Bill > SB105

This bill modifies the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program by expanding eligibility criteria and removing the previous requirement that students must have been enrolled in a public school prior to receiving the scholarship. The bill broadens the definition of students who can qualify for the scholarship to include those with individualized education programs (IEPs), individualized service plans (ISPs), or who meet specific criteria such as being a child of a military member transferring to Oklahoma, being in out-of-home placement, being adopted from state custody, enrolling in a school for homeless students, or having been in juvenile services. The legislation requires parents or guardians of students with IEPs to meet annually with private school representatives to identify necessary support services, and maintains provisions about scholarship calculation, payment processes, and administrative oversight. The bill aims to provide more flexibility for families of students with special needs in choosing educational options, with the scholarship amount calculated based on state aid factors and limited to the cost of tuition or the calculated scholarship amount, whichever is less. The changes will become effective on July 1, 2025, and the bill was passed with an emergency clause to ensure immediate implementation.