Georgia adopts new school choice law, pushes forward on K-12 education reform as South Carolina floats aimlessly.
Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue signed a bill that will provide parents tax credits for K-12 educational expenses in his state. Parents can exempt up to $2,500 in spending on independent school tuition and corporations will be given tax credits for donations to private, charter and magnet schools. Georgia already had a school choice program that offers scholarships to special needs children (similar to the one SC lawmakers recently rejected).
According to the Milton Friedman Foundation, Georgia’s new law is the 23rd school choice program in the United States.
Education policy expert and author Jay P. Green explained on his blog:
I said it before, and I’ll say it again: Further proof, if further proof were necessary, that school choice is politically more successful than ever.
One thing that’s really gratifying about this program is that it has no demographic restrictions at all. Any student enrolled in Georgia public schools (K-12) is eligible for a private school scholarship. The days of limited choice are numbered.
As Georgia pushes forward on real K-12 education reform, South Carolina continues to lag behind. Despite the nation’s lowest high school graduation rate, the nation’s second lowest SAT scores, and an expanding performance gap between income and racial groups, South Carolina actually spends $200 more per child than neighboring Georgia.
If lawmakers have any desire to make South Carolina an economically competitive state they need to look to states like Georgia (as well as Arizona, Florida, Wisconsin, and others) and see how expanding access to quality schools – public and private- has resulted in a more efficient and effective educational system.
4 responses so far ↓
B.R. Skelton: Honesty Optional « The Voice for School Choice // May 30, 2008 at 9:30 am
[...] every year, many legislators actually boost of their efforts to stifle proposed reforms like school choice. People who have spent years in the legislature continue to go about the business of serving [...]
School Choice News Round-up « The Voice for School Choice // June 7, 2008 at 6:21 am
[...] 7, 2008 · No Comments South Carolina State Senator Kevin Bryant points to the success of school choice in Georgia as a model for South [...]
Funding of public schools in South Carolina « The Voice for School Choice // February 18, 2009 at 4:05 am
[...] 480 per child is a huge sum of money. This is $200 more per student than spending in Georgia and $2,000 more than per-pupil spending in North Carolina. In fact, spending growth in South [...]
Converse Chellis: School choice makes financial sense « The Voice for School Choice // May 8, 2009 at 4:09 am
[...] ahead of us in giving their disadvantaged students an opportunity for a quality education. Florida, Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania are among those that have taken the leap. Since a similar law passed in [...]