has to be accredited (a list of participating schools will be available at parentalchoice.ok.gov). Private schools do not have to accept all students. Some reject students with behavioral issues or disabilities or who don’t conform to the school’s religious tenets, such as students who are LGBTQ+ (or whose parents are). If a student has an individualized education program for a disability, does the private school have to provide services? While private schools can offer disability services to students, they aren’t required to. To accept the Parental Choice Tax Credit, parents give up their child’s right to disability services under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, according to the new law. Disability services include physical, occupational and speech therapy and paraprofessional aides.
Does the credit cover the cost of tuition at private schools? For many, it will not cover the full cost.
Private school tuition costs slightly less than $7,000 per year, on average, in Oklahoma, according to the Education Data Initiative. But there’s a wide range within that: as low as $500 at Cristo Rey Oklahoma City, where a corporate work-study program picks up most of the cost, to more than $23,000 annually at a few schools such as Holland Hall in Tulsa and Casady School and Heritage Hall in Oklahoma City. Families can apply for the credit even if they receive other types of assistance paying for a private school, including the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Fund or through the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarships.
Do the tax credits guarantee admission to a private school?
To apply, families must already be enrolled in the school their child is attending or planning to attend. An enrollment verification form from the school is required for application, and the school
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