Study: Georgia Scholarship Law ‘Failed Experiment’

ATLANTA (AP) – An education nonprofit says Georgia’s law giving
tax breaks to people who donate to nonprofits designed to pay for
poor children to attend private schools is a “failed experiment.”

The Southern Education Foundation’s study released Tuesday shows
that the law lacks transparency, which has created multiple
violations. The study shows that some students benefiting from the
scholarships never actually attended public schools and some of
those students are attending private schools that don’t meet the
law’s accreditation requirements.

Georgia residents can get up to $2,500 in tax breaks annually
for donating to one of the organizations. The study shows that
$72.1 million in breaks have been handed out so far.

Supporters of the program say the money given to the students is
private donations and shouldn’t be subject to the same transparency
as state dollars.