Nelson Mullins – Gold Dome Report – Legislative Day 36

by Kimberly Sawatka | Mar 20, 2023

Nelson Mullins – Gold Dome Report – Legislative Day 36

House Education Committee – Policy Subcommittee

The Policy Subcommittee of the House Education Committee, chaired by Representative Scott Hilton (R-Peachtree Corners), met Monday to consider one measure:

SB 233, authored by Senator Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming), is the “Georgia Promise Scholarship Act.” The bill amends Title 20 to provide for the establishment of promise scholarship accounts to be funded by the state in the amount of $6,000.00 per school year for each participating student.

Dolezal presented the bill alongside Jamie Lord, who represents the Georgia Center for Opportunity and is promoting the legislation.

Read the full article here

Arkansas creates educational opportunity. It’s time for Georgia to step up

by David Bass | Mar 17, 2023

Arkansas creates educational opportunity. It’s time for Georgia to step up

Key Points

Arkansas is the fourth state in the U.S. to legislate universal educational opportunity — the others are Arizona, Utah, and Iowa.
Georgia Senate passed the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act (SB 233) in a 33-23 vote. It will go on to the House next, where it has traditionally faced more opposition.
Georgia Senate passed the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act (SB 233) in a 33-23 vote. It will go on to the House next, where it has traditionally faced more opposition.

Arkansas recently joined a growing list of states that have approved Education Scholarship Accounts, empowering parents to make the best decisions for their child’s unique educational needs.

The accounts, called Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs), will contain around $6,600 in funds per student every year. Families can then use the available funds to pay for education-related fees, including tuition, tutoring, textbooks, therapies, and other costs which have been approved by the state.

It will take three years to fully phase in the act. By the end of the third year, all students in Arkansas will be eligible for EFAs.

The creation of these accounts makes Arkansas the fourth state in the U.S. to legislate universal educational opportunity — the others are Arizona, Utah, and Iowa.

Now, Georgia could be next.

Last week, the Georgia Senate passed the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act (SB 233) in a 33-23 vote. It will go on to the House next, where it has traditionally faced more opposition.

If enacted into law, the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act would fund $6,000 per student every school year. Promise Scholarships would give families the financial freedom to select an educational environment that best fits their child’s needs. A wide range of educational expenses would be approved under the act, including tutoring, virtual classes, private school tuition, homeschool curriculum, special needs therapies, technology, college courses, and more.

In the wake of the pandemic, parents nationwide are demanding more options for their children’s education. Learning loss is one of many major crises to arise from nationwide lockdowns. At Georgia Center for Opportunity, we believe it is the state’s responsibility to help reverse that loss.

Families across the state need access to more opportunities now. With Promise Scholarships, Georgia’s children will have more opportunities to excel at school. Every child deserves empowerment through a high-quality education that works best for him or her. We believe that Georgia should lend support to every educational option for its students, including alternatives like homeschooling and virtual learning.

Promise Scholarships would give families the financial freedom to select an educational environment that best fits their child’s needs.

Over the past few years, more and more families have embraced alternatives to public education. While the majority of students across Georgia still attend public schools (and will likely continue to in the future), a growing minority of families are choosing differently. And, as the nation collectively faced an unprecedented pandemic, parents began to realize how many options were available to them outside the traditional school system.

Traditionally, families who select private schools or opt to homeschool receive no financial support to do so. Despite that choice, their tax dollars continue to fund public schools whose services they do not use.

Parents with special needs children struggle to find school systems that will accommodate their children’s needs. Often, they find that one facility lacks all the important resources they need so their children can thrive at school. While they could opt to build a hybrid program for their children, which might include home healthcare or virtual classes, those alternatives are cost-prohibitive.

Ultimately, we believe that tax dollars should follow each child, meeting their unique needs along the way. There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to education. Public, private, home, and virtual education are of equal value, and as each family decides what is best for their children, Georgia should be willing to meet them where they are.

As the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act moves to the House, we urge you to contact your local representative to advocate for this bill. Our children can’t wait any longer for educational support that fits their individual needs and allows them to thrive. The future is depending on us.

Let’s transform parenting in Georgia! Recapping the Raising Highly Capable Kids kickoff event

by David Bass | Mar 15, 2023

Let’s transform parenting in Georgia! Recapping the Raising Highly Capable Kids kickoff event

Key Points

Positive relationships impact the opportunities and potential future for every child.
GCO is partnering with RezilientKids to bring the evidence-based program, Raising Highly Capable Kids to the Gwinnett area.
GCO is recruiting partners who are willing to local partners who could hold a class and for adults who might be interested in taking it.

Nothing has more impact on the life of a child than positive relationships.

That basic truth was the cornerstone of a kickoff event March 9 to launch the Raising Highly Capable Kids (RHCK) program across Georgia.

We’re thrilled to report that 43 people representing more than 20 community organizations attended the event at First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville. The kickoff helped us build an inaugural network of RHCK trainers and liaisons who will help the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) team bring the program to communities.

Attendees at the kickoff event heard from Angela Davis, regional representative for the Southeast region for RezilientKids, the national nonprofit that publishes the RHCK program. She shared how the program will work in Georgia.

Angela Davis of RezilientKids shares the power of Raising Highly Capable Kids with Gwinnett-area leaders.

What is RHCK?

GCO has partnered with RezilientKids to present the program to adults across Georgia. RHCK is a 13-week evidence-based parenting program developed to build stronger families by empowering parents with the confidence, tools, and skills they need to raise healthy, caring, and responsible children.

The program increases parents’ knowledge and skill level of the essential building blocks every child needs — the 40 Development Assets from Search Institute, which are proven to increase childhood resiliency and academic achievement.

The lessons are available to schools, nonprofits, churches, and other organizations focused on helping to build stronger families for Georgia — and ultimately stronger communities. Through a community grant issued by RezilientKidz, GCO is facilitating course offerings for interested parents who want to learn more effective skills and strategies as they raise their children.

What’s next?

We’re still looking for partners across Georgia to bring the RHCK program to parents. We are starting an interest list for local partners who could hold a class and for adults who might be interested in taking it.

If you are interested in referring contacts or getting involved in other ways, contact Joyce Mayberry, JoyceM@foropportunity.org, to start the conversation.

The Georgia Promise Scholarship (SB 233): Questions and Answers

by gaopp | Mar 14, 2023

The Georgia Promise Scholarship (SB 233): Questions and Answers

Key Points

The Georgia Promise Scholarship (Senate Bill 233) is the state’s newest education choice program to empower parents to access the best schooling option for their child. It creates state-funded scholarships that give eligible families $6,500 per student for each school year.
Eligibility is limited to kids attending low-performing public schools, as graded by the Georgia Department of Education.
On April 23, 2024, Gov. Kemp signed SB 233 into law, officially approving the Georgia Promise Scholarship program to launch for the 2025-2026 school year.

Across the country and in Georgia, parents have been calling for more choice and flexibility in K-12 education. Several states have responded to parents’ needs by adopting education savings account (ESA) programs, but Georgia has been slow to catch up.

In 2024, Georgia took a major step forward by passing the state’s first-ever education savings account program, the Georgia Promise Scholarship. Starting in the 2025 school year, this program will give eligible families $6,500 state-funded scholarships that they can use to afford the education option best suited to their child’s needs.

Here’s what parents and voters need to know about Georgia’s newest education opportunity.

What is the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act (SB 233)?

The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act (SB 233) is a type of education choice program for parents and families. It creates Promise Scholarships, which are state-administered, state-funded accounts that would give families $6,500 per year and per student to use for approved education expenses. Another common name for this type of program is “education savings accounts.”

An important distinction for Georgia Promise Scholarships: Eligibility is limited to students in the bottom 25% of Georgia’s public schools.

How will the Georgia Promise Scholarship work?

The state will set aside the scholarship amount into an account the parent can direct. Parents can use these funds for the education option that best supports their child’s unique learning needs.

In 2024, Georgia Representatives made a few changes to the Promise Scholarship bill that limit its impact:

Funding Cap: Even though Promise Scholarship funding will be separate from public school funding, it cannot exceed 1% of public school funding. At this level, the program can serve an estimated 21,000-22,000 kids at most.

Expiration Date: Unless a future legislative body evaluates the program and chooses to extend it, the Promise Scholarships will end in 10 years. Furthermore, lawmakers will still have to vote to fund the program annually. These measures add a layer of uncertainty, making it difficult to secure a future of success and opportunity for our kids.

Who can apply for a Promise Scholarship?

To be eligible, families and students must meet the following criteria:

Parents must be Georgia residents.
The student must be enrolled in an under-performing public school.
The student may be entering pre-kindergarten or kindergarten.
Once eligible, a child remains eligible through 12th grade.
The student cannot be enrolled in a local school system, charter school, or state charter school while participating in the scholarship program.
Parents must agree to use accounts only for qualifying education expenses.

First priority will be given to students from families below 400% of the federal poverty level—around $120,000 a year for a family of four. Students above that threshold will be allowed to participate if funds are left over after lower-income students are served.

What could Georgia parents use a Promise Scholarship for?

Unlike Georgia’s other school choice programs, Promise Scholarships give parents the flexibility to pay for a range of education options and resouces. Qualifying education expenses include:

Tuition and fees for private schools, vocational programs, or college
Cost of online programs or classes
Tutoring services
Curriculum and textbooks
Technology, including adaptive or assistive technologies for students with special needs
Educational therapies
Transportation costs

How is the Promise Scholarship amount determined?

Amounts are set at $6,500, which is approximately the average per-pupil amount that the state sends to local school districts, based on Georgia’s current student funding formula.

Are Promise Scholarships currently available in Georgia?

Almost! Georgia passed the Georgia Promise Scholarship in April 2024, and parents will be able to use the program starting in Fall 2025.

Why does Georgia need Promise Scholarships?

There are three important reasons:

1. Georgia has a widespread problem of underperforming or failing public schools. At least one in four Georgia students (500,000 kids) are stuck in schools that receive a D or F grade from the Georgia Department of Education. For families seeking alternatives, Promise Scholarships are an opportunity to access other school options, including ones that may not be available or affordable otherwise.

2. Georgia, like many states, has thousands of parents who are frustrated with a one-size-fits-all school system. This parent movement for more education choice and flexibility has grown since the pandemic. This program would give parents more opportunity to customize their child’s education when the local public school is not the best fit.

3. The program would also benefit parents who want to stick with their local public school. States with robust education choice programs see better outcomes for all students, including those in the public school system. Education savings account programs, in particular, have a track record of empowering public schools to improve their budgets and increase student achievement.

One in four Georgia kids are stuck in public schools with a "D" or "F" grade across Georgia.

Are Promise Scholarships the same thing as school vouchers?

No, they are two different types of parental choice programs. This question is common because critics of education savings accounts often call them “private school scholarships” or “vouchers by another name.” However, both descriptions are inaccurate and misleading.

School vouchers allow parents to use public education dollars for private school tuition only. Education savings accounts can be used for a wider range of education expenses, and they allow parents more flexibility to pay for multiple education services and products if desired.

Are Promise Scholarships the same thing as 529 plans?

No. With a 529 plan, the parents are responsible for contributing money to the account in order to save for their child’s education expenses. Promise Scholarships would be state-funded and would not require parents to contribute any of their own money. Parents can choose to use a Promise Scholarship Account for education savings, such as saving for college tuition, but the account doesn’t have the same tax benefits that 529 plans do.

Do other states have education savings accounts?

Yes, 16 states have adopted some form of an education savings account program, including most of Georgia’s neighboring states:

Arizona and Florida have the most universal education savings account programs—every student statewide is eligible to apply.
Florida recently expanded its program to universal school choice, removing all caps previously placed on Florida’s education savings account program.
In a 2023 bipartisan effort, North Carolina opened its ESA program to all its students, putting it on track to be the nation’s second largest after Florida.
South Carolina and Indiana have adopted nearly universal education opportunity.
In 2024, Alabama passed its version of an ESA program, called the CHOOSE Act, which gives parents $7,000 per student to use for the education option of their choice.

Many states with ESA programs are moving to a universal eligibility set-up, where every kid has access regardless of income, race, zip code, or other circumstance. Georgia will need to be open to this model if we want to keep up and give our kids the best possible opportunities at school and in life.

Will SB 233 take money away from Georgia’s public schools?

No. The $6,500 scholarship would be funded separately from the Quality Basic Education (QBE) formula that funds students who attend traditional public schools.

While ESAs will be a good solution for certain families, many parents will continue to access education through their local public school. That means states will still need to prioritize sufficient funding for public schools.

Will Promise Scholarships help low-income families?

Yes. One benefit of education savings account programs is that they are one of the most equitable education choice methods out there. They give students from low-income families more opportunities to access schooling options that are often only available to families with greater financial resources.

The Georgia Promise Scholarship bill makes an intentional effort to support low-income students by giving first priority to students from families below 400% of the federal poverty level (around $120,000 a year for a family of four).

Will the Promise Scholarship Act (SB 233) hurt homeschooling families?

No. There are no provisions in the proposed law that would prevent homeschooling families from continuing this schooling option. Instead, SB 233 could make homeschooling an even more feasible option because families who qualify could use an account to pay for curriculum, courses, tutoring, or other educational resources that would enhance their homeschooling experience.

Related Resources

Georgia Passes Promise Scholarships and Exapnds Education Opportunity

Promise Schoolarships Cross Major Hurdle

The Georgia Promise Scholarship: What Private Schools Need to Know

What is the Georgia Promise Scholarship? (Georgia Public Policy Foundation)

The Public School Benefits of Education Savings Accounts (Goldwater Institute)

Why homeschool families should support ESAs or at least not oppose them (Goldwater Institute)

Georgia Promise Scholarship in the News

Georgia Students Need More Schooling Choices (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Governor’s Signature on School Choice Bill Is Good First Step (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Georgia Governor Signs Bill to Launch ‘Promise Scholarships’ (Washington Examiner)

Kemp backs $6,500 “voucher” measure (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Promise Scholarships Offer True Accountability (The Brunswick News)

Georgia school voucher bill stays alive after heated Senate debate

by Kimberly Sawatka | Mar 8, 2023

Georgia school voucher bill stays alive after heated Senate debate

A school voucher bill is one of many that survived Monday’s legislative deadline where pieces of legislation have to pass at least one chamber in order to stay alive for Georgia’ 2023 legislative session. After some intense debate on the Senate floor, Senate Bill 233 sailed through in a 33-23 vote.

School closures during the pandemic added fuel to the school choice movement. In Georgia, enrollment in charter schools and homeschooling have grown since the Covid-19 pandemic. Georgia Center for Opportunity, a nonpartisan policy research organization, said SB 233 will expand school choice options.

“Parents across the country are demanding more educational options in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” GCO’s vice president of public policy Buzz Brockway said in a news release. “Now is not the time for more lip-service or half-hearted efforts to help students reverse learning loss.”

Read the full article here