Georgia ‘School Choice Bill’ Passes Committee, Heads to House for Vote

ATLANTA, Ga. – Your tax dollars could be used to put some Georgia students in private school. The House Education Committee passed Senate Bill 233, also known as the “school choice bill,” on Wednesday. Now it heads to the floor of the Georgia House for a final vote.

Supporters and Critics Speak Out

If the proposal becomes law, students in Georgia’s lowest-performing schools could be eligible for a $6,500 voucher. Families could take that money and put it toward private school tuition. Supporters like Jacquelyn Harn with Americans for Prosperity say the bill could open doors for students and provide them with a better education.

“We believe that funding should follow the student, in a sense, to where if a student is trapped in any type of school that’s not suiting their individual needs, since all children are different in that aspect, they should have the right to be able to take that funding and go to whichever school best fits their system. Or best fits them as a child,” Harn said.

But critics, like Democratic House Rep. David Wilkerson from District 38, say this means taxpayer dollars from all across Georgia will likely only end up benefitting kids in larger metro areas like Atlanta, Macon, and Savannah.

“If it would pass, it would probably be the biggest redistribution of wealth from rural counties to the metro area,” Wilkerson said. “These rural counties don’t have private schools. And so, what’s going to happen is all the private schools in the metro areas are going to get a brand-new batch of students, or the students that are already there are going to get money.”

Fast-Track Legislative Push

Republican lawmakers are hoping to get the bill pushed through by the end of the current legislative session, which will wrap up on March 28.

Next Steps

The fate of the “school choice bill” now rests in the hands of the Georgia House members who will be voting on it in the coming days. The decision will have a significant impact on the education landscape in Georgia, determining the future opportunities for students in the state.

Stay Tuned for Updates

As the bill progresses through the legislative process, stay tuned for the latest developments and final outcome on this crucial education policy in Georgia.