Georgia Educational Freedom on our Mind

On January 23, IJ Senior Attorney Tim Keller appeared before the Georgia Supreme Court, arguing that it should turn back a legal challenge to a popular tax-credit scholarship program. By using tax credits to incentivize private donations, the program helps over 13,000 children attend the schools their parents choose for them.

Opponents of school choice cast a cloud of uncertainty over the program’s future when they filed a lawsuit in state court in 2014 to try to shut down the program. IJ quickly intervened in the lawsuit on behalf of four Georgia families and worked alongside attorneys for the state to get the lawsuit dismissed. And when the plaintiffs petitioned the Georgia Supreme Court to hear their appeal, IJ encouraged the Court to take the case and rule against the plaintiffs so that parents will no longer have to be uncertain about the program’s—and their children’s—future. Under IJ’s watch, courts have upheld every tax credit program that has been challenged.

We expect a decision from the Court later this year and we hope to report good news from the Peach State in a later issue.