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May 23, 2024For the past many years, individuals and businesses have helped children attend Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City by giving to the Tax Credit Scholarship program.
The work of this outstanding program continues, but now it has a new name: the Catholic Schools Opportunity Fund.
The decision to change the name wasn’t made lightly. Many longtime donors to the program are familiar with it as the Tax Credit Scholarship, or TCS. Changing the name means rebranding everything from pledge forms to the website to stationery.
Yet, the confusion that accompanied last year’s introduction of the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit made the name change a must.
The Parental Choice Tax Credit is available to parents who send their children to private school or homeschool. It’s a huge win for parents.
Our program is a huge win for donors because they receive a state income tax credit for their gift.
Throughout the fall, we heard from parents and potential donors who thought the new state program was the same as our program. Having “tax credit” in the name of both programs no doubt contributed to the confusion.
The new name, Catholic Schools Opportunity Fund, underscores our program’s ties to the Catholic schools in the archdiocese. Children who benefit from the program receive a Catholic school education and the opportunities inherent therein. During this school year, 568 students received tuition assistance from the program.
In 2023, donors gave $1.77 million, which will once again help hundreds of students for the 2024-25 school year.
The new name also connects to the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act, the 2011 legislation that allowed individuals and businesses to receive a state tax credit for gifts to scholarship granting organizations.
I hope you will consider giving to the Catholic Schools Opportunity Fund. With a two-year pledge, couples are eligible for an annual state income tax credit of $2,000; for individuals, the max credit is $1,000 annually. Qualified businesses can receive up to $100,000 per year in a credit.
This program allows donors to redirect their state tax dollars to help children receive a Catholic school education. What could be better?
Everything about our program is the same as ever. Only the name is different.
For more information, visit csofok.org or call (405) 709-2700.
Owen Canfield is director of the Catholic Schools Opportunity Fund.
