D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program

On September 30, IJ joined children, parents, teachers and activists from around the country in a rally at the U.S. Capitol to save the Washington D.C. Opportunity

Scholarship Program (OSP). Since 2004, this program has provided an educational lifeline to thousands of low-income families in the nation’s capital. It has been a huge success: Parents are so desperate to get their kids out of the failing D.C. public schools that four applications have been submitted for every spot available.

OSP is helping more than 1,700 kids, and children in the program are making real academic strides. This summer, 216 additional families were thrilled to find out that their children would receive scholarships for this academic year. But just a few weeks later, those families learned that Congress decided to kill the Opportunity Scholarship Program, and so their kids would not get scholarships after all.

Editorial boards, radio hosts, activists and families across the country were shocked to hear that such a successful program that helped so many needy children would be shut down simply to placate powerful special interests.

The rally at the Capitol was one important step in making sure that Congress hears the voices of D.C. children in need of a better education. We will not rest until Congress reauthorizes the Opportunity Scholarship Program.