Georgia
U.S.
Rank
Score:
75%
Grade:
C
Rank:
#19
The environment for these innovative public schools is strong in Georgia as the law grants blanket waivers from most state and local regulations that apply to district schools. However, even with a slight increase in funding in May, 2021, the state is far from guaranteeing the equity children deserve. The state also increased state funding and allocated a proportionate share of federal funding to district-authorized charter schools.
Law passed: 1993
Most recently amended: 2021
Number of charter schools: 90
Number of charter students: 60,039
Cap on the number of schools allowed:? No
Virtual charters allowed? Yes
AUTHORIZERS: Local districts, State Board, and the Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (CSCG), can authorize, but increasingly this “independent” state commission has become less independent, and operates in tandem with the state education department, and thus, more bureaucratically than intended by the law.
GROWTH: While there is no cap, the number of charter schools has seen a slow but steady decline in recent years; enrollment is down almost 7,000 students from two years ago. The state is not motivated to expand despite increased demand.
OPERATIONS: The law grants blanket waivers from most state and local regulations that apply to district schools. While state-authorized charters are their own local education agencies and have a fair amount of autonomy, districts heavily regulate the schools they sponsor. As in most states, teachers must be traditionally certified.
EQUITY: In May 2021, Governor Kemp signed SB 59 into law, which increases student funding by about $100 per-pupil. Additionally, under the new legislation school districts are required to provide local charter schools their proportionate share of federal funds. In the state FY2022 budget, lawmakers also approved an increase of $1 million in funding for charter schools facilities. In general, however, districts still negotiate funding with locally approved charter schools, and while the law states that charters should be treated ”no less favorably” than conventional district schools, they often are not.
Score:
Grade:
C
Rank:
#10
Increases in both state programs in the past year makes the future brighter for Georgia’s kids. The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program (2007) and the Qualified Educational Expense Tax Credit (2008) combined to serve just over 21,000 students annually as of 2020. Both programs received good news in 2021-2022 – when voucher eligibility for disabled students was expanded and the cap for the scholarship program was raised by $20 million. While more scholarship growth will be triggered by the passage of HB 517, lawmakers hope to raise the cap even more in the next legislative session.
Law enacted: 2007-2008
Number of programs: 2
Statewide Participation: 18,768
Types of programs: Voucher, Tax Credit Scholarship
Voucher
Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program
The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program is a voucher program that began in 2007, available for families with special needs students who attend Georgia public schools and have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Students that receive vouchers can use funds to access specialized schools. In May 2021 a bill passed expanding eligibility in this program–It does so in several ways: by allowing more children with physical or learning disabilities to participate (including autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, and dyslexia) who have a 504 plan; allowing students who attended a public special needs preschool in Georgia to participate; and allowing students with special needs who are adopted from foster care to access the program immediately. Currently 5,000 students participate, which will grow with this expansion.
Tax-Credit Scholarship
Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit
The Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit program was enacted in 2008 to help prior public school students attend private schools that fit their individual needs. All Georgia public school students are eligible if they attended a public school for at least six weeks prior to receiving a scholarship, as are students who are enrolling in prekindergarten, kindergarten or first grade. Enacted in March 2022, HB 517 raised the cap on the state’s tax credit scholarship program and the amount in tax incentives that those who donate to the program can receive. The measure raises the current $100 million cap on the program by $20 million each year through 2032. HB 517 also doubles the amount individuals, LLCs, and S Corporations may contribute and removes the automatic sunset of the program. The program has no income limit or enrollment cap, and in 2021 the scholarship cap was $11,359 a student, with over 16,000 scholarships awarded in 2020 with an average scholarship value at $4,464. .
Score:
Grade:
C
Rank:
#5
The state’s salary schedule is dated and not tied to effectiveness, though student growth is a small part of evaluations. Requirements for teacher content knowledge varies by grade and subject.
TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 72%
General Teacher Preparation 82%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 62%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 85%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 58%
Alternate Routes 75%
STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 75%
Hiring 75%
Retaining Effective Teachers 74%
TEACHER EVALUATION: 86%
TEACHER COMPENSATION: 75%
Score:
75%
Grade:
C
Rank:
#19
The environment for these innovative public schools is strong in Georgia as the law grants blanket waivers from most state and local regulations that apply to district schools. However, even with a slight increase in funding in May, 2021, the state is far from guaranteeing the equity children deserve. The state also increased state funding and allocated a proportionate share of federal funding to district-authorized charter schools.
Law passed: 1993
Most recently amended: 2021
Number of charter schools: 90
Number of charter students: 60,039
Cap on the number of schools allowed:? No
Virtual charters allowed? Yes
AUTHORIZERS: Local districts, State Board, and the Charter Schools Commission of Georgia (CSCG), can authorize, but increasingly this “independent” state commission has become less independent, and operates in tandem with the state education department, and thus, more bureaucratically than intended by the law.
GROWTH: While there is no cap, the number of charter schools has seen a slow but steady decline in recent years; enrollment is down almost 7,000 students from two years ago. The state is not motivated to expand despite increased demand.
OPERATIONS: The law grants blanket waivers from most state and local regulations that apply to district schools. While state-authorized charters are their own local education agencies and have a fair amount of autonomy, districts heavily regulate the schools they sponsor. As in most states, teachers must be traditionally certified.
EQUITY: In May 2021, Governor Kemp signed SB 59 into law, which increases student funding by about $100 per-pupil. Additionally, under the new legislation school districts are required to provide local charter schools their proportionate share of federal funds. In the state FY2022 budget, lawmakers also approved an increase of $1 million in funding for charter schools facilities. In general, however, districts still negotiate funding with locally approved charter schools, and while the law states that charters should be treated ”no less favorably” than conventional district schools, they often are not.
Score:
Grade:
C
Rank:
#10
Increases in both state programs in the past year makes the future brighter for Georgia’s kids. The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program (2007) and the Qualified Educational Expense Tax Credit (2008) combined to serve just over 21,000 students annually as of 2020. Both programs received good news in 2021-2022 – when voucher eligibility for disabled students was expanded and the cap for the scholarship program was raised by $20 million. While more scholarship growth will be triggered by the passage of HB 517, lawmakers hope to raise the cap even more in the next legislative session.
Law enacted: 2007-2008
Number of programs: 2
Statewide Participation: 18,768
Types of programs: Voucher, Tax Credit Scholarship
Voucher
Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program
The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Program is a voucher program that began in 2007, available for families with special needs students who attend Georgia public schools and have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Students that receive vouchers can use funds to access specialized schools. In May 2021 a bill passed expanding eligibility in this program–It does so in several ways: by allowing more children with physical or learning disabilities to participate (including autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, and dyslexia) who have a 504 plan; allowing students who attended a public special needs preschool in Georgia to participate; and allowing students with special needs who are adopted from foster care to access the program immediately. Currently 5,000 students participate, which will grow with this expansion.
Tax-Credit Scholarship
Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit
The Qualified Education Expense Tax Credit program was enacted in 2008 to help prior public school students attend private schools that fit their individual needs. All Georgia public school students are eligible if they attended a public school for at least six weeks prior to receiving a scholarship, as are students who are enrolling in prekindergarten, kindergarten or first grade. Enacted in March 2022, HB 517 raised the cap on the state’s tax credit scholarship program and the amount in tax incentives that those who donate to the program can receive. The measure raises the current $100 million cap on the program by $20 million each year through 2032. HB 517 also doubles the amount individuals, LLCs, and S Corporations may contribute and removes the automatic sunset of the program. The program has no income limit or enrollment cap, and in 2021 the scholarship cap was $11,359 a student, with over 16,000 scholarships awarded in 2020 with an average scholarship value at $4,464. .
Score:
Grade:
C
Rank:
#5
The state’s salary schedule is dated and not tied to effectiveness, though student growth is a small part of evaluations. Requirements for teacher content knowledge varies by grade and subject.
TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 72%
General Teacher Preparation 82%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 62%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 85%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 58%
Alternate Routes 75%
STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 75%
Hiring 75%
Retaining Effective Teachers 74%
TEACHER EVALUATION: 86%
TEACHER COMPENSATION: 75%
Score:
Grade:
C
Rank:
#20
Georgia DOE offers school districts digital learning resources on strategy, equity, and professional development. These resources include toolkits, webinars and online teaching courses.
Georgia Virtual School is a state virtual school opened by the GDOE in 2005, offering supplemental courses for middle and high school students that attend private, district, charters, and home schools in the state. Advanced Placement test results from 2013-2018 show that a higher percentage of students enrolled in Georgia Virtual School passed the AP exam when compared to both state and national passing rates six years in a row. There are over 60,000 students enrolled in the school.
Bandwidth: “100% of students in Georgia can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds.”
Georgia’s Personalized Learning Grant, formerly labeled Technology Tools for Teachers, promotes student achievement through personalized instruction and the use of technology. The PL Grant is currently implemented in 14 schools across 4 districts.
Additionally, the state has an Innovation Fund that creates partnerships between nonprofits, higher education institutions, and public schools to promote personalized learning and student achievement.
Georgia first closed all schools March 16, although many were closed already. March 23, the state released guidelines for remote learning and while leaving decisions up to districts, they provided encouragement and motivation for schools to continue instruction for all students. The state focused on access and created a website with various resources, including guidance for special education.
For a return to school in August, Georgia’s state government left reopening decisions in the hands of districts. Some Georgia schools opened as of 8/6. High population districts are relying on hybrid learning options.
Fast Facts
4th Grade Math Proficiency:
8th Grade Math Proficiency:
12th Grade Math Proficiency:
4th Grade Reading Proficiency:
8th Grade Reading Proficiency:
12th Grade Reading Proficiency:
Graduation Rate:
Average SAT Score:
Average ACT Score:
Public School Enrollment:
Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:
Average Student Funding:
Score:
Grade:
C
Rank:
#20
Georgia DOE offers school districts digital learning resources on strategy, equity, and professional development. These resources include toolkits, webinars and online teaching courses.
Georgia Virtual School is a state virtual school opened by the GDOE in 2005, offering supplemental courses for middle and high school students that attend private, district, charters, and home schools in the state. Advanced Placement test results from 2013-2018 show that a higher percentage of students enrolled in Georgia Virtual School passed the AP exam when compared to both state and national passing rates six years in a row. There are over 60,000 students enrolled in the school.
Bandwidth: “100% of students in Georgia can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds.”
Georgia’s Personalized Learning Grant, formerly labeled Technology Tools for Teachers, promotes student achievement through personalized instruction and the use of technology. The PL Grant is currently implemented in 14 schools across 4 districts.
Additionally, the state has an Innovation Fund that creates partnerships between nonprofits, higher education institutions, and public schools to promote personalized learning and student achievement.
Georgia first closed all schools March 16, although many were closed already. March 23, the state released guidelines for remote learning and while leaving decisions up to districts, they provided encouragement and motivation for schools to continue instruction for all students. The state focused on access and created a website with various resources, including guidance for special education.
For a return to school in August, Georgia’s state government left reopening decisions in the hands of districts. Some Georgia schools opened as of 8/6. High population districts are relying on hybrid learning options.
4th Grade Math Proficiency:
8th Grade Math Proficiency:
12th Grade Math Proficiency:
4th Grade Reading Proficiency:
8th Grade Reading Proficiency:
12th Grade Reading Proficiency:
Graduation Rate:
Average SAT Score:
Average ACT Score:
Public School Enrollment:
Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:
Average Student Funding:
Brian Kemp (R)
First term began in 2019 (two-term limit)
With a second term secured and both houses of the legislature all being of the same party the stage is set for Governor Kemp to follow his neighbor to the south and unleash the same fundamental shift from government run, one size fits all schools to parents deciding how and where their tax dollars should be spent. Perhaps a little parent power will spur the Governor to think boldly.
The legislature continues to work to increase quality education for all, by successfully pushing for new laws this year. There’s still much more to be done to ensure parent power for all, which we hope to see in the near future!
“The Georgia Constitution contains a Blaine Amendment, but it also contains an education provision …that explicitly authorizes the General Assembly to provide grants and scholarships to students and parents for educational purposes, such as those of voucher programs.” (Institute for Justice)
On June 26, 2017, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected a challenge to Georgia’s tax-credit scholarship program and ruled that plaintiffs had no standing to sue.
School report cards are difficult to find on Georgia’s DOE homepage. Report cards are located under the Data and Reporting subheading, and clicking Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, which is not automatically intuitive. School report cards are cumbersome and hard to use, requiring you to flip through multiple links and tabs to find data you are looking for.
Educational options are easy to find from the homepage under Innovation, where you can access information on charters, homeschooling, virtual learning, and career pathways.
School board elections are held during the general election cycle, which gives parents more power in their decision making because of higher voter turnout.
Brian Kemp (R)
First term began in 2019 (two-term limit)
With a second term secured and both houses of the legislature all being of the same party the stage is set for Governor Kemp to follow his neighbor to the south and unleash the same fundamental shift from government run, one size fits all schools to parents deciding how and where their tax dollars should be spent. Perhaps a little parent power will spur the Governor to think boldly.
The legislature continues to work to increase quality education for all, by successfully pushing for new laws this year. There’s still much more to be done to ensure parent power for all, which we hope to see in the near future!
“The Georgia Constitution contains a Blaine Amendment, but it also contains an education provision …that explicitly authorizes the General Assembly to provide grants and scholarships to students and parents for educational purposes, such as those of voucher programs.” (Institute for Justice)
On June 26, 2017, the Georgia Supreme Court rejected a challenge to Georgia’s tax-credit scholarship program and ruled that plaintiffs had no standing to sue.
School report cards are difficult to find on Georgia’s DOE homepage. Report cards are located under the Data and Reporting subheading, and clicking Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, which is not automatically intuitive. School report cards are cumbersome and hard to use, requiring you to flip through multiple links and tabs to find data you are looking for.
Educational options are easy to find from the homepage under Innovation, where you can access information on charters, homeschooling, virtual learning, and career pathways.
School board elections are held during the general election cycle, which gives parents more power in their decision making because of higher voter turnout.