State lawmakers are using tax credits and other education choice incentives to help low income families get their children out of failing schools. John Schilling with the Alliance for School Choice is pleased with progress across the nation. For example, Georgia started with a special needs scholarship bill last year, and expanded on the concept this year.

“The Georgia legislature approved a fifteen million dollar corporate tax credit bill this year. And we are hopeful the governor will sign that bill.”

If signed into law, the Georgia bill would provide a tax credit for families and companies that give to private school choice programs.  Schilling says the trend continues in Florida.

“There is legislation moving in Florida that would expand their corporate tax credit scholarship program tremendously.”

Candi Cushman of Focus on the Family Action says Louisiana is getting in on the action.

“Because of Hurricane Katrina, the City of New Orleans has had to build its education system back up from scratch.  So this has opened up huge opportunities for school choice in that state. 

Schilling has a response for people who fear the school choice movement takes tax dollars away from public schools.

“What are we going to do right now to help poor kids get out of schools that are not working for them.  And the most immediate path to get these kids out of schools that are not working for them, and that failed repeatedly over the years, is to provide school choice.”

A record forty four states have introduced school choice legislation this year.  Pro-family leaders say it’s a sign that this is what parents want.