OPPORTUNITY LOST: ANALYZING THE EFFECTS OF SCHOOL VOUCHER EXPANSION IN NORTH CAROLINA’S LEANDRO COUNTIES

In North Carolina, the Opportunity Scholarship Program was established in 2013 to provide tuition assistance for low-income families seeking to enroll their children in private schools. In 2024, the North Carolina General Assembly expanded the program by removing the income cap and introducing a tiered award structure, substantially increasing eligibility and participation. This policy shift occurred within the broader context of the state’s constitutional obligation to provide a sound, basic education, as established in Leandro v. State of North Carolina. This study examined how the expansion of the Opportunity Scholarship Program influenced voucher participation, funding distribution, and enrollment patterns. Using county-level data from 2022 through 2024, outcomes were compared between counties identified in the Leandro litigation and those not designated in the case. Independent-samples t tests were conducted to assess differences in voucher participation, funding, and usage rates before and after the program expansion. Guided by Critical Resource Theory (Kaplan & Owings, 2022), findings revealed differential patterns of participation and fiscal exposure across counties, suggesting that voucher expansion may interact with existing disparities in educational funding. This study contributes to policy discussions on school choice and educational equity by demonstrating how voucher expansion intersects with long-standing concerns about resource distribution and adequacy in public education systems.