Oklahoma families whose children have special needs may be able to use a state scholarship to pay for private school. The Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship is available to some students in prekindergarten through 12th grade. Families must choose a participating private school, and the student must meet the program’s rules. Those rules include students with certain special education plans, children in some military families, and students who have been in state custody or experienced homelessness.
The scholarship can help with private school tuition and certain other costs. The amount is based on state funding factors, the student’s grade, and, for many students, disability weights listed in the student’s evaluation. The award cannot be more than the school’s tuition and fees. Families should ask the school what the scholarship will cover and what costs they may still need to pay.
A new state law will changeonepartoftheprocess onNovember1.UnderHouse Bill 3718, a school district must schedule a meeting to review existing information within 15 school days after a parent asks in writing for a special education evaluation. After the district receives signed consent, it generally has 45 school days to complete the evaluation and decide whether the student qualifies for special education services. Some federal rules allow exceptions to that timeline.
If the district misses the deadline, the student will be considered eligible for the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship while the eligibility decision is pending. The scholarship amount will first be based on the student’s grade. If the district later finds the student eligible for special education, the amount will be adjusted. This rule does not make every student who requests an evaluation eligible for a scholarship. The student must still meet the program’s requirements, and the family must be accepted by a participating private school.
The law may help families who are waiting for an evaluation, butitdoesnotmeanthe scholarship will cover every school cost. Parents take on financial responsibility for their child’s education, including transportation. Families also need to find a school that participates in the program and can meet the student’s needs.
The state’s latest report shows that 1,931 students were accepted for the scholarship during the 2025–26 school year. The report lists 91 denied applications and about $16.1 million in scholarshipreimbursements. The prior year’s report listed 1,724 accepted students and about $13.6 million in reimbursements. One regional detail stands out: Texoma Autism and Behavior Intervention School reported 28 student acceptances and about$415,000inreimbursements.
Families may use both the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship and Oklahoma’s Parental Choice Tax Credit. The state advises schools to apply the scholarship first, then use the tax credit for any eligible tuition and fees left over. If the tax credit pays more than the remaining balance, the extra amount may have to be repaid.
Families should check the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s current instructions before applying. Thedepartment’sapplication page says scholarship requests are due by December 1, while its guidance about using the scholarship with the tax credit says parents shouldapplyeachyearbyAugust 1. Families can contact the department’s scholarship specialist to ask which deadline applies to their situation.