Georgia lawmakers approve tax credit for lowest-performing schools grants

Georgia lawmakers approved the funding for Gov. Nathan Deal’s school turnaround mandate.

House Bill 237 creates a $5 million annual tax credit for an “innovation” grant program that prioritizes schools on the target list for turnaround under The First Priority Act. That’s the bill lawmakers sent to the governor Tuesday to allow the state to intervene in the lowest-performing schools.

HB 237, by Rep. Brooks Coleman, R-Duluth, chairman of the House Education Committee, was originally designed to generate more money, but the Senate cut it to $5 million a year for three years. 

The tax credit would work like the tax credit for student scholarships.

The Senate’s 39-8 vote sent the bill to the House, which agreed to the change on a 154-1 vote.