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Published Wednesday, June 25, 2008 in Education

School choice advances in Georgia

By KELLY McCUTCHEN

Georgia Public Policy Foundation

A uniquely American trait is the optimistic belief in progress, often boiled down to the goal of a better life for our children.

Through a combination of hard work, creativity and economic opportunity, that American Dream has been within reach of most. In an increasingly competitive global economy, however, it takes just one factor to shut it out: the lack of a quality education.

Several new education laws signed recently by Gov. Sonny Perdue open the door to educational opportunity for every child in the state, and are being hailed at home and around the nation for their promise in providing education choice.

Charter schools are public schools exempted from some rules and regulations, gaining flexibility in exchange for accountability on student achievement goals. As public schools, charter schools must accept all students. But until now, children in the vast majority of school systems have not had the choice to attend a charter school.

HB 811 makes state-chartered schools financially viable.

One major flaw in Georgia's charter school law was that students who moved from a traditional public school to a state-chartered public school in the same school system lost as much as two-thirds of their funding. The state had a constitutional obligation to rectify this inequity. HB 811 does just that by ensuring that state-chartered schools are funded proportionately to traditional schools in their school system.

Additionally, HB 811 allows universities and technical colleges to co-sponsor charter schools, creating a vital connection between higher education and K-12 that has already greatly improved the graduation rate in charter career academies where this has been implemented.

The legislature and governor also tried to address the biggest challenge to charter schools -- facility funding -- with the creation of a charter facility matching grant fund. And legislation allowing charter school teachers to participate in the State Health Benefit Plan, just as any other public school teacher can, was icing on the cake.

Just as private schools like the Savannah College of Art and Design, Mercer University, Emory University, Berry College and Young Harris College provide unique options to Georgia college students, many independent K-12 schools offer unique and often specialized options to Georgia students -- if they can afford it.

HB 1133 allows for up to $50 million in scholarships to help Georgia students afford a private school education. Flexibility in the law provides for full tuition scholarships to low-income students while middle-income students could be asked to pay a portion of the tuition. That increases the number of students who can be helped.

Last year, for the first time ever, Georgia's total spending per student exceeded the $10,000 mark. As students move to private schools, every scholarship that costs less than $10,000 saves taxpayer dollars. This is particularly helpful as growing school systems play catch-up with new construction and classroom trailers. A recent study projected that tax-credit scholarships would free up to $94 million for local school districts and $6 million for the state.

Under the law, individuals and businesses receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for contributions to Student Scholarship Organizations -- private, charitable organizations that will administer the scholarships. The tax credits are capped at $1,000 for individuals, $2,500 for married couples, and 75 percent of the total state tax liability for businesses.

"The Tax Credit Scholarship will open the doors of opportunity to thousands of Georgia families seeking a private school option for their children," predicts Gerard Robinson, president of the Black Alliance of Educational Options and an Atlanta resident.

One size does not fit all. Failing schools can produce successful students. Successful schools may be right for many, but not right for some. When every child has options, the focus is on quality. Without choice, there are too few incentives to break through the strong gravity of mediocrity.

Commenting on Georgia's advances, Robert Enlow, executive director of the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, pointed out, "The old idea of limiting school choice based on family income is coming to an end. ... The argument that freedom is only good for some students just doesn't make it anymore."

Georgia parents deserve the opportunity to send their children to the best school possible. Every child, not just the child of the wealthy or the child that happens to live in the "right" neighborhood, deserves the best opportunity for success in life -- and education is the foundation.

Georgia must tear down the barriers until every child has that opportunity to be successful.

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