District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program

The District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) provides low-income parents residing in the District of Columbia (District) with expanded options for the education of their children. This program is part of a broader school improvement effort in the District that is founded on the belief that all education sectors (public schools, public charter schools, and nonpublic schools) can offer quality education experiences for the District’s students, and that those students who are the most economically disadvantaged have the least access to such experiences.

One grant was awarded on a competitive basis to establish a scholarship program to provide eligible students with expanded school choice options. These scholarships enable students to attend a participating nonpublic District elementary or secondary school of their choice.  Students who are residents of the District and who come from households whose income does not exceed 185 percent of the poverty line are eligible to apply for scholarships under this program. These scholarships may be used to pay the tuition and fees and transportation expenses (if any) to enable students to attend the participating District private elementary or secondary school of their choice.