Oklahoma Representative Chad Caldwell says early demand for the state’s Parental Choice Tax Credit program is already outpacing expectations for the upcoming school year.
“The Oklahoma Tax Commission reports nearly 27,000 applications for the upcoming school year were submitted on the first day alone,” Caldwell said. “That represents almost 70 percent of the total applications received for the current school year. This level of demand underscores how strongly Oklahoma families value this program and reinforces the need to expand its funding so more parents can access educational options that best meet their children’s needs.”
Caldwell is the author of House Bill 3705, which would increase the annual cap on tax credits for private school students to $300 million. The bill also includes an automatic growth provision that would raise the cap by $50 million if at least 90 percent of available credits are used in a given year.
The measure has cleared the House Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee and the full House Appropriations and Budget Committee, and is now eligible for consideration on the House Floor.
The Parental Choice Tax Credit program was created in 2023 and offers refundable tax credits to help families cover private school tuition or homeschooling expenses.
Eligible families can receive between $5,000 and $7,500 per student for private school tuition based on income. Homeschool families may qualify for a $1,000 per-student credit for approved educational expenses.
Private school tax credits are currently capped at $250 million annually, with homeschooling credits capped at $5 million.
The Oklahoma Tax Commission opened applications for the 2026–27 school year on March 16. The application period runs through June 15.
