Deal signs budget with raises for teachers

Gov. Nathan Deal went to a social services office in Atlanta on Monday to sign next year’s state budget, highlighting the 19 percent raises it includes for child welfare workers and increases in payments to families who care for foster children.

The record $25 billion state budget, which takes effect July 1, includes 2 percent pay raises for 200,000 teachers and other state employees, along with more than $1 billion in borrowing for construction projects.

Bobby Cagle, the director of the Division of Family and Children Services, said the pay raise for his workers is badly needed because the agency has a 32 percent to 39 percent annual turnover rate, depending on the area of the state.

The starting salary will go up more than 19 percent, from $28,000 to $35,600 for those with bachelor’s degrees in social work.

“We will be able to pay staff a competitive salary,” Cagle said.

The budget includes $31 million to increase the daily rate the state pays foster parents and relatives caring for children.

While lawmakers have included extra money for teacher pay the past few years, they’ve allowed school districts the flexibility to decide how to spend the money. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported last fall that only 40 percent of districts gave out the money in this