Former Gov. Nathan Deal has been selected as the Hall County School District’s (HCSD) 2025-2026 RESA Pioneer in Education Award recipient. This recognition is given annually to an individual who has made significant, lasting contributions to public education in Georgia and who continues to influence the growth and success of students across the region.
HALL CO. SCHOOL DISTRICT (HCSD) NEWS RELEASE:
“The son of two schoolteachers—and married to one—Governor Deal has always prioritized
public education. His mother taught first grade for 40 years, and his children attended and
graduated from the Hall County School District. Even while serving as a United States
Congressman, he remained closely connected to his roots, often volunteering his time to visit
local schools and speak to students.
As governor, Deal led Georgia through a period of unprecedented investment in public
education. Under his leadership, more than one billion dollars in additional state revenue was
funneled into K-12 education, teacher salaries were improved, and programs such as the
Innovation Fund and Connections for Classrooms Grant enabled local school systems to bring
new technologies, expanded learning time, and innovative instruction into their classrooms. He
prioritized K-12 education in the state budget, and in Fiscal Year 2019, his administration
announced that Georgia had fully restored the austerity cuts dating back to 2003 in the Quality
Basic Education (QBE) funding formula.
In higher education, Governor Deal was also a staunch supporter. The University System of
Georgia recognized his leadership and long-standing advocacy with the Eldridge McMillan
Lifetime Achievement Award, honoring his enduring commitment to expanding opportunity for
Georgia’s students at every level.”