In 2023, Oklahoma Lawmakers Passed The Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act, Which Provides Refundable Tax Credits To Families To Help Cover The Cost Of Private School Or Homeschooling.

The Program Proved Extremely Popular With Parents In Its First Year As The Demand For Tax Credits Quickly Exceeded The Supply.

Now A New Poll Shows Parents Nationwide Strongly Support School-Choice Tax-Credit Programs Like Oklahoma’s Model, Which Was The First Of Its Kind.

For Those Attending A Private School, Oklahoma Provides Credits Of $5,000 To $7,500 Per Student.

New Polling Conducted By Yougov America On Behalf Of The Yes. Every Kid. Foundation. [Sic] Found That 60 Percent Of All Adults Nationwide Support Education Tax Credits, Compared To Only 24 Percent Who Oppose Them.

The Poll Asked Respondents, “Would You Support Or Oppose An Income-Tax Credit That Gives Families Money To Spend On Private School Tuition, Online Education Programs, Tutoring, Curriculum, Therapies, And Other Direct Education Needs Of The Child?”

Among Parents Of School-Age Children, Support For A School-Choice Tax Credit Program Similar To Oklahoma’s Model Stood At 76 Percent. The Poll Found That 79 Percent Of Dads And 74 Percent Of Moms Support Education Tax Credits.

For Those Attending Private School, The Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Program Provides Credits Of $5,000 To $7,500 Per Child With The Largest Tax Credits Given To The Lowest-Income Families. The Program Also Provides A $1,000 Tax Credit For Those Who Homeschool With Up To $5 Million In Homeschool Credits Provided Each Year.

According To The Oklahoma Tax Commission, Roughly 36,000 Applications Were Submitted For The School-Choice Program In Its First Year. But 5,600 Applicants Were Rejected Because The $150 Million Cap Was Quickly Reached.

The Program Cap Is Scheduled To Increase To $250 Million, But Anticipated Growth In Private-School Enrollment By Low-Income And Middle-Class Families May Nonetheless Consume All Available Credits.

According To The Oklahoma Cost Accounting System, Public Schools Have An Average Of $13,605 Per Student.

Oklahoma’s Tax Credit Program Allows Children To Access K-12 Private Education At Lower Taxpayer Cost Than What Is Expended On Public-School Education.

According To Oklahoma State Department Of Education Data From The Oklahoma Cost Accounting System, Public School District Expenditures In 2023 Totaled $9,538,453,992, And Enrollment In The 2022-2023 School Year Totaled 701,066 Students. That Means Oklahoma Public Schools Had An Average Of $13,605 Per Student That Year.

The Poll Found Strong Support For Other School-Choice Policies, Including Open Enrollment In Any Public-School District (Which Oklahoma Also Allows) And Education Savings Accounts, Which Allow Parents To Use The Tax Dollars Allocated For Their Child’s Education In Public School To Instead Pay For Private School.

“This Year’s Results Reinforce A Powerful Truth: Americans’ Commitment To Educational Choice, Flexibility, And Customization Isn’t A Passing Trend But A Steadfast Conviction,” Said Matt Frendewey, Vice President Of Strategy At The Yes. Every Kid. Foundation. “Despite Ongoing National Debates, The Data Reveal A Genuine And Consistent Belief In Expanding Educational Freedom, Rooted In A Desire To Create Opportunities For All Children. This Report Is A Testament To Americans’ Firm Support For Policies That Prioritize Each Child’s Unique Needs, Allowing Families To Shape Their Educational Paths. These Are Enduring Values, Transcending Politics And Grounded In A Commitment To A Brighter Future For Every Student.”

The Poll Was Conducted By Yougov America, Llc From November 1-4, 2024. Yougov Interviewed 1,045 Nationally Representative Respondents Who Were Then Matched Down To A Sample Of 1,000 To Produce The Final Dataset. The Margin Of Error Is +/- 3.42 Percent.