The fight for control of primary education in Georgia faces important tests Wednesday as House and Senate committees consider a pair of school choice bills.

With just six days remaining in the 2008 legislative session, supporters are planning a final push, while opponents are scrambling to set roadblocks. But the politics behind both bills are far from simple and there is no guarantee that enough oxygen remains under the Golden Dome for both — or either — bill to pass this year.

Senate Bill 458, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah), would allow some parents to receive a voucher to pay for private school tuition. Only students in schools that lose accreditation, such as in Clayton County, or are rated "needs improvement" for seven years would be eligible.

The House Science and Technology Committee will hear Johnson's bill at 3 p.m.

House Bill 1133, sponsored by Rep. David Casas (R-Lilburn), creates an income tax credit for individuals and corporations who donate to organizations that give scholarships for students to switch to a private school.

The Senate Finance Committee will take up Casas' bill at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Both bills have already passed their own home chambers but must get through the other.

"There's a long way to go to final passage, but there continues to be a desire to provide more options for education," Johnson said. "Public education is really the only monopoly left in government."

Jeff Hubbard, president of the Georgia Association of Educators, opposes the bills. He said neither would benefit many students and both would further weaken an education system already hurt by funding cuts.

"We believe public funds should be used for education of students in public schools," Hubbard said.

The idea of school choice in Georgia has been around for more than a decade, since the first charter school bill was signed into law in 1993 by then-Gov. Zell Miller. The issue has become more prominent this decade as national conservative groups have brought the issue to the tops of legislative agendas in states around the country.

A few of those groups have become active in Georgia. All Children Matter, based in Michigan, has given money to Georgia legislators. The Alliance for School Choice, which bills itself as the nation's largest "organization promoting school vouchers and scholarship tax credit programs" is helping fund lobbying efforts for Casas' bill. And the Republican-leaning American Legislative Exchange Council has provided research and sample legislation.

But the issue cannot be framed merely as left-vs.-right, or Republican vs. Democrats. Many GOP lawmakers, for example, represent overwhelmingly suburban districts that have excellent public schools. They make changes that are seen as harmful to those schools at their own peril.

Johnson said he does not believe that will be a problem with Senate Republicans.

House Speaker Pro Tem Mark Burkhalter (R-Alpharetta) said there is always that danger to setting education policy.

"Everybody supports public education, but you always need to know that any debate that involves education and the education establishment and may change that establishment is going to have an inherent resistance," Burkhalter said. "However, school systems that are confident in the work they're doing will have no problem with legislation that involves options and choice."

The state's top educator, Republican Superintendent of Schools Kathy Cox is also split on the two bills. She does not have a problem with Casas' bill, her spokesman Dana Tofig said. Johnson's voucher bill is a different matter.

"She does not support Senator Johnson's bill," Tofig said. "She believes what we're doing now addresses the needs of 'needs improvement' schools."

Sherri Breunig, director of public relations for the City Schools of Decatur, said "so much of the legislation that's out there is attempting to little by little destroy public education. And this is just another whack at it."

Casas' bill has the backing of the Georgia Family Council, an influential conservative think tank. Jamie Self, the council's director of governmental affairs, said the tax credits would boost education spending for public schools. A study the council commissioned by the Friedman Foundation says Georgia districts would save $94 million because schools would have fewer students.

Schools would lose the state's per-pupil funding if a student leaves, but that would not affect local funding, Self said.

Casas' bill caps at $50 million a year the total amount of tax credit available. It would be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Seven states already offer tuition tax credits. Most have income caps to ensure scholarships go to parents who could not otherwise afford private tuition. Casas' bill has no cap, but Self said the council would support one.

Self's organization is primarily interested in Casas' bill, but is not opposed to Johnson's voucher bill. But, she said, time is short to get both through.

"Both will have their day, and either they'll pass and go to the governor, or they'll live and die separately," she said.