Concerns have been made about Oklahoma’s Parental Choice Tax Credit program because it doesn’t have strict standards for schools’ accreditation, which means that schools with questionable accreditation can get tax credits. This shows that we need a better balance between school choice and educational quality.
Oklahoma’s Parental Choice Tax Credit Program Raises Concerns Over Accreditation Standards
According to the report of The Oklahoman, in Oklahoma and the Parental Choice Tax Credit program gives families between $5,000 and $7,500 per student each year. This has caused a lot of private schools to try to get accredited so they can get this money. The state doesn’t really check these accreditations, though. There are no other checks that schools need to do besides telling the state who accredits them.
Because of this, many accrediting groups, some with unclear standards, have been accepted. For instance, Goodland Academy, a school that closed for a short time and then reopened with only five students, and a zoo preschool that was recognized by an animal welfare group all got tax breaks, even though their accreditations were a little different.
People are worried about the level of education and how the system could be abused now that accreditation rules are less strict. Some people say that if there aren’t strict checks, less trustworthy or even shady accrediting organizations can get by.
It’s important to have better standards for good education, says Chris Belyeu from the Oklahoma Private School Accrediting Council . He says that not all accreditors are the same.
Balancing School Choice and Quality
In other states, there are lists of accepted accreditors or stricter checks. In Oklahoma, however, any accreditor can be used, which has caused some debate. People who support school freedom say that parents might not have as many choices if accreditors are limited.
On the other hand, experts say that the lack of control could lead to lower standards in schools. As the program grows and more schools try to get accredited, experts tell parents to look into a school’s approval carefully to make sure it shows real educational quality.
Overall, Oklahoma’s broad accreditation standards show a big problem with the way the state handles school choice: finding the best mix between giving parents more options and keeping standards high. The program wants to give people more choices by letting different accrediting bodies participate.
However, because there isn’t tight oversight, the quality of the schools may vary. As more private schools join the program, some worry that it could help schools that aren’t very good if the rules for accreditation aren’t made stricter. This shows that we need a better method that gives people more choices and better quality.