Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina

📚 The Department of Defense has launched a review of how it supports homeschooling for military families, aiming to expand flexibility, improve resources, and uphold educational freedom — strengthening both family life and force readiness.

As we wrap up the school year, this quote reminds us: education isn’t one-size-fits-all. When families are involved in choosing the right educational environment, students engage, grow, and thrive.

School choice empowers families to be involved in a child’s learning journey from the very start.

FAMILIES DESERVE OPTIONS: Mandy has four children, two of whom aged out before the Opportunity Scholarship Program began. For their younger children, however, access to the Opportunity Scholarship means pursuing a Christian education in a smaller environment. In their community of Fayetteville, they have seen too many schools continue to struggle, leaving families with limited options.

STUDENTS DESERVE BETTER: “Every parent should be able to have their children in the setting that best suits their family and the needs of each of their children. This is what is best for our children. They deserve better than consistently underperforming schools!”

For families like Mandy's, the Opportunity Scholarship puts their tax dollars to work for their children's future and creates real opportunity and choices for their children.

Did you apply for ESA+ but never receive an award because funding ran out? Or were you unable to apply because the application window closed on March 2?

We need to hear from you.

Behind every application is a student, a family, and a need that still exists. We are collecting stories from North Carolina families who are still waiting for access to ESA+ so lawmakers can better understand the real impact on students across our state.

If this was your experience, please share your story with us in the comments, by message, or by emailing us at [email protected].

Today, we remember the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice defending American freedom - and we honor the families who carry their legacy every single day.

A few years ago, we had the privilege of sharing Jessica's story. She and her daughters are a Gold Star family, carrying the unimaginable loss of a husband and father. Jessica was left to navigate life's biggest decisions on her own, including choosing the educational path for her daughters.

This Memorial Day, we invite you to watch her powerful story.:

The Impact of the Opportunity Scholarship Program for Military Families pefnc.org-Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PEFNCTwitter - https://twitter.com/PEFNCInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/schoolchoicenc/

THE CHALLENGE: Connie, who is raising her 9-year-old granddaughter, quickly realized her needs were not being met in her assigned public school. She was bored in the classroom and began getting in trouble - not because she was struggling, but because she wasn’t being challenged. As a retired public school teacher, Connie has seen firsthand that classrooms often have to move at a pace that doesn’t fit every student. For her granddaughter, that meant being held back rather than pushed forward.

THE TURNING POINT: In September 2024, she enrolled her in a private school that better matched her learning level. With the help of the Opportunity Scholarship, she was able to choose a school where she is now challenged academically and engaged socially - an environment where she can truly thrive.

CHOOSING WHAT WORKS: “The public school classroom can only move forward as fast as the slowest student in most cases. This is no fault of the teachers. It’s the system. One size does not fit all.”

For this grandmother, the Opportunity Scholarship made it possible to choose a learning environment where her granddaughter can excel, rather than shrink herself to fit one that doesn’t.

The NC House has taken the first step toward overriding Governor Stein's veto of HB 87, which would opt North Carolina into the federal Education Choice Tax Credit program. The next step is a vote to override in the NC Senate.

💡 We'll keep you posted on that, but in the meantime we're breaking down what opting in would mean for families, donors, and educational freedom.

Today, the NC House voted to override Governor Stein's veto of House Bill 87, which allows North Carolina to opt into the federal Education Choice Tax Credit program. This move represents a meaningful step forward in expanding educational opportunity, empowers parents, and will increase access to a wider range of educational options and resources.

Through the federal program, private philanthropy helps fund scholarships for K12 students, opening doors to new opportunities with zero additional state or federal education spending.

All eyes are now on the NC Senate, where they must vote to override the veto before HB 87 becomes law. PEFNC will remain engaged and keep you updated as the legislative process continues.