Opportunity Scholarships group sees interest in families from Fremont to Scottsbluff

State Sens. Lou Ann Linehan and Justin Wayne flank Gov. Jim Pillen after he signed LB 753, the Opportunity Scholarships Act, into law on May 30, 2023. (Courtesy of the Nebraska Governor's Office)

Much has been said and written about Nebraska Legislative Bill 753, the Opportunity Scholarships Act, that passed with supermajority support in the spring of 2023. I’d like to present a perspective about the legislation based upon actual experience as the leader of an organization implementing the program in partnership with thousands of parents.

Our organization, “Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska,” has used the tax credit incentive (one of over 30 in Nebraska) to turn taxpayers’ state income liability into scholarships for students looking for the right educational fit. In the first weeks of launching our website, we received interest from over 5,000 Nebraska families. Surprisingly, initial interest was especially high in cities, towns and villages west of Omaha and Lincoln.

We hear stories from Scottsbluff to Fremont daily. The stories are unique and personal: A single dad in the National Guard who wants to take care of his three kids in central Nebraska; the tale of a recent divorcee who wants all of her kids in the same school without having to work multiple jobs to make that a reality; the story of a small business owner in northeast Nebraska who nearly lost everything during the COVID pandemic and is scrambling to put her family’s life back together; the family of a child with a learning disability who simply wants a specialized program that’s just out of reach financially.

A surprising number of the parents we hear from are proud current or former public school educators. They tell us that opportunity scholarships make sense because we must prioritize the future: our children. They are witnesses of race and socioeconomic learning gaps, understand the post-COVID fallout and see no reason for the political divide. At the same time, many are unabashed in their support of public education. As one said, “We need great public schools. It’s a great fit for most kids. But my little one, for example, needs something different. We should be able to have both; two things can be true at the same time. Let’s educate children together.”

Stories are one thing, but the data is also revealing. Roughly 50% of applicants to our organization are from outside of the Lincoln and Omaha areas. Over one third are below the poverty standard for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (213% of poverty) and the majority are below 300% of poverty, or $93,600 for a family of four. And while U.S. Census data shows that over 80% of Nebraskans are white, 37% of applicants for opportunity scholarships are students of color. In short, this program is helping hard-working Nebraskans — these folks are your neighbors and co-workers. It would be a shame to see opportunity taken from them.

To pull the lens back a bit, to most of our friends in other states educational opportunity is the norm. We are seeing new and massive expansions of programs across the country. This is because, with over 30 years of experience and data in the United States, it is clear that school choice programs change lives. Now we’re seeing it firsthand in Nebraska, which is a beautiful thing for our families, kids and future.

We love to talk about “local control” in Nebraska educational circles. Nothing is more local than a parent having the power to choose what is best for their child. So  remember the thousands of fellow Nebraskans whose lives are or will be changed by this opportunity. As one emotional parent wrote to us, “This scholarship means everything to us. Thank you.”