55,000-child waitlist for North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship program due to high inflation, budget changes, and income cap removal.

North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship program has seen a surge in demand due to high inflation, budget changes, and a removal of income caps, leaving a 55,000-child waitlist. The state's $191.5bn budget for the upcoming school year has been exhausted, prompting a proposed bill to allocate an additional $248m. However, the bill is stalled, causing uncertainty for private and public schools as administrators struggle to predict enrollment numbers. Private school administrators are unsure about how many families will remain on the waiting list and choose not to send their children to private schools, while public schools worry about how many students will switch to private institutions. The debate surrounding the scholarship program has divided state lawmakers, with some expressing concerns about the long-term impact on the state budget and public school funding.

July 31, 2024
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