Last verified: October 2026
Does Raleigh have school vouchers?
Yes. North Carolina's Opportunity Scholarship works as a statewide voucher, and Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Johnston County families use it the same way. For 2026-27 it pays a Direct Payment School between $3,574 and $7,942 per student per year, depending on household income.
NC DPI's report to legislators counted 106,704 recipients statewide in 2025-26, and WECT put the program's cost for that year at $587 million.
Can a Triangle family with a high income still get the voucher?
Yes. Tier 4 has no income limit and pays up to $3,574, and a family that skips the income documents is placed in Tier 4. New students are still funded in tier order, so lower tiers are served first when money is tight.
Where can a Raleigh student use the voucher?
Only at a school on NCSEAA's Direct Payment list. The 2026-27 table showed 81 listings in Wake, 37 in Durham, 9 in Orange and 6 in Johnston, and our school directory marks each school one at a time.
What are the testing rules for Triangle voucher schools?
Schools with scholarship students test them from grade 3 up: NCSEAA chooses the tests for grades 3 and 8, juniors take the ACT, and the school picks the rest. Results go to NCSEAA by July 15 and are not public records. The 2026 budget added four-year record keeping and yearly audits of at least 4% of schools.
What does each 2026-27 tier pay?
| Tier | Household income | Annual maximum | Per semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | At or below the free and reduced-price lunch income line | $7,942 | $3,971 |
| Tier 2 | Above that line and up to twice it | $7,148 | $3,574 |
| Tier 3 | Above Tier 2 and up to 450% of the lunch line | $4,766 | $2,383 |
| Tier 4 | Above the Tier 3 limit, or income not reported | $3,574 | $1,787 |
Opportunity Scholarship vs ESA+: how do they compare?
| Opportunity Scholarship | ESA+ |
|---|---|
| Any K-12 student, income sets the amount | Students with a public school disability determination |
| Pays only a listed school's tuition and fees | Pays tuition plus therapy, tutoring, devices and more |
| $3,574 to $7,942 | $9,000 or $17,000 |