NEWS & OPINIONS
Why educational opportunity is good for rural areas, too
This year, the Georgia Legislature is poised to once again consider creating Education Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) for families statewide. These scholarships would allocate funds to allow parents to choose the best educational option for their child’s unique needs.
A Georgia Center for Opportunity agenda for 2023
We’re excited about everything we were able to accomplish with your support in 2022. But our focus is also forward, and our team is excited to expand our growth and reach into Georgia communities and beyond in 2023.
Why are so many families switching schools?
One-in-five families switched the school their child attended during the pandemic. The Harris Poll found that 89% of parents whose children have switched school types report that they or their child experienced a positive change as a result of the switch.
Holiday cheer, from our GCO family to yours!
To spread some holiday cheer, we put together a short, fun video of the Georgia Center for Opportunity staff sharing a little more about what makes the season so special.
A look back at everything we accomplished together in 2022
As 2022 comes to a close, let’s take a moment to share some of the many accomplishments the Georgia Center for Opportunity achieved with your help this year. Each of these wins contributes to our enduring legacy of helping fellow Georgians live a better life through the power of work, education, and family.
What will 2023 hold for educational opportunity in Georgia?
That’s because a new lineup of leadership in the Georgia Legislature increases the likelihood that our state will soon see new and innovative ways for parents to access the right and best educational option for their child.
Q&A with Amber Gorman at BETTER WORK Columbus
Amber Gorman joined the BETTER WORK Columbus team in October, 2022 as a program specialist. We recently had a chance to sit down with her and hear more about her background and what brought her to BETTER WORK.
Wishing you an abundant Thanksgiving
But one thing stands out to me when thinking about the stories of the men and women we serve everyday here at the Georgia Center for Opportunity — and that’s being thankful for a second chance.
Q&A with North Georgia Works
In this interview, we sat down with Michael Giddens, executive director of North Georgia Works, to hear more about his organization, the good work being done in the community, and how GCO is helping to advance their mission.
The midterm election is over (sort of). What’s next?
While who holds the reins of power in Washington and Atlanta does matter, ultimately it’s in local communities where the true change happens that leads to human flourishing.
Nearly half a million Georgians have given up on work
A new analysis from the Georgia Center for Opportunity shows that around 454,100 Georgians are missing from the labor force. This figure comes even as pundits celebrate a statewide and national unemployment rate that remains at historic lows.
Key Policy Takeaways from 30 years of Child Poverty Decline
Childhood poverty leads to worse educational attainment, worse future labor market outcomes, worse mental and physical health and development, and increased risk of engaging in delinquent behavior.
MEDIA MENTIONS
Homicides Are on the Decline—Except Where Progressives Reign Supreme | Opinion
The Council on Criminal Justice has released their mid-year crime report for 2023. It shows two major things: Homicides appear to be declining nationally, but the trends in individual cities are vastly different. In the first six months of 2023, homicides were down 9...
Alstott ’25 | Georgia Center for Opportunity
This summer, I had a tremendous opportunity to intern for Georgia Center for Opportunity. Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO) is an independent, non-partisan policy research and solution delivery organization. GCO researches and develops solutions that address...
Opinion: Georgia needs to widen schooling choices in 2024
By Buzz Brockway The year is only half over, but 2023 has already been a banner year for the expansion of educational opportunity for students in other states across America. Georgia was so close to being one of them, but we fell short. More on that later. Seven...
Josh Crawford is a guest on “Business, Politics and Lifestyles” with Gary Goldman
Josh Crawford joins Gary Goldman on WCRN's "Business, Politics and Lifestyles." Josh talks with Gary about the increase in crime rates, the need for more law enforcement, and the common sense approach to reducing crime in cities across America. Listen to...
Josh Crawford, Conservative Criminal Policy Solutions | The Steve Gruber Show
Josh Crawford is a policy leader for Public Safety Solutions for America and the Director of Criminal Justice Initiatives with the Georgia Center for Opportunity where he leads their public safety and re-entry work. Listen to the podcast here
Legislation to improve the expungement process in Kentucky heard in committee
The Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary heard testimony Thursday on legislation that would help automate the expungement process for eligible Kentuckians as they have reentered society. During the testimony, Representative Kim Moser said that this legislation would...
Violent crime is up. We need a smart plan to keep our country safe.
Josh Crawford is a policy leader for Public Safety Solutions for America and the Director of Criminal Justice Initiatives with the Georgia Center for Opportunity where he leads their public safety and re-entry work. Listen to the discussion as Josh shares his...
Democratic representative’s move could prompt school choice passage in Georgia
Could a state lawmaker’s jump from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party lead to the passage of school choice in Georgia? Rep. Mesha Mainor of Atlanta announced her intention Tuesday to switch to the Republican Party, drawing expected responses from her new and...
