“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 (about $40,000 for a family of four). Families must reapply and prove their eligibility each year.
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.
This program is no longer accepting applications. The OSP was funded for a sixth school year (2009-2010), but WSF was instructed by the U.S. Department of Education that no new scholarships would granted even though funding had been appropriated and 216 applicants had already been awarded provisional scholarships. Only students awarded scholarships within the first five years of the program would be eligible. Without a Congressional reauthorization, this program will not be available for new families in future years. President Obama, meanwhile, has committed funding for current students through graduation, but their scholarships are still severely threatened by the annual budget process.
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 (about $59,000 for a family of four). Families must reapply and prove their eligibility each year.
This program is no longer accepting applications.
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
More Information
- D.C. OSP