Oklahoma

NCAI Region: Southern Plains

Total Population: 3,751,351

Native American Population: 482,760

Native American Reservation Population: 407,492

Percentage of population: 12.9%

Number of Tribes: 38

Number of Native American Charter Schools: 1

Number of Native American Charter Students: 106

Number of BIE Schools: 1

Number of BIE Tribally Controlled Schools: 4

Total Number of Native American Schools: 6

State Public Education Department: Oklahoma State Department of Education

State Average Per Pupil Funding: $9,227

Charter Support Organizations: Oklahoma Public Charter School Association

Year Charter Law Enacted: 1999

2020 Model Law Ranking: 22

Estimated Number of Charter Schools: 59

Estimated Number of Charter Students: 38,425

– Oklahoma law provides the charter school incentive fund, which provides up to $50,000 per school to cover costs associated with renovating or remodeling existing buildings and structures for use by a charter school. The state is not currently funding this program.
– The law provides that public charter schools have access to the State Public Common School Building Equalization Fund. It provides that charters must use these funds to acquire buildings, grants can only be awarded to charter schools that have secured matching funds for acquiring buildings in an amount of not less than 10% of the total grant amount, and the amount of each grant cannot exceed $4,000,000. From the total amount available to provide grants to public schools, the law requires that charter schools be allocated the greater of 10% of the total amount or the percent of students enrolled in charter schools that are not sponsored by the statewide virtual charter school board as compared to the student enrollment in school districts which have a total assessed property valuation per average daily membership that is equal to or less than 25% of the state total assessed property valuation per average daily membership.
– It also provides that the state board of education shall make available to eligible charter schools any unused grant funds that remain after the initial allocation to all eligible public school districts and charter schools. The state is not currently funding this program.
– Oklahoma law allows charter schools to access tax-exempt bond financing through the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority.
– The law provides that charter schools that choose to lease property are eligible to receive current government lease rates.