Save Our Schools
Cornerstone is Putting Kids First. On September 30th, Cornerstone students attended a rally at the Capitol to show our support for the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Progam. If you are interested in learning more about this program, which currently is at risk of being eliminated by Congress, please visit the Save School Choice website.
Check out this commercial which was filmed at Cornerstone and features one of our families.
The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) is part of a three-sector education initiative that was requested, shaped and championed by D.C. leaders and launched in 2004 to support D.C. Schools. This innovative education initiative includes funding for traditional public schools, District charter schools, and the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.
The Opportunity Scholarship Program provides low-income parents residing in the District of Columbia with opportunities to enroll their children in D.C. private schools. Each scholarship student receives up to $7,500 per year for tuition. The U.S. Department of Education closed the program to new applicants for the 2009-10 school year. The U.S. Department of Education closed the program to new applicants for the 2009-10 school year.
The D.C. OSP is overwhelmingly popular among eligible District families as well as D.C. residents, community, and business leaders.
- For the 2008–2009 school year, more than 1,700 students enrolled in 49 private schools.
- There is high demand. More than 8,000 students have applied to the OSP.
- According to a poll released by the Greater Washington Urban League in December 2007, more than two-thirds (69%) of D.C. residents are in favor of the three-sector education initiative.
- The program is supported by key local Democratic leaders — D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, City Council Chair Vincent Gray, as well as former Mayors Anthony A. Williams and Marion Barry.
Another resource for additional information is http://www.voicesofschoolchoice.org/, and features a wonderful documentary about the issue called Let Me Rise.
