North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship Program Expands and Succeeds

New research proves what many parents—and Liberty & Law readers—already know: Educational choice works. The most recent evidence comes courtesy of North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP). In 2015, IJ successfully defended the OSP against lawsuits by the state’s school boards and teachers’ association. The case resulted in a victory for educational choice at the North Carolina Supreme Court. Since then, the OSP has expanded to serve more than 7,000 students. In June, North Carolina State University released a study showing that OSP students outperformed their public school peers on a standardized math, reading, and language test.

The NC State study used the nationally recognized Iowa Test of Basic Skills to compare students in public schools and similarly situated students using scholarships to attend private schools. The gaps between the two groups were statistically significant for all three subject areas, with the most progress demonstrated in language.

NC State’s study demonstrates just one of the benefits of educational choice, and IJ’s work continues so that families across the nation can enjoy the same opportunities as North Carolinians.