1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

Your constituents are deeply concerned about the allocation of $463.5 million in taxpayer funds to expand private school vouchers, known as Opportunity Scholarships, in North Carolina. This move to fully fund vouchers and eliminate the waitlist of over 50,000 students undermines the state's commitment to public education. Public schools are already struggling with critical staffing shortages, including thousands of teacher vacancies. Diverting resources away from public schools to subsidize private education for even the wealthiest families is detrimental to the health of our public education system. Public funds should be invested in improving and strengthening public schools, which serve the vast majority of students in the state. Private schools lack the same level of academic accountability and oversight as public schools receiving state funding. This voucher expansion plan threatens the financial stability of local school districts statewide. I urge you to reconsider this voucher expansion and instead prioritize initiatives that support public schools, attract and retain high-quality teachers through competitive compensation, and ensure every child in North Carolina has access to a quality public education regardless of their family's income or zip code. Our state's future depends on a strong public education system that prepares all students for success.