The final week of one year and the start of the next is a time to reflect on what has come to pass and prepare for what lies ahead.
Here is a look at stories from the past year as well as what topics are on my radar for 2025 as the Savannah Morning News Education and Workforce Development Reporter.
Thank you for your readership and continued support of local news.
Education
Following the North Star: Literacy developments
From Literacy Week to adoption of new literacy curriculum, the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System continued its efforts to prioritize literacy as its chief focus. Attendance also rose to the top of the school district’s list of priorities this past year with Superintendent Denise Watts calling it a possible “second North Star.”
With my reporting this year, I aim to paint a picture of the complex literacy ecosystem that includes parents, the district, nonprofit organizations, local businesses and colleges of education as well as the local, state and federal government.
Broken Promise?: Georgia Promise Scholarship updates and challenges
The Georgia Governor’s Office of Student Achievement (GOSA) has had some challenges verifying the list of Georgia public schools whose students would be eligible for the potential $6,500 per year Promise Scholarship school vouchers. While the list was taken down and updated twice, it has not been publicly available since Dec. 9 and, according to GOSA’s website, the list will not be posted until “a later date in the new year.”
Additionally, both Democrat and Republican legislators in Georgia raised concerns this past month as rules adopted by the Georgia Education Savings Authority on Nov. 18 significantly upped the pool of eligible students to hundreds of thousands as opposed to the tens of thousands many legislators had anticipated when passing the bill, SB 233, during the 2024 legislative session.
Initially, 18 Savannah-Chatham County public schools were on the list.
ESPLOST V vote and implications
Voters in Chatham County will head to the polls twice this year thanks to the Savannah-Chatham County Board of Public Education’s adoption of the Educational Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (ESPLOST) V referendum.
The board approved the school district’s proposal to hold the public vote on March 18, 2025, the day after Savannah’s St. Patrick Day Parade and Festival instead of holding off until the November election cycle.
The district’s final proposed collection limit is $705 million over the next five years. Funds would go toward such capital improvement projects as reimagining the district’s central office at 208 Bull St. and adding a high school in Pooler. Some funds would be earmarked for maintenance and upkeep of other facilities while others would be used to further safety and security efforts. Watts and district leaders plan to hold family and community stakeholder educational meetings about ESPLOST V in the new year.
Workforce development in southeast Georgia
Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America plans to increase production in the upcoming year and thus hire more employees. More of HMGMA’s suppliers will also complete construction of their manufacturing facilities and begin onboarding more people to meet their workforce needs. The ports will also continue to grow, especially if progress occurs with a potential new bridge over the Savannah River.
The Savannah area’s manufacturing, logistics and industrial boom has had its successes and its challenges. The biggest challenge starting in 2025 will be shoring up the workforce pipeline to meet the ever-escalating demand for workers both in these industries and to support the sectors that will need to develop around them such as retail, hospitality, public safety, child care and healthcare.
Here to listen, here to serve
I welcome the public to engage with me about the topics that matter most to you within the broader realms of childcare and early childhood education, public and private schools, colleges and universities, and workforce development.
In the upcoming year, I intend to be more accessible by working more regularly at local coffee shops such as Foxy Loxy, Coffee Deli, Origin Coffee Bar and Gallery Espresso. I can also be reached via social media platforms Facebook (www.facebook.com/joseph.schwartzburt), LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com/in/josephschwartzburt/) and X.com (formerly Twitter) @jschwartstory84. Should you wish to connect either digitally or in person, I am open to critical feedback, constructive debate as well as story suggestions or insights.
Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com.