Stitt's grants to private school students could reach more than impoverished families

Federal aid funds Gov. Kevin Stitt said would support low-income private school students could become available to families earning more than $100,000 a year.

The $10 million Stay in School Fund program will distribute $6,500 grants to 1,500 families with children in private schools. The grants would help keep tuition affordable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fund program comes from nearly $40 million in federal stimulus funds that Stitt received to support education.

Stitt said the funds — provided through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act — would support homeless children and students living in poverty.

“To force children from those families to uproot to entirely new schools, separated from their friends and educational support system, will only compound (adverse childhood experiences) for many of them,” Stitt said.

However, much wealthier families might tap into the grants, too.

The first round of grants will go to students whose household income is 185% of the federal poverty line or lower. This means a family of four whose annual income is $48,470 or below could be among the first to apply. A single parent of one child would qualify with a $31,894 salary.

If funds are left over, the grants open up to households earning up to 350% of the federal poverty line.

A family of four with a household salary of $91,700 could access funds to keep their kids in private school. A single parent with one child could receive a grant if they earn up to $60,340.

The cap for annual earnings could rise even higher if families demonstrate “significant income decrease” because of COVID-19, said Michael Rogers, Oklahoma secretary of state and education. In that case, households at 450% of the federal poverty line could be approved.

The income ceiling for a family of four increases then to $117,900, as long as the household can prove significant losses in earnings.

Students from qualifying families must have attended a private school during the 2019-20 school year and must be enrolled in the same school for the 2020-21 year.

Applicants must provide their 2019 tax return to verify their income. Families with non-taxable income are still able to apply.

The Oklahoma Private School Accrediting Commission will verify students’ eligibility before a third-party vendor distributes the grants.

Stitt drew instant criticism for the private school fund program. The state’s largest teacher union, the Oklahoma Education Association, argued public schools educate 91% of students in the state but received only half of Stitt’s education relief funds.

Of the governor’s nearly $40 million, he dedicated $20 million to various school district initiatives and $18 million to private school students and non-profit grants. Last week, Stitt also announced an additional $10 million in federal CARES Act funding would be used to supply personal protective equipment for Oklahoma schools.

At Cristo Rey Oklahoma City Catholic High School, 80% of the student body is low income, President Chip Carter said. The rest come from families who typically couldn’t afford a private school education.

Carter said the Stay in School grants could be a “lifeline” for families experiencing economic hardship during the pandemic.

“I don’t feel like I’m taking anything away from my public and charter school friends,” Carter said. “I just am trying to educate 250 low-income families and get them off to college. I think sometimes what is portrayed in the media is this is money going to a bunch of rich kids driving Range Rovers. That’s not my kids.”

However, some said public schools needed that money. Edmond Public Schools Superintendent Bret Towne said his district had to dip into its own funds to afford personal protective equipment and supplies.

“Schools like Edmond did not receive an adequate amount in the first place through the CARES Act to meet their needs,” Towne said. “I think it was just a little bit disappointing because there’s still a lot of schools that still have needs.”

Edmond received $1.65 million in federal aid, amounting to about $65 per student.

Districts with higher allocations from the CARES Act, such as Oklahoma City Public Schools, could cover all COVID-19 expenses with federal funds. Edmond, though, has spent more of the district’s own money than what it got from the CARES Act, Towne said.

Special education teacher Maralee Shirley said her Edmond school couldn’t afford plexiglass separators, so her principal bought and built dividers for her classroom.

“We need to have protection because there is no way to socially distance when working in special education,” Shirley said. “Had the governor chosen to allocate the funds to the public schools, then these necessary items for special education could have been purchased.”