The state House of Representatives education committee asked lawmakers Wednesday to do more work on a proposal that would allow some parents to spend state funds to have their children educated in private schools or home schooled.
House Bill 243, drafted by Rep. Mark Hamilton, R-Cumming, would permit parents to use state funds toward what would be called an Education Saving Account for their child's education in non-public schools. Parents would have to fill out an application to be eligible for the funds, and the recipients would be picked on a first come, first served basis. Federal and local funds would not be put in the account.
The plan would begin at the start of the 2015-16 school year, allowing only one-half of 1 percent of Georgia students to use the program. That’s about 8,500 students, officials said. The number of students would increase to 1 percent for the start of the 2016-17 school year. There would be no limit on how many students would be eligible for the program during the 2017-18 school year and thereafter.
Hamilton and supporters say the legislation would give parents more choices if they’re concerned their child’s school is not meeting his or her educational needs. Others raised several questions about the plan, such as how the money would be spent and how the state would measure the program’s success.
Education committee chairman Brooks Coleman, R-Duluth, asked lawmakers to make revisions to the bill at the meeting to address the concerns.
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