National School Choice Week

National School Choice Week

National School Choice Week

school choice week graphic

The Georgia Center For Opportunity is proud to acknowledge Jan. 23-29 as National School Choice Week in Georgia. 

More than 1,000 events are planned across the state to celebrate the blessing of educational options regardless of a family’s income, zip code, or race.

GCO’s take: “One of the attributes that makes Georgia a great place to live—and a great place to relocate to from other areas of the country—is our diverse and growing set of educational options,” said Buzz Brockway, GCO’s vice president of public policy. “During National School Choice Week 2022, we are honored to join with our neighbors in Georgia committed to providing access to the best educational option for the unique needs of each child.”

 

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Gov. Kemp Announces GEER II Funding to Support Education

Gov. Kemp Announces GEER II Funding to Support Education

Gov. Kemp Announces GEER II Funding to Support Education

student at desk

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has announced that $4.1 million in new federal GEERs funding will be allocated to “the creation and replication of 10 new, high-quality charter schools in underserved communities. The funds will be utilized for start-up costs, networking opportunities, long-term planning support, and other purposes.”

The Georgia Center for Opportunity’s (GCO) take: “We can’t think of a better way to deploy federal emergency dollars meant to help students than to create and strengthen charter schools, particularly in areas of the state where few, if any, charters exist,” said Buzz Brockway, GCO’s vice president of public policy. “Prior to the pandemic, we were already failing far too many of our students. The ripple effects of the virus have only worsened the situation. That’s why we must learn the lessons of this pandemic and continue to expand educational options for all students moving forward.

 

Could inflation be a persistent problem for the foreseeable future?

Could inflation be a persistent problem for the foreseeable future?

Could inflation be a persistent problem for the foreseeable future?

couple - inflation empty wallet

The CPI is up over 7% over last 12 months

Today, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that in December the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis. The CPI is up 7% over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. That is the largest 12-month increase since 1982.

inflation graphic

Georgia Center for Opportunity’s take:

 “Pundits are breathing a sigh of relief after the latest CPI numbers landed because they weren’t worse than expected, but optimism may be misplaced,” said Erik Randolph, GCO’s director of research. “The problem is that we’ve established a new floor for prices that likely won’t go down in the coming years. Those impacts are most acutely felt in the areas that hit the pocketbooks of the lower income the hardest, such as food, rent, and energy. Now, it’s more important than ever to avoid pumping more stimulus into the economy that will only worsen the problem. Doing so could make inflation a year-in, year-out persistent problem for the foreseeable future.”

 

State can give parents options and support traditional public schools

State can give parents options and support traditional public schools

State can give parents options and support traditional public schools

GIRL SCIENCE, ELECTRICAL BOARD

Educational choice is saving the state money

 

An updated analysis from EdChoice finds that Georgia’s two educational choice programs—the Special Needs Scholarship Program and the Qualified Education Expense Tax credit—have saved Georgia taxpayers between $605 and $1.1 billion through the 2018 fiscal year. That translates to between $4,355 and $8,013 in taxpayer savings per student participating in the programs.

Buzz - edu media statement

Georgia Center for Opportunity’s take:

 “There is a falsehood out there that if we expand access to different educational options for Georgia families we’ll end up hurting traditional public schools. Data like this from EdChoice clearly show this isn’t the case,” said Buzz Brockway, GCO’s vice president of public policy. “Our toxic political environment sets up a false dichotomy between giving families a choice in education and supporting traditional public schools. Our state can do both. In fact, if our goal is to do what’s best for students and families, then we must do both: Have properly funded and supported traditional public schools while providing options for families who need a different environment for their children to best thrive.”