By PAT NEWMAN
pnewman@thecitizennews.com

Fayette County will be “hit hard” by Gov. Roy Barnes' education reform package, predicts state Rep. Kathy Cox of Peachtree City.

But the full effects of the reforms won't be felt for about three years in Fayette, she said.

“We're not going to see a whole lot of changes in Fayette County,” Cox said. The four-year phase-in period for class size reduction, end-of-course testing and the three-year phase-in for school councils will be a gradual process, according to Cox. But in three years, she believes local taxpayers will be “hit hard” as the result of a climbing tax digest and cuts in federal spending for schools.

Cox is tying up the loose ends on bills initiated during her second legislative session and has resumed her teaching post at Sandy Creek High School.

Her fight to tack on several amendments to the education bill was an uphill struggle, she said. “The first three or four weeks of the session, I felt disheartened and disillusioned,” she said, recalling her attempt to make sense of the education bill.

The consensus among lawmakers was that the real problem with Georgia schools lies with the educators, Cox said, adding, “I felt it was insulting.” Cox believes the end-of-course testing for high school students will be ineffective and can be used against teachers. The test does not count for a grade, although Cox was able to tack on an amendment that allows local boards of education to optionally use the test for 20 percent of the student's grade.

The state-generated test is intended to measure the schools' and the teachers' performance. Students can intentionally fail the test with no repercussions, as it now stands, Cox said. Cox's amendment still has to be signed by the governor.

One part of the education bill that Cox believes did not get a lot of attention, but has the potential for becoming a real headache for school principals, PTO's and local school boards, is the proposed school council. This is a state-mandated committee of six people that can make changes and proposals without local board approval.

“This year, one elementary, one middle and one high school in each school district must have a council,” Cox said. By the second year, 50 percent of the schools must have councils in place, and by the third year, every school must have a council. Each council will be composed of two teachers, elected by their colleagues, two parents and two business people who are working with the school in the “Partners in Education” program, Cox explained.

While Fayette County has just 26 public schools, Cobb County has 97. The logistics of keeping an eye on these committees can be overwhelming, Cox said.

While funding reallocations will not be fully felt all at once, the loss of more than $500,000 in grant money for non-science lab classes is an immediate strike against the Fayette system, she said. Writing labs, for instance, have been an integral part of classroom learning for local students for about 10 years, Cox said. The results have increased SAT scores significantly, she said.

Also, she expects to see fewer pilot programs and “less and less” classes like the humanities program being eliminated after this year at McIntosh High School.

The educational package received the most attention during the legislative session, but other bills which directly affect Fayette County residents include state takeover of the juvenile intake system, which provides about $50,000 in local tax relief; the green space bill which encourages Georgia counties to voluntarily designate up to 20 percent of their land for permanent green space and be reimbursed by the state; the increase in the homestead exemption.

Cox will officially launch her bid for a second term April 29.