by gaopp | Dec 12, 2018
On December 5th, some of the nation’s most innovative researchers, policy experts, and community-based practitioners lead a series of discussions at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on solutions that are unlocking human potential in Georgia and around the country, enabling individuals and families to flourish.
Georgia is at a crossroads. We are enjoying the rewards of a growing economy and vibrant communities that make Georgia one of the country’s most popular places to do business and raise a family. However, hundreds of thousands of seemingly invisible men, women, and children are facing barriers that prevent them from achieving their dreams and reaching their potential, including the stain of a criminal record, being trapped in a welfare system that discourages work and family formation, and being ill-prepared for work or college as a student. The challenges are multi-dimensional and pose threats not just to individual well-being, but also to continued economic growth, opportunity, and mobility.
GCO takes over the Mercedes-Benz Stadium with Breakthrough!
Dr. Robert Lerman, Institute Fellow in the Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population at the Urban Institute discusses innovative measures to educate today’s students and the positive results they garner.
Jamie Lord leads the conversation about Education to What Degree: The Promise of Education Innovation with special guest interview Jack Harris, President of Junior Achievement, and panelists Ben Scafidi, Director of the Education Economics Center; Tyler Thigpen, Co-Founder and Head of School at the Forest School; Anthony Flynn, Executive Director and COO of 100 Black Men of Atlanta; Dr. Robert Lerman, Institute Fellow in the Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population at the Urban Institute.
Randy Hicks and Bellhops CEO Luke Marklin talk about the importance of dedicated employees and creating an atmosphere of loyalty.
GCO’s Joyce Whitted leads the panel discussion on Healthy Families: Incubators of the Next Generation, with Brian Amero, Henry County Superior Court Judge; Julie Baumgardner, President and CEO of First Things First; Brad Wilcox, Director of the National Marriage Project at the University of Virginia; and Erin Norman, Senior Solutions Consultant at Heart+Mind Strategies
The Delta SkyClub at Mercedes-Benz Stadium never looked so good.
Anthony Flynn, Executive Director and COO of 100 Black Men of Atlanta chats about the importance of educational choice for students to have every opportunity to succeed.
It was wonderful to have such a great group of sponsors in attendance at Breakthrough. We really enjoyed the time with our friends and the opportunity to make new ones.
GCO’s Bill Rogers leads the panelist in the conversation about “Business! Mankind was my Business.”: How Some Georgia Companies are Bringing Solutions and Hope to Disadvantaged Communities with panelists Greg Beadles, COO, AMB Sports and Entertainment; Chris Clark, President and CEO of Georgia Chamber of Commerce; Rodney Bullard, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at Chick-Fil-A and Executive Director of the Chick-Fil-A Foundation.
Eric Cochling and panelists Dave Derocher, Managing Director of The Other Side Academy; Stacey Howell, Executive Director of Every Woman Works; Phillip Hunter, Executive Director of Georgia Works!; and Lloyd Martin, VP of Manufacturing and IT for CKS Packaging, Inc., discuss A Bolder Bottom Line: Work as the Most Effective Antipoverty Intervention and exactly what that looks like for their businesses.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Oct 15, 2018
The mandate from Georgia voters is clear—by an overwhelming margin, they want lawmakers in the General Assembly to pass legislation expanding school choice in 2019. That’s the finding of a new poll released by the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO).
The survey found that nearly seven-in-ten (67 percent) voters say it’s important for the state legislature to enact policies that expand school choice in the next legislative session, and that support extends across party, racial, and geographic lines. Of all school choice measures available in Georgia, the Tax Credit Scholarship Program garnered the most support.
Underscoring the bipartisan nature of school choice, the survey found strong support for school choice regardless of political affiliation—75 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of Independents, and 62 percent of Democrats. Support is strong across racial and geographic lines as well: 70 percent of African-American voters and 66 percent of white voters support school choice, while voters in Augusta (76 percent), Atlanta (68 percent), and Savannah (65 percent) are also supportive.
These new survey results come on the heels of the General Assembly’s move this year to expand the Tax Credit Scholarship Program to serve tens of thousands of additional students in need of options. In 2019, lawmakers could take up legislation to make Georgia the seventh state to enact Education Savings Accounts, an innovative way for parents to pay for the education their children need.
With the 2019 session of the General Assembly a few months away, elected officials would be wise to pay attention to the voices of more than two-thirds of Georgia’s likely voters—and voice their support for school choice, too!
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Oct 12, 2018
Peachtree Corners—A new poll released by the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) has found that a significant majority of likely Georgia voters—to the tune of 68 percent—support school choice for families across the state.
Ahead of the 2019 legislative session, nearly seven-in-ten (67 percent) voters say it’s important for the state legislature to enact policies that expand school choice in the next legislative session, and that support extends across party, racial, and geographic lines. Of all school choice measures available in Georgia, the Tax Credit Scholarship Program garnered the most support.
Underscoring the bipartisan nature of school choice, the survey found strong support for school choice regardless of political affiliation—75 percent of Republicans, 65 percent of Independents, and 62 percent of Democrats. Support is strong across racial and geographic lines as well: 70 percent of African-American voters and 66 percent of white voters support school choice, while voters in Augusta (76 percent), Atlanta (68 percent), and Savannah (65 percent) are also supportive.
“School choice has long been, and continues to be, a winning issue,” said Randy Hicks, GCO’s president and CEO. “No matter who’s leading under the Gold Dome in 2019, Georgians recognize its importance for creating a better tomorrow for every child, but particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds who need help the most.”
The survey was conducted by WPA Intelligence. Interviews were collected from September 19-23 among over 600 likely voters in Georgia. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percent.
Get more details about the poll here: GCO Poll Memo
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Sep 24, 2018
A new poll from Education Next shows a surge in support for educational choice programs nationwide. Across the board, support is up for publicly funded school-choice scholarships, tax-credit scholarships, and public charter schools.
And not only is public support for school choice on the rise, it has jumped from plurality to majority support on several key data points:
- Support for publicly funded school-choice scholarships jumped from 45% in 2017 to 54% in 2018. More parents than ever support these scholarships—61%, up from 52% in 2017.
- While 43% support school-choice scholarships for low-income students, 56% of African American and 62% of Hispanic respondents favor them.
- Hispanic families in particular see the benefits of educational choice, with support for publicly funded school-choice scholarships increasing from 49% in 2017 to 67% in 2018.
Other insights:
- Support for public charter schools increased from 39% in 2017 to 44% in 2018.
- Opposition to publicly funded school-choice scholarships has decreased 13 percentage points since 2016, from 44% to 31% today.
While these results are good news for school-choice proponents nationwide, here in Georgia we continue to be a trendsetter in educational opportunity—ranking seventh nationally thanks to a series of school-choice laws passed since 2008, including the Tax Credit Scholarship Program and the Special Needs Scholarship Program.
All told, Georgia’s school choice programs have delivered impressive results—with more than 17,000 students benefitting in the 2016-17 school year, including 13,600 children participating in the tax credit scholarship program and 4,000 receiving tuition assistance through the Special Needs Scholarship Program.
And these programs are popular across key demographics such as political affiliation, age, and race. In Georgia, 84% of Republicans, 67% of Independents, and 55% of Democrats support school choice. Among Millennials and minorities, support is even stronger—and growing—with 74% of Latinos, 72% of African Americans, and 75% of Millennials in favor.
Even though most students will continue to be educated in traditional public schools, it’s nice to see the latest Education Next poll confirm nationally what we already know here in Georgia: School-choice options empower parents to make the best educational decisions for their children and give them the best shot to live a flourishing life.
by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Sep 5, 2018
PEACHTREE CORNERS – On Tuesday, the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) announced that Buzz Brockway, an outgoing state representative from Lawrenceville, has joined the group’s executive leadership team as Vice President of Public Policy.
Since being elected to the legislature in 2010, Brockway has, among other things, sponsored and co-sponsored several bills aimed at increasing economic opportunity for Georgia families, protecting victims of human trafficking, and punishing abusers. As the Vice President of Public Policy, he will coordinate policy research and reform efforts aligned with GCO’s mission to provide all Georgians with access to quality education, meaningful work, and healthy relationships.
“This is a good day for GCO because we’re adding such a great person to our team. But this is also a good day for the people of Georgia, because it ensures that one the state’s most thoughtful and capable leaders continues to invest his considerable talents in the effort to create opportunities for all Georgians,” said Randy Hicks, President and CEO of the Georgia Center for Opportunity.
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by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Aug 29, 2018
When it comes to expanding educational choice for all students and families in Georgia, our state has a lot to celebrate this year.
During the last legislative session, lawmakers took some crucial strides to help kids trapped in failing schools or stuck in classrooms that don’t meet their needs, particularly by expanding the Tax Credit Scholarship Program. Even so, so many of our state’s most at-risk children still lack access to real educational options. They’ll have to wait yet another year to get the quality education they need to achieve their dreams and become productive members of society.
Here at Georgia Center for Opportunity, our goal is to keep you fully up-to-date on which school choice bills passed—and which didn’t—during the most recent legislative session. We’re also committed to sharing how your elected representatives voted on each of these bills.
That’s why we’re so excited to release our 2018 Georgia Legislator Scorecard on School Choice. This report card tracks how every legislator voted on school choice bills before the state assembly—and assigns a letter grade just like our students receive in school. We also offer a recap of how each bill fared in each legislative chamber—with failed or stalled bills noted, indicating our focus for the upcoming 2019 session.
Many legislators say they support school choice during the campaign season, but the true test of whether they walk their talk is revealed in how they vote on bills that empower parents with the options and resources they need to secure the best education for their children.
We hope you find this scorecard useful, and we hope you share it with your family and friends! Download the Report Card HERE.
