Georgia School Funding Association

REPORTS

The Damage Being Done to Public Education in Georgia
MAY 28, 2012 		This op-ed article describes the damage being done to Georgia’s schools through the steady decline in state support over the last decade.
Adobe .pdfImpact of State Cuts on Georgia's Schools
MAR. 31, 2011 		This two-page handout explains in simple terms the impact of the continuing cuts in State support to Georgia’s schools.
Proposed Funding Formula for Georgia’s Schools
OCT. 5, 2011, AMENDED ON APRIL 18, 2012 		This proposal has been submitted to the State Education Finance Study Commission for updating and simplifying the funding formula for Georgia’s schools.
Critical Issues Affecting Georgia's Schools
APRIL 15, 2012 		This article summarizes some of the critical issues affecting Georgia’s schools.
Key Points in the Financing of Georgia's Schools
APRIL 15, 2012 		Some of the key points in the financing of Georgia’s schools are explained in this article.
Adobe .pdfThe Unfulfilled Promise to Georgia's Children
OCT. 17, 2009 		This comprehensive report explains the nature of the State’s constitutional obligation in K-12 education and documents the State’s failure to fulfill this obligation.
Letter to State Board of Education about Federal Stimulus Funds
APRIL 24, 2009 		In this letter to the State Board of Education, the Association asks the State to request and distribute $178 million in additional federal stimulus funds that are available to Georgia in the first phase of the Education Stabilization Fund for use in FY 09 and FY 10.
Summary of the Challenge Facing Georgia's Schools
JUNE 15, 2009 		This report is a brief summary of the reasons for seeking adequate funding of Georgia’s schools.
Does Money Matter in Schools? These op-ed articles on opposing views about the importance of financial resources in the quality of education for Georgia’s students were published in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on March 9, 2009.
Georgia's Graduation Rate (with related table)
MAY 9, 2006 		As explained in this article, the number of students receiving a regular diploma from Georgia's high schools in 2005 was only 52.5% of the number of students at the start of the ninth grade four years earlier.
Under-Funding of the Basic Program in QBE (with related tables)
APRIL 21, 2005 		As explained in this analysis, the funding provided by the State through the QBE Act (including the required local effort) is at least $1.2 billion less than the cost of meeting the minimum requirements for the basic program defined in QBE for all students in Georgia.

This analysis does not indicate the funding that would be necessary to meet the State's performance standards or to provide the adequate education required by the Georgia Constitution.

Comprehensive Proposal to the Education Finance Task Force
MAY 8, 2006 		The Consortium has submitted a comprehensive proposal to the Education Finance Task Force for a new method of financing Georgia's schools, based on a partnership between the State and local school systems.
Policies to Improve Georgia's Schools
UPDATED MAY 5, 2006 		The Consortium has advocated various ways to improve education in Georgia in addition to adequate funding.
Recommendations regarding a New Funding Formula
APRIL 22, 2005 		The Consortium has submitted recommendations to assist the Governor's Education Finance Task Force in designing a new funding formula for K-12 education in Georgia.
Misconceptions in School Finance
DEC. 3, 2004 		The financing of Georgia's schools is hampered by several entrenched misconceptions, which are inconsistent with the clear wording of the Georgia Constitution. These misconceptions have to be dispelled before we can meet the challenges facing our state in education.
Adobe .pdfDelivering on the Promise to our Children
APRIL 15, 2004 		The QBE Formula provides a sound framework for funding Georgia's schools, but has lost its comprehensive nature. Because of previous under-funding and massive cuts in recent years, the components in the current formula do not represent a realistic estimate of the cost of providing even the most basic program for all of Georgia's students - much less the adequate education that is required by the Georgia Constitution. This report explains how the original intent of the QBE Formula can be restored.
The Real Test of Education in Georgia
JUNE 24, 2004 		The simplest measure of an "adequate education" is a high school diploma, but four out of every ten high-school students in Georgia are not receiving a regular diploma. This tragic fact reveals how far the State of Georgia still has to go in meeting its constitutional obligation to provide an adequate education for all of its citizens, especially the students who are not in the mainstream of our society.
Gaps in the QBE Formula
The QBE Formula is intended to represent the cost of a providing a Quality Basic Education in accordance with minimum State standards, but there are substantial differences between the estimated and actual costs in various parts of the formula. (See related table.)
Points to Consider
Georgia's schools are facing a financial crisis. The basic facts are simple and straightforward.