ATLANTA — Gov. Nathan Deal said he wants to spend $50 million to reverse cuts to Georgia’s pre-kindergarten program that increased class sizes and cut teacher pay.
The Republican governor told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the specifics are still in the works.
“We all know the statistics indicate a good pre-k program is the best starting point we can have for children in schools,” Deal said. “Class size and teacher compensation are critical components for being able to have an effective and responsible pre-k program.”
In 2011, Deal and state lawmakers cut the pre-kindergarten program’s school year by 20 days to save money. The maximum classroom size was raised from 20 to 22 students. A 180-day school calendar has since been restored, but class sizes remain the same.
Deal said he plans to get the extra funding from a lottery reserve fund. The fund had roughly $350 million last year, after growing about $60 million a year the past three years. Deal previously opposed requests to tap the fund.