NC Legislature empties school choice waitlist as it overrides Democrat governor’s veto

Another 54,000 students will join North Carolina’s school choice program after the state Legislature overrode Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto this week on funding for it.

The Republicans used their supermajorities in the House and Senate to reach the 60% majorities necessary to override Cooper’s veto. Three House Democrats joined with Republicans; the Senate vote was along party lines.

“This is a great day for North Carolina. It’s going to be a great day for families and for children,” said Rep. Tricia Cotham, who switched from Democrat to Republican over the issue of school choice. “It is shameful for our governor to try and set up a fight between hurricane victim relief and children. They are not the same.”

Cotham referenced calls by Democrats to use the funding for Hurricane Helene relief. Some relief was included in a wide-ranging spending bill the legislature passed, Education NC reported.

The Governor has been widely criticized for working hard to block student choice. Corey DeAngelis pointed out on X that Cooper had even declared a “state of emergency” because public school funds were ‘threatened.’

DeAngelis, a leading school choice advocate, also pointed out that Cooper sent his daughter to private school while opposing choice for North Carolina residents.

The bill the legislature passed includes an additional $463.5 million toward school choice this year, Education NC reported, enough to clear the waitlist for the Opportunity Scholarship Grant Program retroactive to the start of the school year.

There’s also 24.7 million in recurring money to clear the waitlist for Education Student Accounts for students with disabilities.

About 70,000 students applied for scholarships after the state lifted income restrictions last year, according to EdNC, but money ran out leaving more than 50,000 on the waiting list.