Job Creators Network’s Campaign Made the Difference in Passing Education Freedom In Georgia

Last week, JCN’s tenacious efforts to educate the public and policymakers on the importance of education freedom led to a major victory for conservatives and ordinary families when the Georgia House passed Senate Bill 233: The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act.

This legislation gives Georgia students a lifeline to escape failing schools that warehouse rather than educate them. It gives parents the funds needed to choose the best education for their children- the education they deserve and need to escape poverty and achieve the American Dream.

This bill is a great first step towards education freedom, and can be expanded to even more Georgia families in the years ahead. The bill now moves to the Senate for a concurrence vote before it goes to Gov. Kemp’s desk to be signed into law.

JCN’s efforts were critical in getting this legislation across the finish line. It only passed the House by a single vote after being defeated in the House last year. When JCN began to engage on this issue, we were told that it was a lost cause and that Republicans didn’t have the votes needed to pass it. Despite the growing favorability of education freedom accounts in other red states, a handful of Georgia House Republican legislators were hindering the bill’s passage.

JCN knew the critical importance of school freedom to Georgia families, so we got to work to rally support and overcome this opposition. We launched a major media and education campaign in the state, including a radio ad campaign featuring prominent talk radio hosts targeting the districts of the 16 House Republican holdouts. The ads highlighted the benefits of the bill to Georgia families and encouraged listeners to call Speaker Jon Burns and all Republican House Members to voice their support for the bill.

Listen to the ad here. Read a transcript of the ad here.

JCN’s ad campaign achieved significant outcomes. A total of 75 ad messages were broadcast across the target metro areas in Georgia within a short window. The campaign reached approximately 268,100 individuals in the targeted areas.

Additionally, JCN emailed a powerful letter from CEO Alfredo Ortiz to all Republican House Members about the importance of passing this legislation. The letter highlighted how school choice gave Alfredo himself a better life and called on legislators to give their constituents the same opportunity.

JCN also placed a powerful op-ed by Ortiz in Georgia, “Education Reform is Georgia’s Top Priority,” making the case for SB233. Read it here.

Thanks to JCN’s efforts, amplifying the will of the people of Georgia, the bill passed. As a result, Georgia’s most vulnerable students have access to the good education they need and deserve for generations to come.