There has been a major development in the State of Georgia yet the
so-called mainstream media has completely ignored it and even the
alternative media hardly has covered it. This past week Georgia Governor
Sonny Perdue signed into law the most expansive school-choice program in
the nation.
Unlike similar programs in other States, this program has no demographic
restriction. All students are eligible for private school scholarships.
The State Legislature set the cost of the school choice budget at $50
million. If the demand is similar in other States that amount likely
will rise considerably. All pupils K-12 are eligible.
The program is similar to that which was enacted by the State of
Louisiana and continues a trend imposing no eligibility requirement for
the scholarships. Originally only inner-city students in failing public
schools were eligible for school-choice programs. But now Arizona,
Vermont, Ohio, Maine, Illinois and Iowa all impose no eligibility
restriction.
Robert Enlow, Executive Director of the Friedman Foundation for
Educational Choice, in commenting on the developments in Louisiana and
Georgia said, "The old idea of limiting school choice based on family
income is coming to an end. States are increasingly adopting Milton
Friedman's vision of school choice for all, not just for some. The
argument that freedom is only good for some students just doesn't make
it anymore".
Lydia Glaize, one of the parents who strongly supported school choice,
said, "The Governor has made the most prolific change for the State of
Georgia.... Children who will receive these scholarships will translate
into fewer kids in juvenile detention, more who will graduate and more
who will wind up in the labor force. That's a better standard of living
for the entire Georgia community."
The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice reports that with the new
Georgia law, there are now 23 school choice programs in 14 States plus
the District of Columbia. Enlow said that 15 of the programs have no
family income restriction for eligibility while nine have no demographic
restriction at all. Six are restricted only in that they serve disabled
and foster-care students alone.
The effort to pass this measure in the Legislature drew support from the
Georgia Family Council, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation, the
Southeastern Legal Foundation, the Archdiocese of Atlanta and Americans
for Prosperity. In addition a number of national school-choice groups
weighed in.