A Georgia state representative has called for the repeal of the state’s “Georgia Promise Scholarship” voucher program, arguing that it diverts public funds away from schools that need them most.
The lawmaker, who has served as a U.S. Army colonel, state senator, mayor of Milledgeville, business owner and currently as a member of the Georgia General Assembly, introduced House Bill 436 to overturn the voucher legislation.
“Vouchers drain critical resources from public schools. Georgia ranks 35th in per-pupil spending. Many of our rural and urban schools already operate on thin budgets. When students leave with a voucher, the local school loses funding but still must pay for buses, teacher salaries and special education programs,” he said.
He also raised concerns about accountability in private schools that receive vouchers: “Private schools that receive vouchers don’t play by the same rules. They can refuse students based on disability, income or other factors, and they aren’t required to follow state curriculum or testing standards. Georgia taxpayers shouldn’t fund schools that can legally exclude Georgia children.”
According to him, evidence from other states shows negative outcomes: “The evidence is clear: statewide voucher programs in other states have produced some of the largest academic declines on record. And in Georgia, the program’s eligibility expansion from 22,000 to over 400,000 students is a budget disaster waiting to happen.”
He concluded by urging lawmakers to focus on strengthening public education: “Leaders should solve problems, not create them. This voucher law creates more problems than it solves by draining resources, deepening inequities and weakening public trust in our schools.”
“It’s time to repeal the voucher law and reinvest in what works: smaller class sizes, better teacher pay, stronger reading programs and modern learning tools. Public education must mean all children, every child, in every community.”
Burns has been serving as a Republican representative for Georgia’s 159th House District since his election in 2005; he succeeded Ray Holland (https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/government-politics/jon-g-burns-b-1952/).
