When Republican lawmakers radically expanded North Carolina’s voucher program last year by removing all income requirements, it was met with a surge in applications. So many applications, in fact, that lawmakers went back and gave the program even more funding so they didn’t have to turn down a single applicant.
Now that surging demand for vouchers is slowing down, at least among families applying to the program for the first time.
Approximately 40,000 new families applied for a voucher by the most recent deadline, according to data released by the N.C. State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), which administers the Opportunity Scholarship program. Compare that to last year, when 72,000 new families applied for a voucher. That’s a decrease of roughly 44%…