By Ashley Speagle
Correspondent
ATLANTA -- After balancing a shrinking state budget for the coming year, legislators passed bills Tuesday to give schools small options to patch up their own budgets.
Senators unanimously passed bills to ensure school officials do not receive salary increases during faculty furloughs and to allow schools to fund field trips through private donations.
"If a local board of education has furloughed nonadministrative positions, then no funds can be used for salary increases," said Sen. Don Thomas, R-Dalton.
Other bills passed unanimously make it easier for teachers to renew their teaching certification by giving them more payment options and waiving learning requirements for five years.
"This recognizes the fact that teachers have a heavy burden that's getting heavier with larger class sizes," said Sen. Dan Weber, R-Dunwoody, chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
Another option that passed after receiving some scrutiny allows schools to use state funds designated for new school buses to refurbish existing ones.
Some legislators said schools could allocate all their funds to old buses, which could jeopardize student safety.
"We're going to wake up one of these days, and these whole fleets are going to be a disaster," said Sen. Ross Tolleson, R-Perry. "This creates an unbelievable amount of hazard for our children, and the cost is going to go up."
Sen. George Hooks, D-Americus, admitted that he and Sen. Tolleson opposed the measure because they wanted to protect their local bus industry, Blue Bird, from losing business. Blue Bird's headquarters are in Fort Valley, Ga., just north of both Perry and Americus. The company also has a plant in LaFayette, Ga.
PASSED EDUCATION BILLS
HB 400: Creates career planning programs for students
HB 936: Schools may use state funds typically designated for new buses to instead refurbish old buses
HB 977: School officials may not use funds for salary increases while teachers are furloughed
HB 1079: Teachers may renew teacher certifications through expanded payment methods
HB 1200: Local boards shall be authorized to solicit for and accept donations and contributions for education endeavors
HB 1307: Suspends professional learning requirements for teacher certification renewal for five years
SB 387: Offers students online resources to plan for high school graduation, college admission and exploring career options
Source: Georgia Legislature
"The Blue Bird body company is a homegrown industry that provides thousands of jobs to middle Georgians," said Sen. Hooks.
Other legislators said refurbishing will save money at a crucial time.
"We've found a way for local school systems to do their jobs," said Sen. Nan Orrock, D-Atlanta. "To refurbish school buses and get another year or two out of them when we have teachers being laid off."
Amid the cuts to education and loosened regulations, legislators tried to ensure that graduation rates increase by passing measures to gear students to join Georgia's work force.
One bill would create career development school programs for K-12 students that would prepare them to graduate and seek higher education. Another bill would build a Web site for career counseling.
The would help eighth through 12th-graders "develop a graduation plan and find the necessary courses for graduation and college admission," said Rep. Brooks Coleman, R-Duluth, chairman of the House Education Committee.
Local schools would apply for grants to implement the career programs, estimated to cost $12.9 million over five years, according to the bill's fiscal note.
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