North Carolina’s school voucher program is facing a wave of outrage after a new state report revealed public schools are owed $35.8 million tied to students leaving the system for private school scholarships.
The report from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction found that just 12,252 of the state’s more than 106,000 Opportunity Scholarship recipients previously attended public schools. That means nearly 89% of voucher recipients were already enrolled in private schools or were not previously part of the public school system.
The numbers have fueled criticism from residents who argue the program has drifted far from its original purpose.
On Reddit’s r/NorthCarolina community, commenters accused lawmakers of engineering a system designed to redirect taxpayer money away from public education.
“It was a bait and switch,” one user wrote in a heavily upvoted comment.
The Opportunity Scholarship program was initially introduced as a way to help low-income families move children out of struggling public schools. But lawmakers expanded eligibility in 2024, removing income caps and opening the program to families across all income levels.
According to the state report, public schools would have received roughly $141.8 million over the past two school years if those departing students had remained enrolled. Instead, voucher payments totaled $106 million, creating the $35.8 million gap lawmakers previously promised would be reinvested into public education.
So far, that reinvestment has not happened.
“As of now, there has been no money put into that fund,” DPI Director of School Business Services Amanda Fratrik said during Thursday’s presentation.
Critics Say GOP Intentions Were Clear All Along
The report triggered fierce reactions online, where many North Carolina residents framed the voucher expansion as part of a broader Republican effort to weaken public schools.
“Vouchers are a scam,” one commenter posted.
Another warned: “Vouchers will bankrupt North Carolina like they did Arizona.”
Several users pointed to the fact that most voucher recipients were not previously attending public schools, arguing the state is effectively subsidizing tuition for families already able to afford private education.
“That there is not an income limit on these is straight criminal,” one Reddit user wrote.
Others argued private schools simply raised tuition once voucher money became widely available.
“And also predictably they just raised tuition because they knew there was an influx of cash,” another commenter said.
Not all reactions were entirely negative. Some parents said the scholarships helped children with autism or ADHD access specialized schooling they otherwise could not afford. But even several voucher recipients acknowledged the program often falls short of covering full tuition costs.
Meanwhile, critics say the demographic breakdown of students leaving public schools raises additional concerns. According to the state report, 57% of former public school students using vouchers are white, and nearly 62% are not economically disadvantaged.
With teacher protests growing and lawmakers under pressure to address school funding, the voucher fight is quickly becoming one of North Carolina’s most politically charged education battles.
