The Georgia Senate passed the school voucher bill, along party lines on Wednesday afternoon. After the 33-21 vote, the bill is now headed to Governor Brian Kemp’s desk for his signature.
The bill promises $6,500 per child per year for private school or homeschooling for kids in the lowest 25% of performing public schools. The money for the program comes from funds set aside for K-12 public schools in Georgia.
This is how the program is structured: If a parent wants to use the money to pay for part of a private or homeschooled education, the money would be placed into a Promise Scholarship Account. Additionally, if a parent wants to draw down those funds to pay tuition for a particular school, the state must also determine that the school is authorized to participate in the program (provided that the student gains admission to the private school of his/her choice).
The changes the House made to the bill last week adds a means-tested priority for students whose families make 400% or less than the federal poverty level, which equates to a family of four making less than $120,000 annually. The second change to the bill establishes a dedicated authority that will be housed within the Georgia’s student finance commission which manages the disbursement of funds, beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
It caps the appropriations at $140 million dollars per year and $14 billion through the life of the program at the end of 2035. The caveat being a student that is enrolled in 2035 can still finish the scholarship program.
The bill also codifies the teacher pay raises that were approved in 2019, Governor Brian Kemp’s first year in office. Teacher salaries increased $6,500 per year. As soon as the bill passed out of the Senate, Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones issued the following statement:
“Today, the Senate voted to give parents greater control over their children’s educational needs. I made passing school choice a priority and am proud of the Senate for leading the way in the most substantive initiative to pass the Georgia General Assembly in decades. This is a critical first step but the fight does not stop to give parents chouse and resources for their child’s diverse and unique educational needs.”
In a move to increase enrollment in pre-kindergarten classes, the legislation also would let public schools use state capital construction funds to build new pre-k facilities.
Senator Greg Dolezal, a Republican from Cumming, authored the bill. He said this legislation provides transparency by which parents and the public can see what their investment is.
“So we have this feigned outrage about the distribution of funds, but it’s really, really selective outrage,” said Dolezal. “And I can’t help but wonder why. Do you know what the median cost is for a private school in the state of Georgia? Maybe not the ones that you all send your kids to, but the median cost of a private school in the state of Georgia? $8,300. So don’t tell these parents that a $6,500 bridge can’t change the life of their family, because it can.”
After the bill was passed, House Pro Tem Jan Jones, State Rep. Todd Jones, and other Republicans that supported the bill applauded its passage.
“Every yes vote today was a vote to empower families and students with the choices and resources they need to chart bright futures for Georgia’s students,” said Americans for Prosperity-Georgia Director Tony West. “We applaud the lawmakers who heard from their constituents and made the right choice to expand educational opportunities in the Peach State. This unlocks so much potential for Georgia’s students.”
“I also wish to thank AFP-GA activists who knocked on over 39,000 doors and hundreds of emails to their lawmakers urging them to join other states in expanding education freedom.”
Meanwhile, Democrats voiced their outrage during the debate.
“It is a battle for our education system,” explained State Senator Nabilah Islam Parkes, a Democrat from Duluth. “For too long our public schools have been suffering from a lack of funding. Public schools are the bedrock of our communities, especially in rural Georgia.”
According to a poll by the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute (GBPI) from the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs Survey Research Center, 50.2% of Conservatives (+14.4% margin), 57.3% of Moderates (+26.1) and 56.7% of Liberals (+18.5) responded that they would not support any form of public money funding private school vouchers. Democrats claim this bill could be potentially damaging to rural public schools and public schools in Atlanta that do not receive adequate funding from the State.
Furthermore, there are studies that inextricably link students’ academic performance to their socioeconomic backgrounds. According to a 2020 study by the United States Department of Agriculture, Georgia had more children (aged 0-17) in poverty than 43 other states. Georgia is also one of only six states that does not provide added support for students living in poverty.
State Senator Derek Mallow, a Democrat from Savannah, argued Senate Bill 233 is unconstitutional.
“This is done under the guise of educational freedom and educational choice,” said Mallow. But colleagues I tell you, the way I look at it, it appears to me to be a little unconstitutional. When I think about what it means to talk about public education, and what’s happening in schools, I think history has shown us the condition of our schools are based on the environment in which we which we placed them.”