How Georgia Promise Scholarship helped enroll 80 new students at this Central GA private school – 13WMAZ
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MACON, Ga. — Several Central Georgia private schools are seeing enrollment climb — and state records show the Georgia Promise Scholarship is a big reason why.
The program, approved in 2024, provides $6,500 scholarships for families living in low-performing public-school zones. The goal: to give parents more options when choosing where their children learn.
Records obtained by 13WMAZ show Windsor Academy in Macon received $106,766 from Georgia Promise families — the second-highest total of any private school in Georgia.
Head of School Jimmy Watts said about 80 new students joined the Windsor family this fall because of the scholarship.
“There’s a business side to private schools,” Watts said. “The more kids you have, the more money you have coming in and the better opportunities you can offer. They’ve been a welcome addition to the school for sure.”
Eighth grader Kiper Lesak said the change has been meaningful for her.
“It’s a small school, so everyone’s nice to you,” she said, “It’s like a small family and really supportive.”
Lesak said her family discussed shifting her to a private school with Georgia Promise money because public school wasn’t the right fit for her.
“Here they’re more face-to-face and interactive,” she said. “At my old school it was kind of like open up a laptop and stuff.”
Windsor isn’t the only Central Georgia school benefiting from the new program. Brentwood School in Sandersville pulled in $102,375; Central Fellowship Christian Academy brought in about $91,696; First Presbyterian Day School earned $71,500; John Milledge Academy in Milledgeville received $52,000; and Stratford Academy brought in $50,375.
For a full list of the Top 50 Georgia schools that received Georgia Promise funds, see the full list here.
Applications for the Georgia Promise Scholarship reopen Nov. 10. The program is open to K–12 students zoned for schools on the state’s low-performing list. Students already attending private school or homeschooled are not eligible.
RELATED: LIST: Top 50 Georgia schools by Georgia Promise funding, nearly 1/3 located in Central Georgia
RELATED: These Central Georgia parents say Georgia Promise funds are enabling new beginnings for their kids this school year
