Photo by spectreman.

A bill that would revive a school voucher program in the District will likely come to a vote in the House of Representatives today, where it is expected to pass. The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which would provide $7,500 to qualifying students to put towards private-school tuition and has been pushed by Speaker of the House John Boehner, was passed by a House panel earlier this month. It’s chances in the Senate, where the Democratic leadership opposes the program, are less clear.

The proposal to resurrect the program has seen intense lobbying from both sides, and has divided District leaders and residents. During a Senate hearing in February, D.C. Council Chair Kwame Brown spoke on behalf of the program, saying it increases educational opportunities for low-income families. Mayor Vince Gray, on the other hand, came out against it, arguing that it distracts from efforts to improve public schools and stands as another congressional imposition into local affairs.

Last week, the 47-group National Coalition for Public Education (NCPE) sent a letter to members of Congress arguing against the voucher program, saying that students that participated in it showed no significant academic gains. A companion letter signed by local groups and residents (including Shadow Senator Michael Brown, DC Vote, D.C. for Democracy, the Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance of Washington and the Metropolitan Council of the AFL-CiO) additionally argued that D.C. residents do not support the program and that religious schools that stand to benefit from the tuition to not offer protections under the D.C. Human Rights Act. “Potential employees and students have no recourse when such schools discriminate against them, a problem that is particularly acute for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals and families,” the letter stated.

Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) has also been circulating a letter to his colleagues that asks Congress not to expand the program; as of yesterday, councilmembers Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6), Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) and Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) had signed on.

On the other hand, a variety of religious groups and organizations like the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) have come to the program’s defense. BAEO Chair Kevin Chavous, who is also a former councilmember, has passionately argued that D.C. residents support the program and that more families have applied for scholarships than are available.

“If you doubt that this program has support and has succeeded, look at the application numbers,” said Chavous in Senate testimony last month. “They don’t lie. Nearly 9,000 parents applied for their children to participate in the program even when there were only 3,300 slots over the five year life of the program. Nearly 8,000 residents signed a petition to supporting reauthorization of this program.”

While the House is expected to pass the legislation, it faces uncertain prospects thereafter. The Democratic leadership in the Senate is opposed, and yesterday President Obama came out against it, but stopped short of saying he would use his veto should it hit his desk.