1 min read
Amid money challenges, many teachers and advocates have eyed the lottery as a potential source to increase wages. A chunk of ticket sales from the lottery funds Georgia’s universal preschool program, totaling $382 million for preschools this year, plus another $937 million to fund the HOPE and Zell Miller college scholarships.
Credit: Paige McKay Kubik
Credit: Paige McKay Kubik
Key points
- Georgia’s preschools workforce dropped by roughly 20% from 2017 to 2020.
- Preschool directors and advocates say many teachers have left for higher-paying jobs at Target and Walmart.
- The state has more than $1 billion in Lottery reserves that could be used to boost funding for local preschools but hasn’t been touched.