School Choice Opens Doors to the American Dream

Throughout Georgia, a quality education is supposed to be the great equalizer – something that gives all children the chance to fulfill their dreams no matter their socio-economic background or where they live.

But unfortunately, too many Georgia parents – rich or poor, black or white, urban or rural – are unhappy with the education offered their children in their neighborhood public schools.

Some fear for their child’s safety as discipline is non-existent or teachers can’t keep children under control in the classroom. Other parents believe their children aren’t learning because of large class sizes or a curriculum that doesn’t address their son or daughter’s needs.

That’s why the more we can do to empower parents to pick and choose a school that best meet their kids’ needs, the better.

This is National School Choice Week, and thousands of Georgia parents are active throughout the state – speaking out for more choices for their children other than the public school assigned to their child based on the home they can afford.

Across the nation, there will be more than 32,000 events in 50 states noting the good school choice does for students and the need to expand options for more pupils.

Here in Georgia, we have scholarship program for special needs students that too few parents of children with disabilities know about; a restricted charter school system that doesn’t allow enough charter schools to meet the demands of 15,000 children wanting seats in a charter school; and a tax credit scholarship program that has vastly more children wanting scholarships to private schools than money available to fund them.

As Georgia lawmakers move forward in 2018 and beyond, they need to get serious about meeting the demands of their constituents.

During the last Georgia GOP primary, voters were asked a non-binding straw poll question: “Should Georgia empower parents with the right to use tax dollars allocated for the education of their children, allowing them the freedom to choose among public, private, virtual and home schools?” A whopping 75 percent said yes.

To meet the growing demand for educational choice, Georgia needs to enact these additional options:

• Create a new school choice program widely popular across the nation called Education Savings Accounts. Similar to a flexible spending account program but designed for education expenses, the ESA would be funded with about $4,500 in state tax dollars annually per child. Parents would be issued ESA debit cards. Funds could be spent on expenses ranging from tutoring to computer equipment, special education services, and online courses or be banked for college tuition.
• Follow in the footsteps of Alabama and South Carolina, among other states, and allow an income tax deductive for private school tuition. Let’s start with allowing tuition expensing for foster children and those from military families – kids who endure challenging childhoods and are bounced around from school to school.
• Double Georgia’s $51.3 million tax credit scholarship program that generated enough money for non-profit organizations to award 13,600 scholarships last year averaging $3,777 each. In comparison, Florida has a $559 million program while Georgia’s program is only $51.3 million.

The absence of learning in far too many schools is profound. One third of Georgia pupils attended schools rated a D or F in 2016. That’s 882 schools serving about 576,000 students, according to the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement.

Companies that relocate in our state have a difficult time recruiting qualified workers with the skills they need for jobs ranging from skilled factory workers to high-tech professionals.

It’s time to start giving parents and students what they want – the opportunity to pursue the American dream through a variety of education options that will empower them to a rewarding and successful future.

Duncan, a former Florida Marlins AAA baseball player and small business owner, represented Forsyth County in the Georgia Legislature. He is a GOP candidate for Lieutenant Governor.