UPDATE 2/3/25: Senator Deevers has withdrawn this proposed bill. We are keeping the information on this bill here in case another one similar creeps into this legislative session.
Concerns: Future regulation to verify the money is used on state certified material that meets their “qualified expenses” standard; terms are vague and will need interpreting by state representatives
This bill is about an Education Savings Account (ESA).
ESAs open the door to regulations for homeschoolers. The organization that provides the funding controls how that money is used. In other states where ESAs have been introduced, regulations were not far behind. Just ask Arizona homeschoolers.
This bill outlines the term “qualified expense,” which means the following services must be rendered by a participating educational provider:
- tuition and/or fees for curriculum and instruction
- instructional materials, textbooks, and supplies
- tutoring or educationally necessary occupational, physical, or speech therapy
- fees for nationally standardized assessments including, but not limited to, assessments used to determine college admission and advanced placement examinations
- fees for transportation related to travel to and from a participating educational service provider, up to One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per school year
- tuition for a curriculum or program offered by a technology center school
- fees associated with participation in extracurricular activities
- admission fees for state parks, museums, and other educational field trips
Many qualified expenses are vague and need interpreting. For example, the term instructional materials may or may not encompass religious texts, but that is up to the interpreter. The one to interpret the vagueness is the one providing the funds. This is one way regulation will be introduced to Oklahoma homeschooling families.