MACON, Ga. — The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act made it across the crossover deadline.
Supporters say the bill would give parents more options for their child's education.
Senate Bill 233 gives a $6,000 voucher to parents of students who enroll in a private school that accepts scholarships. The money doesn't just have to be used for tuition though, it can be used for tutoring fees, therapy services, and transportation to school.
Opponents like the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE) say this will cost more than $180 million over 5 years.
Principal Matt Kitchell at First Presbyterian Day School says this is a parent's choice.
"They're looking for people who they can send their kids to school, that are going to share their same values, their same ideas, their same passion for their own kids. So, anytime you have more options, I would say that's a good thing," Kitchell said.
In order to get the $6,000 voucher, your child needs to meet the requirements to get into the private school of your choosing. There is no limit to how many students can get the voucher. You must be a public school parent enrolling your child into a private school.
How would this affect public schools? PAGE says it would take away funding from public schools. The Georgia Budget and Policy Institute says the state has underfunded public schools for the last 20 years. They would need about $1 billion annually to keep up.
Since private schools are privately owned, they don't receive local, state, or federal funding. Kitchell says education bills like these are handled differently for private schools.
"We have to be able to articulate our values to our families and there's a need and there's a desire for it. Really a school choice bill isn't going to impact what we do so much," Kitchell said.
With a school of around 800 kids ranging from 3-K to 12th grade. The private school can choose how and what to teach versus public schools that follow state guidelines.
Kitchell says a private school has its benefits.
"Private schools can offer some different things. In terms of extracurricular activities, in terms of programming, and then in terms of smaller classrooms," Kitchell said.
The Georgia Student Finance Commission would be responsible for managing the program. The state already has two programs to help parents afford private school tuition. The Georgia Special Needs Scholarship and the Georgia Private School Tax Credit.