Broadband expansion gives Gov. Kemp rural toehold | 11ALIVE

by Corey Burres | Feb 9, 2021

Broadband expansion gives Gov. Kemp rural toehold | 11ALIVE

Internet access in rural areas has been a problem for years – the pandemic only magnified the challenges. The issue could make or break Kemp’s re-election next year…

“It’s tied directly into economic development,” said former state Rep. Buzz Brockway, who now leads the Georgia Center for Opportunity. “That could be a real economic boon to rural Georgia in years to come. But a lot of that is predicated on having good internet access.”

For Gov. Kemp, it’s also about giving back to a constituency that helped elect him. Though Democrats won statewide races last year, the map still shows Republican red prevailing in rural Georgia. Putting high speed internet in rural Georgia is good business. For Kemp, it’s also good re-election politics.

“His strategy for winning (in 2018) was to do really well in rural Georgia, and he did,” Brockway said. “That provided the margin for him. And he’s going to have to rely on that again.”

Read the full article here

Study: Education savings account program in Georgia could result in nearly $16B in long-term benefits | CROSSVILLE CHRONICLE

by Corey Burres | Feb 1, 2021

Study: Education savings account program in Georgia could result in nearly $16B in long-term benefits | CROSSVILLE CHRONICLE

Giving parents the ability to choose what school their children attend could save Georgia taxpayers money and generate billions of dollars in economic benefits, according to a new study.

Released this week by conservative think tank the Georgia Public Policy Foundation (GPPF) in conjunction with National School Choice Week, the study said establishing a statewide education savings account program that serves 5% of the student population would provide at least $15.7 billion in long-term economic benefits….

Buzz Brockway, vice president of public policy at the Georgia Center for Opportunity, said education scholarship accounts could increase opportunities for low-income families.

“Our No. 1 priority should be giving parents as many options as possible for their child’s education, particularly for our low-income and minority communities who lack the resources to change school environments without our help,” Brockway said.

Read the full article here

Study: Education savings account program in Georgia could result in nearly $16B in long-term benefits | THE CENTER SQUARE

by Corey Burres | Feb 1, 2021

Study: Education savings account program in Georgia could result in nearly $16B in long-term benefits | THE CENTER SQUARE

Giving parents the ability to choose what school their children attend could save Georgia taxpayers money and generate billions of dollars in economic benefits, according to a new study.

Buzz Brockway, vice president of public policy at the Georgia Center for Opportunity, said education scholarship accounts could increase opportunities for low-income families.

“Our No. 1 priority should be giving parents as many options as possible for their child’s education, particularly for our low-income and minority communities who lack the resources to change school environments without our help,” Brockway said.

Read the full article here

Welcoming Dr. Cayanna Good to the Georgia Center for Opportunity board of directors

by David Bass | Jan 26, 2021

Welcoming Dr. Cayanna Good to the Georgia Center for Opportunity board of directors

The Georgia Center for Opportunity team is thrilled to announce that Dr. Cayanna Good, assistant commissioner of adult education for the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), has joined our board of directors as its newest member.

Dr. Good comes to the board with a passion for using education reform to help impoverished Georgians break the cycle and thrive. She has over two decades of experience in the world of education—both as a teacher and a leader in education policy and reform.

She shares that she had an eye-opening experience while working as a teacher in a high-poverty school through Teach for America, and then as an elementary school teacher in a wealthier district: “Those experiences taught me that there was something broken in our education system, and I wanted to be part of the solution.”

Her career journey has included serving in education policy positions in Gov. Nathan Deal’s administration, including as executive director of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, and in senior-level leadership positions within the Georgia Department of Education.

Dr. Good’s current role is head of the Office of Adult Education for TCSG. She notes that adult literacy is crucial to ending generational poverty. “If you’re not addressing the root cause, the family, you’re always playing catch up. Working with adult literacy means we are working to eliminate generational poverty,” Dr. Good notes.

As for joining the GCO board, Dr. Good says that she jumped at the opportunity. Her biggest goal as a new board member will be to ensure that GCO’s impact and reach go even further.

“I don’t want GCO to be the best kept secret for people who are deeply engaged in this work,” she says. “GCO does so many amazing things. They are known in so many circles, but they aren’t known in all the circles. I’m excited about helping the organization participate in new opportunities, connect with advocacy groups, and help change mindsets around what’s possible in education.

Infrastructure investment essential to economic mobility | THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE

by Corey Burres | Jan 25, 2021

Infrastructure investment essential to economic mobility | THE AUGUSTA CHRONICLE

Georgians believe strong political leadership on transportation issues is a critical component of our economic success. According to polling from the Georgia Transportation Alliance, 93% of Georgians use automobiles as their primary source of transportation, 43% believe our road network is our greatest asset, 49% believe the state has primary responsibility for transportation infrastructure investment, and 51% are more likely to reelect a politician who votes to increase transportation funding…

The Georgia Center for Opportunity recently noted that there are 250,000 working-age men not working or looking for work in Georgia. By 2027, 87 Georgia counties will have lost jobs and, by 2030, 74 counties will see population loss. There is still a significant gap between where our planning and funding are today and where it must be to protect our future economy and quality of life. In 2014, Georgia had 1,600 deficient bridges. In 2019, Georgia still had 1,600 deficient bridges.

Read the full article here

A true second chance | THE LAGRANGE DAILY NEWS

by Corey Burres | Jan 20, 2021

A true second chance | THE LAGRANGE DAILY NEWS

In July 2020, I wrote a column about Senate Bill 288 (SB 288). At the time, the governor ended up signing the bill that can help many Georgians remove the stigma of having a criminal conviction…

More than 4 million Georgia residents had a criminal record in 2016, according to the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO)

“It is vital that we continue to reform Georgia’s criminal justice system so that reformation and reintegration is the goal, and not just punishment,” said Corey Burres, GCO’s vice president of communicaitons. “With SB 288, we are making real efforts to help past offenders access opportunities that may not be available to them due to their criminal record.”

Read the full article here