Pre-Kindergarten Teachers and Providers Get a Bump; Base Pay for Pre-K Assistant Teachers Needs

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The FY 2024 budget for the Georgia Pre-Kindergarten program increased to about $444 million, up from $401 million the previous fiscal year. The increases included:

• $20.9 million for a $2,000 increase in base salaries for state workers, Pre-K teachers and assistant teachers.

• $14 million for Pre-K classroom operations so Pre-K programs can redirect resources to increase pay for lead teachers.

• $8 million to increase the employer contribution for the State Health Benefit Plan.

Georgia’s lottery-funded Pre-K program can serve up to 84,000 4-year-olds at about $5,285 per student, the most provided since inception. However, children one grade older in public kindergarten are allotted $7,032 per student in state funds, a difference of $1,747 per child. If Georgia were to fund Pre-K at the same rate as kindergarten, the program would need an additional $147 million annually.

Georgia Pre-K Provided $1,700 Less per Student Than Public Kindergarten

Georgia’s Assistant Pre-K Teachers Need Bigger Pay Increase

One way state legislators could have increased per-student spending for Pre-K and improved assistant teacher retention was to increase their base pay. Pre-K assistant teachers have some of the lowest base pay among early childhood educators. Even with the $2,000 pay bump, the base salary for a Pre-K assistant teacher is $20,190 regardless of credentials; that’s about $11.47 an hour in a 40-hour week over the school year. Legislators ignored the resources available to help close the pay gap. Georgia has about $1.9 billion in lottery reserves, and the state requires only about $772 million in case of a shortfall in the net proceeds. Increasing assistant teacher pay helps keep workers in the role as they gain enough experience and/or credentials to become lead teachers, improving staff retention and classroom quality.