Report: Charter school enrollment increases in Georgia

by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Dec 1, 2022

Report: Charter school enrollment increases in Georgia

More Georgia students are attending charter schools, while enrollment at public schools is declining, according to a new report.

New figures from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools show that Georgia experienced a roughly 4.9% increase in charter enrollments between 2019-20 and 2021-22. Meanwhile, traditional public schools saw a roughly 1.9% decline in enrollments during the same period.

“Public education is about ensuring students and parents have access to quality education,” Buzz Brockway, executive vice president of public policy for the Georgia Center for Opportunity, said in a statement.

Read the full article here

Less than a third of fourth and eight-grade Georgia students score proficient in reading

by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Oct 27, 2022

Less than a third of fourth and eight-grade Georgia students score proficient in reading

Georgia officials touted Peach State students’ scores on the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, saying they were in line with the national average.

However, a leading Georgia nonprofit says news that less than a third of fourth and eighth-grade students in the state were at least proficient in reading is a “dire situation.”

“Education must be first about the kids and not on protecting a system that has fallen behind for decades,” Buzz Brockway, executive vice president of public policy for GCO, said in a statement. “This is about opening our eyes to other ways of learning and exploring how we deliver an excellent education to all our students, regardless of family income or zip code.

Read the full article here

Less than a third of fourth and eight-grade Georgia students score proficient in reading

by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Oct 27, 2022

Less than a third of fourth and eight-grade Georgia students score proficient in reading

Georgia officials touted Peach State students’ scores on the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress, saying they were in line with the national average.

However, a leading Georgia nonprofit says news that less than a third of fourth and eighth-grade students in the state were at least proficient in reading is a “dire situation.”

In contrast, The Georgia Center for Opportunity said that as other nations look to innovation and moving education opportunities forward, the U.S. and Georgia are failing the nation’s kids.

“Education must be first about the kids and not on protecting a system that has fallen behind for decades,” Buzz Brockway, executive vice president of public policy for GCO, said in a statement. “This is about opening our eyes to other ways of learning and exploring how we deliver an excellent education to all our students, regardless of family income or zip code.

Read the full article here

Issues impacting voters ahead of the midterm elections

by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Oct 26, 2022

Issues impacting voters ahead of the midterm elections

Joshua Crawford, Senior Fellow of Public Safety Policy, joined FOX 5 to discuss issues about high-crime and criminal justice policy impacting voters ahead of the midterm elections.

Watch the full interview

Georgia to receive $38M federal grant to expand charter schools

by Kimberly Sawatka | Oct 4, 2022

Georgia to receive $38M federal grant to expand charter schools

(The Center Square) — The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a nearly $38.3 million grant to fund the expansion of charter schools throughout Georgia.

The money awarded to the State Charter Schools Foundation of Georgia is from the fiscal 2022 Charter Schools Program State Entity grant competition. The grant will fund the expansion of the Georgia Strategic Charter School Growth Initiative.

“Charter schools are one of many innovative ways available today in Georgia for families to customize their student’s education and give them the best learning environment possible,” Buzz Brockway, executive vice president of public policy for the Georgia Center for Opportunity, said in a statement.

Read the full article here

Randy Hicks is the winner of the Thomas A. Roe Award

by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Sep 23, 2022

Randy Hicks is the winner of the Thomas A. Roe Award

We are excited to announce Randy Hicks is the winner of the Thomas A. Roe Award given by the State Policy Network.

The award was created 30 years ago to pay tribute to leaders who embody innovation, conviction, courage, and solutions in public policy and whose achievements have advanced free-market philosophy. The award was named for the State Policy Network’s founder, who spent much of his life encouraging states to grow organizations who preserve American liberties.

Georgia Center for Opportunity has been one of the host organizations for the State Policy Network’s Annual Meeting which is being held this week in Atlanta, GA. This is a gathering of organizations working on a state-level to promote realistic solutions to policy. It’s also a time for our team to collaborate with like-minded people and be inspired by new ideas and tactics.

Randy Hicks is the winner of the Thomas A. Roe Award!

Randy Hicks is the winner of the Thomas A. Roe Award.