Oklahoma board approves first publicly funded religious school

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Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond speaks during an interview, Feb. 1, in Oklahoma City. Associated Press/Photo by Sue Ogrocki, File

Oklahoma board approves first publicly funded religious school

On Monday, Oklahoma’s Statewide Virtual Charter School Board approved an application from the state’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese to open an online school. St. Isidore of Seville Virtual Catholic Charter School will be free for kindergarten through 12th-grade students and will receive taxpayer funding. In April, the school board voted unanimously to deny the application until the school provided more details about its programs and management. The board held a new vote after the archdiocese adjusted and resubmitted its application. Officials plan to open the school for the 2024-25 school year and serve about 400 students.

What has been the public response? Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said the board’s decision violates the state constitution, while Gov. Kevin Stitt called it a win for religious liberty. Both Drummond and Stitt are Republicans. Stitt signed a bill earlier this year that would give tax credits to families whose children attend private school.

Dig deeper: Read Jennifer Patterson’s column in WORLD Opinions about parental choice in education legislation nationwide.

Lauren Canterberry

Lauren Canterberry is a reporter for WORLD. She graduated from the World Journalism Institute and the University of Georgia with a degree in journalism, both in 2017. She worked as a local reporter in Texas and now lives in Georgia with her husband.