NEWS & OPINIONS
Basic Income is the Wrong Solution for Atlanta’s Poor
To make a real difference in seeking innovative solutions to providing poverty relief, we must focus on giving those in need opportunity, not simply pity.
GCO launches anti-poverty policy site as part of Alliance for Opportunity project
Alliance for Opportunity announces new policy roadmap to reduce poverty The Georgia Center for Opportunity launched a resource that provides key policy recommendations for reducing the number of people in poverty as part of their newly formed Alliance for Opportunity...
GCO’s Take: The House Bill 999 “Georgia Educational Freedom Act”
GCO's Take: The House Bill 999 "Georgia Educational Freedom Act" The Georgia Center For Opportunity applauds the introduction of House Bill 999, the Georgia Educational Freedom Act. The legislation would create new Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) funded by the...
State Unemployment December 2021 Statistics
Today, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced state unemployment numbers from December 2021. The results put Georgia as 6th best in the nation for jobs recovered since the beginning of the pandemic. Utah, Idaho, Texas, and Arizona lead the pack, with Utah the...
School choice story: How Hudson’s life was transformed in a matter of months
Hudson's Story Hudson is the third born in a family of five boys. His mom, Kristen, shared that both she and her husband went to public schools and they support the local system. “We've always just said that we would send our kids to public school as long as there...
National School Choice Week
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....
Gov. Kemp Announces GEER II Funding to Support Education
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...
Georgia’s K-12 students fell months behind during remote learning. We need solutions now.
Georgia’s K-12 students fell months behind during remote learning. We need solutions now. Why it Matters: Students in Georgia are 4-6 months behind in learning Leaders have funding to support students and close the learning gap Parents voices need to be heard ...
Could inflation be a persistent problem for the foreseeable future?
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...
State can give parents options and support traditional public schools
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...
Training Success at Open Door Community House
A focus on the contributions of the African American family BETTER WORK Columbus delivers Marketing Yourself training to clients of our non-profit partners upon request. This training gives students insight into the perspective of an employer and what matters to them...
My HOPE for individuals and families in 2022
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." — Margaret Mead As we reflect on 2021 and think about what we want for the new year ahead, I thought that it would be beneficial...
MEDIA MENTIONS
Georgia Senate Failed to Pass Senate Bill 601, The Georgia Education Freedom Act
The Georgia Senate failed to pass Senate Bill 601, the Georgia Education Freedom Act, by a vote of 20-29. Today, the Georgia Senate failed to pass Senate Bill 601, the Georgia Education Freedom Act, by a vote of 20-29. The bill would have created Promise Scholarships,...
Promise Scholarships would help adoptive families like mine | Gwinnett Daily Post
The life of an adoptive parent is tough in normal times, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated those challenges. Even so, our family wouldn’t trade the adoption life for anything. The trouble is, not everyone sees or acknowledges the struggles that adoptive...
Update: State Employment Numbers Includes Major Revisions Going Back to 1990
A look at the state employment numbers. Yesterday, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released state employment numbers that included major revisions going back to 1990. According to the revisions, Georgia had recovered all its jobs lost during the pandemic in...
Building Resilient Communities so All Children can Thrive
More now than ever, major corporations are making an impact beyond providing great products and customer service. They are also giving back and creating more opportunities for the communities they serve. Over and above just turning on the lights, Georgia Power is...
Consumer Price Index Increased 7.9% Over the Last 12 Months
The CPI is up 7.9% over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. On March 10th, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that in February the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis. The CPI is up 7.9% over the last 12 months, not...
Education advocate: Rural Georgia families need Promise Scholarships
Rural families in Georgia, like mine, don’t always have access to educational options. Promise Scholarships would fix this inequity. My family moved to Burke County six years ago. My husband and I have two children, both with Individualized Education Plans for special...
Opponents of school choice in Georgia Senate exercise it in their own families | The Lion
Georgia lawmaker Jodi Lott has a quick and easy answer for why she supports school choice. “Because it already exists,” the Republican state representative told The Lion. “School choice exists every single day for the wealthy. Sadly, most Democrats and some...
Georgia Senate committee advances school-choice bill | The Center Square
The Georgia Senate Education and Youth Committee has advanced legislation that would allow Georgians to put taxpayer money toward the cost of private school tuition. Senate Bill 601, the Georgia Educational Freedom Act, would create state-funded Promise Scholarships...
