Were 90% of private school tax voucher recipients already enrolled in private schools and less than 1% financially disadvantaged?

According to a 2026 Oklahoma Tax Commission report, less than 10% of the 39,722 recipients of tax credits issued through the Parental Choice Tax Credit program were previously enrolled in public schools. Three hundred forty-nine recipients were homeless or financially disadvantaged.

The Oklahoma State Department of Education determines economically disadvantaged status using the USDA metric of 185% the poverty level; for households of three, that means an annual income of $49,303 or less.  

The PCTC program allows households with children in private schools to claim between $5,000 and $7,500 each year, depending on their income bracket. 

Eight percent of recipients were families receiving income-based government benefits, qualifying them for the maximum amount. 

Twenty-one percent of recipients were in the lowest adjusted gross income category of $75,000 or less, and 25% were in the highest category of over $250,000, accounting for 22% and 19% of the total funds, respectively.