ATLANTA – State Representative Mandi Ballinger (R-Canton), chair of the House Juvenile Justice Committee, today expressed her support for Governor Brian Kemp’s school funding proposal, which the governor announced during his annual State of the State address on Thursday, January 14. The governor’s proposed budget would restore funding to school systems across the state.
“Educating Georgia’s children is the cornerstone to preventing juvenile incarceration and reducing recidivism, so I am pleased to see that Governor Kemp’s budget proposal provides additional support for our school systems across the state,” said Rep. Ballinger. “Georgia educators, faculty and students have faced many challenges over the last year. Prioritizing the quality of education and well-being of our students, as well as standing with our teachers should be at the forefront of discussion this legislative session. I support restoring our school funding and look forward to it being taken up in the House.”
Rep. Ballinger will back Gov. Kemp’s efforts to restore funding to Georgia’s education system, including a restoration of $647 million dollars in the Amended Fiscal Year 2020 budget and $572 million dollars in the Fiscal Year 2021 budget. She also supports the governor’s proposal for offering a one-time $1,000 supplement for teachers and other employees to aid in re-opening efforts across the state. Gov. Kemp also detailed his plans to offer $10 million in reimbursements to families with special needs children who have had to pay for additional educational support due to COVID-19, as well as additional funding for pilot university programs that benefit minority students.
Rep. Ballinger also previously supported the state’s effort to aid students and teachers during the early months of the pandemic, including the allocation of $30 million to help ensure student connectivity for remote learning, removing testing requirements for students, providing funding to working parents for child care and providing more than 8.3 million units of personal protective equipment for Georgia schools.
Representative Mandi L. Ballinger represents the citizens of District 23, which includes portions of Cherokee County. She was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves as Chairman of the Juvenile Justice Committee and as Secretary of the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee. She also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Safety and the Information and Audits, Judiciary Non-Civil, Rules and Transportation committees.
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