James July-August 2022 web - Flipbook - Page 57
BY BUZZ BROCKWAY
he COVID-19 pandemic has been a watershed moment for expanding educational options
for Georgia students. For many parents and
families, the pandemic was the crisis point that
showed them, in stark reality, the dire need for a
full menu of educational options— whether
that be a traditional public school, a private school, a public charter school,
virtual educational programs or
home education.
You don’t have to look far
to understand why. During
the worst of the pandemic
and resulting school closures,
many families were forced into
alternative ways of schooling
for the first time ever. Families’
experience with how traditional
public schools handled the shift
to distance learning were mixed
and inconsistent. Some schools and
teachers excelled, ensuring students
did not lose out on learning. Others threw
their hands up— and the towel in— early.
Kids have suffered as a result.
In the aftermath of these experiences, many families
have begun searching for alternatives. Unfortunately,
politicians have been slow to get the message. Consider
that federal CARES Act relief has focused millions of dollars to the state Department of Education, local districts
and traditional public schools. Nothing to date has been
offered to families whose students fell behind, need to
play “catch-up” or need a different environment.
In recent years, there has been a reluctance
on the part of legislators to expand existing school
choice programs or create new ones. During
the legislative session earlier this year,
a coalition of both Democratic and
Republican lawmakers voted down a
bill that would have created Promise Scholarships, offering families
up to $6,000 a year for approved
education expenses.
These Promise Scholarships
would be a step far beyond a
typical voucher by fully putting
parents in the driver’s seat
when it comes to their child’s
education. The funds could have
been used for private-school
tuition, but there would have been
added flexibility depending on each
family’s unique needs, extending to
paying for things like tutoring, specialized
therapies or homeschool co-ops.
What’s also unconscionable is why politicians would
reject educational freedom given that the vast majority of
Georgians want it.
A recent poll from GeorgiaCAN found that 72 percent
of respondents favor “expanding educational options by
allowing a child’s state education dollars to follow that
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