Blog

“Because of the amazing Opportunity Scholarship Program, my children have been able to receive an education that is second to none. This would never happen if I didn’t have the opportunity to pick a private school that better meets their needs. Without the Opportunity Scholarship, we could not have afforded this type of educational environment. Why should private school only be available to those of means? This scholarship is giving a chance to students who need it the most.”

— Ieshia Squires, Winterville NC

Published in the Fayetteville Observer on May 15, 2021

By James Martin

My name is James Martin, and I am a retired Army combat veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. 

I’d like to share my daughter Mia’s story with you. 

Legislators ask whether Opportunity Scholarships are over funded.  Could the extra money be used elsewhere in a time of crisis?  Let me explain why the answer is no.

As school closures stretch on into mid-April and threaten the remaining weeks of the current school year, schools are being faced with the task of not only educating students from afar, but also maintaining strategies for attracting new students and families for enrollment. This time of year, usually brings registration events, community welcomes, and general on-boarding procedures for incoming families, and early inquiries and requests for information from the next pool of student candidates.

Halloween is one of the best times of year to be a kid. We all know that. But as parents, we also know that Halloween is one of the most dangerous nights of the year for kids. So, we’d like to share a few tips to help your family stay safe and have fun during trick-or-treating.

The beginning of the school year is a hectic time for school administrators—we all know that! So, in the midst of all the craziness, we’d like to share a few tips for help you stay focused on the all-important goal of retaining students and families at your school.

OUR money.

Those are the words of the Capitol Broadcasting Company’s (CBC) latest attack on North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship Program. The program currently enables over 9,600 students from low-income and working-class families in North Carolina to attend the private school of their parents’ choice.

These families are taxpayers, too. But CBC is protecting systems and the status quo, playing politics, and demonizing educational choice.

HELP PEFNC IN OUR CONTINUED MISSION TO EMPOWER PARENTS THROUGH SCHOOL CHOICE

Friends and supporters, you know you're making a difference when our naysayers continue to attack, even when we know we're on the right side of important issues.

That's evident in our state right now regarding an incredibly impactful program that supports low-income families across North Carolina. Since 2014, the Opportunity Scholarship Program lifts students up by providing low-income families (from every county in our state) with a scholarship that helps them afford the private school of their choice. Educational equality, for thousands of families, unfortunately is not an option without the Opportunity Scholarship. 

Alex Badger knows more than just education policy. He put together these tips as many across our state prepare for Hurricane Florence. Above all else, be safe!

Good morning from Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina. Let us be among the first to congratulate Darrell Allison on his first official day as the National Director of State Teams and Political Strategy at the American Federation for Children. In case you missed it: After 13 years as the