Gov. Brian Kemp unveiled a package of education legislation Tuesday aimed at attracting more teachers to the state’s schools.
Topping the list of proposals is legislation that would allow retired teachers to come back to the classroom at full pay while still drawing retirement benefits. Teachers who participate would be matched with “high-needs” areas by the Georgia Department of Education and the Professional Standards Commission.
“These hard-working men and women have a wealth of experience and knowledge, with decades spent raising up the next generation of leaders. This initiative will help our retirees, the retirement system, and education as a whole,” Kemp said at a Capitol press conference.
Other bills in Kemp’s “2021 Teacher Pipeline Package” make it easier for veterans to become certified as teachers, improve instructional development for future teachers and require the Professional Standards Commission to work with historically black colleges and universities to recruit more minority teachers.
“The future well-being of our state will be determined by our shared commitment to education, and I can assure you, as Georgia’s 83rd governor, that will never waver,” Kemp said.
Kemp tapped Republican Rep. Dominic LaRiccia of Douglas to usher the legislation through the House and Sen. Russ Goodman of Homerville to move it forward in the Senate.
The unveiling comes at a time when some schools are struggling to educate students while the COVID-19 pandemic spreads. Some have been adjusting their schedules or moving classes online in recent weeks as students and teachers quarantine. Some superintendents and elected officials have been pushing Kemp to provide school employees with the COVID-19 vaccine immediately, which he has so far resisted as the state’s 65 and older population is not yet fully vaccinated.
School funding was slashed last year as projections showed the pandemic would decrease tax revenue. A revised budget that passed the House Thursday restores more than half of the $950 million cut. Kemp has called for a $1,000 one-time bonus to be paid out to every school teacher and school-level employee in the state using federal coronavirus funds. Before COVID-19, Kemp called for a $2,000 pay raise to teachers.
Georgia Federation of Teachers president Verdaillia Turner said she often differs with the state’s education policy, but she doesn’t take issue with any of Kemp’s proposed legislation.
“I don’t see any obvious red flags,” she said. “We applaud the governor for some of the things like retired teachers coming back, trying to recruit more teachers.”
Another piece of the package Turner applauds appoints the Georgia Teacher of the Year to serve as an advisor to the State Board of Education, but she said the state could do more to incorporate teacher feedback into legislation.
“The teacher of the year would change every year; that’s one person that would be good to talk to the governor and his team,” she said. “However, the governor needs to create a pathway for teacher organizations representing thousands of teachers, those leaders who are elected by their teachers that do politics of any kind, a lot of politics are involved in becoming teacher of the year, even at a school. And then you can’t become a teacher here unless you become teacher of the year at a school, then at a district. The governor needs to involve all teachers.”
This article is published in partnership with Georgia Recorder
