State Rep. Danny Mathis’s 2023 vote against a $6,000-per-student school choice scholarship program is drawing renewed attention as he prepares for a 2026 Republican primary rematch against former State Rep. Robert Pruitt.
The vote came on the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act, which would have provided parents with $6,000 per year for each eligible student to use for approved education expenses outside their assigned public schools, according to the Georgia House of Representatives.
The Georgia House defeated the measure 89–85 on March 29, 2023, after it had passed the state Senate. Mathis was among those voting against the proposal, which would have created education savings-style accounts aimed at expanding school choice in the state, according to legislative records.
The legislation was intended to give parents greater control over how public education funding is used by allowing state-backed funds to follow students to alternative educational settings. Supporters said it would expand school choice options, while opponents raised concerns about impacts on public school funding.
Mathis’s vote has resurfaced as education funding and school choice remain central issues in Georgia politics ahead of the 2026 election cycle.
Private school choice programs have expanded nationally, with about 1.3 million students participating as of July 2025, as reported by EdChoice. Surveys cited by the organization show most participating parents report improved satisfaction compared with their previous public school placements.
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the Georgia General Assembly and considers legislation related to state education policy in coordination with the state Senate.
