REPORT FROM THE CAPITOL -- DAY THIRTY-FOUR, 2010
by Herbert Garrett on 4/12/2010

After more than a week away from the fray, the House and Senate returned to Atlanta for the thirty-fourth day of the 2010 session of the Georgia General Assembly.  While neither chamber tackled a lengthy debate calendar, of major interest was an early-morning meeting of the K-12 Education Subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee at which the House version of the education budget for FY2011 was unveiled.  The "big" numbers in their budget recommendations were as predicted (and, consistent with the Governor's original recommendations):  a large austerity cut, the equalization grant program funded only at about 65% of what it should generate, only about $140 million of ARRA funds left to soften the blow, and a convenient disregard of the fact that the amount of Local Five Mill Share being deducted from QBE easily exceeds the 20% level mandated in law.  Some of the other recommended changes, though, raised eyebrows (some for the better, some not).  For example:

  • Funds to support RESA's were restored.  Those needed funds came from a variety of places, including funds the Governor had originally recommended for math mentors ($1.78 million), "folding" the the mission and function of ETC's into RESA's ($1.5 million), and even capturing some school improvement funds for this purpose ($2.16 million).  All in all, for the many who had supported the continuation of RESA funding, the House version of how to do this could only be interpreted as good news.
  • Some money for certain tests was recommended for elimination, including that designated for 1st and 2nd grade CRCT's, 3rd and 5th grade writing tests, state funding for the "optional" ITBS, funds for SAT prep, and even most of the monies dedicated to the PSAT and AP tests (They recommended providing the PSAT and 2 AP tests only for students on free or reduced price lunches.).
  • Charter schools took a hit, as the House recommended eliminating money usually set aside for charter school planning grants ($75 thousand) while also agreeing with the Governor's recommendation to eliminate charter system grant funding ($1.75 million).
  • The dollars recommended by the Governor for Communities in Schools was whacked by $400 thousand (but, the Georgia Youth Science and Technology program lived to breathe another day as $200 thousand was restored to their zeroed-out line).
  • The House wants the Governor's Honors Program to be longer than the Governor-recommended four weeks, but they recommend using"other funds" to do that (???).
  • The House agreed with the Governor's recommendation to eliminate funding for supplements for teachers holding National Board certification.
  • In a real surprise, the House version recommended the complete elimination of both sparsity and migrant education grants.
  • Cuts to programs like nutrition, pupil transportation, and even SED are couched in terms of "reduce funds to reflect revised revenue estimate."

While this version of the FY2011 budget is anything but final (These recommendations have yet to be voted on by the full House Appropriations Committee or by the full House of Representatives, and then the Senate has its shot at it.), it does foretell where the discussion on many of these items is headed.  Stay tuned.

On the floor of the House on this day, the lower chamber consented to formally "disagree" with the Senate version of the FY2010 Amended Budget.  On Tuesday, the Senate will "insist" on its position, and the requisite conference committee will be appointed to work out House-Senate differences on that document.  The same process will ultimately and inevitably occur with the FY2011 Budget.

In the Senate, where some great political theater occurred on this day thanks to Senator Preston Smith's oratory, the upper chamber agreed to the House version of SB 84 as amended by the Senate.  That means the Senate has made a change (removed the appeals for board members that had been inserted by the House), and it now must go back to the House for their agreement or disagreement.  In the end, this bill may be the focus of one of those aforementioned conference committees to resolve differences.

On Tuesday, both the House and Senate Education committees will meet to consider bills that have crossed over from the other chamber, but neither has a bill to consider that could be considered "controversial."  GSSA will report on those bills following the committee meetings.

The schedule for the rest of the 2010 session remains a mystery.  While it is clear that the General Assembly will be in session for day thirty-five on Tuesday and will likely be present on the following day, also, the plans for the end of the session remain unclear.  It is entirely possible that this year's session could go into early May.  Heaven help us all.