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7/28/09 - POLL: D.C. RESIDENTS STRONGLY SUPPORT SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM

 Groups Release Third Poll Demonstrating Overwhelming Public Support for School Choice 

07/28/2009

(Washington, D.C., July 28, 2009)—Residents of the District of Columbia overwhelmingly support continuing the federally-funded D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, according to the third poll in three years to gauge the local popularity of the school voucher program.

Nearly 75 percent of District residents support the city’s federally funded school voucher program, according to a rigorous, independent poll released today. Widespread support for the program crosses party lines—with 74 percent of Democrats, 77 percent of Republicans and 70 percent of Independents backing the program—and extends across each of the District’s eight wards.

In addition, 56 percent of residents indicated that they believed that there should be more scholarships for low-income students, and 68 percent of residents oppose Congress’ effort to end the program.

The poll of 1,000 District residents was conducted by Braun Research in partnership with the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO), D.C. Children First, Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS), the Center for Education Reform (CER), D.C. School Reform Now, the Greater Washington Urban League, the Heritage Foundation, and the Alliance for School Choice. It was released today and is available at: http://www.friedmanfoundation.org/downloadFile.do?id=375

The program, which began in 2004, has provided scholarships of up to $7,500 per eligible student so that low-income children can attend the private schools of their parents’ choice. Congress is currently debating the program's future.

Two previous polls have demonstrated local support for the program; in 2007, a Greater Washington Urban League poll demonstrated almost 70 percent support for the federal funding creating the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program. A 2008 poll by the national nonprofit Education Reform Now demonstrated equally strong support for the voucher initiative, with 63 percent of D.C. residents supporting school vouchers in general and 77 percent voicing supporting for parental choice in education.

In addition to support for the Opportunity Scholarship Program, the poll revealed that—if provided with a choice, 70 percent of District parents would rather send their children to private or public charter schools than to traditional public schools.

“For the third consecutive year—from three different research firms—we again see that local support for the D.C voucher program remains overwhelming,” said John Schilling, Alliance for School Choice Interim President.  "Federal officials who oppose reauthorizing and strengthening OSP are defying the will of District residents. At a time when the federal government is devoting billions of new dollars to education, it is incomprehensible they would balk at investing less than $20 million to provide eligible low-income DC children with immediate educational opportunity through the OSP."

In addition to the poll, support among local leaders is growing. A majority of D.C. City Council Members released a letter encouraging the reauthorization and strengthening of the program.

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The Alliance for School Choice is a national leader in promoting school vouchers and scholarship tax credit programs. For more information, visit www.AllianceforSchoolChoice.org.