Private schools across Oklahoma have qualified for more than $63 million in federal relief aid, the latest data shows. 

The recovery dollars are coming from three programs:

* The newest, Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools, allocated $31 million to Oklahoma to help schools address pandemic-related disruptions. More than 50 schools applied and qualified for that program, which reimburses for purchases of items like sanitation supplies, personal protective equipment, ventilation systems, staff training and redeveloping student instruction for remote learning. 

Congress authorized the program through the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. The state Department of Education is distributing the funds. 

* Private schools in Oklahoma have also qualified for at least $22.9 million through the Paycheck Protection Program, a federal relief effort intended to help small businesses and nonprofits retain and pay their employees. The aid is given as loans, which are fully or partially forgiven if the businesses keep employee counts and wages stable. 

Private schools that received a Paycheck Protection Program loan after Dec. 27, 2020, were not eligible for Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools. 

* Additionally, Gov. Kevin Stitt in 2020 created a temporary education relief program to distribute $10 million in tuition grants to private school students called the Stay in School Fund. The fund gave out 1,893 awards averaging $5,132 each. 

Last week, Stitt’s office fulfilled a request by Oklahoma Watch made Jan. 26 for enrollment at the nearly 100 private schools in that program. 

A combined 28,000 students attended these schools this year, the data shows. That figure includes all students at most, but not all, private schools across Oklahoma. 

The schools ranged in enrollment from 10 students to over 1,000. 

Search or sort the table below. 

In some instances, a related entity — such as a church that operates a private school — received a Paycheck Protection Program loan. Those amounts are not reflected in the table. 

Federal Relief Funds Allocated to Oklahoma Private Schools

The governor’s office provided Oklahoma Watch the number of funds disbursed to each through the Stay in School program and the schools' enrollment, shown below. Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools data comes from the state Education Department and the amounts shown are what's available to the school for reimbursement. We searched a database of Paycheck Protection Program recipients for all the schools in the Stay in School grant program. In some instances, a related entity received the loan; for instance, a church that operates a private school. Those amounts are not reflected in the table.

School NameLocationStay in School ProgramPaycheck Protection ProgramEmergency Assistance To Non-Public Schools2020-21 Enrollment
All Saints Catholic SchoolNorman$26,342$534,547343
All Saints Catholic SchoolBroken Arrow$21,330$448,664375
Altus Christian AcademyAltus$58,850$128,500$218,626158
Antioch Christian AcademyMoore$47,621$88,80040
Ardmore Adventist AcademyArdmore$3,75010
Bishop John Carroll SchoolOklahoma City$121,539$220,449$424,661220
Bishop Kelley High SchoolTulsa$323,950$1,341,000$1,458,271939
Bishop McGuinness Catholic High SchoolOklahoma City$403,000$1,079,600$1,189,281688
Boulevard Christian SchoolMuskogee$51,00057
Casady SchoolOklahoma City939
Cascia Hall Preparatory SchoolTulsa$71,500$1,227,555535
Christ the King SchoolOklahoma City$22,575$685,639514
Christian Heritage AcademyDel City$591,500$656,500548
Christian Montessori AcademyTulsa$34,075$62,60054
Claremore Christian SchoolClaremore$82,330$327,367135
Cookson Hills Christian SchoolKansas$169,407N/A
Corn Bible AcademyCorn$69,280$266,67781
Cornerstone Christian Academy of South Oklahoma CityOklahoma City$24,750$40,10028
Cristo Rey Oklahoma City Catholic High School, Inc.Oklahoma City$780,000$356,400$2,480,435243
Crossings Christian SchoolOklahoma City$148,6251149
Crossover PrepTulsa$526,500$547,469105
Destiny Christian SchoolDel City$273,199$783,800439
Eagle Point Christian AcademySapulpa$18,020$124,800$588,345140
Emmanuel Christian SchoolEnid$57,970$140,000203
Family of Faith Christian SchoolShawnee$18,000$135,06884
First Lutheran SchoolPonca City$11,007$335,380174
Good Shepherd Catholic SchoolOklahoma City$13,000$507,80036
Good Shepherd Lutheran SchoolMidwest City$21,96075
Higher Plain Christian AcademyOklahoma City$17,70041
Holland Hall SchoolTulsa$227,500$1,990,0001000
Holy Family Cathedral SchoolTulsa$105,638$156,81698
Holy Trinity Lutheran SchoolEdmond$21,400$204,891180
Holy Trinity SchoolOkarche$58,400$314,776104
Hope Harbor AcademyClaremore$19,50014
Immanuel Lutheran Christian AcademyBroken Arrow$42,359141
Keystone Adventure School and FarmEdmond$12,680$261,80065
King's Gate Christian SchoolYukon$12,250$158,800123
Lakewood Christian SchoolMcAlester$34,074162605180
Legacy Christian AcademyBroken Arrow$37,180$270,13564
Life Christian AcademyChoctaw$6,298$143,200130
Lighthouse Christian AcademyTulsa$69,350105
Lincoln Christian SchoolTulsa$303,964893
Little Light Christian SchoolOklahoma City$26,000$87,570$89,28240
Marquette Catholic SchoolTulsa$58,193$462,435385
Messiah Lutheran SchoolOklahoma City$14,80077
Mercy School InstituteEdmond$295,317N/A
Metro Christian AcademyTulsa$289,875$1,046,201894
Mingo Valley Christian SchoolTulsa$45,500$291,800$649,011320
Mission Academy High SchoolOklahoma City$6,50010
Monte Cassino SchoolTulsa$19,500$1,059,100$725,702720
Mount St. Mary Catholic High SchoolOklahoma City$199,825$678,300$676,482391
Mt. Olive Lutheran SchoolMiami$10,800$28,400$218,62630
Muskogee Seventh-Day Adventist Christian AcademyMuskogee$6,60016
Odyssey Leadership AcademyOklahoma City$6,000$119,00036
Oklahoma Bible AcademyEnid$240,340$619,800216
Oklahoma Christian AcademyEdmond$130,212$448,200$729,136470
Oklahoma Christian SchoolEdmond$19,500$1,031,4001025
Paths to IndependenceBartlesville$42,769$138,900$271,28055
Peace AcademyTulsa$581,477N/A
Positive TomorrowsOklahoma City$377,000$261,200$969,51070
Regent Preparatory SchoolTulsa528
Rejoice Christian SchoolOwasso$39,000$1,001,800$1,173,256912
Riverfield Country Day SchoolTulsa$48,030$2,449,400535
Rosary Catholic SchoolOklahoma City$47,996252
Sacred Heart Catholic SchoolEl Reno$8,140$167,117105
Sacred Heart Catholic SchoolOklahoma City$103,400$932,882135
School of Saint MaryTulsa$54,392$297,606219
Shiloh Christian SchoolTahlequah$42,000$61,088$57,23240
SNU Lab SchoolBethany$120,375$315,921125
Solid Foundation Preparatory AcademyTulsa$5,28052
Southwest Covenant SchoolsYukon$116,794$355,300492
St. Augustine AcademyTulsa$38,877$304,600142
St. Catherine Catholic SchoolTulsa$79,625168
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic SchoolOklahoma City$58,726$1,051,925145
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic SchoolEdmond$76,395$638,709391
St. Eugene Catholic SchoolOklahoma City$110,088$425,806300
St. James Catholic SchoolOklahoma City$203,500$1,413,630150
St. John Bosco InstituteEdmond27
St. John Catholic SchoolBartlesville$4,510$196,878133
St. John Lutheran SchoolMoore$23,291$137,615N/A
St. John Nepomuk Catholic SchoolYukon$34,880$247,242190
St. John's Lutheran SchoolMoore$14,35654
St. Joseph Catholic SchoolMuskogee$122,791$239,23075
St. Mary Catholic SchoolPonca City$33,388$230,073111
St. Paul's Community SchoolOklahoma City$128,500$43,700$410,92641
St. Philip Neri CatholicMidwest City$88,250$256,399147
St. Pius X Catholic SchoolTulsa$234,451$453,277327
Stillwater Christian SchoolStillwater$71,435$131,59280
Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic SchoolTulsa$237,000$2,013,422169
Summit Christian AcademyBroken Arrow$13,000450
Terra Verde Discovery SchoolNorman156
The Academy of Classical Christian StudiesOklahoma City$177,500$598,179$1,206,451695
Town & Country SchoolTulsa$65,000$420,300$270,135173
Trinity SchoolOklahoma City$30,580$137,900107
Tulsa Adventist AcademyTulsa$30,850$199,16770
Tulsa Hope AcademyTulsa$39,000$23,10030
Undercroft Montessori SchoolTulsa$39,000$361,600208
University SchoolTulsa$272,424N/A
Veritas Christian School Inc.Sulphur$4,100$27,10051
Victory Christian SchoolTulsa$435,240875
Victory Life AcademyDurant$96,600$179,400$367,429151
Wagoner Christian SchoolWagoner$190,010N/A
Wesleyan Christian SchoolBartlesville$532,258230
Western Oklahoma Christian SchoolClinton$74,000$264,050172
Westminster SchoolOklahoma City$34,030$1,047,700581
Woodward Christian SchoolWoodward$114,464N/A
Wright Christian AcademyTulsa$192,950$193,100$455,567185
Young Achievers Christian AcademyOklahoma City$55,300$112,90086
Total$9,716,000$22,902,549$30,786,20326,470

Sources: Governor’s Office, federalpay.org, Oklahoma Department of Education

Jennifer Palmer has been a reporter with Oklahoma Watch since 2016 and covers education. Contact her at (405) 761-0093 or jpalmer@oklahomawatch.org. Follow her on Twitter @jpalmerOKC.


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