The North Carolina Legislature overrode Gov. Roy Cooper’s (D) veto of the biennium budget. With the budget in place, North Carolina becomes the sixth state with an education savings account (ESA) program. The program will be established during the 2017–18 school year and start making awards for the 2018–19 school year. The program is limited to a total of $3,000,000 with a maximum of $9,000 per student account. Eligibility is limited to students with specific disabilities, foster children, children of active military and full-time active-duty National Guard and Reservists, recent adoptees, and children entering kindergarten or first grade.
Budget specifics can be found here on page 64 and program eligibility here starting on page 133.
The following statement from education policy experts at The Heartland Institute – a free-market think tank – may be used for attribution. For more comments, refer to the contact information below. To book a Heartland guest on your program, please contact Media Specialist Billy Aouste at [email protected] and 312/377-4000 or (cell) 847/445-7554.
“Though limited in scope, this is still a great step forward for parents and students in North Carolina who are in need of education options that fit their diverse needs. ESAs provide parents flexibility to personalize the education of their children to meet their specific needs. All students deserve this same flexibility and access to a quality education.”
Lennie Jarratt
Project Manager, Education
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
312/377-4000
“It has already been a very busy (and good) week for education choice advocates, and this news out of North Carolina is the cherry on the sundae. The Personal Education Savings Account Program is the perfect complement to the state’s Special Education Scholarship voucher, and it is going to give more Tar Heel families a greater opportunity to meet their child’s unique education needs. Congratulations to the General Assembly for having the courage to stand up to their governor and override his veto. There’s going to be quite a few more happy families in North Carolina because of them.”
Tim Benson
Policy Analyst
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
312/377-4000