If you ask many engaged couples what’s worrying them before the big day, you’ll probably hear about things like catering budgets, guest lists, or finding the right dress.

But for thousands of working-class people in Ģ����Ƶ and across the country, something else is causing their wedding anxiety: the financial benefits they might lose.

Because of rules in our tax system, walking down the aisle can sometimes lead to what’s called a “marriage penalty.” Instead of helping couples build a stable foundation, current policies often force a heartbreaking choice: commit to each other legally, or make ends meet.

The Cost of Combining Incomes

The is one of our country’s largest anti-poverty initiatives. The credit increases with every dollar workers make, up to a point, and then phases out as a household earns more.

But the EITC can also be a hidden poverty trap. When low-income people get married, the tax system unintentionally penalizes them for doing exactly what they should to escape poverty: working hard, combining resources, and building a stable home. 

Imagine two parents who want to marry each other. The woman makes $18,000 per year, and the man makes $30,000 per year.

As a single head of household tax filer with two kids, the woman qualifies for a much-needed $7,200 tax credit.

Her partner files single and doesn’t qualify for the EITC.

Together, unmarried, they use the $7,200 credit the woman gets at tax time to pay debts or cover expenses.

But if they marry, the tax system starts phasing out their credit based on their new $48,000 joint income, and it instantly drops to about $3,770.

The new spouses lose $3,430 overnight—almost a full month’s income—just because they made their relationship official. 

For some, this can be too much of a loss to risk.

The Life-Changing Power of Marriage and Family Stability

Marriage can lead to more happiness and satisfaction for couples—two incomes to cover the bills, a partner who shares the responsibilities, and the sense of well-being that comes from experiencing life with someone you love.

And kids who grow up in stable, two-parent homes are more likely to thrive in school, have better physical and mental health, and break cycles of generational poverty. 

But many low-income families aren’t getting to experience these benefits, and policies that discourage marriage—like the ones involving the EITC—are part of the reason why. 

Statistics confirm a decrease in marriages but also their importance for families.

• Just 50% of American adults are currently married, down from 69% in 1970. The number is even lower for people with less education and those who don’t identify as White.
• 63% of children live with two married parents. Again, that number drops for less-educated and non-White Americans.
• When married parents are compared to single parents with the same level of education, the poverty rate for a married person is 75% lower.
• Children raised by married parents are 82% less likely to live in poverty.

When it comes to Ģ����Ƶ:

• 54% of women and 49% of men are unmarried.
• 38% of children live in single-parent families.
• 18% of children (461,000 kids) live in poverty—the fifth highest number in the country.
• The state ranks 39th in the nation for overall child and family well-being.

Big cultural shifts have changed how many people think about marriage—and this plays a role in decisions not to marry. But the data shows that a stable, two-parent home still provides families with more financial security and opportunities for upward mobility. It’s also one of the most powerful solutions for lifting children out of poverty.

A Less Risky Path to “I Do”

A new study from the Ģ����Ƶ Center for Opportunity offers recommendations to make the EITC work better for low-income families. In particular, the federal government could adjust the maximum benefits and the eligibility limit for married couples. This would let new spouses combine their earnings without triggering an automatic loss of some or all of the credit. It would also remove a big barrier to building strong relationships and stable households.

Reforming the EITC won’t solve every challenge facing working-class families. But by restructuring the credit to reward partnership instead of penalizing it, the government can make sure that saying “I do” really is a celebration—a step toward a brighter future and a better quality of life for everyone in the family.

FAQs Ģ����Ƶ the EITC

Additional Resources

The post When a Love Story Meets the Tax Code appeared first on For Opportunity.

The Ģ����Ƶ Center for Opportunity (GCO) is honored to welcome Travis Thorne as the Vice President of Family. Travis will lead GCO’s Family Initiative and shape the future vision of its flagship program, Raising Highly Capable Kids (RHCK), which is an in-person, 10-week program designed to equip parents and caregivers with practical tools, honest conversations, and confidence to raise healthy, responsible, and caring kids.

Travis brings more than 20 years of experience in leadership, relationship management, and strategic problem-solving. Alongside his corporate career, he has spent many years serving in ministry, leading family and men’s small groups focused on strengthening households through practical guidance around money, marriage, and legacy. A Ģ����Ƶ native who grew up in Jonesboro, Travis combines professional expertise with a deep personal commitment to families across the state.

Travis was drawn to GCO because of its holistic approach to poverty and opportunity. “At GCO, we understand that poverty, especially generational poverty, is about more than income,” Travis shared. “It’s often about fractured relationships and a loss of hope. Strong families are where a sense of purpose, belonging, and connection begins.” That belief closely aligns with GCO’s mission to advance solutions that expand opportunity and help Ģ����Ƶ families build durable paths out of poverty.

GCO selected Travis to lead the Family Initiative because of his unique ability to bridge strategy and relationships. His experience building trusted partnerships in high-performance environments, combined with years of hands-on ministry and family engagement, positions him to lead family-centered work that is both relational and scalable.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Travis to our team to lead our work in strengthening families,” said Eric Cochling, GCO’s Chief Program Officer and General Counsel. “Travis brings a unique mix of professional experience, drive, and a passion for this work that I am confident will take our family-focused initiatives to the next level and allow us to have a much deeper impact in the communities we serve.”

In his role, Travis will focus on empowering parents as the primary leaders in their children’s lives and strengthening parent-child relationships to drive generational change. This includes enhancing and expanding RHCK. Unlike many parenting programs that focus only on parents, RHCK brings families together in cohorts that build social relationships, trust, and connection, especially in communities connected to Title I schools, which serve high numbers of low-income households.

Looking ahead, Travis envisions RHCK growing through strong partnerships with faith-based organizations, schools, and community leaders. “We listen, we learn, and we build alongside families,” he said. His vision is to see RHCK become a trusted, community-anchored model that meets families where they are and creates a lasting impact across generations.

With Travis’s leadership, GCO is excited to expand the reach and success of its Family Initiative.

Hear from Travis on the vision behind GCO’s Family Initiative:

The post Strengthening Families for Generational Change: GCO Welcomes Travis Thorne to the Team appeared first on For Opportunity.

Americans are taking notice. For the in a row, respondents are reporting crime as a less serious problem. Less than half of Americans think crime is now rising.

All of this should be welcome news. And like most policy successes, where you sit politically likely informs what you believe about why it happened. Also like most policy achievements, there is disagreement at this point exactly what has contributed to the decline.

Yes, the administration did spend of dollars on “community violence intervention” programs. Police departments spent much more than that new officers. States passed laws for violent offenders. Voters in big cities also began to , and police departments all over began to implement best practices focused on and

What no one is claiming, however, is that the recent decline in murder and violence is the result of dramatic improvements in poverty, education, inequality, racial prejudice or any other so-called “root cause” of crime.

For the uninitiated, “root causes” refers to the set of social conditions that many far-left politicians, progressive activists, and sociology and criminology professors argue are the true drivers of criminal behavior. These argue that reducing crime would first require addressing issues such as poverty, inequality, and housing. They consider policing, prosecution, punishment, and incapacitation as stop-gap measures at best. Some will even argue that these actually contribute to crime by worsening social and economic problems.

By focusing on underlying social conditions rather than individual decision-making and free will, progressives try to divert focus away from individual accountability toward society more broadly. But as crime has dropped in recent years, the social conditions said to produce crime have been unchanged or gotten worse.

On the economic front — and contrary to popular belief — inequality has remained largely unchanged in . A of poverty that accounts for government benefits and taxes shows that poverty has increased in recent years among working-age adults and children. (The rate is down for seniors, but that isn’t a group frequently committing violent or serious crime.)

Joshua Crawford is a public safety fellow with the Ģ����Ƶ Center for Opportunity.

The post Crime Is Down, and It Should End ‘Root Cause’ Excuse-Making for Good appeared first on For Opportunity.

Key Points

• The Ģ����Ƶ Center for Opportunity and Connect to Work GA have entered into a valuable partnership that will link job seekers with rewarding jobs in the Atlanta area.
• The Ģ����Ƶ Center for Opportunity’s BETTER WORK program will prepare clients for work, and Connect to Work GA will then introduce them to employers.��
• This collaboration will help lift job seekers above the poverty line by providing opportunities for successful careers and upward mobility.

The Ģ����Ƶ Center for Opportunity (GCO) entered into a dynamic partnership with in October 2025. Together, the organizations will link participants in with rewarding jobs in the Atlanta area.��

Eric Cochling, GCO’s Chief Program Officer and General Counsel, shared that “GCO is thrilled to partner with Connect to Work GA because it gives our BETTER WORK clients access to the powerful business network of the Metro Atlanta Chamber and the expertise of the Connect to Work team.”

Work is a gateway to a better future, and this collaboration will create a clearer path out of poverty and toward opportunity for many job seekers across Ģ����Ƶ.

Connecting Ģ����Ƶns to work and upward mobility

GCO’s BETTER WORK program joins forces with employers and local organizations in Gwinnett County and in the city of Columbus. Through these strong partnerships, GCO connects people with training and support services that can help them find meaningful work.

Connect to Work GA was launched by the in February 2025, with support from the . The Foundation focuses on increasing access to career pathways for Ģ����Ƶns—and particularly for young people—so they can grow and thrive.��

In the spirit of the Foundation’s mission, the Chamber strives to advance economic growth around Atlanta, and Connect to Work GA contributes to that goal by bridging the gap between pre-qualified job candidates and employers who want to build their teams.

In the new relationship between GCO and Connect to Work GA, GCO’s BETTER WORK program will prepare clients for work by providing them with resume support, interview coaching, and job readiness training. Connect to Work GA will then link those individuals with employers by matching their skills with staffing needs.��

GCO will be a preferred provider of job candidates from Gwinnett County, giving GCO’s BETTER WORK clients a promising opportunity to find rewarding jobs with Metro Atlanta Chamber member companies.

Collaborating to build hope and vibrant communities through work

GCO and Connect to Work GA share the goal of making sure that every Ģ����Ƶn has the chance to experience the sense of dignity, purpose, and potential that comes from a meaningful job and upward mobility. They also aim to help communities across the state benefit from more successful businesses and vibrant local economies.

Together, the organizations will remove barriers to work and open doors to opportunity. In doing so, they will inspire hope and turn poverty into flourishing for many more Ģ����Ƶns, their families, and their communities.

The post Creating Links That Change Lives: Ģ����Ƶ Center for Opportunity Partners with Connect to Work GA appeared first on For Opportunity.

But none have mentioned a priority that is not only connected to those issues but has a significant impact on the well-being of millions of Ģ����Ƶ families — welfare reform. And with new federal work requirements set to take effect, policymakers will no longer be able to overlook Ģ����Ƶ’s public assistance programs.

With more than struggling to make ends meet, reforms to the safety net should be a top priority for Ģ����Ƶ’s next leader.

These low-income residents turn to Ģ����Ƶ’s safety net programs for help, including Medicaid for health insurance, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for food support and Section 8 for housing assistance.

System fails to move people out of poverty

Both Republicans and Democrats agree these programs are a critical support system for disadvantaged communities.

But disagreement tends to emerge over whether welfare truly serves these people — helping them move from reliance on public assistance to independence and a more fulfilling life.

On that measure, — and its shortfall should capture the attention of Ģ����Ƶ’s next governor.

Not only does Ģ����Ƶ’s welfare system — like nearly all states’ — fail at its stated goal of moving people out of poverty, but it also compels recipients to stay dependent, keeping them in a cycle of poverty that so often defines generations of low-income Americans.

Welfare discourages recipients from getting married before having children and from working — troubling given those factors align with two of the three indicators in the , a series of life milestones that research has shown are the keys to happier lives, stable families and upward mobility (the other factor is obtaining a high school degree).

Ģ����Ƶ’s next governor would do well to recognize that the implications of this flawed system extend beyond just welfare recipients. It has a significant impact on the state’s budget and economy.

Low labor participation rate is a warning

Social safety net programs, particularly Medicaid, are often the biggest expenses in a state’s budget. While the federal government partially funds welfare programs, the states are responsible for a significant share of the costs and are responsible for managing the system. With these high costs, policymakers should assess whether the billions spent on welfare is moving people out of poverty or keeping them on the economic sidelines.

And then there’s the direct impact on Ģ����Ƶ’s workforce. Ģ����Ƶ’s labor force participation rate, or the number of working-age people employed or looking for a job, is . Or put another way, nearly 40% of Ģ����Ƶns, many of them prime-age men, who can work are choosing not to.

A low labor force participation rate is a warning sign for the state’s economic health. Every nondisabled Ģ����Ƶn who opts out of work isn’t just losing income — our state loses tax revenue, businesses lose workers and communities lose engaged citizens who are the foundation of thriving neighborhoods.

Ģ����Ƶ’s next governor should ask, then, why the state’s welfare programs fail to connect beneficiaries to resources they need to help them find a stable job. Unemployment is one of the primary reasons individuals seek assistance in the first place.

And yet when someone in Ģ����Ƶ turns to the welfare system for support, they are not connected to work. Workforce development programs exist, but they oddly operate separately than the social safety net.

Follow other states in integrating workforce aims with welfare

Fortunately, policymakers in Ģ����Ƶ have a road map to turn to called “” which integrates workforce development with welfare. Under this policy, people who access the safety net for help are connected to one caseworker who not only helps them meet their immediate needs but connects them with resources to find a job. Utah passed this reform in the 1990s and now boasts the lowest numbers of people on Medicaid and food stamps — along with consistently low unemployment rates.

Louisiana passed One Door legislation in June. Mississippi created a task force to explore the reform. And Arkansas also recently approved an audit of its workforce and safety net programs to identify needed changes. Ģ����Ƶ should follow the lead of its southern neighbors to the West.

Welfare reform isn’t a second-tier issue. It’s central to sustaining Ģ����Ƶ’s current trajectory as a leader in economic opportunity. Ģ����Ƶ’s One Door gives the next governor a way to strengthen families, expand the workforce and set the state on a path to growth.

Buzz Brockway is the vice president of public policy at the Ģ����Ƶ Center for Opportunity.

The post Ģ����Ƶ Candidates for Governor Should Make Welfare Reform a Top Priority appeared first on For Opportunity.

Crime, social and family instability, lack of quality education, and disengagement from work have all contributed to the sense that better futures are slipping out of reach for everyday Americans.

As these challenges persist, leaders and communities are taking notice of how typical government interventions fall short of meeting communities’ long-term needs. 

Ģ����Ƶ and many other states have incredible opportunities in 2025 to pursue better solutions that tear down social and economic barriers. Looking to the year ahead, here are a few key opportunities for supporting vibrant communities and flourishing lives in Ģ����Ƶ and beyond.

Elected leaders are looking more closely at barriers to work in the welfare system��

With the incoming presidential administration, there’s renewed interest in improving government efficiency. GCO has recommended that addressing the barriers to work in our safety net would be one of the best places to start. 

Congress began considering major safety net reforms in 2024 but ran out of time to pass any meaningful policy changes before the end of the year. In 2025, incoming officials have a fresh opportunity to pursue One Door reforms that would allow states to streamline their safety net and work programs. With these reforms, states could reduce systemic barriers that discourage individuals from growing careers and families. 

GCO and several of our partner organizations are continuing to educate federal lawmakers on how work-focused reforms can support social and economic mobility for safety net recipients. 

But states don’t have to wait solely on federal action to start improving their welfare programs. In 2025, GCO is working alongside several states to help them pursue safety net audits. This process is a first step to identifying inefficiencies and incentives that discourage people from work. It also helps states see where recipients face benefits cliffs—the sudden and often unexpected loss of assistance that occurs with slight increases in wages and leaves recipients financially worse off despite earning more.

In Louisiana, for example, the collaborative efforts of GCO and our partners in identifying ways to enhance their social safety net system. Similarly, our initiatives have inspired lawmakers in Arkansas to push aimed at evaluating and strengthening the state’s workforce and social services infrastructure.

BETTER WORK is empowering community-based pathways to employment��

While we work to remove policy barriers to employment, our BETTER WORK program is harnessing the power of community to help Ģ����Ƶns connect to immediate job opportunities in their own neighborhoods. 

The program’s success in Gwinnett and Columbus counties has shown how employment not only provides income but also restores dignity and purpose. BETTER WORK is set to grow in Gwinnett and Columbus in 2025, and we have begun to collaborate with partners in additional communities that want to use our BETTER WORK model to build their own local efforts to support economic and social mobility. 

“Everyone wants to feel that their life matters to someone, that there’s a reason for their existence beyond just getting through each day. Work provides that sense of purpose. It offers us an opportunity to contribute to something bigger than ourselves, connecting us with others who share our values and goals. Through our work, we become part of a collective effort, united in a common purpose.”

— Kristin Barker, Vice President of Workforce Solutions at GCO

Families are getting a new education option with the Promise Scholarship��

The Promise Scholarship Program is launching this year, offering families in underperforming school districts the chance to access quality education. Families can use $6,500 scholarships to pursue alternative education options, unlocking opportunities for thousands of Ģ����Ƶ children.

Gov. Brian Kemp’s new budget includes full funding for the program. Once appropriated by the Ģ����Ƶ General Assembly, this funding could help an estimated 22,000 kids who meet the eligibility criteria. 

We’re also encouraging lawmakers to adopt better funding formulas to ensure Ģ����Ƶ’s public charter schools can access high-quality facilities. Charter schools have an essential role in addressing diverse educational needs, and improving their infrastructure will ensure more students can thrive.

“Adding Promise Scholarships to the menu of Ģ����Ƶ’s schooling options is a positive step toward an education system that honors every child’s unique situation and prevents a lack of quality education from limiting children’s futures. We look forward to working with the Governor and Legislature to see the program fully funded and implemented.”

— Buzz Brockway, Vice President of Policy for GCO

Legislative sessions hold opportunities for policymakers to strengthen public safety

Public safety is the first step to stability and prosperity in our communities. In the 2024 election, voters made it clear that they want elected leaders to take public safety seriously.

The 2025 legislative sessions offer elected officials the opportunity to focus on ensuring police departments are properly funded, sentences for violent offenders are sufficiently severe, and programming in prisons focuses on helping offenders become productive members of society upon release.

GCO is working with Ģ����Ƶ lawmakers to advance a crime reduction package based on our recommendations for restoring community safety in Atlanta. Our public safety expertise is also aiding leaders in Kentucky as they consider to improve data reporting and reduce recidivism in their criminal justice system. 

“In the 2024 election cycle, voters once again affirmed they want safe communities, less crime, and criminals held accountable. Though rates of certain violent crimes have fallen in recent years, it’s important to think about this decline as a response to positive policy change. Policymakers cannot take their eye off the ball now.”

— Josh Crawford, Director of Criminal Justice Initiatives

Communities are getting support to empower strong families

Empowering parents is at the core of our mission. The Raising Highly Capable Kids (RHCK) program equips parents with tools to nurture strong family connections, fostering children’s academic and personal success.

With expansion plans for 2025, we’re excited to bring this life-changing program to even more parents across Ģ����Ƶ, ensuring future generations thrive in stable and supportive environments.

“Empowering parents strengthens the bond between parent and child,” noted Joyce Mayberry, GCO’s Vice President of Family. “When parents feel confident and equipped, they can create a stable and nurturing home environment. This type of environment not only supports children’s well-being but also fosters academic success. Together, these efforts can transform the trajectory of a family’s future. Strong parenting within the home radiates outward, positively impacting neighborhoods, schools, and ultimately building stronger, more resilient communities.”

“When parents feel confident and equipped, they can create a stable and nurturing home environment. This type of environment not only supports children’s well-being but also fosters academic success. Strong parenting within the home radiates outward, positively impacting neighborhoods, schools, and ultimately building stronger, more resilient communities.”

— Joyce Mayberry, Vice President of Family

The post 5 Issues That Will Impact Opportunities and Hope for Ģ����Ƶns in 2025 appeared first on For Opportunity.

A recent Pew Research Center examined American attitudes about the attainability of the American dream. Overall, 53% of respondents believed the American dream was still possible. 

Responses were remarkably consistent across race and differed only slightly by party affiliation (56% for Republicans, 50% for Democrats). 

Age was the factor where more drastic differences of opinion started to emerge. The younger the cohort, the lower the percentage of respondents who felt the American dream was still possible. 

• Age 65+: 68% believed the American dream was still possible.��
• Age 50-64: 61% thought the American dream was still possible.��
• Age 30-49: 43% felt the American dream was still possible.��
• Age 18-29: Just 39% agreed the American dream was still possible.����

Among the youngest groups, a larger percentage—48% of 30 to 49-year-olds and 51% of 18 to 29-year-olds—thought the American dream was once possible but no longer was. 

The current attainability of the American dream is subject to, not fleshed out here. One factor that deserves more attention is the role of public safety in shaping communities where people have opportunities for a better life for themselves and future generations.  

Of all the barriers to opportunity, violence is one of the most vicious because it can single-handedly upend all the building blocks of a flourishing life—family stability, access to quality education, and work opportunities. And a disproportionate amount of this suffering is borne by our poorest and most vulnerable communities. 

The impact of crime on children

Future generations have a harder time getting ahead in life. 

It’s clear from the data that nearly half of children raised in the poorest households—the bottom 20% of incomes—end up in that bottom 20% as adults. A tremendous number of factors contribute to this cycle of poverty—from the flaws in government safety net programs to the to improving educational and.

Then there’s the link between poverty and crime. One of the most visceral and heartbreaking things that impacts a child’s upward mobility is growing up in a community with a high rate of violence.

According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, about 3.6 million kids in communities their parents deem to be “unsafe.”

The level of violent crime in a county the level of upward economic mobility among individuals raised in low-income families. Opportunities decline because high rates of violence reduce productivity among crime victims, depress economic activity, reduce home values, and drive out residents who can leave.��

According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, about 3.6 million kids live in communities their parents deem to be “unsafe.”

The impact of crime on local economies

Communities become economically unhealthy. 

A relationship between poverty and crime also manifests itself in the effects that violence has on employment. Several studies have demonstrated that direct victimization is associated with more unemployment and less productivity at work. 

• A study of violent trauma patients found a between victimization and unemployment.��
• Another study found that, following the homicide of a family member, employment 27% among surviving family members.��
• In a sample of parents whose children had been murdered, 50% of the parents perceived themselves as nonproductive at their jobs in the four months after the murder.

High rates of violent crime don’t just impact victims. Rising crime has been with business activity, resulting in downsizing and discouraging new businesses from entering the marketplace.

Neighborhoods then lose out on opportunities for jobs and affordable access to food, household items, and other essential goods and services. 

looked at the impact of gun violence on the economic health of neighborhoods in six cities: Baton Rouge, LA; Minneapolis, MN; Oakland, CA; Rochester, NY; San Francisco, CA; and Washington, DC. The findings were remarkably consistent. An increase in gun violence in a census tract reduced the growth rate of new retail and service establishments by 4% in Minneapolis, Oakland, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. 

In Minneapolis, each additional gun homicide in a census tract in a given year was associated with 80 fewer jobs the next year; in Oakland, a gun homicide was associated with 10 fewer jobs the next year. 

“Local and state governments must focus on reducing violent crime, not just as necessary to protect human life but also because doing so is a prerequisite to real economic opportunity in poor communities.”

Josh Crawford, GCO Director of Criminal Justice Initiatives

The impact of crime on neighborhoods

Communities stop becoming places that people want to call home.

Studies have also found that increases in gun violence hurt property values.

• In Minneapolis: Each additional gun homicide resulted in a in average home values in Minneapolis census tracts.
• In Oakland: Each additional gun homicide resulted in a in Oakland census tracts.
• In Los Angeles: found that increases in violent crime in a neighborhood in a given year yielded decreases in property values in that neighborhood the following year.��

And those who can leave communities with high rates of violence, do. One found that, for every homicide, 70 residents move out of a neighborhood.

Finally, increased violent crime often, justifiably, leads to more incarceration. But communities with higher rates of incarcerated parent-aged men weaker social institutions and are more unstable. 

To have vibrant communities and flourishing lives, public safety must take priority.

Improving economic conditions and opportunities for any community, but especially low-income neighborhoods, is incredibly difficult without first reducing violence.

One of the most recent examples is the great crime decline of the 1990s, which the most desperate neighborhoods and improved life among their residents. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. Decades of policy innovation, evaluation, and replication have taught us how to make communities safer and break the interconnected cycles of poverty and crime.

The most effective methods include:

• Focusing law enforcement efforts on criminal street gangs
• Punishing violent recidivists appropriately
• Reducing the presence of abandoned buildings in crime hot spots

People have a deep need to feel safe and secure in the places where they live, work, and go about their day-to-day lives. Providing a safe environment is government’s first responsibility to its people.

When it comes to public safety, making good policy choices changes lives—not only by reducing physical harm but also by transforming neighborhoods into places where the American Dream can still be found.

Visit our public safety resource page to learn more about policy solutions and see recommendations for specific cities. 

The post Poverty and Crime in America: What Can Happen in a Neighborhood When Violent Crime Goes Up appeared first on For Opportunity.

Education is an essential building block for a healthy, flourishing life. It has the power to break the cycle of poverty that can persist across generations.

When children from impoverished backgrounds receive a quality education, they’re more likely to escape poverty themselves and provide better opportunities for future generations. 

Good education goes hand-in-hand with many other positive outcomes—like better jobs, higher personal income, valuable relationships, better physical health, and a longer life. 

We all want these good things for children in our communities. Education savings accounts are one solution that Ģ����Ƶ can use to increase opportunity and prosperity for students who need it most.

What are education savings accounts?

, also called ESAs, give parents a portion of state education funding that they can use to tailor their child’s education if traditional public school isn’t a good fit.

ESA programs expand education opportunity by giving parents greater flexibility and freedom in education choices. Whether a family prefers homeschooling, private schooling, or other alternatives, ESAs let parents access the best type of education for their child’s unique needs and interests.

Get Started With Ģ����Ƶ’s ESA Program: The Ģ����Ƶ Promise Scholarship

Ģ����Ƶ is getting ready to launch Promise Scholarships in the fall of 2025. If you’re interested in enrolling your child, make sure you’re signed up to hear about next steps.

How do ESAs work?

To create education savings accounts programs, states must first pass a law. States then take a portion of what they would have spent on the student’s public school education and put it into a state-administered account.

Parents can use these funds for —tuition, tutoring, homeschooling curriculum, educational therapies, online programs, or even a combination of educational services. States require parents to complete an application process to switch to an ESA. 

What do families get from education savings accounts in Ģ����Ƶ?

• Flexibility: ESAs let parents customize their kid’s education.
• Financial Support: ESAs allow states to expand access to options that families may not be able to afford otherwise.��
• Empowerment: Parents can take charge of their child’s education journey with confidence.
• Diverse Options: Parents can explore various educational paths that suit their child’s needs and interests.

What is Ģ����Ƶ’s ESA program?

Created in 2024, Ģ����Ƶ’s ESA program is the Ģ����Ƶ Promise Scholarship. It provides state-funded scholarship accounts that give eligible families $6,500 per student for each school year.

The program will be available starting in the 2025-2026 school year, and it will be limited to students in the lowest-performing public schools.

Ģ����Ƶ’s Promise Scholarship Explained
Find out what the program is, how it works, and which students will be eligible. 

Who do education savings account help in Ģ����Ƶ?������

ESAs are for all kinds of students. Whether a child is struggling in school or has special learning needs, ESAs can help. Ģ����Ƶ’s ESA program, the Promise Scholarship, is specifically designed to help families who may not have the resources to access better opportunities. 

Students in Underperforming Schools

Thousands of Ģ����Ƶ kids are stuck in public schools that have received a failing grade from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. To help these kids in particular, the Promise Scholarship will be for students in the bottom 25% of Ģ����Ƶ’s public schools. With an ESA, these students can access higher-quality education options that prepare them for successful careers and fulfilling lives.  

Low-Income Students

Choosing a different school or educational path has often been a privilege for wealthier families. What about families that struggle to make ends meet? 

With an ESA, low-income families can consider schooling options that may be out of reach otherwise. The Ģ����Ƶ Promise Scholarship makes sure these students are helped first. Available scholarships will go to families below 400% of the federal poverty level (around $120,000/year for a family of four). Any leftover funding can then serve students above that threshold. 

Students With Special Needs

ESA programs are a lifeline for students who need support beyond what their local public school can provide. ESAs make it possible to access schools that are set up to help students who have unique learning needs and disabilities. ESA funds can also help pay for other essential resources like tutoring, therapies, and learning technologies. 

Homeschooling Families

ESAs don’t just cover school tuition. They can pay for curriculum, online programs, and supplies, giving parents the option to fully customize their child’s education. This flexibility means that ESAs can help as an alternative to public or private schools. 

What kind of impact could ESAs have on communities in Ģ����Ƶ?��

Since Ģ����Ƶ’s ESA program, the Ģ����Ƶ Promise Scholarship, is new, it will be a few years before we know its exact impact on our communities. But we can get an idea from other states that have ESAs, including a couple of Ģ����Ƶ’s neighbors.

• Better support for public schools: In 2011, Arizona became the first state to adopt ESAs. The state soon found that the program was helping to redirect state and federal dollars back to public schools where it could be used for teacher pay and operational needs.
  
  
• Better outcomes for low-income students: Created in 2019, is now the largest in the country. A November 2023 of Florida’s education system looked at the impact of growing school choice. It found students of lower socioeconomic backgrounds—including those who stayed in public schools—experienced some of the greatest benefits.
  

• Better economic opportunity and healthier societies: Tennessee is still working to expand its ESA program, but a study from the Beacon Center of Tennessee found that a statewide program could have incredible social impact. Their model predicted that Tennessee could have more high school graduates, higher overall personal income, less criminal activity and fewer felons, and $2.9 billion in economic benefits.

Do parents want education savings accounts in Ģ����Ƶ?��

Overall, Americans are worried about the direction of public K-12 education. 

• think it’s moving in the wrong direction.��
• say the state of public K-12 education has worsened in the last five years.��
• Only of school parents in Ģ����Ƶ think K-12 education is on the right track in the state of Ģ����Ƶ.��

It’s not surprising, then, that Ģ����Ƶ parents are open to more school choice policies: say they’re in favor of an ESA program.

What are common concerns about education savings accounts in Ģ����Ƶ?

Concern: ESAs take funding away from public schools.  

Ģ����Ƶ communities don’t have to worry about this because state lawmakers are not using public school funding for the Ģ����Ƶ Promise Scholarship. Promise Scholarship funding is also not allowed to exceed 1% of public school funding. This set-up means public school funding is fully protected. 

In general, more research is showing that, when states invest in school choice programs like ESAs, public schools benefit financially and academically. They have , , and . 

Concern: ESAs favor wealthy families and don’t help kids who actually need the opportunity. 

Quality education is a building block of a healthy, flourishing life, regardless of a family’s financial situation. ESAs are a tool states can use to ensure there’s more equality when it comes to education opportunities. 

Even if an ESA program is universal—where every student is eligible—the students who gain the most opportunities are . Here in Ģ����Ƶ, our ESA program, the Promise Scholarship, limits eligibility to students in low-income households to make sure they get helped first. 

Concern: ESAs are just another private school voucher. 

Education savings accounts can be used for private school tuition but also for much more! Unlike private school scholarships, ESAs can be used for —including tuition, tutoring, online programs, education therapies, curriculum, and textbooks. 

Concern: ESAs don’t help families in rural areas. 

Rural areas may not have as many schools to choose from, but thanks to the flexibility of ESAs, this doesn’t have to be a reason for states to avoid ESA programs.

Take , for example. Tanya is a mom of two kids with special needs living in rural Ģ����Ƶ. Despite her best efforts to work with the local public school, it just isn’t equipped to give special needs students the help they need. An ESA would give her the resources to homeschool and access specialized therapies so that her kids can have the type of education that matches their needs. 

Ģ����Ƶ ESAs: Quick Facts

• Ģ����Ƶ is one of with an ESA program.��
• have universal ESA programs, meaning all students are eligible. Ģ����Ƶ is not yet one of them.��
• Ģ����Ƶ’s ESAs are worth $6,500 per student per school year.
• in Ģ����Ƶ support ESAs.

Interested in Ģ����Ƶ’s ESA program?��

to sign up for updates as the Ģ����Ƶ Promise Scholarship gets up and running. 

Other Schooling Options in Ģ����Ƶ

• Public School Transfers
• ��

The post Everything to Know Ģ����Ƶ Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) in Ģ����Ƶ appeared first on For Opportunity.

PEACHTREE CORNERS, GA—Today, the Ģ����Ƶ Center for Opportunity (GCO) applauded Gov. Brian Kemp and the Ģ����Ƶ legislature for ushering into law the Promise Scholarships bill that will bring much-needed relief to the over half-a-million low- and middle-income kids stuck in low-performing schools.

“We are thankful to Gov. Kemp and the many House and Senate lawmakers who recognized the urgency of the moment and advanced a bill to provide much-needed opportunity to bolster academic options,” said Buzz Brockway, GCO’s vice president of public policy. “Passing Promise Scholarships is a momentous milestone for tens of thousands of Ģ����Ƶ kids struggling in a system that doesn’t work for them. It recognizes that Ģ����Ƶ is a diverse state with a diverse set of needs for education. After years of work, this bill is a positive step toward shaping an education system that honors every child’s unique situation and prevents a lack of quality education from locking children and communities into poverty.”

Senate Bill 233 will make students from the lowest performing 25% of public schools eligible to receive $6,500 a year set aside in an account. Parents can then use the funds to cover approved educational expenses, including private school tuition, books, uniforms, and even transportation.

SB 233 also gives first priority to students from families below 400% of the federal poverty level — around $120,000 a year for a family of four. Students above that threshold will be allowed to participate if funds are left over after the lower-income students are served.

Promise Scholarships will serve an estimated 21,500 kids when the program goes live for the 2025-2026 school year.

Ģ����Ƶ now joins a growing list of states offering educational options for all students. In the Southeast, Alabama, Florida, and North Carolina have recently enacted universal Education Savings Account programs, while South Carolina is in the process of creating a universal program in the coming years.

“The urgency to create an education lifeline for kids can’t be overstated. Education is a basic need. Lack of access to quality options is a major cause of many of the ills in our society, including putting a cap on upward mobility. A lack of quality education locks children into poverty and prevents communities from thriving,” said Brockway.

Although GCO praised passage of Promise Scholarships, Randy Hicks, GCO’s president and CEO, cautioned that the bill is just a first step.

“Unfortunately, the final compromise bill was watered down in a number of ways that will limit its reach,” said Hicks. “Funding for Promise Scholarships is capped to 1% of public school funding and there is a 10-year sunset on the entire program. It’s a positive step that over 20,000 students will be eligible for educational freedom, that number is a drop in the bucket compared to the need. We will continue building on this foundation for the future so that all of Ģ����Ƶ’s schoolchildren have options.”

��

###

Ģ����Ƶ Center for Opportunity (GCO) is independent, non-partisan, and solutions-focused. Our team is dedicated to creating opportunities for a quality education, fulfilling work, and a healthy family life for all Ģ����Ƶns. To achieve our mission, we research ways to help remove barriers to opportunity in each of these pathways, promote our solutions to policymakers and the public, and help effective and innovative social enterprises deliver results in their communities.

Learn More about SB233

Schedule An Interview

The post GCO Applauds Signing of Promise Scholarship Bill, Says More Work Needs to be Done appeared first on For Opportunity.