Sunday, Jan. 15, 2012

ATLANTA (AP) -- A budget plan from Republican Gov. Nathan Deal would halt some of the major financial cuts suffered by the education system.

His proposal would offer $258 million to fund growth in the K-12 and the state's higher education programs. But, for example, it wouldn't restore more than $1 billion that K-12 schools lost over the past several years.

Deal, whose wife is a teacher, made education a centerpiece of his State of the State address last week.

Teachers and school leaders say they are glad the governor did not make deep, new cuts to education programs like those that occurred during the Great Recession. They said Deal's plan, while providing a financial boost, won't make up for money lost in earlier years.

(Copyright 2012, The Associated Press)

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