LNH Scholarship Act
Notification Regarding Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Act
The Lindsey Nicole Henry ("LNH") Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program was first established in 2010, with the passage of House Bill 3393. The program is primarily administered pursuant to the requirements of Title 70, Section 13-101.2. The LNH Scholarship Program was created to provide a scholarship to a private school of choice for students with disabilities. The law allows the parent/legal guardian of a public school student with a disability to exercise their parental option and request to have an LNH Scholarship awarded for their child to enroll in and attend a private school approved by the Oklahoma State Board of Education.
The LNH Scholarship Program Application, along with specific procedures and program requirements, is available on the OSDE website. The parent/legal guardian must apply for the LNH Scholarship by completing the application process. The parent/legal guardian of the child must provide necessary eligibility and accountability information annually, and must meet all requirements of the program in order to annually qualify to continue to receive the LNH Scholarship. Additionally, please make note of the following requirements:
- The private school selected by the parent/legal guardian must meet the criteria for an eligible program and must be approved by the Oklahoma State Board of Education prior to student admission.
- The parent/legal guardian must obtain acceptance for admission of their child to an approved LNH private school.
- The parent/legal guardian will notify the OSDE-SES directly by submitting the LNH Scholarship Application along with the following documents:
- Multidisciplinary Evaluation and Eligibility Group Summary Form (MEEGS) and most current evaluation/reevaluation documentation
- Most current IEP
- State of Oklahoma Vendor/Payee Form
Additional Scholarship Program requirements apply, and the parent/legal guardian must ensure that all program requirements are met in order to receive and maintain the LNH Scholarship.
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 to service 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.
Submit completed LNH Application and all required documents to:
Oklahoma State Department of Education, Special Education Services
2500 North Lincoln Boulevard, Suite 412
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
Fax: (405) 522-2380
Application packets are also available by mail from OSDE-SES by calling (405) 521-3351.