A Georgia lawmaker is proposing another student scholarship program, this time with a $25 million cap.

The program allows private school donors to recoup their donations in a tax credit from the state.

The existing program is capped at $58 million and typically is exhausted on the first day of availability in January.

Unlike the existing program, the proposed one, under House Bill 865 by Rep. Mike Dudgeon, R-Johns Creek, is specifically for students from low-income households. All who would benefit must qualify for free- or reduced-price school meals.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Uta Thomas picks up her son, Jax, during a public hearing in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 5, 2025. She implored the school board not to close Dunbar Elementary. 
"You would centralize education to decentralized families," she said. "You would break apart a community hub." (Abbey Cutrer / AJC)

Credit: abbey.cutrer@ajc.com

Featured

Travelers wait in Concourse F, the international terminal, at Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Arvin Temkar / AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com