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Washington –
U.S.
Senator
Tim
Scott
(R-SC),
a
leading
advocate
for
school
choice
in
the
U.S.
Senate, praised
the
House
of
Representatives
for
passing
the Scholarships
for
Opportunity
and
Results
Act
today.
The
measure,
sponsored
in
the
House
by
Speaker
John
Boehner
and
a
group
of
bi-partisan
co-sponsors,
reauthorizes
the
successful
Washington
D.C.
Opportunity
Scholarship
Program.
“With
today’s
House passage
of
the
Scholarships
for
Opportunity
and
Results
Act,
we
have
taken
another
important
step
towards ensuring
that
every
child,
no
matter
their zip
code,
has
access
to
a
quality
education,”
said
Senator
Scott.
“This
bill
focuses
squarely
on
the
needs
of
children,
giving
them
more
access,
more
choices
and
more
hope.”
Scott
continued,
“For
more
than
a
decade,
the
D.C.
Opportunity
Scholarship
Program
has
provided
a
lifeline
for
low-income
families
and
their
children
in
our
nation’s
capital.
Since
its
inception,
over
16,000
families
have
applied
to
the
scholarship
program,
clearly
demonstrating
the
need
for
and
excitement
about
this
vital
program.
It
has
greatly
increased
graduation
rates
and
college
success
rates
for
students
who
might
otherwise
be
left
behind,
and I look
forward
to
working
with
my
Senate
colleagues
to
move
this
legislation
forward
in
the
coming
weeks.”
The
successful
school
choice
program
allows
low-income
students
to
receive
a
scholarship,
up
to
$8,381
through
8th
grade and
$12,572 through
high
school,
to
attend
one
of
51
participating
private
schools
in
the
District.
Companion
legislation
was
introduced
in
the
Senate
by Senators
Scott,
Ron
Johnson
(R-WI),
Feinstein
(D-CA)
and
Booker
(D-NJ)
earlier
this
month.
As
a
member
of
the
Senate
Education
Committee,
Senator
Scott
earlier
this
year
introduced
the CHOICE
Act to
provide
more
educational
options
for
low-income
communities,
children
with
special
needs
and
our
military
families.
He
also
highlighted
the
importance
of
school
choice
by
hosting
a national
school
choice
conference on
Capitol
Hill.
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