For three years, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation has operated a charter school in the Atlanta Public Schools system. In March, The Economist noted that GPPF's Tech High "spends only 2/3 as much money, per pupil, as the Atlanta public schools. Yet its test scores are better than any in the inner city, and on a par with the average for Georgia."

Thus, there should be little surprise that a recent poll, led by the Friedman Foundation, found 58% of Georgians favor school vouchers, in part, many agreed, because vouchers improve K-12 education by allowing parents the freedom to choose the best education for their child. As Tech High demonstrates, choice does improve learning – and it can do so at a lower tax burden.

Further, the school shows that choice benefits low-income and minority students. GPPF senior vice president Dr. Holly Robinson wrote in a recent commemtary, “Tech High… cannot screen applicants except for district residency – [and it] is one of the top-scoring APS high schools. That score was achieved with a student population that is 97-percent minority and 75 percent free- and reduced lunches.”