The brutal math now facing Georgia teachers
After reading this morning’s column on state Rep. Chuck Sims and the impact of government-generated jobs in rural Georgia, Joe Martin of the Georgia School Funding Association sent a copy of a memo he’s drawn up, warning of drastic cuts in the ranks of local school teachers.
Read the entire memo here. But below are the two key paragraphs:
A quick review of the basic numbers shows how serious this crisis has become. It is essential to avoid exaggerating the problem, but it would be equally irresponsible to say nothing about the implications of the changes that are already underway. That is the purpose of this analysis, which is a simple projection of the total funding for our schools in FY 2012 when the federal stimulus funds are gone.
Here is the bottom line. If the changes in state and local revenues that are already occurring are allowed to continue, Georgia’s schools will have to increase the number of students per teacher by at least 15% from FY 2009 to FY 2012 or decrease the salaries of their employees by the same extent. If teacher salaries remain the same, there will have to be a decrease of at least 14,000 teaching positions across the state. Although some local systems will be hit much harder than others, there will be serious consequences for every student in every school.
Joe Martin is a former Atlanta school board president who represented rural districts in their 2004 lawsuit against the state over education funding. He’s the brother of Jim Martin, who was the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in 2008.
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43 comments Add your comment
Marlboro Man
March 11th, 2010
12:19 pm
Would more unemployed teachers drive down the pay of employed teachers ?
d2
March 11th, 2010
12:30 pm
Does it matter, between the small view who are the loudest about no new taxes, the new horse barn, the Falcons stadium , the tax break for industry since 2006 that has created 10.3 unemployment, the attempts to raid the Georgia teachers retirement, the unwillingness to go after tax scafflaws, the cost of implementing new curriculums that have no basis, the waste of taxpayer’s money on stupid bills, the voucher system for students with disabilities and the attempt to extend it more, the slashing of QBE formulas, the new additions to the Vet school, the tons of secretaries and spokespeople for the General Assembly, the borrowing of next year’s stimulus funds, the extra tax on nuclear power plant, the loss of money for high speed railway, the money over five years for Georgia go fish programs, the money the state didn’t care or want to collect from scafflaws, the tax exempt for Perdue to purchase land, putting up with Glenn Richardson and lying about his affairs, the legislatures not reply back to emails or mail—it really doesn’t matter. This General Assembly has not listen to the common people of Georgia since I don’t know when–I have lived here all my life–and that has been a long one.
JJ
March 11th, 2010
12:33 pm
d2, that about says it all.
ditto d2
March 11th, 2010
12:52 pm
Very good synopsis d2.
Gwinnett Teacher
March 11th, 2010
12:54 pm
It is no wonder why this state ranks third in education, with having such low value for the whole education system….
I wish someone would be courageous enough to at least mention the idea of raising taxes…
Unimpressed
March 11th, 2010
1:03 pm
Politicians should:
1) Pull their heads out of their a$$es, 2) allow Sunday alcohol sales, 3) tax the crap out of cigarettes, 4) increase sales tax, 5) stop screwing over our students and our teachers.
DICK
March 11th, 2010
1:04 pm
IF OUR CURRENT SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES AS WELL AS EMPLOYESS OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA TAX DIVISION WERE TO PAY THE TAXES THEY OWE, HOW MANY JOBS WOULD THAT SAVE? A COUPLE OF THOUSAND.
SWGA Politics » Democrats Trying To Scare Teachers
March 11th, 2010
1:11 pm
[...] few minutes ago, Jim Galloway reported on some numbers that sound scary. Someone sent out a memo today (I’ll get to who in [...]
Discouraged
March 11th, 2010
1:13 pm
Why is there no mention of increasing taxes from our legislators? I know that’s not a popular option but these are not usual circumstances. I don’t want to see education from kindergarten through the university system gutted! At this point I’ll vote for anyone who can show some courage and do something besides cut jobs of teachers, policemen and firefighters.
Cutty
March 11th, 2010
1:20 pm
Would like to know how many teachers will be voting republican this fall? Maybe if the teachers held their own protest at the capital, the powers that be would listen.
tc
March 11th, 2010
1:28 pm
hard to feel too sorry for teachers as they voted current administration into office with the flag folks.
Dave
March 11th, 2010
1:32 pm
As a teacher, I’m discouraged by potential cuts, but remain much more concerned about the unfilled positions in law enforcement, including the state crime lab, local departments, and in corrections. Certain areas should be exempt from across the board reductions, and Perdue lacks the courage and character to make those decisions.
Pat
March 11th, 2010
1:32 pm
d2 – do not forget about the millions of federal dollars that are lost due to the fact that the legislators do not want to pass a bill to make truck drivers wear their seatbelts.
catlady
March 11th, 2010
1:33 pm
d2, you forgot the use materials that have been “researched” by the firms that publish the materials!
GSUFan
March 11th, 2010
1:33 pm
@tc
well said. The flaggers and the teachers association doomed Barnes and have given us 8 years of Sonny and his cronies. Not saying Barnes would have been better but at least he appeared to have a clue about education.
catlady
March 11th, 2010
1:36 pm
Maybe teachers should show up to protest with signs saying, “It’s not for me; it’s ‘for the students!’” That is what we are told each time we are asked to do more with less.
Yankee Prof
March 11th, 2010
1:37 pm
The state needs a tax on processed foods (soft drinks, sugary snacks, anything boxed). Leave the staples untaxed (fresh fruits and vegatables, meat, most dairy, raw grains) so folks on limited incomes, such as the elderly, will not bear too heavy a financial burden. This could even encourage those dependent upon public assistance for groceries to choose healthier foods due to the tax savings, which could then lead to savings in state-supported health care.
If you haven’t noticed, almost 90% of the items in any given supermarket are now processed. Taxing those items will generate a lot of revenue while preserving a tax-free option for feeding ourselves.
DICK
March 11th, 2010
1:40 pm
tc, AM NOT TOO SURE ABOUT TEACHERS BEING TEH ONES THAT VOTED PERDUE INTO OFFICE. I THINK IT WAS MORE ALONG THE LINES PERDUE AT THAT TIME WAS THE LESSER OF THE TWO EVILS. I KNOW MY FAMILY AND I DIDN’T VOTE FOR PERDUE, WE VOTED AGAINST MARK TAYLOR.
bart
March 11th, 2010
1:41 pm
Chuck Sims is the only politician I’ve heard exerting any leadership in this area. We’re certainly not getting any leadership from our governor. Sims is at least willing to look at discontinuing, at least temporarily, the tax exemption on groceries. The $1 tax on cigarettes also makes a lot of sense. These Republicans seem to think it’s better not to raise any taxes than to save our state from the mess it’s in with education, public safety, healthcare, transportation, etc., etc., etc.
And, by the way, d2, you are RIGHT ON!
DICK
March 11th, 2010
1:48 pm
The budget is simple to repair/balance.
1-sales tax to minimum of 5% excluding any splost.
2-add 50 cents per pack tobacco tax
3-add distilled beverages 10 cents per bottle, 50 cents per six pack, $2.00 per case of beer, $.75 per 1/2 pint $1.25 pint, $3.00 fifth, $4.00 liter.
4-increae fees on licenses, such as fishing, hunting, drivers.
5-reopen crime labs, forensix labs that have been closed and run blood test and uring tst on welfare receipants. You fail no check.
6-tell Falcons and Braves if they want any tax dollars, good luck and don’t let door hit in butt when you leave.
7-add 2cents per gallon gas tax marked for DOT.
8-re calcuate the wages being paid to all dept heads in Georgia.
9-remove unimportant mandates from towns and boards of education.
10-add $500.00 penalty to DWI citations. Tift County State Patrol issued 493 duI citatons in 2009, that would be $246,500.00 of generated revenue with no additional cost.
Old Gene
March 11th, 2010
1:53 pm
Sonny has been about as honest and competent a leader as the Emperor Nero was to Rome.
d2
March 11th, 2010
2:03 pm
There are 9,000,000 folks who vote in this state. To say that 98,000 teachers all voted the same for the governor and that is all that voted is stupid. GSUfan it takes a state to vote for governor not just teachers.
Republican Idiocy
March 11th, 2010
2:36 pm
The fact that NOT ONE politician from the party in power here in Georgia, i.e. the Republicans, has the personal or political courage to state the obvious: it’s time to raise taxes, folks.
This notion that government and taxes are somehow “evil” is insane. Ever wonder why states in the northeast — so called “Yankee” and “Blue States” — tend to have better schools that us here in the “Red State” south? It’s because, yes, they pay higher taxes for their schools! This notion that you can continue to cut, cut, cut and “make due with less” is pure idiocy when it comes to education.
Look, I’m for finding waste and fraud, and dealing with it accordingly as much as the next guy. But with the current needs of our schools and the number of children who have to be served, you could have the most efficiently run school district and you would STILL come up short financially given the present state of our economy.
So go ahead. Keep listening to the likes of Hanity, Limbaugh, Lavin, Coulter, Savitch and even Herman Cain. Keep thinking that taxes are evil, and we can keep making cuts to education. When the corporations decide to stop moving here (which they already have) because our education system is dismal, the state’s economic condition will never return to what it once was.
Wake up, people! It’s time to raise taxes!
td
March 11th, 2010
2:41 pm
I am not defending Sonny because I think he is a RINO but he and the legislature has done the best they can under the circumstances. Our state is not the Federal government and we can not just print money and our constitution requires us to have a balanced budget each year. Our revenues have dropped from 21 billion 3 years ago to less than 15 billion now. They have been able to cut the money from the budget without raising taxes, mass layoffs to workers or effecting the school system to drastically. The problem is state government has been cut to the bone and any more cuts will effect services drastically and layoff 1000’s of state employees to an economy were their are no other jobs (in effect making them wards of the state and taking more money to support). Education and Medicaid make up nearly 70% of the states budget and according to the heads of those agencies would require mass layoffs, raised tuition, cutting classes or raising class size to an unbearable point.
There is no easy solution but it may be time to raise taxes (tobacco, alcohol, user fees) and this is coming from a conservative.
Science Teacher
March 11th, 2010
2:57 pm
Thank you, Chuck Sims!
To those who question why paying for things like schools should fall on the backs of all citizens, you do realize that the number one priority of state government is to provide an education to the children of Georgia, don’t you? The state is not currently fulfilling its end of the bargain. Teachers are bearing way too much of the burden of the budget shortfalls.
And to those who say we’re overpaid with lots of days off, we are paid only for the days we work. And no, WE ARE NOT PAID BETTER THAN THE PRIVATE SECTOR! I worked in the private sector for ten years and took a $20,000/year pay cut in order to become a teacher. I did it because I wanted to teach, not because of the salary or benefits. They don’t come close to what I had before, but I agreed to work for less to do something that I love.
IBW
March 11th, 2010
3:35 pm
State employee’s / University Employee ( I was one once ) need pension plan which realistic meaning reduction in amount taxpayer’s contribute-can not get or use till after 62 yrs old for example. Their health care needs to be HSA where they have to pay for the extra’s like the rest of us. I left academics as on committee’s where spend $1 to save a nickle and the political correctness was just horrible. Too many administrators also. Happier now with less pay and working for myself. PROBLEM is if you tax many of us any more we just can not pay the taxes and live as we do now meaning no movies-no vacations-old cars-no football or baseball games-expensive satellite/cable TV but you know Wal Mart Hamburger is still less than $3 a pound and Aldi’s has bread / meats even less expensive than Wal Mart. I vote all GOVT/Teachers/State workers take a 15% pay cut and reduction in benefits. If they can do better in civilian life let them join the rest of us.
Science Teacher
March 11th, 2010
3:39 pm
So, IBW… Would you suggest that those of us who teach for 30 years and retire at age 52 should sit around and not collect any retirement for 10 years?
Army Brat
March 11th, 2010
4:09 pm
Dick..I particularly taxing alcohol but I add allowing sunday sales. In addition, I’d say if you were caught w/ DUI/DWI/DUL, then its $500 per ticket. WE have to find a way to raise our revenue at least to get by.
PTC Maid Service
March 11th, 2010
4:41 pm
Science Teacher, why do you think you are “entitled” to full retirement at 52? Retirement is a privilege, not a God given right. Fact is, the State simply cannot afford to offer the privilege to any retiree under the age of 62 anymore. The retirement system needs a complete overhaul.
Hot for Teacher
March 11th, 2010
4:54 pm
If teachers are doing such a fantastic job and are so deserving of pay hikes, why in the world does Georgia annually rank in the bottom five in USA in education quality?
Keith
March 11th, 2010
5:09 pm
Think boldly people! Sell every government school in the state to private businesses and shut down all of the school districts. Them give the kids vouchers and be done with it.
TP4U
March 11th, 2010
5:10 pm
I prayed for the day that this blog would have sane people posting. For those of you on the same lines as D2==I applaud your forthrightness and solutions for the fiscal crisis that the baffoons at the State legislature have gotten us into for the past eight years. Now, we need you to give us your real names so we can run you for an elected office in Georgia!!! You guys have the answers–Galloway send the posts and recommendations to the Governor.
KM
March 11th, 2010
7:20 pm
A big problem that I see with our education system is the state mandated increase in salaries for teachers who get advanced degrees from what I consider bogus/sham online universities or go to some off the wall, unheard of school for 3-4 weeks of summer classes, When they have these “papers” in hand, they make $20,000+ more annually for doing the same job as the teacher in the next classroom that has not attended these “bastions of higher education”. I have heard some teachers with these degrees laugh at what a joke it is to get them. Now, I don’t blame the teachers that take advantage of this. I blame the system that allows it to happen. Yes, a small salary increase might be justified, if this made them much better teachers. However, I haven’t found that to be the case. And, the salaries of those who get these “advanced degrees” and go into administration! The salary for the department head of special education in one small S GA county, with a population of only 7500, one of the poorest counties in the state, makes $99,000+. Because of her salary, the Superintendent’s salary is much larger than normal because the Superintendent must make at least $1 more than the highest paid employee in the system. Yet, the actual classroom teachers, those in the trenches, are doing all the work. She shuffles papers. I think our legislators need to take a hard look at issues such as this before adding taxes back on food. Once meaningful cuts in areas such as this are made, then cut the taxes on food if necessary.
In addition, another BIG cost saver to the tax payers of Georgia would be for the legislature to at least attempt to begin the process to reduce the number of counties in Georgia. (I have talked to my Representative about this. He is as afraid of that subject as a rattlesnake. It would not be politically popular with the elected officials and they might not support him in his next election.) The aforementioned county and many others around it should not exist. The entire county budgets of these counties go to salaries and benefits for employees and Constitutional officers. The tax payers get virtually no services for their money except a government that should not exist. Again, the salaries of these Constitutional officers are state mandated. They make 2-3 times what the average workers do in these counties. Another area our legislators need to examine.
Meaningful cuts can be made without hurting services and the pockets of citizens trying to get by in these difficult economic times if our elected officials had the b#lls to do their job.
ScienceTeacher671
March 11th, 2010
8:44 pm
Keith, read the Georgia constitution. You can’t get rid of public schools in Georgia without amending the constitution. In fact, considering the current cuts to education, it is questionable whether the governor and General Assembly are actually meeting their constitutional obligations to the children of Georgia.
spouseofteacher
March 12th, 2010
9:21 am
KM is exactly right about the advanced degrees. Some salaries are way out of hand with nothing extra in the way of student results to show for it! I don’t blame the teachers either, but it may be time for a major adjustment of salaries. And taxpayers are being asked, or rather ordered to pay for a lot in the name of “education” that is not education. If it is not academic, then cut it!
Ole Guy
March 12th, 2010
2:14 pm
Science Teach, I gotta go with IBW on this one. I’m not sure what your contract stipulates, but why should you collect from your (that’s a collective your) retirement fund, at age 52, when many of your fellow teachers, 62 and beyond, are collecting. All of a sudden, you seem to be breaking away from the “we’re in this thing together” thought process and adopting the “every man for himself” mindset. If you would like to retire at 52, fine. You may want to practice that which you have probably been preaching to your students…SELF SUFFICIENCY. If you are financially prepared to retire at 52 and do not wish to pursue other avenues, than please do so. However, by your insistence on becoming another recipient of the already-strained teacher retirement fund, you are displaying a complete disregard for long-time retirees who, in all probability, have far fewer options than you.
Is it right? Of course not…but you know something, right or wrong, we all get it in the six one way or another. While you’ll be eligible for SS in about 10 years, those bright-eyed kids you taught won’t see a cent. Oh, they’ll have the privilege of funding that source for you and for me, but, in all probability, that’ll be when that music stops. IS IT RIGHT? NO DAMN WAY!
Teach, if the world was made of lolipops and cotton candy, good will toward all men was universal, and there was complete justice for all, there probably wouldn’t be a problem with your collecting from your retirement fund at your relatively young age. Unfortunately, harsh realities, good or bad, fair or unfair, mark the road signs in life…you would do well to follow them or you just might wind up in the ditch.
My Country Too
March 12th, 2010
3:09 pm
It’s time for new leadership in the State. There is no way I am voting for any Republican.. If the Democrats were in control of the state, most of you would be calling for their heads.. I am in support of repealing the exemption on Food with an exception for seniors on fixed incomes. The tax on cigarettes is also a good Idea. If we dismantle our University System and continue to ignore our 3rd rate school systems, we are all doomed.. The old way of funding is gone, we need bold leadearship and new ideas, which are not going to come from the same old middle aged Republicans who want the status quo and the Good Old Boy system to remain in place..
ScienceTeacher671
March 12th, 2010
6:32 pm
IBW, I’ve been “in civilian life” with the rest of you, and I was a good bit better off financially then — when you have a degree in a “hard science” you can make a lot more working in the private sector than you can teaching.
The thing is, some of you won’t be satisfied. You want great teachers in the classrooms, even when the private sector pays so much better; you complain if those who try to teach decide the working conditions aren’t worth the pay and leave for the private sector; and you want those of us who remain to bend over and take it when our pay gets cut and our working conditions are made more difficult.
Ole Guy
March 14th, 2010
6:09 pm
671, you may be viewing this entire arguement from a singular point of view, rather than the “360 degree” global perspective. As we try to teach our kids…who happen to be future adults…it’s all about making choices, and…good, bad, or indifferent…living with those choices. Despite the fact that you held a credential in a hard science, and had the potential for earning more than a teacher’s salary, you made a choice (and for this, you are to be commended). If, as time goes by, you choose to leave the teaching field for any of a number of reasons (as did I), great! Again, it’s a valid choice. While I both empathize and sympathize with teachers’ plight in this current circus of a fiasco, I continue to marvel at the notion that you (collectively) continue to gripe in public forums such as this but do nothing of substance to combat the nonesense with which you (collectively) must contend. While the security of having a job to which you can go on a daily basis is paramount to making a living, there ARE greater issues at hand. IT’S ALL, as you teach your students, A MATTER OF CHOICE.
In previous comments, you have expressed concern over not collecting SS for the ten year period between the time you CHOOSE to retire at age 52. Is this a new revelation? Are you suggesting that, somewhere/sometime in your adult life, you did not become aware of this; now, at 52, OOPS, you CHOOSE to retire from the work world (your choice), and you want to collect SS when ole farts, like myself, must calculate the wisdom of collecting at 62 (a past event for me) or waiting until we’re closer to the pine box.
Do I like it? Absolutely not. Is it a gamble? Absolutely. The way our trusted Washington elite have been raiding OUR (Baby Boom Gen) trillion dollar nest egg, it’s a gamble that anything will be left in a few years. But as long as I’m blessed with a good job, it’s a choice I hope I can live with.
There are no guarantees, 671…you pick up the ball and you run…or hobble…with it.
slick
March 24th, 2010
4:49 pm
fire all the teachers and hire new ones at half the pay.
Sam
March 24th, 2010
10:58 pm
The obvious solution is to legalize and tax marijuana, but of course this socially conservative hole in the ground would never even think of anything that logical.
math teacher
April 12th, 2010
10:31 pm
All of you who believe teachers should not get raises and should not retire after thirty years should get a degree and try it for a while. I have to deal with more in one day than I did in a month working in a factory. Try teaching a child that has been brought up not to care about anything. You can’t force somebody to learn if they don’t want to, but they can determine our pay on performance.
It’s all good though. In 10 years lets see were your kids are at when we cut out education salaries and the amount of teachers in a classroom. I hope you like paying taxes for welfare and unemployment.
OOOOOO yea!!! I forgot to tell you all that it will be impossible for your kids to get into college with the lack of funds and college professors. You want have to worry about your kids going to college anymore. If anybody doesn’t believe this call a professor and ask them. I dare you to check into it.
Brent
August 11th, 2010
8:10 pm
You may not remember but it was democratic leadership that increased the pay for Georgia’s teachers (about 15 years ago) several years in a row to the point that Georgia’s pay went from near bottom of the 50 states to the upper 1/2 of the 50 states. The republicans that have run Georgia the last 8 years have without a doubt pushed Georgia’s pay closer again to the bottom. They have also tried to eliminate the annual cost of living raise for retired teachers (so far without success but they will continue trying). All this at a time when they have given away our tax base. For example, in the last session they passed a bill that will over the next few years make all retirement income for those over 65 tax free. Now think about that. Someone over 65 can have retirement income of 300,000 and not pay a penny in Georgia tax while a worker making $30,000 will be taxed. It is time to give these puppets of special interests the boot! They only care about themselves and their wealthy benefactors!