Private-school vouchers back before General Assembly

ATLANTA – Republicans in the General Assembly Wednesday revived a private-school vouchers bill that failed on the final days of last year’s legislative session. The House Education Committee passed Senate Bill 233, which would provide vouchers of up to $6,500 to let students attending low-performing public schools. Gov. Brian Kemp endorsed the legislation during his State of the State address to the General Assembly in January, and House Speaker Jon Burns urged committee members at the beginning of Wednesday’s meeting to approve it. “We will not let our children continue to be trapped in failing schools,” said Burns, R-Newington. The state Senate’s Republican majority passed the vouchers bill last year during the waning weeks of the legislative session, voting along party lines. But the measure fell short in the House when 16 Republicans joined Democrats opposed to diverting funds from public schools in voting against it. Burns said those GOP opponents have provided feedback since last year that has led to changes to improve the bill. For one thing, only parents earning 400% or less of the federal poverty limit would qualify for private-school vouchers for their children, said House Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones, R-Milton. Currently, that amounts to...