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Federal funds for Georgia’s public school system on hold

Bibb County teacher Heidi Hintermaier teaches a summer school reading class in Macon in June 2023.
Grant Blankenship/GPB News
Bibb County teacher Heidi Hintermaier teaches a summer school reading class in Macon in June 2023.

Georgia’s education system is under pressure with barely a month left before classes begin.

The president of the Georgia Federation of Teachers, Verdalia Turner, has written to Governor Brian Kemp and state superintendent Richard Woods to address the federal funds that are being withheld from the state.

Over $200 million dollars in federal grants meant for Georgia’s public school system have been frozen by the Trump administration. Turner has asked that a special session of the Georgia General Assembly be called to fund the shortage from the state’s $15 billion surplus.

Superintendent Woods has advocated for fiscal responsibility and called for the release of the federal funds and the Governor's office says there are no plans to call a special session at the moment.

Alexzundra Tillman is a part-time reporter and producer. She is currently pursuing her masters degree in Film and Television studies at UGA and hopes to work at the cross section of these two fields in the future.