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Raleigh -- April 22, 2023: North Carolina Republicans are making a push to expand the Opportunity
Scholarship Program through Senate Bill 406.
This bill would universalize the current means-tested voucher program, which currently requires that students have a
certain income level and previously attended public schools to be eligible for vouchers. However, with the proposed changes, any student could be eligible for a voucher, regardless of their income or previous schooling.
The Opportunity Scholarship Program was originally designed to provide financial assistance to low-income families, allowing them to send their children to private schools. However, under this bill, vouchers won't be equitably distributed. The average cost of private school tuition in North Carolina is $9,648, which outpaces the value of the means-tested voucher, currently set at $6,492. This means that working-class families will struggle to pay the difference, while affluent families take advantage of the discount.
Moreover, as high-income and currently enrolled private school students become eligible for vouchers, demand for
the program is expected to increase while the number of available seats at private schools remains relatively the
same. This will drive up the cost of tuition, causing it to further exceed the value of the voucher.
Despite these concerns, North Carolina Republicans are determined to expand the Opportunity Scholarship Program.
With a veto-proof supermajority, they are poised to include funding for the bill in the 2023-24 budget. Supporters of
the bill argue that it would increase school choice and allow families to make the best decisions for their children's education. They also claim that it would improve competition among schools, leading to better academic outcomes for students.
Opponents, however, have raised concerns about the potential negative impact on public schools. If more students leave public schools for private schools, it could lead to decreased funding for public schools, resulting in staff layoffs and program cuts. Critics also argue that the program could be used to fund religious education, which would violate the separation of church and state.
The expansion of the Opportunity Scholarship Program through Senate Bill 406 highlights the ongoing debate around school choice and the role of public education in the United States. While proponents argue that it will increase school choice and allow families to make the best decisions for their children's education, critics warn that it will further deepen existing inequalities and drain resources from public schools.
WNCtimes
