As Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp assumed his new role as chairman of a regional education board Monday, he outlined a paradox the state now faces.
With student enrollment falling, higher education budgets are getting squeezed. Meanwhile, an explosion in the number of manufacturing jobs is straining Georgia’s available workforce — and the future workforce will need to be educated.
“It’s a great opportunity for people, especially in rural parts of the state,” Kemp said at the annual meeting of the Southern Regional Education Board in Atlanta Monday. “It’s also challenging to fill all those positions. I mean we have three positions open for every one person that’s looking right now.”
The board helps advise 16 states, including Georgia, on education policy. Governors appoint its members. As the new chairman, Kemp will not be involved in day-to-day operations but will have influence over organizational goals.
During a 40-minute talk to members with SREB President Stephen Pruitt, Kemp discussed college enrollment declines as well as the rapid growth in new electric vehicle manufacturing plant announcements.
Since 2020, EV makers and their suppliers have announced more than 40 projects totaling more than 28,400 announced jobs and $22.7 billion in anticipated investment, according to Kemp’s office.
The governor also talked about third grade literacy rates, which he said are essential for educational success and, ultimately, for a viable workforce. He’s worried about a brain drain as high school seniors head to college.
“They are vital to our success,” he said, adding that he and his wife, Marty, spoke to the state’s latest crop of valedictorians at a recent ceremony.
“I pleaded with them, even if you’re going out of state” to college, “just please come back to Georgia.”
The University System of Georgia saw a 1.8% enrollment decline last year. It’s a national trend.
Funding is tied to enrollment, so the system has seen cuts. Even so, the Georgia Board of Regents recently voted to maintain tuition at current levels at nearly all system schools.
Kemp said “tough” decisions will have to be made later, though.
“I think there’s some challenging days ahead,” he said. The universities are competing — for students and for enrollment dollars — with the technical colleges, he noted, and they’re also competing with high schools through the dual enrollment program.
“Everybody’s trying to protect their own turf. We need to understand whose turf is who’s but also we don’t need to be duplicating the services and allowing people to double dip,” Kemp said, referring to the fact that high schools and colleges both receive state funding for a student when that student takes some college classes, known as “dual enrollment.”
Kemp didn’t reveal any solutions he has in mind, but said: “I think we’re going to have to make some really tough choices.”
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