Legislators, lobbyists, and other advocates convened under the Gold Dome today for Legislative Day One of the 2016 General Assembly. Most Capitol-watchers anticipate that medical cannabis, casino gambling, religious liberty, and proposals from the Governor's Education Reform Commission (ERC) will take center stage during the 2016 Session.
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Hot Education Issues - Funding & Teacher Merit Pay
All eyes are on the ERC recommendations, which are expected to comprise the major pieces of education legislation moving through the General Assembly this year. Proposed controversial re-writes to Georgia's school funding formula and the way that teachers are paid have generated the most heat, though the ERC's full slate of education recommendations is more expansive.
Considering the recent AJC poll showing Georgian's opposition to teacher merit pay and key legislative leaders' public opposition to the concept, many are watching with interest regarding how and when the Governor's office will attempt to move some or all of the ERC recommendations through the General Assembly.
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I Promise Campaign & 2016 PAGE Legislative Agenda - Tools to Contact Policymakers Now
Regardless of whether you've ever taken a moment to speak with your House and Senate member about education issues, please let 2016 be the year that you open a line of communication. Student testing, educator evaluation, and ongoing school budget cuts provide the platform for PAGE'S 2016 Legislative Agenda. In addition, PAGE is calling on legislators to help students and schools by rolling back student testing and de-emphasizing testing in educator performance evaluations. Please use our I Promise resources to reach out to your House and Senate member this week, and let us know how the conversation went. As always when contacting policymakers, please remember to be polite and to use your personal email address and personal electronic device outside of instructional time.
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PAGE Coverage of the GA General Assembly
When the General Assembly is in session, PAGE has two employees at the Capitol, reporting the education news and advocating on behalf of PAGE members and Georgia students.
Look for our coverage on Facebook, Twitter, and through our Reports from the Capitol, emailed daily. Don't miss our weekly Legislative Week in Review Show, which covers all the K-12 news from the Gold Dome.
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