Private schools in 102 Georgia cities received $5.4 million in state voucher funds this fall, as parents took advantage of the state’s newly expanded program aimed at helping students from low-performing public school get private education.
Private schools in McDonough, Covington and Conyers received as much money as schools in more populous places like Columbus, Savannah and Atlanta.
Of the total $7.1 million program funds distributed so far, most have gone to educational organizations predominantly affiliated with Christian churches, according to data from the Georgia Education Savings Authority, the state agency set up to manage the program.
The private school with the largest amount of funds from the voucher program was Newton County’s Covington Academy with $120,701. It is the only school to have received more than $100,000. Tuition there runs $5,500, plus fees.
The remaining program funding spent this fall — $1.7 million — went to 153 companies, including giant retailer Amazon, that sell school supplies such as computers, tablets and books, records show.
Under the program’s guidelines, families receive $6,500 per year for each child to pay for the switch to a private school or homeschool or other educational supports.
It will take at least 15 months before Georgians will have metrics from GESA’s first review to evaluate whether the promise of the sweeping policy — better quality education and more competition for public schooling — is fulfilled.
Read the first investigation in an series examining Georgia’s school voucher program, done in collaboration between The Current GA and Georgia Recorder:
Christian schools, Amazon attract most Georgia voucher school dollars
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