School choice has been allowed to succeed in the nation’s capital because of national Republicans in Congress. But the legislation needs to be extended to ensure that children can continue taking advantage of the program.
After middle-schooler Tiffany Dunston lost her cousin in a tragic act of violence, the Washington, D.C., 13-year-old vowed to carry on his legacy and make her family proud.
She sought out D.C.’s Opportunity Scholarship and used the voucher program to attend Archbishop Carroll High School, a private Catholic school in the northeastern part of the city. Her traditional public school wasn’t a good fit, but at Carroll she excelled.
Unfortunately the futures of students like Tiffany are in jeopardy if Congress doesn’t act. The Opportunity Scholarship Program that afforded her the chance to attend a private school is funded by the federal government, and that means politics might get in the way of a child’s future.
In March, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee passed a bill to reauthorize the program. But it still needs to pass the full House and Senate, which failed to move on the measure before breaking for Easter recess.
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