Lawmakers updated on Opportunity Scholarship as priority application window closes today

The priority application window for the 2025-2026 Opportunity Scholarship and the ESA+ program closes today at 5pm. Meanwhile, a joint committee of the state House and Senate heard an update on recent data for both programs.

Opportunity Scholarships are North Carolina’s voucher program meant to enable K-12 students to attend an eligible private school of their family’s choosing. Award amounts are based on household income and range from $3,458 to $7,686 per year toward the cost of tuition and fees at a private school. The lowest income households receive first priority.

ESA+ scholarships are open to all students with an eligible disability. Award amounts range between $9,000 and $17,000 per year. Awards for ESA+ may be used at an eligible private school or for approved educational expenses, including for families who home school.

The North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority administers both programs. Mary Shuping, interim executive director for NCSEAA, noted during the committee meeting that 2024 was “a big year” for the agency and its staff.

“[We] made over 50,000 retroactive awards to the wait listed students [for Opportunity Scholarships] in December, took a holiday break, and then came back and made almost 80,000 spring awards for the spring semester. So, we were very, very busy, and I think we’re really, really proud of the work that our staff was able to do there, because it went relatively seamlessly.”

For the 2024-2025 school year, approximately 58% of recipients were in the first two income tiers for Opportunity Scholarships, while the highest income tier accounted for 14% of the awards.

 The number of students enrolled in the program more than doubled between the 2023-2024 school year and the 2024-2025 school year after lawmakers in the General Assembly opened the applications to all families regardless of income.

An estimated 5,000 students were receiving the ESA+ grants for the current school year.

Stephen Bailey with the Fiscal Research Division noted that a report will be released in June determining how many students current enrolled receiving Opportunity Scholarships were attending a public school the year prior.

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