A continuum of educational services is available for youth in Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) custody for post secondary education at colleges, universities, secondary vocational-technical schools, or trade schools, per OAC 340:75-6-115.1 and 340:75-6-115.3.  Scholarships and independent living (IL) services are available that assist the youth in completing education and training, including:

• (1) Oklahoma Higher Learning Access program (OHLAP).
  • (A) Section 2601 et seq. of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes (70 O.S. § 2601 et seq.) sets forth a scholarship program for students between the eighth and tenth grade that pays for tuition at an Oklahoma public two-year college or four-year university.
  • (B) Children and Family Services Division (CFSD) makes application for youth in OKDHS custody.   • 1
• (2) Tuition waiver.  70 O.S. § 3230 provides tuition waivers for eligible youth in OKDHS or tribal custody for undergraduate resident tuition at institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education and resident tuition for enrollment in post secondary programs of area vocational-technical districts.
  • (A) Youth are eligible until they:
    • (i) earn a baccalaureate degree or program certificate; or
    • (ii) reach 26 years of age, whichever comes first.
  • (B) To receive a tuition waiver, the youth must:
    • (i) have been in the custody of OKDHS or a federally recognized Indian tribe for any nine of the 24 months between his or her 16th and 18th birthday;
    • (ii) be a resident of Oklahoma;
    • (iii) have graduated from a high school accredited by the State Board of Education, Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics, or, with approval, from a public high school in states bordering Oklahoma, or completed General Educational Development (GED) requirements;
    • (iv) have satisfied admission standards determined by Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for first time students;
    • (v) have secured admission to and enrolled in a post secondary vocational technical program that has a cooperative agreement with the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education;
    • (vi) have graduated from high school or completed the GED during the 1999 - 2000 school year or thereafter; and
    • (vii) utilize the tuition waiver within three years after reaching age 18.  • 2
  • (C) To access the tuition waiver:
    • (i) CFSD notifies Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education of the youth's eligibility; and
    • (ii) Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education provides a list of eligible youth to the colleges and universities.
• (3) Lou Hartpence Scholarship.  Funding for post secondary education, either vocational training or college, is available, subject to funding, to assist eligible youth through a privately endowed trust fund established by Mary Louise Hartpence, a former OKDHS employee.
  • (A) Scholarships are available to youth who:
    • (i) are in the legal custody of OKDHS; or
    • (ii) have been released from OKDHS custody within the past six months.
  • (B) The scholarship award:
    • (i) may be received in addition to other grants or scholarships and used without restriction;
    • (ii) is not available for graduate studies, including additional vocational courses, once the youth graduates or completes initial training or certification;
    • (iii) continues as long as the youth:
      • (I) maintains a 2.0 grade average;
      • (II) enrolls in 12 hours or more per semester;
      • (III) submits verification of enrollment and copies of grades each term or semester to the scholarship committee; and
      • (IV) is in good standing with the educational institution; and
    • (iv) allotments are:
      • (I) $1,000 per year for first and second year recipients;
      • (II) $2,000 per year for third year recipients; and
      • (III) $3,000 per year for fourth or more year recipients.
  • (C) To apply for the Lou Hartpence Scholarship, the eligible youth and CW worker submit Form DCFS-5 (new form number 04IL009E), Lou Hartpence Scholarship Application, and all required attachments to CFSD IL Section no later than six months after the date of the youth's 18th birthday, regardless whether the youth has graduated from high school.
    • (i) Form DCFS-5 (new form number 04IL009E) and all required attachments are reviewed by a scholarship committee that recommends to the Commission for Human Services (Commission) the youth to receive the scholarship monies.
    • (ii) The Commission approves the recipients for the scholarship awards.
• (4) Education and Training Voucher (ETV) program.  The ETV program is a provision of the Independence Act of 1999, Public Law 106-169.  This program makes funding available for post secondary education and training.  Funding may be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board, transportation, and other miscellaneous and personal items.  An eligible youth is one:
  • (A) eligible for services under the OKDHS IL program, including a youth who was likely to remain in out-of-home care but attained permanency through legal guardianship after age 16;
  • (B) adopted from out-of-home care after reaching age 16; and
  • (C) who participated in the ETV program on his or her 21st birthday until reaching age 23 and enrolled in a post secondary education or training program and has made satisfactory progress towards completion of that program.  • 3