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) 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 LNH 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

For students who are eligible due to their status as a public school student served under IDEA, the scholarship is awarded if the child is on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) prior to the request and has spent the previous school year in attendance at a public school in Oklahoma. SoonerStart children and military children are exempt from the public school attendance requirement; however, they are required to have an IEP. These students will submit the following documentation along with their LNH Scholarship application:

• Multidisciplinary Evaluation and Eligibility Group Summary Form (MEEGS)

• Current IEP

• Private School Acceptance Letter

 • Vendor Payee form

For students who are eligible due to their DHS status, they are exempt from the IEP and the public school attendance requirement. These students only need to submit an acceptance letter from a participating private school along with the LNH Scholarship application and Vendor Payee form. The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) will request additional documentation regarding the child’s ISP and adoption if applicable from DHS

Additionally, according to Section (F)(1) of the LNH Act: “Acceptance of the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship shall have the same effect as a parental revocation of consent for services pursuant to 20 U.S.C., Sections 1414(a)(1)(D) and 1414(C) of IDEA.” As required by the revocation of consent provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a federal law, and the LNH Act, when a parent accepts an LNH scholarship, (1) the student is no longer entitled to receive special education and related services from any Oklahoma public school district and (2) each Oklahoma public school district must treat the student as a nondisabled student for all purposes, including discipline. Upon acceptance of an LNH scholarship, the parent/guardian will receive a Written Notice from the student’s public school district that confirms this information

Application Procedure for Students

• The parent must first choose an approved private school. 
• The LNH Scholarship Application and required documentation must be submitted by the parent/guardian to OSDE by mail, fax, or email by December 1 of the year that 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 with OSDE 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 submitting a current LNH Scholarship application to OSDE 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 year is the application deadline. For example; if you are applying for the 2020-2021 school year, the last day to submit your application is December 1, 2020.

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 submit a completed copy of the LNH Scholarship Application with all required documentation to OSDE.

Application Procedure for Private Schools
 

Private schools that wish to participate with the LNH Scholarship program must notify OSDE of its 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 locate 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 school; 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 then emailed to Stacy.Eden@sde.ok.gov.

The Lindsey Nicole Henry Specialist will notify the private school once 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.   

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