How to Qualify for the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship - Even if Your Child Doesn't Have an IEP
*Updated for HB 3718. The new evaluation timeline and missed deadline scholarship provision take effect on November 1, 2026.
Navigating school options for a child with special needs can feel overwhelming. For Oklahoma families looking for an alternative to public school, the Lindsey Nicole Henry (LNH) Scholarship may offer a life-changing solution if your child qualifies.
Finding a school that can meet your child's needs can take time. Oklahoma's Lindsey Nicole Henry (LNH) Scholarship helps eligible families pay for tuition and certain other expenses at a participating private school. The family chooses a school, applies for admission, and then requests the scholarship from the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE).
An IEP is one way to qualify, but it is not the only way. HB 3718 also gives families a new protection when a public school district does not finish an initial special education eligibility determination on time. Here is how both the existing program and the new provision work.
Who can qualify?
A student must meet at least one of the following criteria: (you can also download the guide for easy reference):
- Has an individualized education program (IEP), an individualized service plan (ISP), or meets the eligibility standards for special education services in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
- Has ever had an Individualized Service Plan developed by the Department of Human Services (DHS)
- Is a child of a military family with permanent change of station orders who has moved to Oklahoma
- Has been in out-of-home placement through the Office of Juvenile Affairs
- Has been in out-of-home placement with DHS or adopted while in the permanent custody of DHS
- Is enrolling, or is enrolled in a school that exclusively serves students experiencing homelessness
The student must also be accepted by an OSDE-approved participating private school. Regular and direct contact with teachers at the school's physical location is required. Families no longer need a prior year of public school enrollment as a general condition of eligibility. Please see OSDE's LNH program page for the approved-school list and application materials.
What happens if you suspect your child has a disability and they don't have an IEP (Individualized Education Program), an ISP (Individualized Service Program), or have not yet been found eligible for special education services via a MEEGS (Multidisciplinary Evaluation and Eligibility Group Summary)? The good news is you can still pursue eligibility, and we'll walk you through the process, which is called Child Find.
The school district you reside in (if your child is enrolled in public school or is homeschooled) or where the private school is located (if this is where your child attends) is responsible for evaluating your child, and the IEP team (of which parents are a part) determines if the student qualifies for special education services.
Beginning November 1, 2026, HB 3718 adds these steps:
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Within 15 school days after receiving a parent's written request for a special education evaluation, the district must schedule a meeting to review existing data with the parent.
- The district must complete the evaluation and make an eligibility determination within 45 school days after receiving the signed evaluation consent form, unless a federal exception applies. Oklahoma's 2026 policies also describe the steps after the review of existing data, including the district's written notice if it refuses to evaluate.
- If the district misses the applicable 45 school-day eligibility deadline, the student is deemed eligible for LNH scholarship purposes. The initial maximum uses the applicable State Aid factors and the student's grade weight. If the district later determines that the student is eligible for special education, the student receives the remaining maximum amount allowed under the regular calculation.
That missed-deadline rule is a scholarship provision. It does not, by itself, decide whether a student qualifies for special education under IDEA or establish disability weights. Keep the evaluation request, signed consent, district correspondence, and any eligibility documents. Ask OSDE how to document the missed deadline in the LNH application as it implements HB 3718.
Before November 1, 2026, the new missed-deadline provision is not yet effective. Families can still use an existing qualifying path and should continue pursuing a timely evaluation.
Where do you start? The process begins when you:
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Request a Special Education Evaluation
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Email the Director of Student Services (Special Education) for the school district in which you reside (if your child attends public school or if you homeschool your child) or the school district that the private/micro school your student attends is physically located in, asking for a FULL psycho-educational evaluation under Child Find (which is a federal requirement). You can download a draft evaluation request letter if you'd like to use it as a starting point. If your child is not enrolled in the public school, then the district may have to do a "soft enrollment" to start the process.
- Include your concerns, observations you have made, and/or observations about those concerns from your pediatrician, friend, babysitter, Sunday School teacher, etc., and why you believe your child may have a disability affecting learning or functioning at school. The individuals you have weigh in can explain what they're seeing and "back you up," so to speak. A letter from a current or past teacher would be great to include. Please feel free to use our teacher input form template! It may also be a good idea to include a timeline regarding your child’s struggles and the efforts that have been made to help them. For example, if your child struggles with writing show samples of their writing at each grade level which will support your argument that your child's skill level is not improving as it should be. This ensures that everyone at the IEP table has a clear picture of your child’s journey.
- Review of Existing Data Meeting The school district must meet to do a Review of Existing Data (RED) before they can open consent for evaluations. The parents are usually invited to this meeting, however, it can vary by district. We recommend asking for this meeting to be held within ten school days. There is no "set" timeline, however, the district must respond within a reasonable amount of time.
- Consent for Evaluation The school district must obtain the parent's written consent on the Special Education Parent Consent form for an initial evaluation within ten (10) school days.
- The time from the initial evaluation to the Eligibility meeting must be conducted within 45 school days. This timeframe begins upon receiving parental consent to conduct the evaluation and ends with a meeting to review the evaluation results to determine eligibility for special education services.
Important: Your child must be found eligible under IDEA or have an IEP/ISP in place before applying for the LNH Scholarship. Be sure to get a final copy of the MEEGS with all signatures to submit with your application.
- Apply for the LNH Scholarship Once your child is found eligible, you're ready to apply:
- Find a private school that participates in the LNH program (if you haven't already).
- Apply for admission and gain acceptance.
- Submit your scholarship request to the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) before December 1st for funding that school year. A request after December 1 can be granted, but funding will begin with the next school year. Parents renew the scholarship application annually. OSDE advises families to apply for renewal by August 1.
- You will need to upload the acceptance letter and the MEEGS.
- The scholarship amount depends on the applicable State Aid calculation, tuition and fees, and any permitted administrative deduction. An award that begins after the school year starts is prorated. Parents remain responsible for tuition or other costs the scholarship does not cover, including transportation.
Need help?
OPSA's LNH guide and checklist can help you organize the process. The scholarship calculator is an estimate; it cannot establish an award, and a student deemed eligible after a missed deadline initially uses the grade weight without unconfirmed disability weights.
For help with LNH student applications, OSDE lists its LNH specialist as Crystal Royalty by email at crystal.royalty@sde.ok.gov or by calling (405) 521-2372.
Please remember that YOU are your child’s most important advocate! The OPSA Parent Services team is here to help you every step of the way. If you would like more individualized assistance, please reach out to our team at parents@okpsaedu.org.You can also download our step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process.
It is important to know your rights as a parent. This document outlines those rights, and it is a LOT of information.
Disclaimer
The materials available on this website are for informational purposes only and not to provide legal advice. You should contact your attorney to obtain legal advice concerning any particular issue or problem. Click the following link to access the Oklahoma Special Education Policies & Procedures handbook.
