Georgia Tuition Tax Credit- Headmaster's Letter



Dear Athens Academy Families and Friends,

At its August, 2009 meeting, the Athens Academy Board of Trustees empowered the Education Committee of the Board to assemble an ad-hoc committee comprised of current parents, alumni parents, alumni, and members of the Board of Trustees and administration to study House Bill 1133 that established the Georgia Tuition Tax Credit Scholarship Program. In accordance with Georgia tax law, this program will support financial aid for new eligible students coming from Georgia public schools and beginning pre-K students. After completing its study, the Board of Trustees has chosen for the school to participate in this tax credit program. To implement the program, the Board charged the Headmaster with selecting a state-approved Student Scholarship Organization (SSO) with which to work.

The administration has completed its task to determine the best SSO partner for Athens Academy’s objectives. These objectives are to include a focus on financial aid applicants while maintaining the same admission standards and enrollment objectives, implementing the program with minimal administrative cost, and operating the program without a dependency on the funds. Athens Academy has selected the Apogee Georgia School Choice Scholarship Fund.

Please note that participation in this program is simply a redirection of individual and corporate state tax dollars to Athens Academy. Through the SSO, Apogee, maximum contributions of $2,500 may be made by married couples filing jointly, and $1,000 for individuals, while C-corporations may contribute up to 75% of their corporate tax liability. All of these redirected funds receive a dollar-for-dollar credit on the individual or corporate state of Georgia taxes.

We are pleased that the Academy will also participate in the Georgia Independent School Association (GISA) – GOAL SSO program that is available to GISA member schools.

I appreciate our supporters for their interest in helping us secure additional funding for financial aid.

Please visit the link on our website, “GA Tuition Tax Credit,” for further information.

J. Robert Chambers, Jr. Headmaster