Georgia’s incoming school superintendent wants to revisit how the state funds public schools and take on teacher recruitment, pay and special-education accountability. Superintendent-elect Lydia Powell has outlined these as priorities for her time in office; the plans are not reported as adopted policy changes.
Powell wants to work with state lawmakers to revise the Quality Basic Education formula, known as QBE. The formula determines how much state funding public schools receive. She called it “outdated from 1985” and said school funding would quickly become part of the discussion when lawmakers return to the Capitol after she takes office.
Addressing teacher shortages is another focus. Powell said large metro Atlanta districts often have human-resources and recruiting operations that smaller rural systems cannot match. She proposed a statewide repository to connect available teachers with school job openings.
Powell also wants teaching salaries to compete with other professions, describing a goal of making a teaching career one people can earn a living from. She said education should be prioritized as the state budget is developed, while noting that local school systems also contribute to teacher salaries.
Her first 100 days would begin with a review of Georgia Department of Education operations. Powell said she sees operational issues that need attention. She also plans to work with incoming Gov. Keisha Lance Bottoms on expanding preschool across Georgia.
Powell named special-education accountability as a priority and raised student behavior as a concern. She said schools should connect children with services for underlying needs and offer broader “whole child” and wraparound support, rather than treating students only as behavior problems.
Powell has 26 years of experience in education, including 11 years in educational leadership.
Marcus Jones
News Now Georgia
