NEWS & OPINIONS
New Occupational Licensing Bill Improves Access to Job Opportunities for Georgia’s Returning Citizens
By updating certain job licensing processes for returning citizens, Georgia lawmakers can expand opportunities for meaningful work and better futures.
4 Surprising Benefits of Parental Love That Set Children Up for a Flourishing Life
The bond between a parent and child lays the groundwork for emotional security, social skills, academic achievements, and even lifelong decision-making.
School List Available for Georgia Promise Scholarship Eligibility
The Georgia Promise Scholarship school list is now available. Families zoned for schools on this list meet the attendance zone requirement to apply for the program.
Promise Scholarships become a reality in 2025. Here’s what families and communities need to know.
Big changes are on the horizon for education in Georgia. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, thousands of families will have greater access to flexible education options through the new Promise Scholarship.
Food stamps program a top opportunity for increasing access to work and savings for taxpayers
A new proposal for reform, developed with research by Erik Randolph at the Georgia Center for Opportunity in collaboration with the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), offers a way to restructure SNAP so that it enables recipients to pursue meaningful work and stable futures.
5 Issues That Will Impact Opportunities and Hope for Georgians in 2025
When it comes to helping communities thrive, Georgia should focus on encouraging work, fostering safer neighborhoods, and empowering parents and students.
DC’s Amazon lawsuit reminds us that safety is a luxury for Black Americans
Black Americans have long bore the brunt of America’s violent crime problem, and things have gotten worse in recent years, especially in cities run by progressives.
2024 Election Results Confirm Public Safety Is a Priority for Americans
In state and local elections, voters across the political spectrum chose candidates who shared their priority for greater public safety and order.
Why Focus More on Public Safety and Order? Kids Need More of It.
A new book, “Doing Right by Kids” features a chapter from GCO’s Josh Crawford on how community violence impacts kids and their opportunities for economic and social mobility.
Poverty and Crime in America: What Can Happen in a Neighborhood When Violent Crime Goes Up
Research has found that violent crime negatively affects property values, employment, and outcomes for children. Good public safety policies are a prerequisite for fostering community environments where opportunities for upward mobility and a better life can flourish.
How safety-net benefits discourage low-income workers from escaping poverty
A new research paper from GCO shows the ways social safety-net programs like food stamps and Medicaid provide critical support but also discourage career advancement.
Want our kids to be seen, heard, and valued? Get the community involved.
By engaging with the building blocks of raising highly capable kids, parents and communities can get kids on a path to enriching relationships, meaningful work, and better quality of life.
MEDIA MENTIONS
Why Kids Join Gangs—and How to Stop Them
To address the root problem, policymakers must understand why kids join gangs. Specifically, they need to recognize that the biggest driver of gang membership is violent crime.
A Path from Welfare to Self-Sufficiency
Safety net systems should be integrated with workforce support programs. Mostly they aren’t. More states should implement the kind of “One Door Model” that Utah has proven effective.
Strengthening Welfare: How DOGE Can Help Open Doors to Work and Opportunity
If there’s any reverberating takeaway from the last election, it’s that Americans expect their leaders to do everything in their power to tear down barriers to opportunity. For welfare recipients, the best place to start is opportunities for work.
DC’s Amazon lawsuit reminds us that safety is a luxury for Black Americans
Black Americans have long bore the brunt of America’s violent crime problem, and things have gotten worse in recent years, especially in cities run by progressives.
Substantial policy moves sought for Georgia child care costs
(The Center Square) – State Sen. Brian Strickland said he hopes the Legislature will make “substantial policy moves in the coming years” to address child care issues for Georgia families. Stickland, a Republican, is chairman of the Senate Study Committee on Access to...
Georgia unveils its newest private school choice program
The Georgia Promise Scholarship was passed by the state General Assembly earlier this year. According to pro-school choice organization EdChoice, it joins two other private school choice programs in the state. Eligible families can use the funds for private school...
Defending Ideas: How to empower those on the social safety net to pursue work and opportunity
In a recent interview with the Sutherland Institute's Defending Ideas series, Randy Hicks, President and CEO of the Georgia Center for Opportunity, shared his vision for empowering individuals on the social safety net to achieve greater independence and opportunity....
Graduate puts on ‘another shield of armor’ to build career, and a better life.
As the time for his graduation ceremony approached, Michael Averett joined his classmates in a small classroom. He donned his cap and gown. Just down a short hallway, family and friends waited for the ceremony to commence. When asked for his thoughts, Averett said it...
