school vouchers

North Carolina lawmakers are expected to vote this week on a veto override of a bill that would commit nearly $6.5 billion in state funding for private school vouchers over the next decade. The Opportunity Scholarships have evolved over the past decade from a small $10 million pilot program, to a major budget expense that could transform education in the state.

North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has vetoed a bill that allocates hundreds of millions of dollars to expanded private school vouchers and immigration enforcement. The Republican plan that Cooper rejected Friday also orders sheriffs to cooperate with federal immigrant agents searching jails for people who may be in the country unlawfully. 

The Republican-dominated North Carolina legislature has passed a supplemental spending bill that does away with a large waitlist for private school vouchers. The bill also directs sheriffs to assist federal immigration agents seeking jail inmates.

Dozens of North Carolina parents came to Raleigh to urge Republican legislators to fully fund scholarships for children to attend private and religious schools.

The North Carolina Senate has approved legislation to set aside roughly $500 million more — for now — for programs that provide taxpayer money to help K-12 students attend private schools. The majority-Republican Senate voted Thursday along party lines to spend the money, almost all of which will cover a surge in demand for Opportunity Scholarship grants.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest is promoting expanded school choice as part of his push to win the Republican nomination for governor in 2020. 

Concerns are growing about state funds bolstering a school voucher program even as millions of dollars are being left unspent.    

Right now, Betsy DeVos just barely has enough votes to be confirmed after two Senate Republicans announced last week they won't support her nomination.