Georgia school districts are receiving a major boost to support student needs, with more than $15 million allocated to assist economically disadvantaged students and an additional $19.6 million dedicated to strengthening mental health services. The funds were added to the FY26 state budget by the Georgia General Assembly and began reaching districts in September 2025.
State School Superintendent Richard Woods said the investment will make a “real difference” for students across the state, noting that local educators understand their communities’ needs best. The funding is intended to expand counseling services, provide academic interventions, and address nonacademic barriers to learning — all in partnership with parents.
Support for Economically Disadvantaged Students
Of the new funding, $15.27 million is earmarked to help districts serve students defined as “economically disadvantaged,” meaning those eligible for Free and Reduced-Price Lunch through SNAP/TANF Direct Certification. Districts with more than 40% of students qualifying can use the money for interventions, extended learning opportunities, transportation, access to advanced coursework, teacher support, and postsecondary readiness.
Districts around the state are already putting the funds to use. Candler County Schools is expanding intervention programs and coordinating high-dosage tutoring and summer learning. Early County Schools used its allocation to hire an intervention teacher for middle school students.
Mental Health Services Expanded
The FY26 budget also includes $19.6 million for student mental health services, with each middle and high school receiving $20,000. Districts can use the funding to hire or contract with mental health professionals, purchase intervention materials, or expand access to telehealth providers.
School systems including Troup County and Rome City Schools are using the funds to expand counseling services, and Troup County is adding Teen Mental Health First Aid Training for all ninth-graders. Crisp County Schools is partnering with a South Georgia telehealth vendor to reach more students.
DeKalb County Schools plans to use the funds to support onsite services and crisis intervention through mental health coordinators, while also expanding tutoring, mentoring, and enrichment programs.
In Social Circle City Schools, the investment directly helped a middle-school student continue receiving therapy after a lapse in insurance, with the district covering the gap until benefits resumed.
State officials say the new resources are already making tangible differences in student wellbeing and academic success, helping districts statewide remove barriers and deliver more comprehensive support.
