June 5, 2007

San Francisco — Legislators in Georgia are urging Sacramento to follow their lead and become the 15th state to adopt a scholarship program so parents can pick their children’s schools. Georgia became the 14th state to do so when Governor Sonny Perdue signed the statewide Special Needs Scholarship program into law on May 18. More than 4,000 students are expected to participate in the first year alone, using scholarships worth the state’s share of funding for special needs students, about $9,000.

Georgia Senate sponsor and President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) issued the following press statement to urge California legislators to follow suit:

"The educational system is there to serve the child. The child is not there to serve the educational system. So, whether you live in Georgia or California, the question is who can make the best educational choice for our children. Is it their parents or is it the government? Georgia came down on the side of parents. California should, too."

The Pacific Research Institute (PRI) applauds Senator Johnson’s advice. “There is undeniable national momentum in favor of parental choice in education,” said Lance T. Izumi, director of Education Studies at PRI. “Compared to the educational options available to parents in a growing number of states, California parents are at a distinct disadvantage. How much longer must parents and students here tolerate a growing educational opportunity gap?”

“Adoption of the Special Needs Scholarship program is a victory for Georgia special needs children and their parents,” said Dr. Vicki Murray, PRI senior policy fellow in Education Studies. “No longer will parents have to jump through endless regulatory hoops or hire lawyers and go to court to sue for a quality education for their children.”

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About PRI
For 28 years, the Pacific Research Institute (PRI) has championed freedom, opportunity, and individual responsibility through free-market policy solutions. PRI is a non-profit, non-partisan organization.