The Heritage Foundation’s 2025 Education Freedom Report Card evaluates all 50 states and D.C. on the following criteria: education choice, transparency, teacher freedom, return on investment, and civic education. Georgia ranked 14th overall, slipping five spots from 2024, as other states expanded universal choice programs.
Georgia families are entering a pivotal moment with the rollout of the Promise Scholarship program this fall. While it expands options for students in the lowest-performing schools, about 44% of applicants were turned away for ineligibility, showing demand outpaces availability.
Key findings for Georgia include:
- Overall Rank: 14th (down from 9th in 2024).
- Education Choice: 19th (down 6 spots). Georgia has Promise Scholarships, charter schools, and tax-credit scholarships, but access is limited. Heritage recommends expanding eligibility, easing charter approval and broadening public school transfer options.
- Teacher Freedom: 13th. Georgia allows alternative certification (21% of teachers) but restricts full reciprocity of licenses and requires Praxis exams, which Heritage criticizes.
- Return on Investment: 6th (up 5 spots). Strong showing based on efficient spending relative to NAEP results, favorable teacher-to-non-teacher staff ratios and low pension liabilities.
- Civic Education: 35th (new category). Georgia lacks a civics test requirement and students scored low on NAEP Civics.
Georgia has made important strides, most notably with Promise Scholarships and its strong return on investment, but it still lags behind states like Florida, Arizona and Indiana that have embraced universal school choice. The next step for Georgia is to match the demand for educational freedom by broadening eligibility and expanding options for families.
We explore the full Heritage report in this week’s commentary, along with practical steps lawmakers can take to ensure Georgia remains competitive and responsive to families’ needs.
Have a great weekend,
– Kyle Wingfield
Remembering Charlie Kirk
Charlie Kirk was just 31 years old when his life was tragically taken on Wednesday. A devoted Christian, husband and father, Charlie was also a passionate defender of free speech and open dialogue. His death is not only a profound personal loss but also a moment for national reflection, and a call to consider the state of our political discourse and how we engage with those who see the world differently.
Friday’s Freshest 🗞️
Georgians are facing a hard truth about housing: when government ties up supply, prices soar. Homeownership slips further out of reach, rents climb and workers are pushed farther from their jobs. The question, then, is what to do about it. It starts with cutting red tape.
A local nonprofit challenging the City of Calhoun’s ban on homes smaller than 1,150 square feet won an initial legal victory. Tiny House Hand Up sought to use donated land to build modest, affordable cottages, but the city’s restrictions blocked their plans. THHU argued that the ban violated the Georgia Constitution. The judge agreed, ruling from the bench that Calhoun cannot enforce its prohibition against the nonprofit.
What state is doing the best job of putting workers first? Georgia has an incredibly strong claim. The Peach State isn’t just leading the way in pro-worker reforms at the state level. It’s also the home of federal leaders who are fighting for workers in Washington, D.C.
In this year’s legislative session, Georgia had an opportunity to address its ever-growing regulatory code and reduce regulatory burdens placed on its citizens and businesses. Although the “Red Tape Rollback Act” passed the Senate, it ultimately failed to become law in Georgia. Regulatory reform will have another chance next session.
As Georgia lawmakers debate taxes, it’s worth taking a broader look at Georgia’s overall tax competitiveness: how our system ranks nationally, where we’re strong and where there’s room to improve.
Peach Picks 🍑
The State of Georgia’s net tax collections during the month of August totaled $2.41 billion, according to Gov. Brian Kemp’s office. This is an increase of nearly $74.1 million, or 3.2%, compared to August 2024 when net tax collections approached a total of $2.34 billion.
International Paper announced in August that it was closing two mills in Riceboro and two in Savannah at the end of September. Georgia-Pacific closed its paper mill in Cedar Springs at the end of July. The closing of five area paper mills in southeast Georgia will have $2.9 billion economic impact annually.
Gov. Kemp announced that the Georgia National Guard is providing support to the ongoing Joint Task Force-District of Columbia operations in Washington, D.C. In total, a contingent of 316 Guardsmen will mobilize in and around the nation’s capital as part of the effort.
What is happening in our schools is a grave danger to our nation. Only 22% of 12 graders were proficient in math last year and a record 45% were below basic competency.
Atlanta Public Schools has begun holding public meetings as it considers a sweeping facilities plan that could lead to school closures, consolidations and redistricting. District leaders plan to present final recommendations in November and adopt a plan by December.
Off The Vine 🎯
Madison, Georgia, with a population just over 5,000, was recently crowned the prettiest place to live in the state by Southern Living.
Quotes Of Note 🌟
“Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.” – President George W. Bush
“In honor of Charlie Kirk’s impactful life, I am lowering the flags of the United States and Georgia to half-staff on state buildings and grounds from now until sunset on Sunday. Please join Marty, the girls, and me in praying for his family and for the healing of our nation.” – Gov. Brian Kemp
“If you believe in something, you need to have the courage to fight for those ideas, not run away from them or try and silence them.” – Charlie Kirk, 1993-2025