Georgia students participating in 4H program (photo courtesy University of Georgia)
Jobs for teens are also scarce. Even programs for the state’s highest achieving students, academic enrichment camps and Governor’s Honors, have been cut or scaled back.
Karen Worthington with Emory University’s Barton Child Law and Policy Center says kids that have nothing to do often get in trouble and fall behind in school.
“If we could invest in educational programs during the summer whether they’re provided through schools or community organizations it would help Georgia to increase our graduation rates, increase employability of our young people. We have a very low graduation rate compared to other states.”
Worthington says now is the time to make hard choices and cut programs that do not work and increase community-based programs that have proven effective.
