Summary:
Oklahoma offers families some school choice options.
Public School Choice:
Oklahoma’s two public school choice options include intra-district and inter-district open enrollment. The Center for Education Reform reports that Oklahoma has an average charter school law. Nearly 6,000 students attended the state’s 17 public charter schools in 2010.
Private School Choice:
As of 2011, Oklahoma offers private school vouchers to low-income students via a tax-credit scholarship program. The program provides tax credits to individuals and businesses that contribute to scholarship-granting organizations. Additionally, in 2010, Oklahoma enacted private school choice for special-needs students. The Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program provides vouchers to families in the amount that it would cost to educate a child in a public school or a private school of choice, whichever is less.
Online Learning:
According to the Keeping Pace with K-12 Online Learning report, Oklahoma does not have a state-led online program. However, two online distance-learning programs are sponsored by state universities: the University of Oklahoma Independent Learning High School, which is a diploma-granting program, and the Oklahoma State University K-12 Distance Learning Academy, which is a supplemental program. In addition, the state has opened three full-time online charter schools since 2010: the Oklahoma Virtual High School, the Oklahoma Virtual Academy, and as of fall 2011, the Oklahoma Connections Academy. During the 2010-2011 school year, 4, 456 students were enrolled in either full-time or part-time online learning programs.
Recent Developments:
In 2011, Oklahoma passed legislation to provide scholarships for low-income students via a new tax-credit scholarship program. The program provides tax credits to individuals and businesses that contribute to scholarship-granting organizations.
More Information:
Click here for detailed information on Oklahoma's public school system and see below for school choice contacts and a history of school choice legislation in Oklahoma.