“Sometimes you’ve got to go the extra mile in order for your kids to be safe
and for them to learn. If you don’t follow through with the best education
for your kids, you will be letting them down. With a scholarship, you’re
able to choose
from different types of schools. I think this is a good
opportunity for all low-income parents.”
—Nikia Hammond, WSF Scholarship Parent
WSF Programs & Services
D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (D.C. OSP)
Often referred to as the D.C. voucher program, the D.C. OSP provides genuine school choice for low-income families in the form of scholarships for children to attend K-12 non-public schools within the District’s boundaries. The maximum annual scholarship amount of $7,500 per child is available for families at or below 185% of the federal poverty level ($39,220 for a family of four). Families must reapply and prove their eligibility each year.
During the 2008-20089 school year, over 1,715 D.C. OSP students are attending 49 non-public schools of their choice. The average annual income for these families is around $22,736 – far below the eligibility level.
The U.S. Congress passed the 2003 D.C. School Choice Incentive Act establishing the D.C. OSP as a five year pilot program, and WSF was selected by the U.S. Department of Education to operate it in 2004. A federally-mandated evaluation of the D.C. OSP is being conducted by the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) within the U.S. Department of Education, and the early reports are available in the News and Publications section on our website.
In 2008, appropriations committees in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate agreed to extend the program for an additional year (the 2009-2010 school year). It is likely to pass in early 2009 via an omnibus bill. Parents and supporters, however, will continue to work hard to ensure that they don’t lost their scholarships after the 2009-2010 school year.
Signature Scholarship Program (SSP)
For low-income D.C. families who do not qualify for the D.C. OSP, this privately-funded K-12 scholarship program is available for children to attend any non-public school of their choice in D.C., MD, and VA. The maximum annual scholarship amount of $3,000 per child is available for families at or below 270% of the federal poverty level ($57,240 for a family of four). Families must reapply and prove their eligibility each year.
During the 2008-2009 school year, over 320 SSP students are attending nearly 90 non-public schools. The SSP does not have specific partner schools because all non-public schools in the region accept these private scholarships.
Parent Support Services
Our dedicated team of Family Support Specialists provides comprehensive services for families, including:
- Connecting families with schools that meet their children’s needs
- Helping families through the process of applying to schools
- Helping families understand scholarship guidelines and complete the necessary application paperwork
- Informing families about partners and other organizations in D.C. that provide complementary educational resources
- Providing information to graduating seniors about college options