Public education in Georgia

K-12 education in Georgia

Education facts

State superintendent: Richard Woods

Number of students: 1,735,585

Number of teachers: 115,647

Teacher/pupil ratio: 1:15

Number of school districts: 180

Number of schools: 2,238

Graduation rate: 82%

Per-pupil spending: $11,707

See also

Georgia Department of Education • List of school districts in Georgia • Georgia • School boards portal

Public education in the United States Public education in Georgia Glossary of education terms

Note: The statistics on this page are mainly from government sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. Figures given were the most recent as of June 2015.

The Georgia public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022, Georgia had 1,735,585 students enrolled in a total of 2,238 schools in 180 school districts. There were 115,647 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 15 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Georgia spent on average $11,707 per pupil.^[1] The state's graduation rate was 82 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.^[2]

General information

See also: General comparison table for education statistics in the 50 states and Education spending per pupil in all 50 states

The following chart shows how Georgia compares to the national level for the most recent years for which data is available.

Academic performance

The sections below do not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.

Education terms
For more information on education policy terms, see this article.
School board elections portal Glossary of education terms School choice on the ballot Education on the ballot

NAEP scores

See also: NAEP scores by state

The National Center for Education Statistics provides state-by-state data on student achievement levels in mathematics and reading in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The chart below presents the percentage of fourth and eighth grade students that scored at or above proficient in reading and math during school year 2012-2013. Georgia's scores were below the national average nearly across the board in the 2012-2013 school year.^[3]

Graduation, ACT and SAT scores

See also: Graduation rates by groups in state and ACT and SAT scores in the United States

The following table shows the graduation rates and average composite ACT and SAT scores for Georgia and surrounding states during the 2012-2013 school year. All statements made in this section refer to that school year.^[3][4][5]

In the United States, public schools reported graduation rates that averaged to about 81.4 percent. About 54 percent of all students in the country took the ACT, while 50 percent reported taking the SAT. The average national composite scores for those tests were 20.9 out of a possible 36 for the ACT, and 1498 out of a possible 2400 for the SAT.^[6]

Georgia schools reported an average graduation rate of 71.7 percent during the 2012-2013 school year, lowest among its neighboring states.

In Georgia, more students took the SAT than the ACT in 2013, earning an average SAT score of 1452.

Dropout rate

See also: Public high school dropout rates by state for a full comparison of dropout rates by group in all states

The high school event dropout rate indicates the proportion of students who were enrolled at some time during the school year and were expected to be enrolled in grades nine through 12 in the following school year but were not enrolled by October 1 of the following school year. Students who have graduated, transferred to another school, died, moved to another country, or who are out of school due to illness are not considered dropouts. The average public high school event dropout rate for the United States remained constant at 3.3 percent for both school year 2010–2011 and school year 2011–2012. The event dropout rate for Georgia was higher than the national average at 3.9 percent in the 2010-2011 school year, and 3.9 percent in the 2011-2012 school year.^[7]

Educational choice options

See also: School choice in Georgia

School choice options in Georgia included charter schools, homeschooling, online learning, private schools and inter-district and intra-district public school open enrollment policies.

Developments

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue
Media coverage and commentary
U.S. Supreme Court 2019-2020 term
Blaine Amendment (U.S. Constitution)
Blaine amendments in state constitutions
School choice on the ballot
Education on the ballot

See also: Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue

On June 30, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court decided Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, which concerned whether the government can exclude religious institutions from student-aid programs. The case related to Article X, Section 6 of the Montana Constitution, also known as Montana’s Blaine Amendment.^[8]

In its 5-4 opinion, the court held that the application of Article X, Section 6 violated the free exercise clause of the U.S. Constitution. The majority held Article X, Section 6 barred religious schools and parents who wished to send their children to those schools from receiving public benefits because of the religious character of the school.^[9]

The case addressed the tension between the free exercise and Establishment clauses of the U.S. Constitution—where one guarantees the right of individuals' free exercise of religion and the other guarantees that the state won't establish a religion—and the intersections of state constitutions with state law and with the U.S. Constitution.

Georgia is one of the states with a Blaine Amendment.

Education funding and expenditures

See also: Georgia state budget and finances

Breakdown of expenditures by function in fiscal year 2013
Source: National Association of State Budget Officers

According to the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO), states spent an average of 19.8 percent of their total budgets on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. In addition, the United States Census Bureau found that approximately 45.6 percent of the country's school system revenue came from state sources, while about 45.3 percent came from local sources. The remaining portion of school system revenue came from federal sources.^[10][11]

Georgia spent approximately 24.1 percent of its budget on elementary and secondary education during fiscal year 2013. The state school systems' revenue came primarily from local funds. Georgia spent a greater percentage of its total budget on public education than any of its neighboring states.

Revenue breakdowns

See also: Public school system revenues in the U.S. to compare all states.

According to the United States Census Bureau, public school system revenues totaled approximately $598 billion in fiscal year 2013.^[11]

In Georgia, the primary source of school system revenue came from local funds, at $8.1 billion. Georgia received education revenue in nearly equal parts from state funds and local funds. There was a similar distribution of revenue sourcing in South Carolina, but Alabama and Florida followed different patterns.

Expenditure breakdowns

See also: Public school system expenditures in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school system expenditures totaled approximately $602 billion in fiscal year 2012.^[12]

Public education expenditures in Georgia totaled approximately $17.5 billion in fiscal year 2012. Georgia had the second highest total expenditures when compared to its neighboring states.

Personnel salaries

See also: Public school teacher salaries in the United States

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average national salary for classroom teachers in public elementary and secondary schools declined by 1.3 percent from the 1999-2000 school year to the 2012-2013 school year. During the same period in Georgia, the average salary decreased by 5.7 percent.^[14]

Organizations

State agencies

See also: Georgia Department of Education

The Georgia Department of Education oversees public education across the state by ensuring education laws and regulations are followed, monitoring state and federal money is allocated correctly to local school districts and providing information about Georgia's schools to parents, students, government officials and the media. The Georgia Department of Education is led by the State Superintendent of Schools. Richard Woods was first elected to the position in 2014. Under the State Superintendent of Schools, there are two branches: Business Operations and Academic Affairs. The Business Operations branch houses the offices of Policy and Charter Schools, Finance and Business Operations, Legal Services and Technology Services. The Academic Affairs branch houses the offices of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, Race to the Top and School Improvement.^[15][16]

The Georgia State Board of Education has 15 members, one from each congressional district and one Chief Executive Officer.^[17]

Unions

In 2012, the Fordham Institute and Education Reform Now assessed the power and influence of state teacher unions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Their rankings were based on 37 different variables in five broad areas: resources and membership, involvement in politics, scope of bargaining, state policies and perceived influence. Georgia ranked 45th overall for union power and influence, or "weakest", which was in the fifth tier of five.^[18]

The largest union in the state related to the Georgia school system is the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE), an affiliate of the National Education Association (NEA). The second largest union is the Georgia Federation of Teachers (GFT), an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers.

List of local Georgia school unions:^[19]

• Georgia Association of Educators
• Georgia Federation of Teachers
• Atlanta Federation Of Teachers
• AFT Savannah

Government sector lobbying

See also: Georgia government sector lobbying

The main education government sector lobbying organization in the state is the Georgia School Boards Association. Another government sector lobbying organization is the Georgia Association of School Personnel Administrators.

Transparency

The state of Georgia's official spending transparency database, mandated by the Transparency in Government Act of May 2008, was launched in January 2009. The site is available here. However, for education spending the Georgia Public Policy Foundation launched the website Georgia Report Card for Parents. The site was first created in 1996. It allows citizens to compare schools in every county in the state on a wealth of factors, including rankings and spending.

Studies and reports

Quality Counts 2014

See also: Education Week survey

Education Week, a publication that reports on many education issues throughout the country, began using an evaluation system in 1997 to grade each state on various elements of education performance. This system, called Quality Counts, uses official data on performance from each state to generate report cards for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The report card in 2014 uses six different categories:

1. Chance for success
2. K-12 achievement
3. Standards, assessments and accountability
4. The teaching profession
5. School finance
6. Transitions and alignment

Each of these six categories had a number of other elements that received individual scores. Those scores were then averaged and used to determine the final score in each category. Every state received two types of scores for each of the six major categories: A numerical score out of 100 and a letter grade based on that score. Education Week used the score for the first category, "chance for success," as the value for ranking each state and the District of Columbia. The average grade received in the entire country was 77.3, or a C+ average. The country's highest average score was in the category of "standards, assessments and accountability" at 85.3, or a B average. The lowest average score was in "K-12 achievement", at 70.2, or a C- average.

Georgia received a score of 73.9, or a C average in the "chance for success" category. This was below the national average. The state's highest score was in "transitions and alignment" at a perfect 100, or an A average. The lowest score was in "K-12 achievement" at 70.7, or a C- average. Georgia was the only state in the country to receive a 100 in the "transitions and alignment" category. The chart below displays the scores of Georgia and its surrounding states.^[20]

Note: Click on a column heading to sort the data.

ABCs of School Choice

The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice publishes a comprehensive guide to private school choice programs across the U.S. In its 2014 edition, the Foundation reviewed the Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program and Georgia's Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit. The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program allows parents of students with disabilities, who are dissatisfied with their assigned schools, to attend private school through a voucher system. The Foundation found that the program was well-funded, giving students vouchers worth up to their funding cost in public schools, but suggested growth in the eligibility of students. The Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit provides tax credits for donations to Student Scholarship Organizations (SSOs), up to $1,000 for individuals, $2,500 for married couples, and 75 percent of tax liabilities from corporate taxpayers. The Foundation found that the tax credit program had the opportunity to be one of the most expansive and successful programs in the country, as its only requirement for a student to be eligible is to attend public school for at least six weeks. However, the Foundation found that the funding cap for the program allowed less than one percent of students to receive scholarships.^[21] The full Friedman Foundation report can be found here.

State Budget Solutions education study

See also: State spending on education v. academic performance (2012)

State Budget Solutions examined national trends in education from 2009 to 2011, including state-by-state analysis of education spending, graduation rates and average ACT scores. The study showed that the states that spent the most did not have the highest average ACT test scores, nor did they have the highest average graduation rates. A summary of the study is available here. The full report can be accessed here.

School districts

See also: School board elections portal

District types

There are two main types of school districts in Georgia: county school systems and independent (city) school districts. The county board of education in each county administers all local schools in the county except those operated by independent school districts.^[22]

School board composition

School board members are elected by residents of the school district. Georgia state law declares that a school board shall be no larger than seven members. They can serve anywhere from two to six-year terms. Depending on the preference of the board and district, members can file as partisan or nonpartisan on the ballot.^[23][24]

Term limits

Georgia does not impose term limits on school board members.^[25]

Elections

See also: Georgia school board elections, 2024

The table below contains links to all school board elections covered by Ballotpedia in 2024 in this state. This list may not include all school districts with elections in 2024. Ballotpedia's coverage includes all school districts in the 100 largest cities by population and the 200 largest school districts by student enrollment.

Editor's note: Some school districts choose to cancel the primary election, or both the primary and general election, if the number of candidates who filed does not meet a certain threshold. The table below does not reflect which primary or general elections were canceled. Please click through to each school district's page for more information.

Path to the ballot

A candidate in Georgia is ineligible to hold office if they are:^[26]

• Not a resident of Georgia.
• Under the age of 18.
• Not a resident in the county in which the individual is seeking office for 12 months prior to the election or appointment.
• Employed by or serving on the governing body of a private educational institution.
• Employed by the Georgia Department of Education.
• Employed by the board of education the individual is serving on.
• The holder of another county office.
• A holder or receiver of public money that has refused to, or failed to, account for it or pay it over when asked.
• A convicted felon who has not been pardoned and is not the subject of a restoration of rights.
• Of unsound mind or unable to discharge the duties of the office because of advanced age or bodily infirmity.
• A publisher of schoolbooks, an agent of schoolbook publishers, or someone with financial interest in the sale of school books.

Candidates must file an affidavit for the local school board they wish to represent prior to the qualifying deadline.^[27]

Campaign finance

Candidates in Georgia must file a Personal Finance Disclosure within 15 days after qualifying for the election. They must also keep detailed records of all contributions received and expenditures made. They may be inspected by the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission at any time.^[28]

Recent legislation

The following is a list of recent education bills that have been introduced in or passed by the Georgia state legislature. To learn more about each of these bills, click the bill title. This information is provided by BillTrack50 and LegiScan.

Note: Due to the nature of the sorting process used to generate this list, some results may not be relevant to the topic. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation pertaining to this topic has been introduced in the legislature recently.

Education ballot measures

See also: Education on the ballot and List of Georgia ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following statewide ballot measures relating to education.

1. Georgia Education Taxes for Redevelopment, Amendment 2 (2008)
2. Georgia Lottery Appropriations, Amendment 2 (1998)
3. Georgia Charter Schools, Amendment 1 (2012)
4. Georgia Private College Buildings Tax Exemption, Referendum 1 (2014)
5. Georgia Teacher Salaries, Amendment 5 (1926)
6. Georgia Taxes for Education, Amendment 7 (1926)
7. Georgia McIntosh County Education Bonds, Amendment 8 (1926)
8. Georgia Higher Education Bonds, Amendment 9 (1926)
9. Georgia Pierce County Taxes for Schools, Amendment 8 (1930)
10. Georgia School Board Contracts, Amendment 3 (1932)
11. Georgia Consolidation of School Districts, Amendment 6 (1932)
12. Georgia School Superintendent, Amendment 3 (1936)
13. Georgia Berrien County Bonded Debt, Amendment 3 (1938)
14. Georgia Brantley County School Tax, Amendment 5 (1938)
15. Georgia Floyd County School Tax, Amendment 11 (1938)
16. Georgia Twiggs County Bonds, Amendment 17 (1938)
17. Georgia Ware County Bonds, Amendment 19 (1938)
18. Georgia Johnson County Bonds, Amendment 3 (June 1939)
19. Georgia Tattnall County Bonds, Amendment 4 (June 1939)
20. Georgia School District Bonds, Amendment 23 (June 1939)
21. Georgia Assumption of School Bonds, Amendment 32 (June 1939)
22. Georgia Jeff Davis County School Bonds, Amendment 12 (June 1941)
23. Georgia Wilcox County School Bonds, Amendment 13 (June 1941)
24. Georgia School Bonds, Amendment 22 (June 1941)
25. Georgia Mitchell County Board of Education Loans, Amendment 26 (June 1941)
26. Georgia Oglethorpe County School Bonds, Amendment 30 (June 1941)
27. Georgia Washington County School Bonds, Amendment 32 (June 1941)
28. Georgia School Bonds, Amendment 35 (June 1941)
29. Georgia Chatham County School Tax, Amendment 42 (June 1941)
30. Georgia Franklin County School Bonds, Amendment 43 (June 1941)
31. Georgia Gwinnett County School Bonds, Amendment 47 (June 1941)
32. Georgia Toombs County School Bonds, Amendment 48 (June 1941)
33. Georgia Jefferson County School Bonds, Amendment 53 (June 1941)
34. Georgia School Superintendent Terms, Amendment 55 (June 1941)
35. Georgia Cook County School Bonds, Amendment 56 (June 1941)
36. Georgia Evans County School Bonds, Amendment 57 (June 1941)
37. Georgia Jefferson County School Bonds, Amendment 60 (June 1941)
38. Georgia School Debt, Amendment 5 (August 1945)
39. Georgia Fulton County Educational Tax, Amendment 10 (August 1945)
40. Georgia Chatham County School Tax, Amendment 11 (August 1945)
41. Georgia Board of Education Loan Authority, Amendment 4 (1950)
42. Georgia Baldwin County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 5 (1950)
43. Georgia Chatham County Education Tax, Amendment 11 (1950)
44. Georgia Chatham County School Bonds, Amendment 13 (1950)
45. Georgia Dawson County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 14 (1950)
46. Georgia City of Bainbridge School System, Amendment 15 (1950)
47. Georgia School District Merger, Amendment 19 (1950)
48. Georgia Fulton County School District Bonds, Amendment 21 (1950)
49. Georgia City of Atlanta School System, Amendment 23 (1950)
50. Georgia Hancock County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 31 (1950)
51. Georgia Meriwether County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 32 (1950)
52. Georgia Rockdale County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 35 (1950)
53. Georgia Schley County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 36 (1950)
54. Georgia Taylor County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 37 (1950)
55. Georgia Medical School Scholarships, Amendment 4 (1952)
56. Georgia Crisp County School Districts, Amendment 11 (1952)
57. Georgia Union County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 12 (1952)
58. Georgia Troup County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 13 (1952)
59. Georgia Polk County Board of Education, Amendment 21 (1952)
60. Georgia Fannin County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 28 (1952)
61. Georgia Wilcox County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 29 (1952)
62. Georgia School District Merger, Amendment 30 (1952)
63. Georgia School District Merger, Amendment 32 (1952)
64. Georgia Brantley County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 33 (1952)
65. Georgia Carroll County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 34 (1952)
66. Georgia Appling County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 35 (1952)
67. Georgia Dodge County School Districts, Amendment 38 (1952)
68. Georgia Fulton County School District Bonds, Amendment 39 (1952)
69. Georgia Floyd County Board of Education Elections, Amendment 42 (1952)
70. Georgia Rockdale County School Superintendent, Amendment 44 (1952)
71. Georgia Effingham County School Bonds, Amendment 46 (1952)
72. Georgia Education Section Addition, Amendment 4 (1954)
73. Georgia School District Merger, Amendment 19 (1954)
74. Georgia Clarke County School District, Amendment 20 (1954)
75. Georgia School District Merger, Amendment 24 (1954)
76. Georgia School District Merger, Amendment 30 (1954)
77. Georgia Fulton County School District Debt, Amendment 33 (1954)
78. Georgia School District Merger, Amendment 44 (1954)
79. Georgia Tift County School District, Amendment 45 (1954)
80. Georgia School District Merger, Amendment 17 (1956)
81. Georgia School District Merger, Amendment 19 (1956)
82. Georgia Walton County School District, Amendment 57 (1956)
83. Georgia Student Scholarships, Amendment 2 (1958)
84. Georgia Scholarships for Employee Education, Amendment 3 (1958)
85. Georgia Teacher Scholarships, Amendment 6 (1958)
86. Georgia Physician Scholarships, Amendment 7 (1958)
87. Georgia Establishment of Colleges, Amendment 11 (1958)
88. Georgia State School Lunch Tax, Amendment 14 (1958)
89. Georgia State Board of Education, Amendment 3 (1960)
90. Georgia Education Tax Levy Limits, Amendment 5 (1960)
91. Georgia Board of Regents Membership, Amendment 10 (1960)
92. Georgia Funds for School Lunch, Amendment 11 (1960)
93. Georgia Repayment of Medical Loans, Amendment 13 (1960)
94. Georgia Physician Scholarships, Amendment 14 (1960)
95. Georgia Vocational Schools, Amendment 15 (1960)
96. Georgia Compulsory Association in Public Education, Amendment 1 (1962)
97. Georgia Repayment of Medical Loans, Amendment 8 (1962)
98. Georgia Taxes for School Lunches, Amendment 13 (1962)
99. Georgia State Scholarship Commission, Amendment 2 (1964)
100. Georgia Student Loan Program, Amendment 4 (1964)
101. Georgia Dental Student Loans, Amendment 5 (1964)
102. Georgia Medical Loan Repayment, Amendment 10 (1964)
103. Georgia Area and Vocational Schools, Amendment 1 (1966)
104. Georgia Educational Funding, Amendment 4 (1966)
105. Georgia Election of County Boards of Education, Amendment 6 (1966)
106. Georgia Funds for Vocational Education, Amendment 13 (1966)
107. Georgia Medical Loan Repayment, Amendment 15 (1966)
108. Georgia Funds for School Lunch, Amendment 4 (1968)
109. Georgia Scholarships for Children of First Responders, Amendment 7 (1968)
110. Georgia Revenue Bonds for Student Loans, Amendment 8 (1968)
111. Georgia Medical School Loans, Amendment 10 (1968)
112. Georgia Educational Grants and Scholarships, Amendment 5 (1970)
113. Georgia Educational Loan Program, Amendment 11 (1972)
114. Georgia Taxes for School Personnel and Facilities, Amendment 12 (1972)
115. Georgia Tuition Grants for Children of Veterans, Amendment 13 (1972)
116. Georgia Employee Educational Grants, Amendment 15 (1972)
117. Georgia Medical School Loans, Amendment 12 (1976)
118. Georgia Free University Courses for Seniors, Amendment 23 (1976)
119. Georgia Donation of Books, Amendment 27 (1976)
120. Georgia Retirement Systems and Education Scholarships, Amendment 2 (1978)
121. Georgia Debt for Independent School Systems, Amendment 5 (1978)
122. Georgia Curriculum Laboratory, Amendment 6 (1978)
123. Georgia Property Tax Exemptions for Nonprofits, Amendment 17 (1978)
124. Georgia School Merger Requirements, Amendment 33 (1978)
125. Georgia Debt for Educational Facilities, Amendment 2 (1980)
126. Georgia Tuition Reimbursement for Teachers, Amendment 3 (1980)
127. Georgia Taxes for School Uniforms, Amendment 4 (1980)
128. Georgia Property Tax Exemptions for Nonprofits, Amendment 15 (1980)
129. Georgia Appointment of State School Superintendent, Amendment 3 (1984)
130. Georgia Commissioner of Education, Amendment 1 (1988)
131. Georgia Education Trust Fund, Amendment 2 (1990)
132. Georgia State Lottery, Amendment 1 (1992)
133. Georgia Boards of Education Elections, Amendment 2 (1992)
134. Georgia Sales Tax for Schools, Amendment 2 (1996)
135. Georgia Indemnification for School Employees, Amendment 4 (2000)
136. Georgia Board of Regents, Amendment 1 (1943)
137. Georgia Board of Education, Amendment 4 (1943)
138. Georgia Consolidation of School Districts, Amendment 10 (1943)
139. Georgia DeKalb County Education Tax, Amendment 18 (1943)
140. Georgia Spalding County Board of Education, Amendment 21 (1943)
141. Georgia Summerville School District Bonds, Amendment 26 (1943)

In the news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Georgia education policy. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

See also

• Historical public education information in Georgia
• Georgia state budget and finances
• Georgia Department of Education
• List of school districts in Georgia
• School choice in Georgia
• Charter schools in Georgia
• Georgia
• Education Policy in the U.S.

External links

• Georgia Department of Education
• Georgia Public School Ratings by PSK12
• Georgia Public School Ratings by Great Schools

Footnotes

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