School funding for public schools has been cut by a combined $7.6 billion since 2002, forcing Georgia school districts to a critical point. The 2001 recession had a major effect on Georgia's fiscal condition, which consequently had a major effect on the financing of K-12 education in Georgia. School budgets are used to describe a district's plan for the upcoming year regarding expected revenues and expenses. Each district's budget is highly dependent on the amount of money it receives from the state's general fund, and because that amount has decreased significantly in recent years, schools are unable to provide the best education to our students. The budget for public schools in Georgia should be increased because teachers are losing their jobs and schools are being forced to eliminate valuable programs that are critical to the education of our youth. Many schools consider art, music and physical education programs “fluff” classes, which is why when schools look for a place to save money, these are some of the programs that get dropped first. Claire Suggs, senior education policy analyst at the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, found that “about 42 percent of districts are reducing or eliminating arts or music programs, and 62 percent are eliminating elective courses” (“Cutting Class” no. 1). Art and music programs should not be cut because they allow students to explore their creativity and improve problem-solving skills. On the other hand, obesity accounts for approximately 13% of children in the United States, which is why physical education programs should be one of the last things to go. They also help students release the stress accumulated throughout the day and teach them the... middle of paper... the last decade has not only influenced teachers and valuable optional programs, but above all the educational of today's youth. Georgia school districts have exhausted nearly every means to make up for billions of dollars in lost state financial support and have reached tipping point. As more than 9,000 teachers lost their jobs, students are forced into already crowded classrooms where they don't receive the kind of individual attention needed to raise student achievement. If Georgia's leaders expect to improve student achievement, they must invest the economic resources necessary to achieve this goal. Ultimately, one of the most important things in life is a good education, so we need to start putting more money into funding primary and secondary schools and help rebuild what years of austerity cuts have almost destroyed..