The Georgia legislature is bolstering its commitment to school safety with significant funding increases included in the upcoming budget, according to State Representative Eddie Lumsden (R-Armuchee).

The House’s version of the Amended Fiscal Year 2025 (AFY 2025) budget reflects a strong emphasis on protecting Georgia’s students. “My colleagues and I remain committed to school security,” stated Rep. Lumsden. “The House’s version of the AFY 2025 budget includes $50 million for school security grants, which would provide $21,635 per school for one-time security expenses.” This new allocation, combined with the existing $109 million in base funding, means school systems will receive a total of $68,759 per school in Fiscal Year 2025. In addition to direct funding for schools, the budget includes $3 million for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). This funding will be used to establish a school risk assessment system, aimed at proactively identifying and mitigating potential threats to student safety. Furthermore, House Bill 67 proposes allocating $7.42 million in new lottery funds to the Department of Early Care and Learning. This funding will implement recommendations from the House Early Childhood Education Working Group, including raising salaries for Pre-K lead and assistant teachers to match the State Board of Education schedule and strengthening the Pre-K workforce.

Recognizing the importance of mental health support for students, the House’s amended budget also allocates $160,000 in one-time funding to the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. This funding will establish a Regional Crisis Recovery Network in partnership with the Southern Regional Education Board. The network will train counselors and deploy them to provide psychological first aid to students following traumatic events, such as natural disasters or school shootings.

These budget allocations demonstrate the Georgia legislature’s dedication to ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment for all students across the state.