Westminster Schools, Woodward, Pace, Paideia and other schools said the program adds hundreds of thousands of dollars to their financial aid programs. More than 300 schools participate statewide, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
"A lot of schools have a mission of creating a population that is economically and racially diverse, but because of the current economy they have not been able to achieve those goals," said John Panessa, executive director of Apogee Georgia Choice Scholarship Fund, a nonprofit that awards scholarships to some schools in the program. "These dollars are allowing them to do just that."
Critics argue that the program deprives the state of revenue.
The program provides a dollar-for-dollar tax credit to people or corporations who donate to scholarship funds earmarked for use by a specific school. The school then uses the money to offer tuition aid to a public school student seeking to transfer.
The credit is a maximum $1,000 per individual and $2,500 per couple. Corporations can claim up to 75 percent of their tax liability.
Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program, the biggest of the scholarship-awarding organizations, said the number of schools receiving scholarships this year was 91, up from 56 the year before.
Georgia GOAL, along with Apogee and GRACE Scholars, which funds scholarships to Catholic Schools, all say the bulk of contributions come from individuals.
Donations are capped at $50 million annually, and in 2009 totaled about $25 million. Officials expect that figure will rise to between $35 to $40 million this year.
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http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/10/233069