From the President

Leslie Mills

Statistics show that educators could be one of the largest voting blocks in Georgia, but many choose not to vote. Every vote for education is an important vote.

The Future of Education in Georgia is Up to Us

As the school year began, Georgia teachers once again seized the opportunity to profoundly impact the lives of their students. Educators analyzed last year’s data, prepared researchedbased learning strategies, efficiently arranged their classrooms and set procedures in place to facilitate the best possible outcomes. And although fall is upon us, Georgia teachers remain rejuvenated and charged with a fresh sense of purpose.

Still, lurking unknowns trouble educators. What will happen as a result of the Common Core Georgia Performance Standards review? What will the Georgia Milestones Assessment be like? What will happen to funding for public education? Will class size continue to rise? Will I ever receive another raise? I hear these questions continuously from educators throughout the state.

The outlook of education in Georgia can be best captured by the words of Esther Baldwin York: “It depends on us … Another year lies before us like an unwritten page, an unspent coin, an unwalked road. … what treasures will be gained in exchange for time, or what we find along the way, will largely depend on us.”

This year, especially, what happens will largely depend on us because this is an election year. The fate of public education in Georgia is in our hands. It is up to us to determine the future of students and educators in Georgia. Beyond being knowledgeable, we must also be active. We must tell the story of what is happening in our schools, and we must stay in contact with our legislators, because they create the laws that impact our classrooms.

It is not enough that we have prepared our classrooms for the school year, that we have high expectations for a great year and that our students are ready to learn, we must help write the pages and find the treasures.

We, as educators, can make a difference in Georgia if we will learn about the candidates, then get out and vote in favor of education. Statistics show that while educators could be one of the largest voting blocks in Georgia, many educators choose not to vote. Every vote for education is an important vote. Yes, the future of education in Georgia is in our hands; I challenge YOU to learn about the candidates, then get out and vote!