Georgia school districts now have access to more than $15 million to support students in poverty, and $19.6 million to strengthen student mental health services and supports. Districts plan to use the funds – which were added to the FY26 state budget by the Georgia General Assembly – to expand access to counseling services, provide academic interventions, and more.

“This funding to support students in poverty and strengthen mental health services will make a real difference in the lives of our young people,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “I wish to thank Governor Kemp and the members of the General Assembly for making this funding available. Local educators know their students best, and this investment allows them to meet needs in a way that reflects their community, in partnership with parents – whether that’s through extra academic support, increased access to opportunities, or services that address nonacademic barriers to learning.”

Districts began receiving both sets of funding in September 2025.

Funding to Support Economically Disadvantaged Students

The FY26 state budget includes $15,275,991 to help districts provide targeted support to economically disadvantaged students. The funding can be used for at-risk student interventions, extended/summer learning opportunities, transportation, access to advanced coursework, postsecondary readiness, access to opportunities, and equipping teachers.

The General Assembly’s calculation defines “economically disadvantaged students” as those who are eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced-Price Lunch program through SNAP/TANF Direct Certification. For a Local Education Agency (LEA) to receive poverty funding, over 40% of the LEA’s student enrollment must qualify for Direct Certification.

Funding to Strengthen Mental Health Services

The FY26 state budget includes $19.6 million to help school districts expand student mental health services and supports, through a $20,000 allocation to each middle school and high school. This dedicated state funding is intended to remove nonacademic barriers to learning for students, while ensuring parents are part of the service delivery model process.

The mental health funding can be used to contract with a local mental health agency, telemedicine/tele-mental health provider, or individual mental health professional; hire a mental health professional; or purchase curriculum and intervention materials to provide direct mental/behavioral health services to students.

School District Stories

Throughout the state, Georgia school districts are using the poverty and mental health funding in ways that directly impact students’ success and wellbeing.

Several districts – including Troup County Schools and Rome City Schools – are using the funds to expand counseling services for students. Troup County is also providing Teen Mental Health First Aid Training to all ninth-grade students. Crisp County Schools is partnering with a South Georgia telehealth vendor to expand mental health services.

Candler County Schools is using the poverty funding to ensure robust intervention programs during extended learning time, and the district’s intervention specialist will also coordinate and support high-dosage afterschool tutoring and summer school opportunities. Early County Schools used poverty funding to support an intervention teacher for middle-school students.

In DeKalb County Schools, middle- and high-school Mental Health Coordinators will be able to collaborate with an agency to provide in- and out-of-school services, offering onsite support and crisis intervention for students in need. The district is using poverty funds to expand tutoring, mentoring, and afterschool enrichment programs.

And in Social Circle City Schools, a middle-school student was able to continue receiving needed services because of the mental health funding. The student had been in therapy until experiencing a lapse in insurance; the district was able to use the funds to ensure the student could continue receiving care until coverage had been restored.