Yesterday school choice supporters rallied on the grounds of the Legislative Building in Raleigh to urge legislators to expand funding for the Opportunity Scholarship Program.
Last year the Legislature approved $10 million to provide vouchers of up to $4,200 for students from low-income families. The money would fund scholarships for approximately 2,400 students. The program however received 5,500 applicants before a Superior Court judge granted an injunction to halt implementation of the program. The injunction was lifted in May.
A lottery will be held next Wednesday to determine recipients. Families are still scrambling to sign up for the program, even though the State lacks funds to fill all the slots
National School Choice leader, Professor Howard Fuller of Marquette University told about 100 attendees on a hot June afternoon , “We should not have an America where only those of us with money have the ability to choose the best educational environment for our children.”
House Speaker Thom Tillis (R -Mecklenburg) and Senate President Phil Berger ( R-Eden) also spoke to crowd and pledged their support for the program.
House majority leader Paul Stam (R-Wake) and chief Education budget writer Sen. Jerry Tillman both said they are working to find enough money to fund the additional slots.
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