Meet Lydia Powell: Running to Transform Georgia’s Schools from the Top

Lydia C. Powell, Ed.D. is running for State Superintendent of Schools. As North Georgia CAN evaluates candidates ahead of the May 19 primary, we asked Powell where she stands. She responded with the depth and specificity of someone who has spent 26 years in classrooms and administrative offices across Georgia.

A Plan Built County by County

Powell’s top priority is student achievement, and she wants to get to work immediately.

“In the first 90 days I will assemble a diverse, expert team to form the next State Board of Education and launch a comprehensive State of Our Schools review across all 159 counties,” she said.

Powell outlined specific actions she would take within that window: launching university partnerships to build teacher pipelines targeted to rural districts and high-need schools, establishing a Reading Task Force to study gains made in neighboring states, allocating startup funding for specialized reading training, and mapping broadband connectivity gaps across Georgia in partnership with GEMA.

“These steps will produce a clear, county-by-county assessment and an actionable plan to expand literacy, teacher capacity, safe schools, and rural connectivity statewide,” she said.

1,700 Vacancies and a Firsthand View

When we asked Powell what problem is not getting the attention it deserves, she answered from personal experience.

“The top problem area facing Georgia schools is the 1,700 teacher vacancies across the state during the 25-26 school year,” she said. “As a professional educator for over 26 years and an administrator that has been recently faced with starting the school year without a full staff, I know firsthand why we are having issues retaining and recruiting teachers.”

Her solution starts with scale. She wants a statewide recruitment campaign that crosses Georgia’s borders and creates a shared pool of qualified educators that all 159 districts can draw from. “Some districts do not have the resources to go out and recruit,” she noted, and that inequality in recruitment capacity compounds the vacancy problem in the communities that can least afford it.

On incentives, Powell was specific: highly reduced insurance premiums, waived certification fees for high-need subjects, tuition reimbursement for endorsements and advanced degrees, and a college-to-district pipeline with mentors for preservice teachers. She also wants to work with the General Assembly and local communities on tax breaks and housing discounts for educators.

Retention requires a culture shift, Powell argues.

“Currently, there are so many accountability measures in place at the local and state level for educators that they feel discouraged, disenfranchised, overworked, and not trusted to make sound educational decisions for their children in their classrooms,” she said.

Her prescription is direct: give educators a seat at the table. “When legislators are creating bills and having conversations in committee meetings, an educator should be consulted depending on the area of focus of the bill.” She also argued that educators should be the ones writing and vetting the tests that shape student outcomes, with real knowledge of educational milestones and student development guiding that work.

Why This Matters for North Georgia

Cherokee, Pickens, Bartow, and Forsyth counties are feeling the weight of teacher shortages and rural connectivity gaps. A State Superintendent who has personally navigated the challenge of opening a school year without a full staff brings a ground-level urgency to this role that our region needs represented at the state level.

NGA CAN will publish our endorsements for the May 19 primary by May 16. Stay tuned.