Only accredited private schools qualify for the state’s Parental Choice Tax Credit program , a voucher-like state subsidy for parents to use toward tuition.
But schools need only report the name of their accreditor. There is no verification beyond that, and any accreditor goes.
Among the schools approved are Goodland Academy, a middle school in Hugo that shuttered for two years but maintained accreditation and reopened in February with five students, all of whom received a tax credit.
A preschool at the Oklahoma City Zoo also received state approval, listing accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which evaluated the zoo on standards primarily focused on animal welfare and veterinary care.
Candice Rennels, a spokeswoman for the Oklahoma City Zoo, said accreditation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is rigorous and includes an education component. Tuition is $345 per week — about $14,000 per year.
As of Aug. 8, state regulators had approved 175 private schools for the Parental Choice Tax Credit program. Families of all incomes whose children attend those schools can claim $5,000 to $7,500 per student per year, but priority is given to those earning $150,000 or less. Combined, those schools obtained accreditation from 19 different organizations, each with different standards and little oversight.