CARSON CITY, NV – August 11, 2023
Today, Governor Joe Lombardo announced a short-term solution to the Opportunity Scholarship crisis, which was initially created when legislative Democrats stripped scholarship funding out of Governor Lombardo’s education bill (AB400). Legislators then refused to consider any other funding plan and then again declined to help Opportunity Scholarship students earlier this week.
On Wednesday, Democrats voted against Governor Lombardo’s proposal to utilize unallocated federal COVID relief funds to maintain Opportunity Scholarship funding for the 2023-2024 school year. The proposal was denied on a partisan vote with all Democrats in opposition. Due to the Democrats' denial of the proposal, several hundred Nevada school children faced imminent removal from their chosen schools, without further intervention.
At the request of the Governor, AAA Scholarship Foundation volunteered to utilize reserve funds to ensure that no students who qualify under Nevada law lose access to their scholarship this year. While this funding will alleviate today’s crisis, hundreds of more students will be at risk of losing their scholarships next school year, due to the simultaneous reduction in funding from the prior biennium and depletion of the reserves.
“I’m grateful to AAA Scholarship Foundation for their eagerness to create a short-term solution for this crisis. Together, we will be able to ensure that no student currently receiving an Opportunity Scholarship will be removed from their chosen school this school year,” said Governor Joe Lombardo. “However, unless legislative Democrats work with us on a long-term solution, children will be forced out of their schools and back into the very schools that failed to meet their unique educational needs.”
“AAA Scholarship Foundation is pleased to be a part of a solution for ensuring no child loses their scholarship for the upcoming school year,” said Kim Dyson, President and CEO of AAA Scholarship Foundation. “We’re grateful for Governor Lombardo’s vision, leadership, and staunch advocacy for these children, and we look forward to working with legislators from both parties on a long-term solution for the scholarship program.”
In order to obtain a scholarship for the upcoming school year, eligible parents must apply with AAA Scholarship Foundation directly. The application for families at risk of losing their Opportunity Scholarship is available here. The deadline to apply is Monday, September 11.
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