.

For less wealthy districts with low property values and limited tax revenues, the state provides most of the school funding, and offers “equalization grants” to cover some of the gaps. For wealthier counties with high property values, local taxes still fund the majority of public education.

This article is from: