WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is expected to reauthorize a pet program of outgoing Speaker John Boehner — school vouchers for District of Columbia students.
The District is the only jurisdiction in the nation where students get federal funds to pay tuition at private and parochial schools.
The program is generally favored by Republicans and opposed by Democratic local leaders who argue that the funds could be better spent on the city’s public and charter schools.
Boehner attended Catholic schools and has spoken about how difficult it was for his parents to pay tuition.
An Education Department study in 2010 found that students in the program graduated at a higher rate than public-school students but didn’t perform significantly better on standardized tests.
The House is expected to vote on the bill Wednesday.
