ATLANTA (WJBF) – Just three months remain until the 2026 legislative session, and the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE) is highlighting its main goals to enhance support for both teachers and students in the upcoming school year.

The organization said reducing class sizes and hiring more social workers and counselors will help address growing student mental health needs.

GAE also called for higher teacher salaries, particularly for new educators, to keep Georgia competitive with neighboring states.

Another area of focus is the state’s school voucher initiative, known as the Georgia Promise Scholarship, which started in August. GAE representatives argue that the program redirects public funds to private schools and point out that enrollment numbers are significantly lower than what was originally budgeted.

GAE President Lisa Morgan also raised concerns about retirement benefits for school employees:

“The public school employee’s retirement system — the average benefit is still around $300 — and that is not a dignified retirement,” Morgan said.

Lawmakers are scheduled to return to the Capitol on the second Monday in January for the 40-day session, during which education funding will once again constitute the majority of Georgia’s state budget.