ATLANTA (AP) – State-funded prekindergarten and child care teachers in Georgia will get $1,000 bonuses alongside K-12 teachers, thanks to a big increase in federal coronavirus aid.
Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning Commissioner Amy Jacobs told The Associated Press Wednesday in an exclusive interview that her department would use about $65 million of the most recent round of federal coronavirus funding for the one-time bonuses.
“We’re thrilled to be able to provide these payments,” Jacobs said in a phone interview.
Gov. Brian Kemp and state Superintendent Richard Woods announced earlier this month that they would use coronavirus relief to provide the bonus payments to K-12 teachers. But that left out prekindergarten teachers who usually teach alongside them in the same schools.
“I found out Pre-K was not included and I was like ‘Why was that?'” said Amber Jameson, a prekindergarten teacher at DeKalb County’s Peachcrest Elementary. “We work just as hard as the teachers in the public schools anywhere.”