Lindsey Nicole Henry (LNH) Scholarship Program for Children with Disabilities

The Lindsey Nicole Henry (LNH) Scholarship Act authorizes the parent or guardian of a public school student with a disability who is served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and who spent the prior school year enrolled in an Oklahoma public school to exercise their parental option and request to have an LNH Scholarship awarded for their child to attend a participating private school approved by the State Board of Education. The Act also authorizes scholarship eligibility for the following categories of students:

• A student who has had an Individualized Service Plan developed by the Department of Human Services (DHS)

• A student who is a child of a military family with permanent change of station orders who has moved to Oklahoma after receiving IDEA services in another state

• A student who has been served through the SoonerStart program and during transition has been determined to be eligible for school district services

• A student who has been in out-of-home placement through the office of Juvenile Affairs

• A student who has been in out-of-home placement with DHS, or who was adopted while in the permanent custody of DHS

Application Procedure for Students

• The parent must first secure enrollment at an approved private school.

• The LNH Scholarship Application and required documentation must be completed by the parent/guardian by December 1 of the school year the parent/guardian is seeking the scholarship. All applications received after December 1 will be processed for the following school year.

• The application process must be completed each year that the parent/guardian chooses for their child to participate in the LNH Scholarship Program.

All recipients of the LNH Scholarship must renew for the scholarship each year, by completing a current LNH Scholarship application by July 1, or prior to the beginning of the academic year. The scholarship will be prorated after the date of approval by OSDE if the application is received and/or approved after the current school year begins. December 1st of the current school year is the application deadline. For example; if you are applying for the 2023-2024 school year, the last day to submit your application is December 1, 2023.

If the parent or guardian of a child receiving the LNH Scholarship fails to submit a renewal application by December 1 of each year, the scholarship will be terminated.

To apply for the LNH Scholarship on behalf of your eligible child, please navigate to the PCG Scholar online application platform where you will complete the application and upload all required documentation to OSDE.

If needed, please contact our office at (405) 521-4876 for a paper application.

Application Procedure for Private Schools

Private schools that wish to participate in the LNH Scholarship program must notify OSDE of their intent by completing the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Private School Application and providing the required documentation. The OSDE shall approve a private school as eligible to participate in the scholarship program upon the determination that the private school:

• Meets the accreditation requirements set by the State Board of Education or another accrediting association approved by the State Board of Education;

• Provide services and/or accommodation for students with disabilities;

• Demonstrates fiscal soundness by having been in operation for one school year or provide OSDE with a statement by a certified public accountant confirming that the private school desiring to participate is insured and the owner or owners have sufficient capital or credit to operate the school for the upcoming year by serving the number of students anticipated with expected revenues from tuition and other sources that may be reasonably expected. In lieu of a statement, a surety bond or letter of credit for the amount equal to the scholarship funds for any quarter may be filed with the Department;

• Complies with the antidiscrimination provisions of 42 U.S.C., Section 2000d;

• Meets state and local health and safety laws and codes;

• Will be academically accountable to the parent or legal guardian for meeting the educational needs of the student;

• Employs or contracts with teachers who hold baccalaureate or higher degrees, or have at least three years of teaching experience in public or private schools, or have special skills, knowledge, or expertise that qualifies them to provide instruction in subjects taught;

• Complies with all state laws relating to the general regulation of private schools; and

• Adheres to the tenets of its published disciplinary procedures prior to the expulsion of a scholarship student.

The LNH Private School Application can be located under Resources for private schools. The LNH Private School Application and required documentation must be submitted by the school's superintendent, headmaster, or principal and then emailed to Stacy Eden.

The Lindsey Nicole Henry Specialist will notify the private school once the eligibility determination has been made by the State Board of Education. Upon approval, the private school will be placed on a list of approved LNH private schools and will need to submit the annual private school compliance affidavit.