Teacher Pay Raise Makes The Grade As Lawmakers Pass FY 2020 Budget

Georgia's teachers are getting a pay raise as part of Georgia's record-setting $27.5 billion budget. 

Lawmakers approved a conference committee's report on HB 31 Thursday that worked out differences between the House and Senate versions of the Fiscal Year 2020 budget, beginning July 1.

House Appropriations chairman Terry England (R-Auburn) said that almost all of the new spending in Georgia's budget would go towards the raise for teachers and other certified employees that work in schools.

"The $3,000 raise for certificated or certified personnel cost us nearly $549.8 million," England said. "And it absorbs 89.9 percent or nine dollars out of every 10 dollars in new and additional money going into the budget."

On the campaign trail, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp pledged to increase teacher pay by $5,000, and has said this year's budget is a "down payment" on that promise.

The Senate unaninmously approved the budget Thursday morning, the House passed it 165-11. 

State employees will also see a two percent raise in next fiscal year's budget.