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Education , Culture & the Family
Ray Carter | May 21, 2025
Stitt signs special-needs scholarship bill
Ray Carter
Gov. Kevin Stitt has signed legislation that eliminates red tape preventing Oklahoma families from accessing the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities (LNH) program, a state scholarship program for children with special needs.
Parents and advocates praised the governor and lawmakers for approving the new law.
“The Lindsey Nicole Henry scholarship allows our family to afford a specialized form of education—one that recognizes that our son is not only on the autism spectrum but also undeniably intelligent,” said Oklahoma City parent Jennifer Stall. “Since this nuanced, highly specialized instruction is not available within our local public school district, SB 105 is an answered prayer. Now, he won’t have to wait a year to go to the school we have chosen for him.”
“Since this nuanced, highly specialized instruction is not available within our local public school district, SB 105 is an answered prayer.” —Oklahoma City parent Jennifer Stall
Since 2010, Oklahoma’s Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities program has allowed students to use state tax dollars to pay for private-school tuition. Those eligible are primarily children with special needs, such as autism, although the program also benefits foster children, adopted children, and children from military families. The program currently serves about 1,500 students, and the scholarships range from $4,196 to $22,236 per child, based on a child’s diagnosis.
However, throughout the existence of the program, children could not receive an LNH scholarship until they had been in the public-school system for at least one year.
Senate Bill 105, by state Sen. Julie Daniels and state Rep. Chad Caldwell, eliminated the one-year requirement for Oklahoma children to receive an LNH scholarship.
“Parents shouldn’t have to keep their child in a school that’s not working for them just to wait out an arbitrary, one-year requirement to access financial aid for which their child already qualifies,” said Daniels, R-Bartlesville. “Now, families can access the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship without unnecessary delays and enroll their child in the school best suited to meet their special needs.”
SB 105 also clarifies that students who are on an individualized education program (IEP), on an individualized service plan (ISP), or who meet the eligibility standards for special education services in accordance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are eligible to participate in the program.
Under SB 105, children who have experienced homelessness are also eligible for LNH scholarships.
“SB 105 is a win for Oklahoma families,” said Jennifer Carter, senior advisor for the American Federation for Children in Oklahoma. “This reform ensures that students who face serious challenges—including disabilities or homelessness—can get access to the schools that best meet their needs, without unnecessary delays or red tape. It’s a powerful step forward for educational freedom and family empowerment in our state.”
SB 105 takes effect July 1.
Director, Center for Independent Journalism
Ray Carter is the director of OCPA’s Center for Independent Journalism. He has two decades of experience in journalism and communications. He previously served as senior Capitol reporter for The Journal Record, media director for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and chief editorial writer at The Oklahoman. As a reporter for The Journal Record, Carter received 12 Carl Rogan Awards in four years—including awards for investigative reporting, general news reporting, feature writing, spot news reporting, business reporting, and sports reporting. While at The Oklahoman, he was the recipient of several awards, including first place in the editorial writing category of the Associated Press/Oklahoma News Executives Carl Rogan Memorial News Excellence Competition for an editorial on the history of racism in the Oklahoma legislature.
Ray Carter is the director of OCPA’s Center for Independent Journalism. He has two decades of experience in journalism and communications. He previously served as senior Capitol reporter for The Journal Record, media director for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and chief editorial writer at The Oklahoman. As a reporter for The Journal Record, Carter received 12 Carl Rogan Awards in four years—including awards for investigative reporting, general news reporting, feature writing, spot news reporting, business reporting, and sports reporting. While at The Oklahoman, he was the recipient of several awards, including first place in the editorial writing category of the Associated Press/Oklahoma News Executives Carl Rogan Memorial News Excellence Competition for an editorial on the history of racism in the Oklahoma legislature.
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