2014 GOAL DONOR SURVEY Analysis of Survey Results PARTICIPATING GOAL SCHOOLS Dear GOAL Supporter, Appling Christian Academy First Presbyterian Christian Providence Christian Academy It is my pleasure to Arlington Christian School Academy Providence Christian School present the results Athens Christian School First Presbyterian Day School Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School of the 2014 GOAL Atlanta Classical Christian Gatewood Schools Riverside Military Academy Donor Survey, an Academy George Walton Academy Robert Toombs Christian unprecedented effort Atlanta Youth Academy Grace Christian Academy Academy to learn more about Augusta Christian Schools Greater Atlanta Christian School The Ron Clark Academy the experiences Augusta Preparatory Day School Greenforest McCalep Christian The SAE School and preferences of Benedictine Military School Academy Savannah Christian Preparatory thousands of donors to Berry College Elementary & The Habersham School School the Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program. Middle School Harvester Christian Academy Sherwood Christian Academy Bethesda Academy Hebron Christian Academy Sophia Academy From its creation in 2008, GOAL has Bible Baptist School Heritage Academy Southland Academy operated a full-service scholarship Brandon Hall School The Heritage School Southwest Atlanta Christian program that strengthens communities Brentwood School Holy Spirit Preparatory School Academy throughout Georgia by connecting Brenwood Academy The Howard School St. Andrew’s School compassionate donors with families Briarwood Academy John Hancock Academy St. Benedict's Episcopal Day who wish to pursue better K-12 Bridgeway Christian Academy John Milledge Academy School educational opportunities at their local Brookstone School Killian Hill Christian School St. George’s Episcopal School private independent schools. GOAL has Brookwood School Konos Connection St. Luke School also kept Georgia lawmakers informed Bulloch Academy Lafayette Christian School Stratford Academy about the positive outcomes of the Calvary Christian School LaGrange Academy Strong Rock Christian School Georgia Education Expense tax credit Calvary Day School Lakeview Academy Sugar Hill Christian Academy program, the need for improvements Chapel Hill Christian School Landmark Christian School The Swift School to the law, and the importance of Cherokee Christian Schools The Lionheart School Tallulah Falls School increasing the annual cap on available Chrysalis Experiential Academy Loganville Christian Academy Tattnall Square Academy tax credits. Community Christian School Marist School Terrell Academy Cornerstone Christian Academy McDonough Methodist Tiftarea Academy The following Survey results reveal that The Cottage School Academy Trinity Christian School, Dublin GOAL is changing the landscape of K-12 Covenant Academy Mill Springs Academy Trinity Christian School, Sharpsburg education in Georgia. For this, you truly Creekside Christian Academy Monsignor Donovan Catholic Twiggs Academy deserve the “credit.” Crisp Academy High School Unity Christian School Cumberland Academy of Montessori of Macon With appreciation, Georgia Mount Paran Christian School Valwood School Curtis Baptist School Mount Pisgah Christian School Victory World Christian School Darlington School Mountain Area Christian Vidalia Heritage Academy David Emanuel Academy Academy Wesleyan School Lisa M. Kelly, President Dawson Street Christian School Mt. Bethel Christian Academy The Westfield School Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program, Inc. Deerfield-Windsor School Nathanael Greene Academy Westminster Christian Academy Downtown Academy North Georgia Christian School The Westminster Schools Eagle’s Landing Christian Notre Dame Academy Westminster Schools of Augusta Academy Old Suwanee Christian School Westwood Schools Thanks to the generosity of our Board Eastminster School Paul Anderson Youth Home Whitefield Academy members, this publication was produced Eastside Christian School Peachtree Academy Private Wildwood Christian Academy and distributed at no cost to GOAL. Episcopal Day School School Windsor Academy Fellowship Christian School Perimeter School Woodfield Academy Pinecrest Academy Woodward Academy 1 FACTS ABOUT THE GEORGIA GOAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM The Georgia GOAL Scholarship Program is the largest K-12 student The average annual amount of each scholarship organization operating GOAL scholarship has been $3,721, under the Georgia Education Expense which is $767 less than the per pupil Credit law, which was enacted in 2008. amount the State spends on students attending public schools. This nationally respected school choice program is very popular among The average federal adjusted gross scholarship families, participating income, adjusted for family size, private schools, and taxpayers. of the recipient families has been $25,525, with 97% of scholarship dollars being awarded to families Each year, thousands of individuals having an AGI of less than $60,000. and corporations contribute to GOAL in support of scholarships for students desiring to attend the K-12 private In 2013, the $58 million annual cap schools of their parents’ choice. on Education Expense tax credits was met in early May. In 2014, the cap Approximately 93% of the was met in just three weeks. In 2015, scholarships are awarded to students the cap was met on January 1. transferring from public schools or entering school for the first time. As of the end of 2014, 15,927 Georgia taxpayers had signed GOAL’s Raise In exchange for these the Cap! petition. contributions, taxpayers receive a Georgia income tax credit. 2 GOAL SURVEYS 7,212 DONORS In December of 2014, GOAL asked its donors a series of questions relating to: Their feelings about GOAL; The impact they believe GOAL is having on scholarship recipients and their private school communities; and Their desire for expansion of the program by state lawmakers during the upcoming session of the Georgia General Assembly. 2,032 of the 7,212 donors responded to the survey, an extraordinary 29% response rate! 3 2014 GOAL DONOR SURVEY: QUESTION 1 Why do I contribute to GOAL? The first survey Helps families secure a better education 87% for their children. question provided donors with four Improves the financial condition of the reasons why they might 82% private school community I support. be contributing to GOAL and asked them I receive an offsetting income tax credit. 79% to indicate with which ones they agree. Makes the private school I support a 70% better community. Other (please describe). 7% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% I have seen parents cry at the way their child “ was treated in public school. With scholarship Donor money, that child attended school, was Comment: happy, excelled in schoolwork, and earned a scholarship to college. It helped that family and those around them and we all shall receive the blessings this child will give the community in the future. GOAL provided that opportunity. ” 4 2014 GOAL DONOR SURVEY: QUESTIONS 2 & 3 In the second and third questions, the Survey asked donors to reveal whether, before being able to contribute to GOAL for a tax credit, they had thought about families who could not afford to send their children to a private school and, if so, whether they had contributed to help them. Survey responses: • Before being able to contribute to GOAL, 65% of the donors had never thought about parents who could not afford to send their children to private schools, or had thought about them only rarely or occasionally. • Before being able to contribute to GOAL, 82% of the donors who had wanted to provide parents with financial help to send their children to private schools could not afford to do so; were unaware how to do so; did not do so; or never thought about doing so. 5 2014 GOAL DONOR SURVEY: QUESTION 4 How contributing to GOAL is affecting me: Makes me feel good about supporting 83% my favorite private school community. The survey described four ways in which the Makes me feel good about helping GOAL program might parents in the education of their 81% children. be affecting the donors and asked them to Has become an important part of my 73% indicate with which yearly giving. ones they agree. Increases my awareness of the need for increased K-12 educational choices 64% for families. Other reason (please describe). 4% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% Donor comments: “Makes me feel good about the benefits to existing students of studying with kids of “Children who different economic attend are “It helps the backgrounds.” joyful.” kids, who might “It is the right otherwise fall thing to do.” through the cracks.” 6 2014 GOAL DONOR SURVEY: QUESTION 5 By contributing to GOAL, I am helping children: The Survey described Receive a better academic education. 93% four ways in which, by contributing to the GOAL Receive a better character education. 87% program, donors may believe they are helping Have a greater opportunity to be 83% children and asked them accepted to, and succeed in, college. to indicate with which Receive more individual attention. 83% ones they agree. Access a safer school and classroom 83% environment. Other reason (please describe). 6% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100% Donor comments: By contributing to GOAL, I believe that I am helping children: "Get the encouragement and mentoring needed "Leveling the playing today so they can realize field for those who their potential." might not have the "To be in a motivating "Become better opportunity of attending environment to learn, able to live a life a private school." push themselves,