NEWS & OPINIONS
GCO launches anti-poverty policy site as part of Alliance for Opportunity project
Alliance for Opportunity announces new policy roadmap to reduce poverty The Georgia Center for Opportunity launched a resource that provides key policy recommendations for reducing the number of people in poverty as part of their newly formed Alliance for Opportunity...
GCO’s Take: The House Bill 999 “Georgia Educational Freedom Act”
GCO's Take: The House Bill 999 "Georgia Educational Freedom Act" The Georgia Center For Opportunity applauds the introduction of House Bill 999, the Georgia Educational Freedom Act. The legislation would create new Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) funded by the...
State Unemployment December 2021 Statistics
Today, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced state unemployment numbers from December 2021. The results put Georgia as 6th best in the nation for jobs recovered since the beginning of the pandemic. Utah, Idaho, Texas, and Arizona lead the pack, with Utah the...
School choice story: How Hudson’s life was transformed in a matter of months
Hudson's Story Hudson is the third born in a family of five boys. His mom, Kristen, shared that both she and her husband went to public schools and they support the local system. “We've always just said that we would send our kids to public school as long as there...
National School Choice Week
The Georgia Center For Opportunity is proud to acknowledge Jan. 23-29 as National School Choice Week in Georgia. More than 1,000 events are planned across the state to celebrate the blessing of educational options regardless of a family's income, zip code, or race....
Gov. Kemp Announces GEER II Funding to Support Education
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has announced that $4.1 million in new federal GEERs funding will be allocated to "the creation and replication of 10 new, high-quality charter schools in underserved communities. The funds will be utilized for start-up costs, networking...
Georgia’s K-12 students fell months behind during remote learning. We need solutions now.
Georgia’s K-12 students fell months behind during remote learning. We need solutions now. Why it Matters: Students in Georgia are 4-6 months behind in learning Leaders have funding to support students and close the learning gap Parents voices need to be heard ...
Could inflation be a persistent problem for the foreseeable future?
The CPI is up over 7% over last 12 months Today, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that in December the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.5% on a seasonally adjusted basis. The CPI is up 7% over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. That is the...
State can give parents options and support traditional public schools
Educational choice is saving the state money An updated analysis from EdChoice finds that Georgia's two educational choice programs—the Special Needs Scholarship Program and the Qualified Education Expense Tax credit—have saved Georgia taxpayers between $605 and...
Training Success at Open Door Community House
A focus on the contributions of the African American family BETTER WORK Columbus delivers Marketing Yourself training to clients of our non-profit partners upon request. This training gives students insight into the perspective of an employer and what matters to them...
My HOPE for individuals and families in 2022
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." — Margaret Mead As we reflect on 2021 and think about what we want for the new year ahead, I thought that it would be beneficial...
Finding Focus and Direction with Better Work
Finding Skilled and Teachable Talent BETTER WORK is helping our neighbors find better work opportunities in Columbus. We care about facilitating life transformation and not only an initial job connection. We want local families to thrive, become self-sufficient, and...
MEDIA MENTIONS
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Appreciating Republican response to COVID | Independent Advocate
All Iowans can appreciate the work done by the Republican government in the recovery from the pandemic. As long ago as last September, Iowa had the third quickest rate of recovery from Covid-19 in the United States. Last month, the Georgia Center for Opportunity...
New Research: School Students Lag Behind in Literacy Almost Two Years Into the COVID-19 Pandemic
New research brief shows that elementary school students lag behind in literacy almost two years into the COVID-19 pandemic The mid-school-year assessment concluded that students in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade are the furthest behind compared to their...
Lockdowns Were a Failure. What We Do Next Doesn’t Have To Be | Real Clear Policy
There is new proof government-imposed shutdowns prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic have done more harm than good. A better choice would have been to keep the economy open so people stay connected to work and targeting resources to vulnerable populations. A new...
Media blasted for ignoring study on harmful government lockdowns | The Johnston County Report
A new meta-analysis from Johns Hopkins University shows that government-mandated lockdowns in America and Europe during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic only reduced the death rate by 0.2%, on average. Researchers concluded that lockdowns “have had little to no...
An Opportunity Roadmap For Poverty Relief | The Georgia Virtue
The South is the fastest growing region in the country. The pull of our warm winters, friendly people, and low cost of living has drawn millions over the last few years. However, an old foe that we have attempted to fight for decades continues to afflict our people....
Media blasted for ignoring study on harmful government lockdowns | Carolina Journal
A new meta-analysis from Johns Hopkins University shows that government-mandated lockdowns in America and Europe during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic only reduced the death rate by 0.2%, on average. Researchers concluded that lockdowns “have had little to no...
Perspective: The surprisingly simple ways to incentivize marriage
Some parents don’t wed because they fear losing government benefits. Governors in states like Utah and Virginia could solve this problem Originally posted on Deseret News “I chose not to marry,” Tiana said. “For one, I get a lot of assistance. I have a disabled child....
GCO honored to be listed on Atlas Network’s top 10 to watch in 2022
The Georgia Center for Opportunity team is honored to be named as one of the Atlas Network’s top 10 nonprofit partners to watch in 2022. Atlas acknowledges GCO as an organization working “to make the world a better place for countless everyday people.” Atlas’...
