Teachers to see $3,000 raise under Georgia budget agreement

ATLANTA (AP) Georgia teachers and other certified school employees will see a $3,000 raise under the $27.5 billion spending proposal headed to Gov. Brian Kemp's desk.

The 2020 general budget, which begins July 1, was approved Thursday by both the state House and Senate.

Of the $611 million added over last year's budget, nearly 90 percent $550 million will go to the teacher pay raises.

Kemp previously said the raises are a down payment on his campaign pledge to raise teacher salaries by $5,000.

Other school employees including school bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and janitors will receive a 2 percent increase for a total cost of $2.8 million.

The budget also includes funding for new school buses and for grants that public schools can use to improve school safety.