NEWS & OPINIONS
The Georgia Center for Opportunity has signed on to a letter in favor of the EQUAL Act
The Georgia Center for Opportunity has signed on to a letter with 37 organizations across the ideological spectrum in favor of the EQUAL Act now pending in Congress.The EQUAL Act would end the federal prison sentence disparity between crack cocaine and powdered...
Better Work Access and Encourage Worker Freedoms
The Manhattan Institute recently released a report arguing that now is a key time to reform our nation's safety-net system. The goal should be not to offer more income guarantees but to minimize downside risk so that workers are able to move up the economic ladder....
Origins of the Georgia Center for Opportunity: Why we focus on education
If you’ve been following the work and mission of the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO), you’ve probably heard us talk about the Success Sequence. It’s a proven model to alleviate poverty that says a good education leads to a stable job, which in turn leads to...
Eviction Moratorium Expired and the House of Representatives Left Town. What now?
Late on the evening of August 3rd, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control announced it was extending its eviction moratorium for people in an area of “substantial and high transmission” of the COVID-19 virus. This was followed up by the astounding statement by...
Press Release on the U.S. Senate’s Social Services Expansion
PEACHTREE CORNERS—The U.S. Senate approved an entirely partisan reconciliation bill of at least $3.5 trillion that irresponsibly includes the biggest expansion of social services. In his own words, Senate Budget Commit- tee Chairman Bernie Sanders said the budget...
Inflation’s Growing Problem: A warning shot for Congress
The inflation rate in July—as measured by the seasonally-adjusted Consumer Price Index (CPI)—abated somewhat from June's rate, increasing at 0.5% instead of 0.9%. But don’t cheer too much yet. This is known by economists as disinflation, not deflation. The rate came...
Why Mentoring Matters
As I write this, I can think of a handful of people who have impacted my life over the years. I consider these individuals to be mentors whether or not the relationship was a formal mentoring one, and I know I wouldn’t be the person I am without their influence. They...
U.S. House Appropriations Committee Voted to Cut Charter Schools Program Funding
Lawmakers Stifle Learning The U.S. House Appropriations Committee recently voted to cut $40 million from the federal Charter Schools Program, in addition to placing new burdensome restrictions on how charter schools operate. In response, the Georgia Center for...
The Value of Family
Importance of Family At GCO, the impact area of Family, we always need volunteers. Since we devote much of our time and efforts to family, we enjoy hearing what about family inspires people to volunteer. Eda Beacham is a current volunteer for GCO and we wanted to...
Improve Your Life with a Growth Mindset
Learning keeps you growing Most people agree that learning is important. I’m just not sure we understand how important it really is. I can still remember as a child believing that I needed to know everything or people wouldn’t think I was smart and capable. I hear...
A renewed reason to celebrate this Fourth of July
This year we celebrated our country and one of its biggest values...family. For many the Fourth of July is more than just a celebration of our country’s birth—it is an opportunity to gather with family. An opportunity to connect and celebrate together. It feels like...
GCO Testifies Before U.S. House On Benefits Cliffs
Examining the SNAP Benefit Cliff On July 12, 2021, Eric Randolph, GCO’s Director of Research, testified before the U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on Nutrition, Oversight, and Department Operations about how welfare programs often hurt the very people they are...
MEDIA MENTIONS
Senate Bill 233, The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act, passed the Senate Education Committee
Senate Bill 233, The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act, passed the Senate Education Committee today in a 6-5 vote. Funded by the state in the amount of $6,000 per student for each school year, Promise Scholarships would allow families to find the right fit for...
Georgia Senate again pushes $6,000 school voucher bill
Georgia Senate Republicans are again pushing a plan to give $6,000 educational vouchers to many students, part of a nationwide push for what supporters call education savings accounts following the COVID-19 pandemic. The movement is fueled in part by fights over...
Georgia Senate again pushes $6,000 school voucher bill
Georgia Senate Republicans are again pushing a plan to give $6,000 educational vouchers to many students, part of a nationwide push for what supporters call education savings accounts following the COVID-19 pandemic. The movement is fueled in part by fights over...
A new bill in KY legislature simplifies expungement process
A new bill has been introduced in the Kentucky Legislature, House Bill 589, that simplifies the process of having criminal records expunged for people who have been convicted of a misdemeanor or class C felony that does not involve violence, sex, a child victim, or...
GCO applauds introduction of Promise Scholarship bill
The Georgia Center For Opportunity is thrilled to support new legislation introduced in the Georgia General Assembly creating Promise Scholarship Accounts. Georgia State Senator Greg Dolezal is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 233, The Georgia Promise Scholarship...
Georgia lawmaker proposes state-funded education savings accounts
Proposed legislation would allow Georgians to create state-funded education savings accounts. Under Senate Bill 233, taxpayers would fund $6,000 per student per school year. Students could use that money to defray "qualified" education costs, including private school...
Inflation continues to worry Georgians, groups say
Inflation will likely stick around for the foreseeable future, and the elevated inflation continues to worry Georgia businesses, groups said. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased by 6.4% over the...
KY House bill related to juvenile justice reform advances from committee
Kentucky’s juvenile justice system is likely to undergo some major changes before the end of the 2023 legislative session. House Bill 3 is one of several juvenile justice reform-related bills that will be considered this year, according to the bill’s sponsor Rep....
