NEWS & OPINIONS
Choosing Between Family or Welfare Benefits
We know that to avoid poverty, it is essential to get a high school diploma, maintain a steady job, and marry before having children (see research from the Brookings Institution and Harvard University on these points). Not only are they key to avoiding poverty, upward...
Disappearing Act: How an Entire Class is Fading From America
While lower, middle and upperclass can be defined in various ways, a State of the States report, defined lower class as those who did not complete high school; middle class (or moderately-educated, as referred to in the report) as those who graduated high school but...
National Marriage Week – Celebrating the Indispensable Institution
National Marriage Week will be celebrated next week, just in time for Valentine's Day. The celebration is now in its eighth year and seeks to foster collaboration around the country to "strengthen individual marriages, reduce the divorce rate, and build a culture that...
Trending Today USA with Rusty Humphries: GCO’s Jamie Lord Discusses School Choice
GCO's Director of Government Affairs discusses school choice in Georgia with Rusty Humphries, host of Trending Today USA. For more information visit Georgia Parents Alliance or learn more through the GCO website.
New Report From Mississippi Finds High Levels of Satisfaction for ESA Families
Research evidence loves company. Consistent findings from different populations mean the results are less likely to be an accident and more likely to demonstrate a trend. A new report from Mississippi finds that parents using education savings accounts report high...
Private School Scholarships Save Money for Georgia Taxpayers
New research from EdChoice finds that Georgia’s scholarships for K-12 private school students have saved the state between $12 million and $85 million since 2011. Nearly two-dozen states have similar tax credit scholarship programs that allow individuals or businesses...
Be Careful What You Ask For
In 1952, Patrick Skene Catling wrote The Chocolate Touch, a retelling of the King Midas fable that reminds us we can have too much of a good thing. In Catling’s story, the main character finds that everything he eats turns to chocolate (with King Midas, everything he...
When Giving a Helping Hand Hurts – Part 2
Computational model exposes severe problems with the welfare system Previously, it was shown how a single mom with two kids in Gwinnett County could lose welfare program benefits by earning more money. This explained why $9 + $1 can equal negative $6,000. The Gwinnett...
When Giving a Helping Hand Hurts – Part 1
Computational model exposes severe problems with the welfare system Pop quiz: When does $9 + $1 equal –$6,000? This may look like new math, but it is not. This seemingly nonsensical equation illustrates the challenges faced by families who receive assistance from...
A Marriage Problem In Norcross and Peachtree Corners
A new report released by The Institute for Family Studies finds that 69 percent of 18-45 year olds in Peachtree Corners and Norcross think single parents can raise children just as well as two parents. Furthermore, 63 percent approve of divorce when married people...
Amid Shootings and Violent Protests, Georgians Consider Solutions
Something happened in College Park Wednesday night that hasn’t really garnered much attention but should be front-page news. Thanks to the College Republicans at Morehouse College, I was able to participate in a panel* focused on how to constructively respond to...
Criminal Justice Reforms: Increasing Access to Work
On April 27th, Governor Deal signed into law the most recent round of criminal justice reforms in Georgia. Senate Bill 367 enacts many of the recommendations of the state's Council on Criminal Justice Reform. Among the reforms are a number that will improve the...
MEDIA MENTIONS
C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Great War
The John Jay Institute and Georgia Center for Opportunity co-hosted a lecture held at Whitefield Academy in Mableton, GA, last Thursday titled "C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Great War." The lecture was given by Dr. Joseph Loconte, an Associate Professor of...
From Welfare to Opportunity
Georgia Center for Opportunity's President Randy Hicks and the Heritage Foundation's Jennifer Marshall discuss the issues of poverty and family fragmentation, as well as potential local and state solutions to combat these issues during a special luncheon hosted by GCO...
New Matching Gift Challenge
We’re excited to announce that a few generous donors teamed with our board of directors to create a pool of $80,000 in matching funds. With this in effect, every donation given to GCO up to that amount or until June 30th will be instantly matched, dollar-for-dollar....
New GCO Report: Fortifying Pathways
While education plays a tremendous role in shaping individual life outcomes, the number of students in Georgia who do not advance beyond K-12 remains astronomically high. Over 1 in 5 young adults in Georgia are not attending school, not working, and have no degree...
Mom and Apple Pie, Meet School Choice
With Congress returning to work this week and the Georgia General Assembly doing so on Monday, many voters are watching to see what issues are tackled (or not) in the coming months. A new poll released this week suggests Georgia lawmakers ought to carefully consider...
GCO’s 2014 Annual Report
Georgia Center for Opportunity’s recently released annual report shows the impact that is being made in the lives of Georgians, thanks to the generous support of GCO's donors. Over the past year, GCO has successfully advocated for prisoner reentry reforms which were...
Your Gift has Real Life Impact
With your support, we have been working hard to make Georgia a state where ALL have a real chance to prosper. In recent months GCO has: • advocated for ideas and policies that will expand access to quality education, particularly for those for whom such access is...
New GCO Report: A High Price to Pay
GCO's latest report provides solutions that aim to minimize the role debt has in driving recidivism rates. Offenders often leave prison owing tens of thousands of dollars in debt, creating serious obstacles to a successful reentry. The state expects returning...
