A heated debate over school vouchers may reignite in the Oklahoma Legislature this year after two lawmakers filed bills that would allow parents to use taxpayer dollars to pay for their child’s private or home school education.
Sens. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, and Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, filed legislation Thursday that would allow for education savings accounts, in which taxpayer funds could be used for private school tuition or other education expenses in lieu of a student attending public school.
Under Daniels’ bill, parents could create an account for their child with the State Treasurer’s Office to receive funds equal to what a public school district would receive to educate that student. The amount of money could vary depending on a student’s age and needs. Every year, 10% of the accounts would be audited.
Parents could use those funds on school tuition or fees, uniforms, tutoring, textbooks, transportation, concurrent enrollment in higher education courses, fees for advanced placement exams, college preparatory courses or other schooling expenses, according to Daniels’ Education Freedom Act.
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“It’s time to empower Oklahoma parents to be able to choose the best education for their own children, regardless of their ZIP code or financial circumstances,” she said in a news release.
Jett’s Senate Bill 943 is similar, but it stipulates students in counties with fewer than 10,000 residents could only qualify for a voucher if they attend a “trigger” school district.
He defines such districts as those that teach about climate change, promote animal rights activism, encourage the defunding of police, promote Marxist ideology, disparage the Second Amendment, own books that contain obscene material and those that have school staff or volunteers engaged in andromorphic behavior more commonly known as “furries.” Districts that teach banned concepts on race or gender and those that violate school bathroom laws or teach about gender identity in a way that promotes “gender confusion” would also be considered “trigger” districts.
Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, filed controversial voucher legislation last year, stirring fierce debate on the issue in the GOP-led Legislature. Treat did not revive his Oklahoma Empowerment Act this year after it failed in the Senate last spring.
In a statement, Treat said he’s still a firm believer in school choice.
“While I didn’t file a bill, I continue to be supportive of legislation that focuses on empowering parents and giving them more control over their children’s education,” he said.
Daniels proposes covering the costs of Senate Bill 822 by allocating an additional $275 million to the state funding formula. Daniels also wants to increase funding for some of the state’s smallest school districts, defined as those where the highest average daily membership is less than 529 students.
One of the major criticisms of universal school voucher proposals is that they could reduce funding for public schools. Educators in some rural districts, which typically have fewer students, have expressed concerns about the loss of funding that could occur should some students receive vouchers to attend private schools.
Provenzano
Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa, said she was stunned on Wednesday when a leading Republican senator who has previously supported vouchers proposed the state put $541 million more into public education for teacher pay raises and other initiatives. Instead of taking money away from public education through vouchers, lawmakers should follow Sen. Adam Pugh’s plan and invest in public schools, Provenzano said.
“The dollar amount we have for public education is the dollar amount we have for public education,” she said. “I don’t begrudge any parent that wants to send their child to a private school. That is their choice. But you have to be willing to pay for that.”
Gov. Kevin Stitt and Superintendent Ryan Walters have advocated for school vouchers. In a news release, Walters applauded Daniels and Jett for filing bills to expand school choice.
“Every option is on the table to make our education system better,” he said. “We must innovate and advocate for change at all levels in education.” In a recent video posted on social media, Walters said he wants Oklahoma to have the most comprehensive school choice policies in the country.
Jan. 9, 2023 video featuring Cindy Byrd (state auditor) Gentner Drummond (attorney general) Todd Russ (treasurer) Leslie Osborn (labor commissioner) Ryan Walters (state superintendent) Glen Mulready (insurance commisioner) Kim David (corporation commissioner). Video courtesy/OETA
Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, said additional voucher bills could be filed in the coming weeks. Although Thursday was the deadline for lawmakers to file legislation for the session that begins Feb. 6, there are some workarounds that allow certain legislators to file or change bill language even after the session begins.
Any voucher bills filed now will likely change over the coming months as lawmakers debate and compromise on the details, said Caldwell, a school choice proponent.
“A lot of those big-ticket policy items evolve throughout the session,” he said. “I’m sure this will be no different.”
Tulsa-area state legislators and how to contact them
Sen. Nathan Dahm

DISTRICT 33
Sen. Nathan Dahm (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: South and east Tulsa County
Phone: 405-521-5551
Sen. Jack Stewart

DISTRICT 18
Sen. Jack Stewart (R)
Hometown: Yukon
District area: Wagoner County; also includes small part of Broken Arrow and some of Tulsa
Phone: 405-521-5590
Sen. Dana Prieto

DISTRICT 34
Sen. Dana Prieto (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Owasso and northern Tulsa County
Phone: 405-521-5566
Email Sen. Prieto
Sen. Jo Anna Dossett

DISTRICT 35
Sen. Jo Anna Dossett (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: South and central Tulsa
Phone: 405-521-5624
Sen. John Haste

DISTRICT 36
Sen. John Haste (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: Eastern Tulsa County, western Wagoner County
Phone: 405-521-5602
Email Sen. Haste
Sen. Todd Gollihare

DISTRICT 12
Sen. Todd Gollihare (R)
Hometown: Kellyville
District area: Creek County
Phone: 405-521-5528
Sen. Kevin Matthews

DISTRICT 11
Sen. Kevin Matthews (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Northern Tulsa, southeast Osage County
Phone: 405-521-5598
Sen. Joe Newhouse

DISTRICT 25
Sen. Joe Newhouse (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: South Tulsa, Bixby, Broken Arrow and Jenks
Phone: 405-521-5675
Sen. Dave Rader

DISTRICT 39
Sen. Dave Rader (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Central and south Tulsa
Phone: 405-521-5620
Sen. Cody Rogers

DISTRICT 37
Sen. Cody Rogers (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District Area: West Tulsa County
Phone: 405-521-5600
Rep. Meloyde Blancett

DISTRICT 78
Rep. Meloyde Blancett (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Midtown Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7334
Rep. Jeff Boatman

DISTRICT 67
Rep. Jeff Boatman (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Southeast Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7341
Rep. Amanda Swope

DISTRICT 71
Rep. Amanda Swope (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Brookside in Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7361
Rep. Suzanne Schreiber

DISTRICT 70
Rep. Suzanne Schreiber (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Midtown Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7359
Email Rep. Schreiber
Rep. Dean Davis

DISTRICT 98
Rep. Dean Davis (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: Elm Place in east Broken Arrow, east to 248th East Avenue
Phone: 405-557-7362
Rep. Mark Tedford

DISTRICT 69
Rep. Mark Tedford (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Jenks, Bixby and Tulsa between those cities
Phone: 405-557-7331
Rep. Scott Fetgatter

DISTRICT 16
Rep. Scott Fetgatter (R)
Hometown: Okmulgee
District area: Okmulgee County and the southeastern tip of Tulsa County
Phone: 405-557-7373
Rep. Ross Ford

DISTRICT 76
Rep. Ross Ford (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: West Broken Arrow
Phone: 405-557-7347
Rep. Regina Goodwin

DISTRICT 73
Rep. Regina Goodwin (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Downtown and northwest Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7406
Rep. Kyle Hilbert

DISTRICT 29
Rep. Kyle Hilbert (R)
Hometown: Depew
District area: Westernmost Tulsa County, Creek County
Phone: 405-557-7353
Rep. Mark Lawson

DISTRICT 30
Rep. Mark Lawson (R)
Hometown: Sapulpa
District area: Sapulpa, Mounds, southwest Tulsa County
Phone: 405- 557-7414
Rep. T.J. Marti

DISTRICT 75
Rep. T.J. Marti (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: East Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7356
Rep. Stan May

DISTRICT 80
Rep. Stan May (R)
Hometown: Broken Arrow
District area: Southeast Tulsa County; small section of southwest Wagoner County
Phone: 405-557-7338
Rep. Monroe Nichols

DISTRICT 72
Rep. Monroe Nichols (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Southeast corner of Inner Dispersal Loop to Owasso; also includes Turley and Sperry
Phone: 405-557-7391
Rep. Clay Staires

DISTRICT 66
Rep. Clay Staires (R)
Hometown: Skiatook
District area: Sand Springs, west Tulsa between Arkansas River and Osage County line and Riverview
Phone: 405-557-7390
Rep. Terry O’Donnell

DISTRICT 23
Rep. Terry O’Donnell (R)
Hometown: Catoosa
District area: Catoosa, east Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7379
Rep. Melissa Provenzano

DISTRICT 79
Rep. Melissa Provenzano (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: East and southeast Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7330
Rep. John George

DISTRICT 36
Rep. John George (R)
Hometown: Newalla
District area: Southeast Osage County, northern Tulsa County
Phone: 405-557-7322
Rep. Lonnie Sims

DISTRICT 68
Rep. Lonnie Sims (R)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: West Tulsa County from the bend of Arkansas River down to Glenpool
Phone: 405-557-7340
Rep. John Kane

DISTRICT 11
Rep. John Kane (R)
Hometown: Bartlesville
District area: Bartlesville, north Tulsa County including Collinsville
Phone: 405-557-7358
Rep. Mark Vancuren

DISTRICT 74
Rep. Mark Vancuren (R)
Hometown: Owasso
District area: Suburban Owasso
Phone: 405-557-7377
Rep. John Waldron

DISTRICT 77
Rep. John Waldron (D)
Hometown: Tulsa
District area: Northeast Tulsa
Phone: 405-557-7410
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