WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House has reversed course and agreed to continue funding private school vouchers for a select number of children in the District of Columbia.

Continue reading

The nation's capital is the only jurisdiction where federal tax dollars are used to subsidize private-school tuition. Needy students can receive up to $12,000 a year to attend private schools of their choice.

The Obama administration included no funding for new students to enter the program in its proposed budget. But supporters of the program in Congress announced Monday that they've reached a deal with the Department of Education that allows the program to continue and take on new students.

Mayor Vincent Gray and other local leaders oppose the vouchers, saying the money would be better spent on the district's public and charter schools.