Georgia lawmakers reintroduce bills to add funding for schools with students living in poverty

A mostly Democratic group of lawmakers have reintroduced bills to increase public education funding for economically disadvantaged students.

Senate Bill 128 and House Bill 245 would allocate additional funding for school systems with “students living in poverty.” The bills define this group as students whose families qualify for SNAP or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families benefits, are in foster care, or are without stable housing.

The proposed legislation would change the Quality Basic Education formula for funding public education, which awards funding to school districts based on the type of program taken, the kind of student that takes them and time spent in such programs. The General Assembly sets the “base amount” that a district can receive per student, and a “weight” can be applied to that amount for certain types of programs, including English language learning programs or programs taken by a student with disabilities.