Georgia Supt. Race Puts School Funding Formula in Focus

ATLANTA, Ga. — The race for Georgia state school superintendent has turned attention to the Quality Basic Education formula, the 1985 law that governs how the state divides its school money, and both candidates say it is due for changes.

Lawmakers set aside $14.9 billion for the formula in the fiscal 2027 budget. The General Assembly passed it in 1985, and it was signed by then-Gov. Joe Frank Harris.

Lydia Powell, the Democratic nominee and a longtime educator who is challenging Republican incumbent Richard Woods, argued at an Oct. 13 Atlanta Press Club debate that the formula is out of date. She wants a poverty weight added so schools with many low-income students, especially in rural Georgia, get more help, noting that more than 70% of Georgia children are economically disadvantaged.

Woods, who has led the state’s schools since 2015, has also pushed to update the formula so it better covers transportation, support staff and students in poverty. He said funding decisions belong to the Legislature and that any major overhaul, including property tax changes floated in the 2026 session, must still leave public schools fully funded.

The two clashed over spending priorities. Powell criticized the state for putting more than $100 million into its school choice voucher program while spending $70 million on literacy coaches. The Legislature added that $70 million to the 2027 budget to put a literacy coach in every elementary school, and only 38% of Georgia third graders read on grade level.

Woods pointed to graduation rates as proof that schools are improving. The rate was 79% when he took office in 2015 and reached 88.5% in 2026.

Because Georgia districts must raise part of their budgets through local property taxes, proposals to change those taxes draw close attention from school leaders.

The superintendent serves a four-year term. Early voting runs through Oct. 30, and polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 3.

Filed under: Atlanta GA Education News