Georgia Legislators Expose Funding Inequities in Public Education - In Equalization & Sparsity Grants

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: July 21, 2025

Georgia Legislators Expose Funding Inequities in Public Education: Open Records Request Reveals Disparities in Equalization and Sparsity Grant Distribution

ATLANTA, GA – State Representatives Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain), Kim Schofield (D-Atlanta), and Sandra Scott (D-Rex) are bringing transparency and urgency to Georgia's public school funding system by releasing new data obtained through an Open Records Request (ORR) to the Georgia Department of Education. The request reveals the list of school districts that did not receive the Equalization Grant or Sparsity Grant for Fiscal Years 2023 and 2024, underscoring a growing concern about fairness, equity, and how taxpayer dollars are distributed statewide.

“The public deserves to know where their tax dollars are going and why certain counties continue to shoulder higher property tax burdens with little return,” said Rep. Viola Davis. “This is not just about education funding, it’s about tax justice.”

The Open Records Request asked two questions:

1. Which school districts did not receive either the Equalization or Sparsity Grant for FY2023 and FY2024?
2. Were any districts underpaid based on the state's funding formulas?

Answer:

• The Georgia Department of Education provided a spreadsheet listing the districts that received no funding from either program.
• DeKalb, Fulton, and Cobb Counties – often labeled as “donor counties” – received $0 from both grants, despite having high property tax burdens and large student populations.
• The Department confirmed that no underpayments occurred for eligible recipients based on current formulas.

A copy of the response and spreadsheet is attached for full public review.

• The Equalization Grant aims to level the playing field by providing additional funds to districts with low property tax wealth. However, its structure results in wealthier (but not necessarily well-funded) counties contributing to others while receiving nothing in return.
• The Sparsity Grant provides funds to small, rural districts with low student populations to support fixed costs. While valuable in intent, its design reinforces regional funding gaps.

Gwinnett County, one of Georgia’s largest and wealthiest districts, received:

• $34,758,014 in Equalization funding for FY2023
• $88,012,744 in Equalization funding for FY2024

Meanwhile, donor counties like DeKalb, Fulton, and Cobb received nothing in either year, despite serving high-need student populations and levying some of the highest local millage rates in the state.

As outlined in Representative Davis's editorial series Unshackling Georgia: Ending Tax Enslavement, the current system perpetuates what she terms "tax enslavement" – where donor counties are forced to subsidize others while their own schools face budget shortfalls. What are “donor counties”? Donor counties are the counties that already contribute more in state taxes than they receive back in education funding. These are places with strong local tax bases that help prop up the entire public education system.

The Representatives call for the following reforms:

• A constitutional amendment to retain local property tax revenue for local use, especially if the school taxes is over 20 mills.
• A fully funded statewide transportation program for public schools
• A modernized QBE formula that accounts for students living in poverty, English Language Learners, and students with disabilities
• Greater transparency and accountability in how education funds are allocated and spent

“No community should be penalized for its success,” said Rep. Schofield. “Funding formulas must reflect 21st-century realities and ensure that all students, regardless of their ZIP code, have equitable access to resources.”

Representatives Davis, Schofield, and Scott are continuing to push for legislative reforms to address funding inequities and have submitted follow-up requests and policy proposals for the 2026 legislative session. They are also asking the public to:

• Review the data included in the Open Records response
• Contact their legislators to support reforms
• Engage in local conversations about education funding and tax equity

“We are not just exposing the problem,” said Rep. Scott. “We’re building the pathway forward with solutions that work for all Georgians.”

Attached Documents

• Open Records Request (copy given upon request)
• Open Records Response Excel Spreadsheet (upon request)
• Op-Ed Part 1: Unshackling Georgia: Ending Tax Enslavement and Building Fair Solutions in Education – Exposing Tax Inequities in Georgia
• Op-Ed Part 2: Unshackling Georgia: Ending Tax Enslavement and Building Fair Solutions in Education - Breaking Free from Tax Enslavement – Solutions for Georgia’s Donor Counties
• https://house-press.com/shinin...