The Georgia Department of Education is announcing its 2027 legislative priorities, which will guide State School Superintendent Richard Woods' conversations with lawmakers in the upcoming legislative session, along with the agency's work during the session and beyond.

To help ensure students learn from experienced educators, Superintendent Woods is renewing his longstanding call to expand teacher salary step increases beyond 21 years of service. The proposal would recognize educators' continued service and help retain them in Georgia's classrooms.

Organized around the theme "Kids, Classrooms, and Common Sense," the priorities focus on helping students succeed and giving educators the time and support to teach effectively. That includes calls to protect planning time, limit screen time, and value teachers' time, alongside investments in literacy, mathematics, student opportunities, school safety, and educator compensation.

"Every one of these priorities comes back to helping students succeed — making sure they can read well, build strong math skills, and see a path to their future," Superintendent Woods said. "We need to give teachers time to plan and teach, keep students focused on learning, and recognize the experience educators bring to their classrooms. Extending salary step increases beyond 21 years is an important part of that work. I look forward to working with lawmakers to build on Georgia's academic progress and prepare all students for life.”

For students, Superintendent Woods is calling to preserve funding for universal literacy screeners, fully fund school-level literacy coaches, expand adolescent literacy supports, and increase support for early numeracy and advanced mathematics. The priorities also call for reducing screen time and maximizing instructional time.

Additional student priorities include expanded mental health services, afterschool and summer learning, and work-based learning opportunities, along with continued investments in CTAE labs, career advising, character education, and financial literacy.

For teachers and classrooms, the priorities emphasize protecting planning time and reviewing noninstructional requirements and reporting obligations to reduce unnecessary burdens and keep more resources focused on teaching and learning. They also call for ensuring teachers receive a daily duty-free lunch unless they are provided additional compensation, funding classroom supplies, and expanding teacher apprenticeship and advanced-degree opportunities.

Valuing teachers' time also means recognizing their service through competitive compensation. In addition to extending salary step increases beyond 21 years, GaDOE is calling for an additional $10,000 in raises for teachers and certified staff over five years, a competitive state pay scale for classified staff, and restored funding to increase compensation for educators who earn leadership degrees.

The priorities also call for funding a school resource officer in every school, supporting property-tax relief while ensuring stable funding for local school districts, and updating the Quality Basic Education funding formula to better support transportation, support staff, students in poverty, and students with special needs.