- We need to refocus our education policies in favor of the students. We must re-empower teachers. As an educator, I am in a unique position to help the legislature address education issues that affect the children of Tift and Turner counties.
This year, the Legislature funded only 147 school days, instead of the required 180 days. With Georgia standing 48th in the nation in education, we cannot continue moving reverse with education. In order for Georgia to compete with other states and other nations for industry in our state, we must move forward.
Let's be clear, I'm not asking for MORE money. I simply contend that Georgia should fund education at the level the Legislature itself has said is necessary.
Every year for the past eight years, the Legislature has failed to fully fund a quality education for our children.
- The legislature has shorted Georgia's school children over $4 billion.
- Over the past eight years, Tift and Turner school systems have repeatedly received less funding than the state’s formula requires. Tift County has lost nearly $22 million; Turner County - one of the 13 poorest counties in Georgia - has lost $5 million.
- When the legislature doesn't provide the funds it is supposed to, they cause our local property taxes to go up.
Incredibly, the General Assembly has continued to provide big business with tax cuts and fund pork barrel spending such as horse barns and fishing projects. Funding shortfalls from the state must be made up locally - that either means a tax increases or the making up the difference by cutting staff and increasing class size – and that’s what we’ve been forced to do.
Here’s the thing. Cutting funding for education has grave economic consequences. By making it harder to educate our children, we actually increase the cost of education. Students are retained, have to repeat grades, or require additional course work such as summer school. That means we’re probably spending 25% more every year on education than if we simply spent and adequate amount to get it right the first time.
In our district, education is a major employer – for public schools, technical schools, and colleges. When the Legislature cut positions it meant immediate economic consequences, as well as a long-term impact on our local economy.
Fewer people being employed means fewer dollars spent in local businesses – fewer tax dollars and a smaller pool of qualified employees.
The economics of education are quite startling.
It cost about $80,000 to educate a child in Georgia – that’s 12 years of education
Or for $80,000, we can hold a person in prison for 2 years, and statistics are pretty clear that a person without a high school diploma has a better than 30% chance of ending up behind bars. Georgia leads the nation in the percentage of our population in prison.
It doesn’t take an economics major to see the value of investing in education vice putting someone in prison. The return on investment is better than anything you could expect from the stock market!
This is a cycle we need to end. Together, we can make a difference.
The best way I can represent you is if you communicate your ideas to me. Let me know what you think about education. You talk, I'll listen.
Help elect John Tibbetts
to represent the people of Tift and Turner counties
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