Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday signed a private-school vouchers bill that will now officer vouchers worth up to $6,500 to parents of children enrolled in the bottom 25% of lowest-performing public schools who wish to send their kids to a private school.
Gov. Kemp said, “It’s not the government’s role to dictate to families the best choices for their child… This bill breaks down barriers and opens doors for all students to get the start they need.”
The voucher will limit families who make over 400% of the federal poverty limit, currently $120,000 for a family of four. It will also prohibit spending more than 1% of Georgia’s Quality Basic Education fund on vouchers, which is currently set at $140 million a year.
Kemp refuted arguments that vouchers will reduce funding for public schools by pointing to Georgia’s record spending on K-12 education this year. The governor’s budget also fully covers tuition for HOPE scholars and raises teacher pay, he said.
