Georgia Public Education System: An Overview

The Georgia public education system, encompassing prekindergarten through grade 12, operates within districts that are governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. This article provides an overview of the system, including its structure, funding, performance, and recent developments.

Structure and Governance

The Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) oversees public education across the state by ensuring education laws and regulations are followed. It also monitors the allocation of state and federal money to local school districts and provides information about Georgia's schools to parents, students, government officials, and the media. The GaDOE 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.

There are two main types of school districts in Georgia: county school systems and independent (city) school districts. 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.

Student Enrollment and Teacher Statistics

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.

Academic Performance

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).

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. 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. 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.

Graduation Rates and Standardized Test Scores

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. Graduation rates for states in the first quintile ranked in the top 20 percent nationally.

Dropout Rates

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.

Funding

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. 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. 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. Public education expenditures in Georgia totaled approximately $17.5 billion in fiscal year 2012.

In Georgia, local boards of education are authorized to impose a tax of at least five dollars on every $1,000 of taxable property value. This is known Local Five Mill Share - and is the required local effort to support local public schools. Local property taxes account for approximately 37% of total public school funding in Georgia in FY 2022. That funding will likely be reduced by a recent statewide property tax policy, HB 581, that caps the annual assessment increase for property taxes at the rate of inflation. For example, if inflation is 2%, the maximum increase in a home’s assessed value would also be 2%. School districts can opt out of this property tax cap which would allow districts leaders to have more flexibility and local control to levy additional taxes for public school funding. Many large school districts have opted out, as of March 1, approximately 120 school systems have taken this action.

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The FY 2026 budget includes $640 million for DECAL, with $77 million going to child care and $563 million to pre-K. After a historic investment last year, the legislature approved an additional $22 million for pre-K in the FY 2026 budget, including $14 million for year two of the class reduction phase in. The FY 2026 budget provides a modest increase to the CAPS program.

Teacher Salaries

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.

School Choice Options

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.

This year, the Georgia General Assembly budgeted $141 million in public funds for the state’s latest voucher program, the Georgia Promise Scholarship (GPS). These funds help eligible students and families pay for private school tuition through $6,500 vouchers. In the first three weeks, the Georgia Student Finance Commission received over 7,400 applications and will potentially fund over 21,000 vouchers to eligible students. The GPS is one of three voucher programs and diverts 1% of QBE funds ($141 million) to private schools.

Vouchers defund public schools in two ways. First, they use state public education funds for private institutions. Second, they decrease public school enrollment. This results in a decrease in funding to school districts because state dollars for public schools are based on enrollment. The impact of vouchers can also be roughly measured through “fiscal externality,” a measure of how much per pupil funds are reduced because of an enrollment drop. In the first year of GPS, assuming that about 20% of students who obtain a GPS voucher are public school students who leave to attend private schools, school districts will have to spend between $12 and $61 more per each student who remains to continue to maintain the same level of services, like classroom instruction, that public school students received before voucher students left.

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Teacher Unions and Lobbying

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. 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 main education government sector lobbying organization in the state is the Georgia School Boards Association.

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. The site was first created in 1996.

Assessment and Accountability

The Georgia Department of Education receives school financial information, but the data may be outdated upon receipt. Accrediting agencies may have more timely data, but are inconsistent in their response.

Georgia Milestones Assessment System

The Georgia Milestones Assessment System is a comprehensive summative assessment program spanning grades 3 through 12. Georgia Milestones measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the state-adopted content standards in English Language Arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. Students in grades 3 through 8 take an end-of-grade assessment in each subject, while high school students take an end-of-course (EOC) assessment for specified courses.

The EOC tests cover History, Economics, Biology, Physical Science, Ninth Grade Literature and Composition, and American Literature and Composition. The official purpose of the tests is to assess "specific content knowledge and skills." Although a minimum test score is not required for the student to receive credit in the course, completion of the test is mandatory. The EOC score comprises 20% of a student's grade in the course.

Until 2014, the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) was taken in 1st-8th grade. Through the 2013-14 school year, high school students were also required receive passing scores on four Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) and the Georgia High School Writing Assessment in order to receive a diploma. Subjects assessed included Mathematics, Science, Language Arts, and Social Studies.

HOPE Scholarship

The HOPE Scholarship, funded by the state lottery, was available to all Georgia residents who have graduated from high school with a 3.0 or higher grade point average and who attend a public college or university in the state. The scholarship covers the cost of tuition and provides a stipend for books for up to 120 credit hours. If the student does not maintain a 3.0 average while in college they may lose the scholarship in which case they will have the chance to get it back by bringing their grade point average above a 3.0 within a period of 30 credit hours. In 2011, facing a budget shortfall, the state cut portions of the HOPE scholarship. Bill 326 trimmed scholarships by 90 percent. High school seniors who earn a 3.7 GPA and a 1200 on the SAT will still be able to get a full scholarship, now known as the Zell Miller scholarship, under the new law. Students who previously qualified for HOPE can still receive a scholarship worth 80% of tuition.

Higher Education

Georgia’s four-year public higher education system, the University System of Georgia (USG), is composed of 26 higher education institutions located across the state. The overall FY 2026 is $10.2 billion and contains $2 billion in federal funding. The state portion of the USG budget is $3.6 billion, up from $3.4 billion in FY 2025. State general funds of $3.3 billion were allocated to USG’s 26 colleges and universities for student instruction and support services like academic advisement. The USG uses an appropriation funding formula that is designed to compute funds needed to cover the costs of educating students. Georgia ranks third lowest in the south and sixth lowest in the nation for average tuition and fees. Since 2002, the USG has failed to pay its original share (75%) of the state USG budget under the public higher education funding formula. In FY 2025, the Georgia state appropriation was 19% less, totaling only 56% of the state USG budget. Georgia’s continuing disinvestment in public higher education reflects national trends of decreasing state spending per student, even while enrollment nationally has increased over the last 25 years. State investment helps mitigate financial barriers, reduce student loan debt and increase postsecondary degree attainment.

The FY 2026 budget for TCSG is $538 million. Approximately $444 million has been reserved for technical education, which provides funding for continuing education or training for youth and adult learners and helps support workforce development. The Lottery for Education account is required to maintain a minimum balance, called the shortfall reserve, of 50% of the previous year’s net lottery proceeds. If lottery ticket sales underperform, the state can draw on this reserve to fund the Helping Outstanding Pupils Educational (HOPE) scholarship program. Once the 50% level is reached, additional reserves are unrestricted.

The College Completion Grants are micro-grants awarded to students who qualify for financial support to finish their post-secondary education. Four-year and two-year college students who are Georgia residents and completed at least 80% of their degree program could receive up to $2,500 in College Completion Grants. In the 2025 Legislative Session, House Bill 38 passed to decrease the degree completion threshold from 80% to 70% for four-year programs and from 80% to 45% for two-year programs which will expand access to College Completion Grants to more students. HB 38 also extends the College Completion policy sunset year from 2025 to 2029.

Early Childhood Education

Education in Georgia embraces new ideas to deliver the best, most progressive practices in learning. It all begins with the state's early childhood education program, rated one of the most successful in the nation by Education Week. In 1993, Georgia became the first state to offer its residents universal Pre-K, a program that studies have shown increases graduation rates, lowers welfare dependency and reduces incarceration rates.

Challenges and Policy Considerations

The secondary education system of Georgia is unable to equip its students with knowledge and academic skills necessary for the next educational level. Furthermore, the existing educational model in Georgian schools is not sufficient to form adequate critical thinking capabilities in students. As a result, neither academic nor civic skills of students are enough to 1) successfully move on to the next academic level and 2) provide minimum level of preparation for the Georgian labor market.

Policymakers and politics a lot of times lack proper vision and need more “persuasion” to take proper decision and be motivated. Explaining the frameworks which have worked in other countries, giving practical guidelines and demonstrating success stories are important to take bold/daring decisions.

DECAL is rolling back those expansions with more restrictive policy changes. For example, the agency reduced the initial income eligibility level from 50% of the state median income ($52,947 for a family of four) to 30% of the state median income ($31,768 for a family of four), the lowest in the country.

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