ATLANTA – State Representative Wes Cantrell (R-Woodstock) recently introduced House Bill 60, or the Georgia Educational Scholarship Act. This legislation seeks to create greater educational choices for parents through an educational scholarship account (ESA) in which public education funds would be used for private educational opportunities.
“As a former Georgia public school teacher and a proud product of a long line of Georgia public educators, I believe in and fully support Georgia Public Schools,” said Rep. Cantrell. “However, I know that even the best public or private schools in our state cannot meet the needs of every student. Just as every child is unique, so are their educational needs. The Georgia Educational Scholarship Act will address those needs by bringing a more personalized and flexible education plan to parents and students throughout the state of Georgia.”
Under HB 60, the Educational Scholarship Accounts would be administered and overseen by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. The annual contribution to this account will be 100 percent of the state portion designated toward that student’s education. Funding for qualifying students would be transmitted directly from the state to the approved vendor, allowing for funds to go directly to educational needs. To uphold accountability within the program, students would be tested to measure the program’s effectiveness. Financial controls and audits are also included in the bill, an annual report of the program would be generated, and schools and other participating providers would be held accountable for use of such funds.
“Educational Scholarship Accounts would give parents the widest number of choices to address the specific needs of their children,” added Rep. Cantrell. “Georgia parents need a diverse portfolio of options to choose from when deciding the best educational path for their child. This is especially true for low income families, foster care families, military families, students with special needs, students who are being bullied and students who do not have access to in-person instruction.”
HB 60 also outlines which Georgia students would qualify for an ESA, such as students with a family income 200 percent below the federal poverty level, students adopted from foster care or students with a disability and an individualized education plan. ESAs would also be eligible to students with a documented case of being bullied and students who attend school in a district which does not offer the option of 100 percent in-person instruction. HB 60 would apply to .5 percent of total public school enrollment, which is approximately 8,500 students in Georgia. This number would increase each year at .5 percent until it reaches a cap of five percent, which would take 10 years.
Other states have implemented similar ESA programs, and some reports indicate that ESA programs are popular among a variety of parent groups. Through HB 60, Rep. Cantrell seeks to raise academic achievement of participants and non-participants, diversify public schools, save taxpayer money and increase per-student funding for public schools.
For more information on HB 60, please click here.
Representative Wes Cantrell represents the citizens of District 22, which includes portions of Cherokee, Forsyth and Fulton counties. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2014 and currently serves as Chairman of the Small Business Development Committee and as Secretary of the Information and Audits Committee. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education, Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications, Education and Juvenile Justice committees.
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