The Georgia Achievement Fund
Georgia currently has a massive budget surplus. (14.6 billion to be exact. That isn’t the state’s money—it’s yours. And it’s time it was invested back into your children.) At the same time, young Georgians are graduating into an economy where the cost of starting a life—buying a home, starting a business, or getting a degree—is higher than ever.
My Solution
We use a portion of the state surplus to create a Merit-Based Investment Account for every public school student in Georgia.
The Georgia Achievement Fund: How it Works
How it Works: Upon entering the public school system, an account is opened in the student's name. We will utilize the newly created “Trump Account” introduced in the OBBBA. This account is a cross between a 529 account and a traditional IRA. The best part is that we can introduce legislation to make withdrawals for higher education, a down payment on a home, or trade school, and these tools can be used all tax-free. This account is in their name, and should they move, the account goes with them—it is not tied to the school where they started.
The "Merit" Factor: Deposits are made based on academic milestones.
Kindergarten: The account is funded with a base amount of $1,000.
1st–5th Grade: A contribution of $100 every year.
6th Grade–Graduation: Funding is based on individual academic achievement.
An 'A' earns $100; a 'B' earns $50.
This applies to every class taken per semester, totaling up to $500 per semester. (assuming a 5-class semester)
A “perfect score” incentive of an extra $200 is awarded for straight A’s, totaling $1,400 per school year.
Inclusivity and Retroactivity: I do not want this to be exclusive to new students. It will start with a retroactive payment going back 2 years (3 years for K-5th) to all current students based on their previous academic scores. Additionally, if a child is on an “Individual Education Plan” (IEP), their payments are tied to meeting their personal milestones, ensuring no child is left behind because they learn differently.
The Lifecycle: These funds are invested in a state-managed, tax-free fund. Upon graduation, the money can be used for higher education, trade school, a down payment on a home in Georgia, or starting a small business in Georgia. Assuming a child maintains straight A’s, they can potentially graduate with roughly $20,000 in their account.
Why I’m Fighting for This: Growing up, I knew that even if I worked twice as hard, the "starting line" for me was miles behind everyone else. The Georgia Achievement Fund isn’t a handout; it’s a head start earned through hard work. It ensures that every Georgia child has the capital to build a life here.
Questions I asked myself:
Who is eligible for an account?
Every child enrolled in a Georgia public school is eligible for this program. We open the account the moment they enter the system, whether that is in Kindergarten or if they move into our state in the 8th grade. My goal is to ensure that every student who puts in the work has a stake in Georgia’s future.
Is this a government handout?
Absolutely not. This is an earned investment. Outside of the base "seed" funding in elementary school, the growth of the account depends entirely on the student’s performance. If a student works hard and earns top marks, their account grows. It rewards the "Honest Georgian Work Ethic" from a young age.
What if my child has a disability or an IEP?
We know that merit isn’t always measured by a letter grade on a standardized test. For students on an Individual Education Plan (IEP), milestones are set by parents and teachers. When those milestones are met, the account is funded just like any other student’s. No child will be left behind because they learn differently.
What can the money be used for?
The funds are designed to help individuals jumpstart their lives in Georgia. Upon high school graduation, the "Trump Account" structure allows for tax-free withdrawals for:
Education: Tuition for college, university, or trade school.
Tools of the Trade: Equipment, certifications, or tools needed for vocational careers.
Home Ownership: A down payment on a primary residence right here in Georgia.
Entrepreneurship: Start-up capital for a Georgia-based small business.
What if we move out of state?
The account belongs to the student, not the school district. If you move from Ball Ground to Savannah, the account stays with the child. If you move out of Georgia entirely, the account will remain in the student’s name, although future state contributions will cease. We want to incentivize our best and brightest to stay and build their lives here in Georgia.
Where does the $14.6 Billion surplus come from, and is it sustainable?
The surplus is the result of Georgia taxpayers overpaying into the system. Currently, that money is sitting in a vault in Atlanta. I believe that money belongs to you, not the government. By using a portion of this existing surplus to "seed" these accounts, we are investing in a way that pays dividends for our economy for decades to come without raising a single cent in new taxes.
How does the retroactive pay work for my kid who is already in school?
We aren’t making current students wait. If this legislation passes, we will review the last two years of your child’s academic records (three years for K-5) and provide a one-time "Catch-Up Deposit" based on the grades they’ve already earned. They’ve done the work—they deserve the credit.
Why only Public schools?
I asked myself this because I know many families choose private or homeschooling for valid reasons. However, as a candidate for the State House, my primary responsibility is to the system the state is constitutionally mandated to provide. I chose to focus on public schools for three honest reasons:
True Accountability: Public schools operate under a unified set of standards. When I say we are rewarding an "A" or a "B," we know exactly what that means because the state monitors those metrics. Private schools have their own rules, and I don’t believe we should send taxpayer dollars into systems where we cannot guarantee the same level of transparency and academic rigor.
Serving Every Child: Unlike private schools, which can pick and choose their students, our public schools are required to take every child regardless of their income, their background, or whether they have a disability. My policy is built to support the "whole" Georgia, ensuring that the student on an IEP in a rural district has the same shot at a head start as anyone else.
Strengthening the Foundation: I am running to right the ship. If our public schools are struggling, the solution isn't to walk away and hand out coupons for private tuition that many working families still couldn't afford. The solution is to make our public system so rewarding and competitive that every Georgia parent wants their child to attend.
Won’t teachers be pressured to start handing out A’s?
I asked myself this immediately because if a grade doesn’t represent actual learning, the account loses its value. However, the honest truth is that Georgia already has the tools to prevent this, and we’ve seen them work before.
The "Grade Integrity Act" is Already Law: Since 2007, Georgia law (GA Code § 20-2-989.20) has strictly prohibited administrators or boards from coercing or intimidating a teacher into changing a student’s grade. As your representative, I will be the first person standing in the gap to ensure that the law is enforced, allowing our teachers to do their jobs with integrity.
The "HOPE Scholarship" Proof: We’ve heard this same "grade inflation" argument since the HOPE scholarship started in the 90s. However, research has shown that since HOPE began, Georgia’s SAT scores have actually risen, and there is no evidence of widespread grade inflation. When you give students a real, tangible reason to work hard, they don’t just ask for better grades—they actually perform better.
Checks and Balances: We already have state-wide standards and assessments (like the CCRPI) that act as a "thermometer" for our schools. If a school’s grades are sky-high but its state test scores are bottoming out, the system flags it. The Georgia Achievement Fund will use these existing checks to ensure that an 'A' in Pickens means the same thing as an 'A' in Atlanta.
