In the News
As the source for parental school choice in our state, PEFNC is often asked to provide commentary on educational choice.
NC State Budget Draft expands voucher program for private schools
September 20, 2023
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Under the new budget draft, all North Carolina students could be eligible for vouchers to attend private school, regardless of income level.
The move would give students money to put toward a private school education, but could mean less money for public schools.
Rosie Mayberry, from Asheboro, used the state’s voucher program to send her children to private school. She described it as a “great experience,” but said, at the time, only two of her three children qualified for vouchers. She said her oldest daughter did not meet the requirement, at the time, to have previously attended public school. “We had to withdraw from the program because of the financial burden from our oldest daughter because we were having to pay completely out of pocket for her,” she noted.
NC private school enrollment is soaring, and it could rise even more. Here’s why.
By T. Keung Hui
August 2, 2023
A historic expansion of North Carolina’s school voucher program could come at the same time that enrollment in private schools is rising at near-record levels.
New statewide figures released this week show that enrollment in private schools grew by 11,457 students during the 2022-23 school year. Private schools haven’t added this many students since the 1971-72 school year, when they gained 11,764 kids during the fight over public school integration.
There are now 126,768 students attending private schools, a 10% increase from the prior year. The number could rise even more as Republican lawmakers want to allow any family to be eligible to apply for a private school voucher.
“It just shows you that parents want choice plain and simple,” Mike Long, president of Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina, said in an interview Wednesday. “More and more parents want choice. They want what’s best for their kids.”
NC plan to expand private school vouchers rekindles debate over separation of church and state
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled a handful of times on whether limits must be placed on public money that goes to private schools.
June 23, 2023
An age-old debate over whether public money should fund religious education is being rekindled as Republican lawmakers consider a massive expansion of North Carolina’s private school voucher program.
The arguments against such efforts center on long-held beliefs over the separation of church and state. Critics say public funds shouldn’t go toward private institutions that don’t follow the same standards as public schools and spend time teaching religious values — including beliefs that could influence science education or support exclusionary admissions policies.
“If parents want their private religious schools to stay free from government interference and not be sullied by the government in any way, then they should actually want there to be no connection between these private religious schools and government funds,” said Rachel Laser, chief executive of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. “Because with government funds, strings are attached, and they should be, that's what we want, right? And at the same time, we don't want that in our religious institutions, because that's dangerous.”
N.C. Association of Educators drops lawsuit against popular school choice program
April 26, 2023
RALEIGH — The N.C. Association of Educators (NCAE) dropped its lawsuit against North Carolina’s popular Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP), according to a filing with the Wake County Superior Court last week.
“Plaintiffs hereby notice the dismissal of all claims against all Defendants,” wrote Christopher Brook, the attorney representing NCAE. “Plaintiffs have consulted with all parties regarding costs, and all parties agree that each side will bear their own costs. Defendants reserve the right to pursue costs should Plaintiffs re-file this lawsuit within one year of this filing.”
Brook had been appointed to the N.C. Court of Appeals by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper in 2019. Brook, a Democrat, ran in 2020 to retain the seat but was defeated by Judge Jefferson Griffin, a Republican.
Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina (PEFNC) has been a consistent supporter of the OSP and has helped families navigate the program for years. PEFNC’s President Mike Long was pleased the NCAE dropped the suit.
NC spends $133M on private school vouchers. Lawmakers are proposing much more.
By
April 24, 2023
Now that Republicans have a supermajority in both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly, they have a lot of power to turn their priorities into reality. One of the GOP priorities this session has been school choice, including private school vouchers.
WUNC’s Will Michaels sat down with education reporter Liz Schlemmer to ask her about the state's main voucher program and where it's headed.
Choose Your School, Choose Your Future legislation proposed in House
April 20, 2023
(The Center Square) – All North Carolina students could become eligible for the Opportunity Scholarship Program under new legislation sponsored by Republican House Speaker Tim Moore and Rep. Tricia Cotham.
Opportunity Scholarships that currently help low- and moderate-income families cover private school tuition would expand to all students through an income-based tiered system under House Bill 823, titled Choose Your School, Choose Your Future.
The legislation is sponsored by top House Republicans including Moore, of Cleveland County, as well as Cotham, formally a Mecklenburg Democrat who switched her party affiliation to join the majority last week. An identical Senate Bill 406 was introduced last month by Sens. Michael Lee of New Hanover County and Amy Galey of Alamance County, co-chairmen of the Senate Education Committee.
Cotham introduces Opportunity Scholarship expansion in NC House
By April 20, 2023
Newly minted Republican Rep. Tricia Cotham of Mecklenburg County is the primary sponsor of the House version of a bill that would dramatically expand school choice across North Carolina.
The move is significant because it signals that Cotham would be a crucial 72nd vote in the House chamber to override a veto from Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, is also a primary sponsor on the measure, giving it extra weight.
House Bill 823; Choose Your School, Choose Your Future; would expand the Opportunity Scholarship Program to all students in a tiered system based on household income. Under the current system, Opportunity Scholarships are only available to low- and moderate-income families. The scholarships empower families to afford tuition at the private school of their choice.
With Rep. Cotham as sponsor, bill expanding private school scholarships clears path to law
April 19, 2023
School Choice --- in the form of publicly funded scholarships to private schools --- is being fast-tracked now that Republicans have a supermajority in the North Carolina General Assembly.
Rep. Tricia Cotham, a Mecklenburg County Republican who switched parties from the Democrats this month, is a primary sponsor of a bill expanding vouchers for private school tuition, which are known as Opportunity Scholarships and have been championed by Republicans.
Until now, the use of the scholarships has been limited, but a new bill likely to coast into law will expand the program to all students.
Head of NC teachers group drops lawsuit challenging Opportunity Scholarships
The leader of North Carolina’s branch of a national teachers union is dropping her lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship Program. The news arrives as state legislators debate expanding funding for scholarships in the next state budget.
Tamika Walker Kelly, president of the N.C. Association of Educators, and other plaintiffs in Kelly v. State of North Carolina filed a notice of voluntary dismissal Wednesday in Wake County Superior Court.