By Corinne Saunders
When the Republican-led General Assembly created the Opportunity Scholarship program—commonly referred to as vouchers—in 2013, it prompted mixed reactions across North Carolina and vehement opposition from public school leaders and advocates.
Through the program, state taxpayer funding is used to pay varying amounts of students’ private school tuition and fees. Proponents say that vouchers expand school choice and are needed because so many families want them. Opponents say that vouchers drain public school funding to cover tuition costs that wealthy families are already paying and could continue to pay.
When the program began, only low-income families could apply, but that quickly changed, and most Opportunity Scholarship applicants currently come from wealthy families.
Of North Carolina’s applicant pool for this year, 15% were from low-income families, according to the September “Opportunity Scholarship Impact Analysis (2024)” report by the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM).
Program funding has ballooned from $10 million in the 2014-15 school year to nearly $416 million this 2024-25 year.
Legislators representing the Outer Banks all voted last month to further expand North Carolina’s voucher program. The bill would increase this year’s funding to $625 million and increase funding in every future year until it reaches $825 million annually in the 2032-2033 year and every year after.
Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort) was among the bill’s sponsors. Kidwell, Rep. Ed Goodwin (R-Chowan), Sen. Norm Sanderson (R-Pamlico) and Sen. Bobby Hanig (R-Currituck) each voted in favor of House Bill 10 between Sept. 9 and 11, North Carolina General Assembly records show.