Dear Bishop McGuinness Community,

Beginning December 1st,  there will be an exciting opportunity for families to take advantage of the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit.  This will allow parents & guardians to receive a tax credit toward tuition at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School. Also known as House Bill 1934, this private school tax credit was signed into law on May 25, 2023, by Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and will be effective beginning with the tax year 2024.  The application process for the tax year 2024 will commence December 1st, 2023 at 8:30am and will close February 1st, 2024.  Click below to see the rulings from the Oklahoma Tax Commission. 

 REVISED emergency rules 

Tax Credit details: All Oklahoma residents with students attending a private school are eligible to apply for the Parental Choice Tax Credit.  Families with household earnings of $150,000 or less will have priority consideration on a first come, first served basis to access Oklahoma's designated, capped amount of $150M for tax year 2024 that has been allocated to fund the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit.  After all timely-filed applications entitled to priority consideration have been reviewed and processed, the Tax Commission will review and process remaining applications for the credit in the order received, provided the annual cap has not been reached.   The credit amount for which each child is eligible is determined by the total federal Adjusted Gross Income of the student's household during the second preceding tax year (i.e., a tax credit received in 2024 is based on family AGI in the tax year 2022), ranging from a credit of $5,000 - $7,500. To apply, there will be a multi-step process involving the family, the school, and the OTC which will include an online application.  The OTC currently states that the window to apply for the tax credit is December 1st, 2023 - February 1st, 2024. More details can be found directly on the Oklahoma Tax Commission Parental Choice Tax Credit Website.

Bishop McGuinness response: Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School has created this landing page to keep you updated on important information regarding the tax credit as well as how it relates specifically to our school. Our hope is to help as many families as possible benefit from this opportunity which makes a Catholic education more accessible for those who wish to obtain one.  

What do I need to do to get started with the application process?:

To apply for the Parental Choice Tax Credit, you must have a letter from your school verifying enrollment.  To do this, you must be registered and have all fees paid.  Current students may begin online registration November 1st, 2023.

1. To register for the 2024-2025 school year, parents/guardians will need to:

   1.  Complete a NEW powerschool enrollment (https://bmchs.powerschool.com/public/home.html)

   2.  Set up a FACTS account (https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/3FB4H) for next year (you can go in and set up an account with the same login/account number and copy the data to your new account).

2. Pay the $500 registration fee per family (you may pay by cash, check or credit card at the school.

Again, registration for current students will begin online November 1st, 2023.  All of the above items must be completed before a letter can be issued from the school verifying enrollment.

Incoming Freshmen and the Parental Choice Tax Credit:

To apply for the Parental Choice Tax Credit, you must provide verification of registration.  To do this, the following must be completed:  

• PowerSchool Forms (see information below)

• FACTS Tuition Management (see information below)

• Paid Registration Fee - $500 Payment can be made through FACTS, or by calling or visiting the BMCHS Business Office. (Payments can be made by Card, Check, or Cash) Business Office: 405.842.6638

Registering for Class Enrollment

STS Exams are offered on Oct. 28 th (Full), Nov. 4th & 11th, Dec. 1 st &  2nd. Exam scores are typically returned 3-6 days after the exam. Please attempt to schedule your enrollment appointment 5 days after your exam date.  Enrollment Appointment link below.

 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805094AAAAF22A5FF2-bishop4

 

If your students' exam scores are not back by your enrollment appointment, we will adjust as needed at a later date. Conversations will be had prior to class selection adjustment.

FACTS Tuition Management

(if you have an account at another school, you have to create a new account for BMCHS) Please use the link below:

https://online.factsmgt.com/signin/3FB4H

For questions regarding payment plans or FACTS, please contact the business office at 405.842.6638.

Financial Aid Applications will be available January 15 th , 2024.

POWERSCHOOL FORMS

PowerSchool forms will be available to complete beginning NOV. 1 st .

Step 1: Please use the link below to begin the PowerSchool process.

https://bmchs.powerschool.com/public/formbuilder/form.html?formid=1051970

Step 2: You WILL receive an email to create a PowerSchool Parent Account. (This can take 2-24 hours.)

Step 3: Once you set up your account, you will need to complete Forms A-J. (Left-hand column.) THESE FORMS NEED TO BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO YOUR ENROLLMENT APPOINTMENT!

For questions regarding PowerSchool please contact Trevor Swink at tswink@bmchs.org

 

If additional help is needed please plan to attend our Enrollment Assistance Session Wednesday, November 8th, from 5pm-8pm in the Main Office of BMCHS.  We will be able to help with POWERSCHOOL, FACTS, and Registration Payment. We will also have Vietnamese & Spanish translators available.

For any other questions regarding enrollment or placement exams, please contact Admissions & Enrollment Coordinator, Courtney Gougler at cgougler@bmchs.org or 405.758.4900.

 

What if my student is a Senior, will I be able to apply for the Parental Choice Tax Credit?:

Yes.  You are eligible to apply for the Parental Tax Credit that will credit tuition towards the Spring 2024 semester.  All you need to do is ask the school for a letter that states verification of enrollment.  Then you may continue with the application process for the Parental Choice Tax Credit.  Application dates are December 1st, 2023-February 1st, 2024.

Enrollment Assistance Session Wednesday, November 8th, 2023 5:00-8:00PM in the main office of Bishop McGuinness

If you need assistance with registration/enrollment, powerschool or FACTS, school employees will be present to assist with these processes.  Vietnamese and Spanish translators will also be available.

Tuition Rates for the 2024-2025 School Year:

• Full tuition rate for non-Catholics   $17,000

• Discounted Catholic tuition rate     $12,000

  • To receive the discounted Catholic tuition rate, it is required  to have a signed Parish Participation Form (PPF).  You don’t have to have the PPF returned to register, but it will need to be returned to the school no later than March 31st, 2024.  Click here for Parish Participation Form.

Save the Date – Tax Credit Application Assistance Session!  

 I urge you to "Save the Date" to attend a Tax Credit Application Assistance Session at Bishop McGuinness to be held on Thursday, December 7th, 2023 5:00-8:00PM to assist families in signing up for the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit. The school is still in the planning stages of the event; detailed information will be shared in the second-half of November. 

Please refer back to this page to check for updates. Should you have any questions, please email the business office at LBruner@bmchs.org and one of Bishop McGuinness Business Office Administrators will be in touch to assist you.

 

House Bill 1934 has not been without controversy, but I am thankful that Oklahoma has  now joined more than 30 other states in the union who have passed similar legislation. The cost to educate a student at Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School increases annually. House Bill 1934 is the support our families need, ensuring their ability to provide faith based education for their children now and in the future.

 

I ask for your patience and prayers as we execute this process for the first time. This living document will be updated as new or additional information is provided by the Oklahoma Tax Commission. Our goal is to make the process easy for you.  Therefore, do not hesitate to contact our Business Office if you have any questions. (405) 842-6638

 

Thank you for choosing Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School for your student’s high school education. We remain dedicated to the words of our founder Bishop Eugene McGuinness; “All things to all people”.

 

Yours in Christ,

David Morton

President and Principal

 

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