Op-ed: The dangers 'school choice' brings to the homeschool community

The homeschool community in Oklahoma has entered a new era, one in which the specter of government regulation is closer than ever before due to the 2023 passage of the Parental Choice Tax Credit, which includes a $1,000 credit for homeschool families.

I've written before about the wariness homeschoolers have for government strings (here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here). As the saying goes, with the shekels come shackles. As a result, many homeschoolers in Oklahoma (me included) are declining to take the "free* money!" offered by the latest government Pied Piper. Don't be a party in laying the groundwork for infringement on educational freedom. The camel's nose is now under the tent.

 

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THE DANGERS SCHOOL CHOICE BRINGS TO THE HOMESCHOOL COMMUNITY

by Robert Scott

Our freedoms are rarely eroded in one fell swoop. Like the frog in boiling water liberty is lost in baby steps. Participating in the school choice tax credit will impact us all. Simply not taking the tax credit is not enough. All forms of government money (subsidies, credits, grants, incentives, welfare) are a means to control the people.

A government notification system
Just today taking the credit notifies the government that you are a homeschooler. That data is freely available and will be public information, i.e. “This” amount of homeschoolers took the credit in 2025. The government has planted the seed for a future parental notification system of homeschoolers.

Government oversight
The state law currently empowers the Oklahoma Tax Commission to audit how the money you take is spent. The OTC is the current decider of what purchases are eligible that are considered a qualified expense.

Increasing costs for all homeschoolers
With government welfare costs increase for everybody (inflation). Whether applying for $1000 or $7500 you have increased the cost for all of us. When costs increase the rest of us must work and save harder to compensate for the increased cost in homeschooling activities, putting us at a disadvantage. This leads to more and more demand from citizens to increase the tax credit eventually forcing others to take the credit just to participate in supplemental activities. This is not sustainable for a free market. In addition, any money you take from the state government is considered federal income and taxed as such.

That’s my money, why should I have to contribute to public schooling?
Everybody in Oklahoma (whether you have children or not) and consequently visitors that pay sales tax pay for the public education system. A common misconception by taxpayers is when the government takes your money through sales, income, property tax that you are just getting that money back with a credit. If it was indeed your money the government wouldn’t have taken it in the first place. Public education accounts for around 50% of the state (not local) government spending (For 2025 that is $5.6 billion dollars). However, funding of schools varies by school district. Generally, 50-70% of a school’s funding comes from the state, 20-40% from local funding (e.g. property taxes, bonds) , and 7.5% from the federal government.

What do you consider homeschooling?
The state constitution makes a clear delineation between a public education and those that educate by other means. The Oklahoma Constitution has empowered homeschoolers for over a century and saved families from retribution of local government. Taking the credit is blurring the line between homeschooling and government education. Some homeschoolers follow a public education format, however the vast majority of homeschoolers have an education curriculum that is nowhere near aligned with the government. Homeschoolers are characteristically self-motivated, natural entrepreneurs, independent thinkers.

Proposed Oversight
Since school choice has become law in Oklahoma Legislators have introduced bills for homeschoolers to coordinate with DHS (HB4130 2024), mandate state testing for homeschoolers taking the credit (HB3585 2024), provide detailed reporting on how the credit was spent (HB3944 2024). Also Legislators have introduced further concepts to erode our independence with initiatives such as the Tim Tebow Bill (HB2983 2024). Allowing homeschool students to participate in public school sports. As legislators discussed this bill in 2024 it was evident regulation and testing were necessary to implement this idea. The Tim Tebow bill, if it becomes law, will risk ending local homeschooling sports that have spent years building and creating opportunities for homeschool families. The Tim Tebow bill further inhibits community organization by encouraging homeschool families to rely on the government to meet their needs in small communities as opposed to organizing their own sports leagues.

Future Activity
Not taking the credit is not enough. Those taking the credit reflect the entire homeschool community. Currently in 2025 new bills were introduced to remove the total spending cap on school choice (SB229) (currently $150 million), provide ESAs (SB 247, 2025) for all children, mandating state testing was reintroduced (HB1255).

What can I do?
It is estimated in Oklahoma that 5-10% of children are homeschooled; that’s 35,000-70,000 children. Only a small portion abusing the credit or not taking any state mandated testing are needed to reflect us all. This will be the data the government needs to regulate us all.

Do not take the credit, inform your family and friends not to take the credit, get involved in homeschooling capitol meet-ups, and talk to your legislators about protecting homeschooling and removing us from the School Choice state law.

Robert Scott is the father of five children, with fourteen years of homeschooling under his belt. The Scott's reside in Beggs, Oklahoma.