While public schools accept and enroll any student regardless of need, private schools select students through an application process.
The state’s Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship program prohibits participating schools from discriminating against students with disabilities, but some schools say they don’t have the capacity to educate these students. Here are some schools’ positions, in their own words:
Altus Christian Academy (Altus): “Altus Christian Academy reserves the right to select students on the basis of academic performance, religious commitment, lifestyle choices, and personal qualifications, including a willingness to cooperate with ACA’s administration and staff and to abide by its policies … ACA may accept a student with special needs if the school’s program can sufficiently meet those needs. School officials will make this determination.”
Immanuel Lutheran Christian Academy (Broken Arrow): “Immanuel Lutheran Christian Academy may not be able to meet the educational needs of the significantly physically, emotionally, mentally challenged or learning-disabled student. In those cases, the administration will meet with the parents and teachers to review all documentation and information to determine if the student can be enrolled.”
Oklahoma Christian School (Edmond): “With respect to students and prospective students with disabilities, it may be necessary for Oklahoma Christian School to decline enrollment to such students because the school does not now or in the future any longer find it economically feasible to provide educational, athletic or other co‐curricular programs which would meet the needs of students with certain disabilities.”
Peace Academy (Tulsa): “Peace Academy currently does not provide special education/ESL or alternative programs and as such will not be able to enroll students recommended for these programs.”
Wesleyan Christian School (Bartlesville): “Wesleyan Christian School will consider the acceptance of children with special needs on a case-by-case basis. Our resources limit our ability to meet all the needs of some students. If the administration believes that the school is not equipped to meet the special needs of the student, the admission will not be granted.”
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