Governor Roy Cooper’s claims against opportunity scholarships, arguing that they divert funds from public education, have been countered in a new analysis by researchers at the John Locke Foundation. The report found that the funds for the scholarships are not sourced from the public school budget but are administered through a different part of the state budget. Additionally, the analysis debunked Cooper’s assertion that the scholarships mainly benefit wealthy families, showing that a sliding scale is used to provide larger amounts to lower-income families.
The report also refuted Cooper’s claim that private school vouchers do not improve student performance, citing a metastudy of nearly 190 studies on school choice that showed positive effects in 84% of cases. With the General Assembly passing HB10 to fully fund opportunity scholarships, Cooper’s veto may be overridden by the supermajority of Republicans in the legislature.
As the vote for the potential override is looming, the House must first hold an override vote before the Senate can take action. With the General Assembly reconvening for a one-day session on October 9 and a longer period in November, Republican leaders are focused on securing attendance to achieve the three-fifths majority needed to override the governor’s veto. The upcoming months leading to the election will be crucial in determining the fate of the school choice program in North Carolina.
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