Earlier this week Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, amid protest from a number of school officials, signed into law a school voucher/scholarship bill which will provide up to $6,500 in assistance for academically challenged students in poor performing schools to attend charter and private schools for an improved learning experience.
- Students have to be enrolled for one year in schools ranked among the lowest performing in the state.
- A parent’s income can’t exceed 400 percent of the federal poverty level, or around $120,000 for a family of four.
- Students entering kindergarten performing in the lower 25 percent of state school will also be eligible for the program which is due to begin issuing funds in the 2025-2026 school year.
Students qualify for the scholarship if they meet requirements including having been enrolled in a public school for two consecutive enrollment counts (unless they would be entering kindergarten), being zoned for a school in the lowest 25 percent of all public schools, with priority for participation being given to economically disadvantaged students and students who were previous participants.
“There is nothing more important to the continued success of our state than safeguarding and strengthening the lives, education and future of our students, and that can only be accomplished by ensuring Georgia students have access to as many opportunities and choices as possible that will set them up for success” said Kemp. “Georgia is affording greater choice to families as to how and where they receive their education, while also continuing our efforts to strengthen public schools, support teachers, and secure our classrooms.
In addition to the creation of the Promise Scholarship, also known SB 233, among other things, also allows students to attend a public school outside of their resident system without needing the approval of said system and increases the tax credit for donations to the Georgia Foundation for Public Education. The maximum amount of tax credits allowed is raised by $10 million with the requirement that all of these additional funds must go to the schools who have performed in the lowest 25 percent.
Critics argue the vouchers could drain public schools of vital resources.
