A Little Light
Meet Rowan. He is a 6-year-old with developmental delays, a sensory-processing disorder, motor-planning issues and he is on the autism spectrum.

He's also the happiest kid you'll meet. He smiles at everyone he sees and loves to give hugs.

Rowan's mom, Colleen, applied for a scholarship from the Opportunity Scholarship Fund to ensure he could attend The Little Light House school in Tulsa. The school specializes in providing highly individualized special education and therapeutic early intervention services.
Here's what Rowan's mom says about OSF:
"With Rowan’s disability, it would have been incredibly stressful for him to attend public school. The Opportunity Scholarship Fund allowed Rowan to attend a school where he can receive an education more focused on the speech, physical and occupational therapies he needs. He is also in a facility where there is a certified nurse, so we don’t have to worry about any medical issues. We know he is always surrounded by staff who have experience with children with disabilities. 

We have an older son who is neuro typical and does very well in public school. However, children who have different needs can’t always get those needs met within the public school they are assigned to. Whether the parents are able to pay for it on their own or not, children with special needs should have the opportunity to attend private school —especially if it's better for the child, relieves some of the parents' stress and enables public school teachers to focus on the other students they are able to teach."
VIDEO: Giving Families Choices
Raising the Cap
Oklahoma’s legislative session starts February 4. OSF will be at the capitol advocating for a higher cap on the tax credits available for donations to our program.

OSF has provided over 2,900 scholarships to Oklahoma students since 2014. These scholarships are only possible through generous donations from individuals and business leaders in our communities. It is vital we raise the tax credit cap so that we can help more students and donors can get the full credit they are owed each year.

In the 2019 legislative session, we'll be watching several pieces of legislation, including Senate Bill 180, Senate Bill 407 and House Bill 2621. These bills will help ensure donors continue to receive the credit incentive and increase the number of scholarships we can provide to lower-income Oklahoma families.


Contact your legislators and encourage them to vote for these bills!

Contact Larisha Hunter to find out how you can share a testimonial.
Did You Know?

The Oklahoma Tax Commission (OTC) has until February 15 to determine if contributions made to scholarship granting organizations are in excess of the statewide tax credit cap.

Teacher of the Quarter
Mr. Thiessen | Corn Bible Academy

Each quarter, OSF will feature one of the best teachers from our member schools. Congratulations to Mark Thiessen, an upper-level math teacher at Corn Bible Academy who was selected by his peers as an example of the caliber of teachers they have to offer.

For more than 35 years, he has served as the high school principal in addition to teaching upper-level math and science classes.
"When Mr. Thiessen teaches math, he understands how different students learn, and when students ask a question, he individualizes his answers so each student can understand. We all love Mr. Thiessen because he loves all of his students, and he is aware of who is hurting or who comes from a difficult home situation, and he shows extra care for those students."
- Rayne W., Student Council President at Corn Bible Academy
Board Member Profile
T.W. Shannon
T.W. served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for nearly a decade. He was the state's youngest Speaker of the House, and the first African-American to hold the position. Prior to that role, he worked as a field representative for U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts and U.S. Rep. Tom Cole. T.W. also served as the chief administrative officer for the Chickasaw Nation, overseeing 10,000-plus employees for his tribe, which is one of the most prosperous Native American tribes in the country.
Q&A with T.W.:

What made you interested in education advocacy?
During my time in the Legislature, I saw firsthand the need for parents to be empowered with decisions for their child’s education. As a parent, I know firsthand how each child is different, and as such, parents should have options as to how their children are educated. My focus in office was really on breaking the devastating effects of generational poverty. A primary step in ending that cycle is access to a quality education regardless of your ZIP code.  

What is one thing you hope to accomplish with OSF in the next year?
I still feel like OSF is a well-kept secret. Helping to get the word out on this unique partnership between parents and the business community is key. 

What is one thing most people wouldn’t know about you?
I am an avid music fan and on the worship team at my church.  
News & Updates
“ The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.

- Martin Luther King, Jr.