Scott Praises House Passage of Legislation to Reauthorize DC School Choice Program

Washington– U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), a leading advocate for school choice in the U.S. Senate,praised the House of Representatives for passing theScholarships for Opportunity and Results Acttoday. The measure, sponsored in the House by Speaker John Boehner and a group of bi-partisan co-sponsors, reauthorizes the successful Washington D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.

“With today’s Housepassage of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act, we have taken another important step towardsensuring that every child, no matter theirzip code, has access to a quality education,” said Senator Scott. “This bill focuses squarely on the needs of children, giving them more access, more choices and more hope.”

Scott continued, “For more than a decade, the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program has provided a lifeline for low-income families and their children in our nation’s capital. Since its inception, over 16,000 families have applied to the scholarship program, clearly demonstrating the need for and excitement about this vital program. It has greatly increased graduation rates and college success rates for students who might otherwise be left behind, andIlook forward to working with my Senate colleagues to move this legislation forward in the coming weeks.”

The successful school choice program allows low-income students to receive a scholarship, up to $8,381 through 8th gradeand $12,572through high school, to attend one of 51 participating private schools in the District. Companion legislation was introduced in the Senate bySenators Scott, Ron Johnson (R-WI), Feinstein (D-CA) and Booker (D-NJ) earlier this month.

As a member of the Senate Education Committee, Senator Scott earlier this year introduced theCHOICE Actto provide more educational options for low-income communities, children with special needs and our military families. He also highlighted the importance of school choice by hosting anational school choice conferenceon Capitol Hill.