After House vote, NC is on the cusp of universal school choice
By David Bass, Carolina Journal
North Carolina House voted Wednesday to pass a bill that will clear the waitlist for the state’s voucher program and bring true universal school choice to the state for the first time.
The measure, House Bill 10, has one hurdle remaining: A likely veto from Gov. Roy Cooper.
The bill passed the House in a 67-43 vote with the support of all Republicans who were present on the floor plus three Democrats: Reps. Carla Cunningham of Mecklenburg County, Shelly Willingham of Edgecombe County, and Michael Wray of Northampton County. Both the House and Senate would need a three-fifths majority vote to overcome a Cooper veto.
HB10 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.
The bill includes retroactive funding for eligible families, allowing them to qualify for tuition reimbursement from their schools.
“The mini budget strengthens our commitment to school choice for all NC families as well as public education, with historic investments in enrollment growth for both K-12 public schools and our community colleges,” said House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, in a statement.
“Today’s passage of HB10, which clears the waitlist of nearly 55,000 families who have applied for Opportunity Scholarships, marks a significant victory for families and students across North Carolina,” added Rep. Tricia Cotham, R-Mecklenburg, who spearheaded the expansion in the House. “By empowering students and parents to choose what type of education bet fits their needs, regardless of zip code or income, the Opportunity Scholarship Program puts kids and their futures first. As North Carolina continues to expand education options for families, we are ensuring that every child has the chance to thrive. This is a win for students, parents, and the future of North Carolina!”
For their part, Democrats blasted the voucher expansion. House Minority Leader Robert Reives posted a video on X, calling the bill “a major step in the wrong direction for public education in North Carolina, and its impact cannot be overstated.”
On the Senate floor earlier this week, Sen. Michael Garrett, D-Guilford, called the Opportunity Scholarship proposal a “betrayal of our state’s core values, one that threatens the very foundation of our public education system, and the principles of equality and opportunity that I know we all hold dear.”
Dr. Robert Luebke, director of the Center for Effective Education at the John Locke Foundation, praised the advancements for school choice.
“The school choice movement in North Carolina wouldn’t have gotten this far without the help of countless supporters,” Luebke wrote. “A special thank you to all legislators who have supported a parent’s right to choose the best education for their child. It hasn’t always been easy. Thank you for your perseverance and commitment to empowering parents. We look forward to taking the final step in this journey and adding North Carolina to the list of states offering families true educational choice!”
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