2026 Legislative Priorities
Forsyth County Schools is committed to providing a safe, connected, and thriving community for all. Each year, the Board of Education adopts Legislative Priorities that align with the district’s vision, mission, and strategic plan, in collaboration with the State and Local Legislative Delegation.
Operational Excellence
- Fully-funded Quality Basic Education (QBE) and capital outlay formulas: We appreciate this full funding in previous years and ask for its continuation, as it provides the resources needed for effective and efficient financial planning.
- Healthcare Costs: Rising healthcare costs continue to place significant pressure on the local budget, limiting the ability to expand student services or reduce property tax rates for Forsyth County residents. We ask our partners in the Georgia Legislature to develop and implement strategies to help control these costs and provide supplemental support to ease the financial burden on Forsyth County Schools and our citizens.
Social & Emotional Health, School Safety
- School Nurses: School nurses serve as the front line for student health and first aid, while also being a primary point of contact for students experiencing emotional challenges, family instability, and trauma-related concerns. These positions are not currently funded by the state, and we ask that state funding be considered.
- Mental Health & Behavior Supports: HB 68 has been highly effective in addressing mental health and behavioral challenges at the middle and high school levels. We encourage its continuation and expansion to the elementary level. While current funding is limited to direct services, we recommend expanding allowable uses to include professional learning for counselors and staff who provide daily support to students. We also continue to advocate for funding to further reduce school counselor-to-student ratios, with the goal of reaching the recommended 1 to 250.
The Learner Experience
- Literacy: The state’s focus on literacy has been a strong and effective initiative, leading to improvement across all subject areas. Continued support through dedicated professional learning funds will help ensure literacy remains an embedded and sustained instructional priority.
- Workforce Development: In support of Georgia’s Top State for Talent initiative, which is focused on transforming how Georgians prepare for and access meaningful careers, we encourage continued investment in career preparation programs for the trades, as well as funding for career-focused counselors in each school system. We also support embedding life skills within state academic standards across all subject areas so that workforce readiness becomes a shared responsibility of all educators, not only those in CTAE classrooms.
