ATLANTA — New developments unfold as Georgia announces its list of the lowest-performing schools, impacting over 400,000 students eligible for $6,500 vouchers aimed at covering private school tuition or home-schooling expenses.
The Governor’s Office of Student Achievement published the updated list recently, following two prior versions released in December that were subsequently withdrawn. The revisions to the current list include only minor changes.
Students residing in the lowest-performing 25% of schools, as outlined by Georgia’s academic rating system, can apply for what is officially termed “promise scholarships.”
The Georgia Education Savings Authority has interpreted this legislation to include all students living within the attendance zones of the low-performing schools, regardless of whether they are currently enrolled there. For instance, if a middle school appears on the list, both elementary and high school students residing in that zone are also eligible to apply.
Analysis reveals that every student in 65 of Georgia’s 180 traditional school districts qualifies for application, particularly affecting students in Richmond County and Bibb County. While the majority of these districts are smaller, rural areas, larger districts such as DeKalb, Clayton, and Atlanta also see a significant number of eligible students.
The announcement precedes the first application period set from March 1 to April 15, with additional periods planned for June and September. However, many private schools have already closed applications for the 2025-2026 academic year, leading to potential challenges for interested students.
The funding for this voucher program is limited to 1% of the public school funding formula, totaling approximately $141 million, which could support over 22,000 vouchers. While Republican Governor Brian Kemp has advocated for this level of funding, the final amount remains undecided among lawmakers.
It is essential that Georgia fully finances its public school system before any voucher funds are allocated. The voucher funds are budgeted separately from public school funding.
With 1.75 million public school students in Georgia, the broad eligibility criteria likely mean that demand for vouchers will surpass the available funding, intensifying pressure on lawmakers to increase financial limits. Already, proposals to expand eligibility to all foster children have gained support from key officials.
Nationwide, voucher programs are expanding rapidly, with advocates pushing for universal eligibility for all students, irrespective of family income or school performance. States like Arizona, Florida, Iowa, and Ohio have seen more applications than anticipated, leading to budget overruns.
Unlike some broader national initiatives, Georgia’s voucher law targets only students zoned for low-performing schools who have completed two semesters or are entering kindergarten. Should the number of applications exceed vouchers available, students from families earning below four times the federal poverty level will receive priority. This threshold equates to around $100,000 for a family of three. If necessary, a random statewide drawing will determine allocation of funds among applicants.
The scholarship money is versatile, covering expenses such as private school tuition, textbooks, transportation, home-schooling materials, therapy, tutoring, or early college courses for high school students.
The program garnered House approval narrowly earlier this spring, following significant lobbying from state officials and key legislators.
The creation of this list has undergone two revisions to eliminate specific schools, including charter and alternative institutions, from the eligibility criteria.
