Reauthorization bill introduced

Yesterday, U.S. Representatives Boehner (R-OH), Issa (R-CA), and McKeon (R-CA) continued to provide hope to thousands of low-income families by introducing a bill that would reauthorize the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program.  This action continues the process that will be necessary in order for the program to begin accepting new students.  The bill will face an [...]

Parental choice as parental rights

As the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program is debated in Washington and beyond in the coming weeks, proponents will be largely emphasizing one message: the program works.  Children get a better education when families are able to choose the schools they attend. But the pragmatic argument shouldn’t obscure a larger question of justice. In an opinion [...]

Committee hears strong support for OSP

more about “Senate Committee on Homeland Security…“, posted with vodpod On Wednesday, Senator Lieberman held a committee hearing on the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program.  The committee heard first-hand from many individuals: Latasha Bennett, a single mother whose 8-year-old son is in the OSP; two recipients of Opportunity Scholarships who attend(ed) Archbishop Carroll High School (an [...]

Pulse of the experts

The Washington Post recently asked a wide range of government and education policy leaders for their opinion on President Obama’s decision to allow current recipients to maintain their DC Opportunity Scholarships until high school graduation, but not to offer new scholarships.  Contributors include Democratic and Republican officials, a former secretary of education, the DC schools [...]

Public hearing set for May 13

The Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs will begin discussion of the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program’s future on Wednesday, May 13, with a public hearing titled, “The DC Opportunity Scholarship Program: Preserving School Choice for All.”  The hearing is open to the public and will be a great chance for any parental choice [...]

Action time! 1,000+ rally for DC OSP

With Congressional reauthorization hearings beginning next week, the fight for the DC OSP is stepping into high gear.  Over 1,000 parents, students, teachers, and other supporters gathered on Freedom Plaza in Washington, DC, on Wednesday to show their support for the scholarship program. After hearing from former DC mayor Anthony Williams, current DC scholarship recipients, [...]

Obama’s DC OSP extension may still end program

According to the Washington Post, President Obama is set to release budget documents that will include funding for all current 1,716 DC Opportunity Scholarship recipients through their completion of high school.  The move would revise legislation passed in the omnibus bill, which would have required Congressional reauthorization to continue the program in any form after [...]

“Why?”: a mother’s question to OSP opponents

If you have five minutes in your day, it’s well worth watching this video, which highlights a mother and daughter whose lives have been changed by the DC Opportunity Scholarship Program. The video provides a concise and powerful argument for parental choice by keeping the focus where it should be: on the children and families [...]