Some of the poorest performing public schools in America can befound in the nation's capital. Despite per-pupil expenditures ofmore than $11,000, 94 percent of 4th grade students in Washington,D.C., are not proficient in math, and 90 percent lack proficiencyin reading, according to the National Assessment of EducationalProgress (NAEP). Given the failure of other reforms to improve thecity's poor academic achievement and the growing recognition thatadditional funding alone will not improve the system, Congress hasan historic opportunity to support D.C. students by authorizing andfunding scholarships to give them access to quality schools.
The new D.C. Choice Incentive Program launches a five-year,federally funded program to provide close to 2,000 low-incomestudents in the District of Columbia with grants of up to $7,500each to attend the school of their choice, be it private,parochial, or other. These opportunity scholarships provide aworkable, hopeful alternative to open private schools to low-incomeand minority students trapped in failing public schools.