Georgia’s Funding Formula: Quality Basic Education (QBE)

Summary

This document describes Georgia's Funding Formula, Quality Basic Education (QBE). It says the Quality Basic Education Act was enacted into law by the 1985 session of the Georgia General Assembly and that funding is based on three parts: Full Time Equivalent Students (FTEs), Training and Experience of Certified Staff, and Health Insurance eligibility of Certified Staff. It lists FY22 amounts per FTE by instructional program, including $4,664.04 for Kindergarten and $16,370.71 for Special Education Category IV. It states that districts earn $11,340 for every eligible teacher for health insurance and that the FY22 base teacher salary is $37,092.

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Georgia’s Funding Formula: Quality Basic Education (QBE) 20-2-161 O.C.G.A
The Quality Basic Education Act was enacted into law by the 1985 session of the Georgia General
Assembly to set out the provisions for educational funding for grades Kindergarten through twelve.
Funding is based on three parts:

    1. Full Time Equivalent Students (FTEs)
    2. Training and Experience of Certified Staff
    3. Health Insurance eligibility of Certified Staff

Full Time Equivalent Students

The FTEs earnings are based on the number of FTEs a district submits to the Georgia Department of
Education times the instructional program the FTEs belong to. In QBE, eighteen instructional programs
are identified as the following for FY22:

    -   Kindergarten $4,664.04 per FTE
    -   Kindergarten Early Intervention $5,766.14 per FTE
    -   Primary Grades 1-3 $3,611.30 per FTE
    -   Primary Grades 1-3 Early Intervention $5,069.96 per FTE
    -   Upper Elementary Grades 4-5 $2,898.21 per FTE
    -   Upper Elementary Grades 4-5 Early Intervention $5,054.48 per FTE
    -   Middle School $3,174.09 per FTE
    -   Grade 9-12 $2,789.66 per FTE
    -   Career Technical Agricultural Education $3,300.75 per FTE
    -   Special Education Category I $6,726.08 per FTE
    -   Special Education Category II $7,919.86 per FTE
    -   Special Education Category III $10,090.94 per FTE
    -   Special Education Category IV $16,370.71 per FTE
    -   Special Education Category V $6,899.54 per FTE
    -   Gifted $4,683.79 per FTE
    -   Remedial Education $3,786.29 per FTE
    -   Alternative Education $4,150.25 per FTE
    -   English For Speakers of Other Language (ESOL) $7,219.76 per FTE

There are also indirect funding earnings such as:

    -   Central Office Administrative Earnings
    -   School Administrative Earnings
    -   Facility Maintenance and Operations
    -   Media Center Earnings
    -   20 Days of Additional Instruction Earnings
    -   Professional Development Earnings
    -   Charter System Earnings
    -   Categorical Grant earnings
Training and Experience

Districts also earn funding based on the data sent to the Georgia Department of Education that
documents districts’ experience and education. Georgia’s current base teacher salary for FY22 is
$37,092 for a teacher with 0-3 years of experience and a bachelor’s degree. The state salary scale shows
what the State Board of Education approved for earnings in Training and Experience based on a
teacher’s education level and experience.

Training and Experience funding is earned by subtracting $37,092 from the amount a teacher is placed
at on the State Salary Scale (determined by experience and education level).

For example:

A teacher with 21+ years of experience with a Doctorate Degree (T-7) is placed at $76,980. The base
teacher salary of $37,092 is subtracted from $76,980 to earn the district $39,888 for this teacher.

Health Insurance

Districts also earn $11,340 for every eligible teacher.

Each year, funding is calculated for district based on data sent to the Georgia Department of Education.
The data changes each year and may change a districts funding (we apply a hold-harmless at mid-year
for districts). Since QBE is a formula allocation, funding is either earned or lost based on the data. In
addition, the following legislative changes to the formula can also determine funding levels:

    -   Teacher pay raises (In fiscal year FY20, the Base Teacher Salary was raised from $34,092 to
        $37,092. This would also increase funding per FTE.)
    -   Austerity (In FY21, an austerity reduction of 10% was placed in the formula. In AFY21, it was
        lowered to 4%. This would also increase funding per FTE.)
    -   Changes to QBE program weights (In FY18, funding for Counselors was added to the Remedial
        and ESOL weights. This would also increase funding per FTE.)


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