Navigating the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship

How to Qualify for the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship - Even if Your Child Doesn't Have an IEP

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.

The Lindsey Nicole Henry (LNH) Scholarship Program helps children with special needs in Oklahoma access education at a private school. The LNH Scholarship allows families to choose private schools that meet their child's special needs. Initially, the scholarship was mainly for students who had Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), but it has since expanded to include more types of students who may need assistance. The program aims to give students with disabilities more options for education and promote parental choice and empowerment. In summary, the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship provides crucial support for Oklahoma families, helping them find the best educational options for their children.

Thanks to the passage of Senate Bill 105, starting July 1, 2025, the eligibility criteria will include more categories, making the scholarship available to a wider range of children without IEPs, including all of the following categories (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

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 you child attends) is responsible for evaluating your child and the IEP team (of which parents are a part) determines if student qualifies for special education services.

Where do you start? The process begins when you:

1. Request a Special Education Evaluation

   • 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 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. Need an example? We’ve got you covered.  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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations! We are sure that it feels a lot like drinking from a firehose. Download our step-by-step guide to help you navigate the process. 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.
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.