D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program

Families must be current D.C. residents. Additionally, families must either receive benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or earn no more than 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) when they enter the program ($57,720 for a family of four in 2024–2025). Students may continue to receive vouchers in later years if their household income does not rise above 300% of the FPL ($93,600 for a family of four in 2024–2025). Students are given priority if they previously attended a public school identified as one of the lowest performing under the District of Columbia’s accountability system or if they or their siblings are already participating in the program. They may use vouchers only to attend private schools located in D.C. _(Last updated January 17, 2024)_

Qualifying expenses include tuition, fees, and transportation, with any leftover funds available for certain qualified fees that schools may require for summer school. _(Last updated July 17, 2024)_

Vouchers are worth up to $10,713 for K–8 students and $16,070 for students in grades 9–12 for 2023–2024. Those amounts increase annually with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). As the result of a 2019 reauthorization bill, Congress maintains the program’s budget cap of $20 million for the program, including administrative fees, but currently, only $17.5 million is appropriated annually. All of the $17.5 million appropriation has been distributed this year, meaning roughly about 1% of DC’s K–12 student population is participating in the program. _(Last updated July 17, 2024)_

No legal challenges have been filed against the program. _(Last updated January 17, 2023)_