Last verified: October 2026. Agencies revise these programs every year, so confirm details with the office named in each section.
Why does accreditation matter for a Tulsa school?
Without it a school can't register for the Parental Choice Tax Credit or win LNH approval, so families at an unaccredited school can't use either program there.
Which associations are on the State Board's list?
Grouped loosely: Christian school bodies (ACSI, AACS, ACTS, ACCS, Christian Schools International, ICAA and NCSA); church-system accreditors (the Catholic conference association for the Oklahoma City and Tulsa dioceses, National Lutheran School Accreditation, the Seventh Day Adventist conference and the Southwestern Association of Episcopal Schools); Montessori (AMS); broader accreditors (APPLE, Beacon Education Institute, Cognia, ISAS and MSA-CESS); and OSDE's own accreditation.
Is an association membership the same as accreditation?
No. The federal survey lists memberships, such as the National Catholic Educational Association or Prizmah, that are not accreditation. That is why this site relies on the Tax Commission and OSDE lists for program status.
How do the state programs look from a school's side?
| Source | What it is | Who can use it | How much | How the money moves | What it isn't |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parental Choice Tax Credit (PCTC) | Refundable Oklahoma income tax credit | Oklahoma residents from pre-K at age 4 through grade 12 at an accredited, registered private school; every income level | $5,000-$7,500 per student by AGI tier, never more than tuition and fees | Tax Commission check mailed to the school in the parent's name | Not an ESA, not a debit card, and not usable for outside tutors or devices |
| Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship (LNH) | OSDE scholarship for students with disabilities and a few other groups | Children from PK3 up on an IEP, plus several foster, military and homeless-school routes | Computed per child from the state aid formula; never above the school's charges; OSDE keeps up to 2.5% | Warrant to the parent, mailed to the school and endorsed over | Not usable at a school OSDE hasn't approved |
| Homeschool tax credit | Refundable Oklahoma income tax credit | Families teaching at home under Oklahoma's homeschool exception | Up to $1,000 per student per tax year | Claimed on the state return for the year you paid | Not a tuition credit, and it excludes internet service and out-of-state trips |
| SGO scholarships (GO for Catholic Schools, OSF and others) | Donor-funded private scholarships | Set by each organization, often need-based | Set by each organization | Usually paid to the school | Not guaranteed; awards depend on what donors give |