Opportunity scholarships and the schools that receive them

Opportunity scholarships and the schools that receive them

• 1.
  The NC Senaterecently voted to give a total of $632 million for taxpayer- funded private school vouchers to families of all income levels in 2024-25. OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS AND THE SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE THEM NCFORUM.ORG HB823/SB406 appropriates an additional $248 million for the coming school year to the Opportunity Scholarship Fund, on top of the $384.5 million that was already appropriated for the 2024-25 school year. The bill also appropriates an additional $215 million to grant fund reserves, meaning that, in total, nearly $1 billion would be appropriated to the Opportunity Scholarship Program in 24-25. This will give taxpayer-funded private school vouchers to every family that applied, regardless of their income level, for the 24-25 school year. Over half of families who would receive taxpayer dollars to attend private schools make over $115,400, including 18% who make over $259,000 per year. Max Income: $57,720 Voucher: $7,468 Tier 1 Max Income: $115,440 Voucher: $6,722 Tier 2 Max Income: $259,740 Voucher: $4,480 Tier 3 Max Income: No Limit Voucher: $3,360 Tier 4
• 2.
  A Breakdown ofthe 200 Schools that Received the Most Voucher Funds in the 23-24 School Year OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS AND THE SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE THEM NCFORUM.ORG School Information In order of most voucher funding, the most-funded 200 private schools received $112,764,209 out of the $150M that went to vouchers in 2023-24, accounting for 75% of the total funding and enrollment. Religious Affiliation 90.5% Accredited 42% Report Outcomes 8.5% Religious Requirements for Teachers 16.5% Require Teachers to be Certified by the State 2% Require Religious Curriculum for All Students 68% Any Discrimination Academic Requirements Religious Requirements Disability Exclusion LGBTQ+ Exclusion Other 89% 59% 68% 38% 41% 36% Discrimination in the Admission Process
• 3.
  Throughout the nearlyten-year history of this program, very few regulations or accountability measures for these private schools have been enacted, making it very difficult for policymakers, parents, and taxpayers to evaluate their performance. Currently, the program has two minimal requirements for accountability. Accountability and Reporting Requirements for Private Schools Receiving Vouchers in North Carolina OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS AND THE SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE THEM NCFORUM.ORG North Carolina stands out among other states and jurisdictions with school voucher programs due to its lack of accountability and reporting requirements for schools receiving voucher funding. Standardized Testing All private schools receiving voucher funds must administer a nationally- normed standardized test to students in grades three or higher enrolled in the program. However, private schools are permitted to select their own test and are prohibited by law from administering the state End-of- Grade tests. 01 Financial Review for Some Schools Only voucher schools receiving at least $300,000 annually in taxpayer funds are required to undergo a financial review with a CPA, which is public record. In 2018-2019, only five percent of schools participating in the Opportunity Scholarship Program were required to complete a financial review. 02
• 4.
  Making an InformedSchool Choice: A Guide For North Carolina Families OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS AND THE SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVE THEM NCFORUM.ORG Academics Operations Is your school accredited? What curriculum do you use? What are your course offerings? What standardized testing do you use? Can you share student performance information for your standardized testing? How much is tuition and what does it include and not include? How do you measure individual acheviement and progress? Are teachers required to be certified? If so, what certification is required? Are there any essentials not included in tuition? Is your school a for-profit or non- profit school? Who governs the school and sets curriculum and policies? Do school staff answer to a Board of Directors or other organization? What facilities and resources do you have? Do you offer transportation or lunch services? How many instructional days/hours are in a school year?