Georgia school districts cut spending as enrollment falls

After a decade of rapid revenue growth, rising teacher pay and staff hiring, most of Georgia’s 180 K‑12 public school districts are tightening budgets as student enrollment drops and property‑tax growth flattens. Districts are drawing on pandemic‑era savings; six of the state’s ten largest districts plan to spend down $175 million of accumulated cash this year. Fulton County, for example, is considering a one‑day furlough that may be avoided, while Cobb County will spend $6 million and Fulton $57 million from their reserve balances.

Superintendents warn of a coming shift. "We’re at the point where things are about to shift," said Valdosta Superintendent Craig Lockhart. Coweta County eliminated 47 vacant teaching positions without layoffs, and other districts are trimming vacant roles. Despite contraction, some districts still grant modest raises – Cherokee County a 3 % increase and Atlanta a 1 % raise. Teacher salaries averaged $67,641 in 2024, up from $56,329 in 2018 but lagging inflation, and staff numbers rose by about 18,000 full‑time equivalents from 2019‑2025 even as enrollment fell 1 %.