History

In 2008, the Georgia General Assembly passed and Governor Sonny Perdue signed into law, HB 1133, legislation that permits Georgia taxpayers to receive a state income tax credit for amounts contributed to qualified student scholarship organizations (“SSOs”).  The scholarships are awarded to students who are enrolled in a Georgia secondary or primary public school or who are eligible to enroll in a kindergarten or pre-kindergarten program.  Recipient students use their GOAL Scholarships to attend the private K-12 schools of their parents’ choice.

In response to this new law, Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program, Inc. submitted notice to the Georgia Department of Education of its participation as an SSO under HB 1133.  On June 26, 2008, the Georgia Department of Education recognized the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program, Inc., a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, as an SSO that is approved to accept contributions and offer scholarships to students to attend private K-12 schools in Georgia.

In 2009, donors contributed $3,547,409 to Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program, Inc., making GOAL Georgia’s leading SSO.  Of this amount, 1,181 individuals contributed $2,353,209 and 13 corporations contributed $1,194,200.

As of December 31, 2009, approximately 715 scholarships have been provided to deserving students attending 65 of the private schools that have chosen to participate in the GOAL Scholarship Program.