Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1926-03-18
Equalization Law
For Schools

The Constitution of 1877 embodied
a section which said, "There shall be
a thorough system of common schools
for the education of children in the
elementary branches of an English
education only, as nearly uniform as
practicable, expenses of which shall
be provided for by taxation and
otherwise. The schools shall be free
to all children of the state"
In 1910 the restrictive clause limit
inc education to the elementary
branches of an English education
only was stricken from the Constitu-
ton and statutes have since been
enacted, providing for a system of
high school education as we'll as ele-
mentary.
The state has thus committed itself
in the Constitution and by statutes 10
the noble task of educating its chill
dren. The fathers who framed the
constellation as well as the lawmakers
of recent times, are committed to a
system of common and high school
education. free to all the children of
the state.
Sessions of the General Assembly,
for the past several years, have gone
on record favoring as large an ap-
preparation for the public schools as
the condition of the treasury would
autl2c.'.:c
The state has further committed it
self to the principle OF strong ana
continuously increasing support OF
public school education by the pas
sage Of law authorizing an Equall-
cation fund in addition to the regular
appropriation. The law, as passed,
does not carry an appropriation at
this time and there will not likely be
an appropriation under the law at
this session unless some means Is
found to bring additional money into
the state treasury.
However. the principle OF equallZa-
ton of educational opportunities
throughout the state is well estao-
lished in this law and this is a long
step forward in the educational de-
velopment Of the state.
Equalization Bill as Passed and
Signed
70 be entitled on Act TO authorize
and require the General Assembly to
make an extra appropriation to the
common school fund for the purpose
Of equalizating educational opportu-
mites and for other purposes.
Section /. Be it enacted by the
General Assembly Of the State OF
Georgia, and it is hereby enacted by
authority of the same, that in addl-
ton to the regular appropriation 1of
the support of the public schools the
General Assembly shall provide an
equalization fund, which shall be DIS
bursed By the State Board OF Educa-
ton for the purpose OF more nearly
equalizing the educational opporCunl,,
ties of the children Of the several
counties of the State The state
Board of Education in its distribution
of said equalization fund to county
boards of education for the purpose
of equalizing educational opporluni-
ties as between the several counties
shall take into consideration the pos
sible returns from taxable values Tor
school purposes, the extent to Whlch
Aocal tax aid has been utilized, the
educational needs, and the local M
capabilities existing III the several
counties. No county Oh independent
system shall share in the equalization
fund for any year unless II levles at
least five mills for local tax for Its
public schools for that year.
Section 2. 1t is further enacted
that all laws and parts of laws IN
conflict with this Act are hereby re-
pealed.