REPORT: N.C. voucher program accountability among 'weakest in nation'

North Carolina’s “Opportunity Scholarships,” a state tax-supported program that provides up to $4,000 a year for low-income students to attend private schools, choice, lacks adequate accountability and is among the weakest in the nation, according to a new study from Duke University.

“The schools need not be accredited, adhere to state curricular or graduation standards, employ licensed teachers, or administer state end-of-grade tests,” according to the report “School Vouchers in North Carolina: The First Three Years” from the Children’s Law Clinic at the Duke University School of Law.

“North Carolina’s voucher program is serving the purpose of providing some low-income families the choice to obtain a religious education for their children. It does not appear to be serving the purpose of producing better academic outcomes for those students,” the report concludes.

The full report is available here.