$1K Bonuses For GA Teachers, State Workers Approved

GEORGIA — About 112,000 state workers and 196,000 educators are poised to get $1,000 bonuses each while each public school will receive $45,000 in school safety funding, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Monday.

Kemp said about $330 million will be designated for the one-time pay supplements and will be included in the amended Fiscal Year 2024 budget that will be submitted in January to the General Assembly.

Of the total amount, $202 million will benefit K-12 teachers and school support staff while at least $100 million will go toward personnel and infrastructure improvements for increased safety in local K-12 schools, he said.

"Throughout the pandemic, a summer of unrest and the unprecedented challenges of the last several years, our state employees have worked hard, taken on additional challenges, remained committed to serving their fellow Georgians, and become more streamlined so we can remain the best state for opportunity. This retention pay supplement will arrive during the holiday season, and it’s part of my administration’s way of showing our appreciation for all that they do," Kemp said in a news release.

“This additional investment in school safety will benefit every part of the state, and it’s just the latest action we’re taking to secure our classrooms and back our law enforcement. This new funding comes on top of the $7,000 teacher pay raise and historic K-12 funding levels we’ve put in place since I took office.”

Georgia Speaker of the House Jon Burns, who praised Kemp's latest measure, said in the release children should be able to learn and explore in a safe environment. He also advocated for support of state employees.

Lt. Gov. Burt Jones said in the release Georgia prioritizes the security and well-being of students.

“I want to thank Governor Kemp for his support of significant funding for local school safety initiatives and his leadership on this issue," Jones said. "I am looking forward to building on this announcement and enhancing school safety measures, as I outlined in my Georgia School Safety Initiative in October, and strengthening our commitment to making Georgia’s schools the safest in the nation.”

In the past, Kemp approved $185 million in two school safety grants. He allowed $30,000 in grants to benefit each public school and its campus safety in 2019. This was followed by another round of grants earlier this year that totaled $50,000 per school, Kemp's office said.