‘Equity in Opportunity Act’ Would Tie Disabled Student Grants And Scholarships To Per Pupil Funding PDF Print E-mail
State Government
By Administrator   
Friday, 29 January 2021 11:19
Legislation to create 'equity in opportunity' among students who receive publicly-funded educations in North Carolina was filed by House Republican leaders.

 

House Bill 32 Equity in Opportunity Act would allow students either receiving Education Savings Account grants due to disabilities, or Opportunity Scholarships due to income level, to calculate their grant as a percentage of per-pupil funding instead of a fixed amount. 
 
The legislation would also allow counties to supplement funding for students receiving those scholarship and education savings accounts, just as counties supplement per-pupil allotments for charter and traditional public schools. 
 
The bill also permits second grade students to enter the scholarship program, and authorizes administrators to partner with nonprofit organizations to educate families about the program. 
 
The General Assembly gave strong bipartisan support for expanding Opportunity Scholarship eligibility to more students in North Carolina with a 104-10 vote on House Bill 1105 in 2020. 
 
Senior House Appropriations Co-Chairs Dean Arp (R-Union), Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth), and Jason Saine (R-Lincoln), and House Education Committee Co-Chair Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke), released a joint statement: 
 
"The Equity in Opportunity Act would ensure North Carolina treats all students receiving a publicly-funded education the same regardless of disability or income level," the House leaders said Thursday, 
 
"Right now vulnerable students receiving a publicly funded education are not able to benefit from their county's commitments to classroom funding like their peers. Our students deserve a policy where their state and local governments can support all of their children equitably.
 
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