In a significant move aimed at finally making universal school choice a reality in North Carolina, the state Senate passed a measure on Monday that clears the waitlists for Opportunity Scholarships and the Education Savings Account program.
House Bill 10 passed in a 27-17 party-line vote. The measure allocates an additional $248 million in nonrecurring funds to Opportunity Scholarships for the current school year, $215.15 million in recurring funds for scholarship awards for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, and $24.7 million in recurring funds to clear the waitlist for the Education Savings Account, or ESA+ program.
Currently, around 55,000 students are waiting for Opportunity Scholarships, which are state-funded vouchers to families for a private school education. Additionally, about 2,015 students are on the waitlist for the ESA+ program, designed for students with special needs.
“North Carolina families who applied and qualified for the Opportunity Scholarship and ESA+ programs deserve to receive those scholarships. It’s time we fulfill our commitment to these families,” said Senate Education Committee chairman Sen. Michael Lee, R-New Hanover, in a statement. “As we expand school choice, North Carolina will continue to have an educational landscape that appeals to all, providing high-quality options for those who choose private school, traditional public school, charter school, and home school.”
The bill includes retroactive funding for eligible families, allowing them to qualify for tuition reimbursement from their schools.
Each Opportunity Scholarship is valued between $3,360 and $7,468 annually, depending on family income. The program has seen a surge in demand, with a record-breaking 72,000 applications received in February.
Despite the high demand, the program faced a significant funding gap this year. A budget impasse prevented lawmakers from clearing the waitlists for both the Opportunity Scholarships and the ESA+ program. This led to frustration among parents and advocacy groups, who have been vocal in urging the legislature to take action.
“We have one last shot to do what we promised—to complete the list,” said Caroline Cox, a parent who emphasized the urgency of the situation at a recent rally. “We’re calling on our elected House members to step up and do the right thing by these families. North Carolina can lead the way in educational freedom and make a significant difference for our kids.”
School choice opponents quickly condemned the move on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Today, the General Assembly reconvened to expand their taxpayer-funded voucher scheme. Instead, we should invest in our public schools and improve upon them,” wrote House Minority Leader Robert Reives, D-Chatham.
Last week, perennial voucher opponent Gov. Roy Cooper convened a press conference to condemn the Opportunity Scholarship expansion, saying, “I am against taking taxpayer money out of public schools and giving it to the private schools when our public schools already have so many needs.”
In addition to the school choice funding, HB10 includes $64 million in recurring funding for community college enrollment growth and $95 million in recurring K-12 enrollment growth for traditional public schools.
The state House is scheduled to vote on HB10 on Wednesday. If the House OKs the measure as expected, both chambers would need to maintain a three-fifths supermajority of support to override a likely veto from Cooper.