ATLANTA — When the Georgia legislature convenes next week for its 40-day session, school choice is expected to be a top priority for Republican leaders.
A bill is in the works that would give a state voucher to students transferring out of low-performing public schools and into private schools.
The measure passed on a party-line vote in the state Senate last year, and versions of it have been enacted in other states – despite the objections of its many critics.
"I mean, it would give me an option," said Yasmin Ali, the mother of a second grader. Gavin is a public school student in DeKalb County. Ali would like to get him into a private school soon but the cost is prohibitive.
"The schools I’ve looked at, it’s almost $20,000 a year. Just for middle school - and that would be for three years," Ali said Monday while watching Gavin play at Henderson Park.
Ali is not completely sold, however, on a bill that could distribute $6,500 state vouchers to help pay for private school.
She’s heard the argument that such a voucher would drain resources from public education, though backers of the bill say that hasn’t been the case in other states.
"We argue that this is a bipartisan or nonpartisan issue. People from all walks of life can really be benefited by this," said Tim Head of the Faith and Freedom Coalition, which has lobbied for the measure.
“This bill, this ain't it," said Sen. Derek Mallow (D-Savannah) shortly before the Senate passed the bill. "This doesn’t address the needs in education. This only perpetuates the gaps we’ve already seen exists."
Democrats railed against it during last year’s Senate debate. But backers say the school voucher bill already has close to enough votes to pass in the House this year.
Ali says she’s torn. She supports public schools but also wants more options than she has now.
"Then you’ve got college to pay for, too. I’ve already started saving for college," she said.
Backers of the voucher bill expect the bill to get tweaked in committee hearings early in the upcoming legislative session and, they hope, dislodged from its current legislative stalemate.