Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Oklahoma families and students. As we look to return to normal education operations, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt recognizes students attending private schools are at risk—and that in turn could lead to greater strain on traditional public schools as students are shifted out of existing private schools.
The Stay in School Fund (SIS Fund) provides emergency education relief through financial assistance to families of private school students who have faced hardship or changes because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic shutdown.
These funds are intended to stabilize both public and private schools by allowing families to afford to stay in the schools so that students can maintain educational continuity, by keeping existing private school students enrolled in the same school through direct tuition assistance to families. In the process, these funds are intended to help reduce associated Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) among student bodies.
Schools
Qualified schools are those nonpublic schools which have more than ten (10) students enrolled and which had students enrolled in its school for the 2019-20 school year. The school will enroll in the Stay in School Fund program by registering here (School Registration ). Schools will be notified upon approval.
Tuition Assistance
Supported by funds received through the federal Governors’ Emergency Education Relief (GEER) fund, the Stay in School Fund will provide direct tuition assistance to families who meet certain income and enrollment qualifications. Stay in School Funds will be made available to eligible families for the 2020-21 school year only.
Stay in School Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, under the following criteria:
Parents will apply for their students who meet this criteria:
NOTE: First priority and round of awarding is given to those at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Guideline for the Stay in School Fund from August 10-August 16, 2020.
Student Application Information
Application forms can be obtained on the website and submitted for eligibility confirmation and approval. You will fill out one application per family. More detailed information for completing the application is provided in the following documents:
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on Oklahoma families and students. As we look to return to normal education operations, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt recognizes students attending private schools are at risk—and that in turn could lead to greater strain on traditional public schools as students are shifted out of existing private schools.
The Stay in School Fund (SIS Fund) provides emergency education relief through financial assistance to families of private school students who have faced hardship or changes because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic shutdown.
These funds are intended to stabilize both public and private schools by allowing families to afford to stay in the schools so that students can maintain educational continuity, by keeping existing private school students enrolled in the same school through direct tuition assistance to families. In the process, these funds are intended to help reduce associated Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) among student bodies.
Schools
Qualified schools are those nonpublic schools which have more than ten (10) students enrolled and which had students enrolled in its school for the 2019-20 school year. The school will enroll in the Stay in School Fund program by registering here (School Registration ). Schools will be notified upon approval.
Tuition Assistance
Supported by funds received through the federal Governors’ Emergency Education Relief (GEER) fund, the Stay in School Fund will provide direct tuition assistance to families who meet certain income and enrollment qualifications. Stay in School Funds will be made available to eligible families for the 2020-21 school year only.
Stay in School Scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, under the following criteria:
Parents will apply for their students who meet this criteria:
- Oklahoma K-12 student
- whose family income falls at or below 350% of the Federal Poverty Guideline which is $91,700 for a family of four, and
- was enrolled in an approved non-profit private school on March 15, 2020, and is enrolled in the same school for the 2020-2021 school year,
- OR is enrolled at a tuition-free school, a state-accredited addiction recovery school, or a school that subsidizes at least 90% of the cost to educate all of its students
NOTE: First priority and round of awarding is given to those at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Guideline for the Stay in School Fund from August 10-August 16, 2020.
Student Application Information
Application forms can be obtained on the website and submitted for eligibility confirmation and approval. You will fill out one application per family. More detailed information for completing the application is provided in the following documents:
- How to add an Oklahoma program to an existing application?
- What documents do I need and how to upload them?
- How to apply for the SIS and the Bridge the Gap Digital Wallet?