Could the Oklahoma Legislature make more funds available for private school tax credits?

An influx of applications for private school tax credits has at least one key lawmaker considering increasing the cap on the program to accommodate more students.

Although legislative leaders may not see eye to eye on the program’s funding cap, tweaking the tax credit program will undoubtedly be a top issue for Republican lawmakers when the Oklahoma Legislature gavels into session in February.

As of Tuesday, roughly 18,000 Oklahoma taxpayers had submitted more than 29,600 unique applications for the refundable tax credits that range from $5,000 to $7,500 per student. If most or all of those applications are approved, the program’s $150 million budget may have been consumed within the first 90 minutes after the submission window launched.

House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said he feels confident Republicans in his chamber would support increasing the program’s cap to $250 million next year, which would be an acceleration of the current stairstep approach to funding. Left unchanged, funding for the program will rise to $200 million next year and $250 million in 2025.

More: Oklahoma's tax credit program to help with private school costs underway after delay

“It is not surprising that the Parental Choice Tax Credit program attracted huge demand from thousands of Oklahoma families wanting to access the funds,” he said. “The House plan had no cap for the program, but that was changed by a Senate amendment.”

Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, defended the program’s funding cap.

Cap on private school tax credit a key issue in passing the law in Oklahoma

During this year’s legislative session, he said McCall’s legislation to create the new private school tax credit wouldn’t have passed the Legislature’s upper chamber without amending parts of the bill, including adding a cap.

“Make no mistake, implementing the cap is what turned political theater into an actual policy win for Oklahoma families,” Treat said in a recent statement.

More: Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit open for applications after delay

But Treat said he’s always open to discussions on how to improve the state’s educational opportunities.

He also outlined some of the program changes he aims to champion next year.

“While I am proud to have been a part of these critical reforms and record investments in education — more should and will be done,” he said. “I am working on several modifications to our school choice tax credit including additional opportunities for enrollment for the upcoming school year, preventing state taxes from being charged on the tax credit and aligning the credit with the school year rather than a calendar year.”

Gov. Kevin Stitt said he’s been blown away by the demand for the tax credits. In a news release, he called the program a victory for students and a step toward education freedom.

The governor’s office did not directly answer questions about whether Stitt wants to increase funding for the tax credits next year above the $50 million boost already provided for in state law. But Stitt said he wants the program to be accessible to more Oklahomans.

“I hope the legislature will consider ways to allow more families to apply for this tax credit in the future,” he said in the news release.

Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, likened the rollout of the tax credit program to the “wild, wild west,” alleging some private schools are raising their tuition and making admission decisions based on which families get approved for the tax credits. Private schools are doing anything they can to get the credits, she said.

Now is not the time to earmark more money for private schools, Provenzano said.

“Anything that drains public dollars away from public schools is a terrible idea,” she said.

Oklahoma Voice is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oklahoma Voice maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Janelle Stecklein for questions: info@oklahomavoice.com. Follow Oklahoma Voice on Facebook and Twitter.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma lawmakers consider raising cap on private school tax credit