What makes my family eligible
to apply for a scholarship?
Your child is...
Entering Kindergarten in a nonpublic school; or
Entering 9th Grade in a nonpublic school; or
Entering any K-12 grade in a nonpublic school as a transfer from a public school.
How does my family qualify for
an Opportunity Scholarship?
Opportunity Scholarship qualification is based upon the priority tier provisions of the Opportunity Scholarships Act (LB753) and information you provide in the official
OSN application.
See below for priority tiers.
Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska provides more access to a high-quality education that meets the unique needs of every child in Nebraska.
In 2023, the Nebraska State Legislature passed The Opportunity Scholarships Act (LB753), which is a scholarship tax credit program.
Taxpayers can contribute to Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska, a state-approved scholarship granting organization, which then will use those dollars to provide scholarships to eligible students. This transformative program enables students from lower-income families, students with special needs, students who experience bullying, students from military families, students in foster care, and students who are denied option enrollment by public schools to access scholarships to attend the private school of their choice.
The Opportunity Scholarships Act gives priority to children from the lowest-income families first, along with the qualifiers above, giving final priority to families making less than 300% of the federal Free and Reduced Lunch rate.
Eligibility and Priority Tiers
Eligible Student:
A Nebraska resident entering Kindergarten or 9th grade in a qualified school, OR transferring from public school (enrolled for at least one semester prior) and entering any grade K-12 in a qualified school.
A sibling of a student receiving an Opportunity Scholarship residing in the same household.
Qualified school:
A nonpublic, privately operated elementary or secondary school in Nebraska.
Fulfills the applicable accreditation (Rule 10) or approval (Rule 14) requirements established by the State Board of Education.
Fill out this form to see if your child is eligible to apply for an Opportunity Scholarship or to get connected with a school that meets your child’s need!
This is not an official scholarship application. You must contact the school of your choice for the application link.
JAYLEESHA COOPER, STUDENT
“Without school choice, I wouldn’t be where I am now.
My mom worked multiple jobs while going to college so that I could go to a private school. I was eventually able to attend Holy Name Catholic School. From there, I was able to go to Duchesne Academy, which prepared me to attend one of the top 10 universities in the United States. I would not have been able to do that without the hard work my mom put in and the generosity of private donors.
But sometimes it’s not possible for parents to work that many jobs or for students to be lucky enough to receive a limited scholarship. Kids need a backup option where they can get funds to be able to have a chance to better their education and go to the school that’s right for them.”
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is LB753, the Opportunity Scholarships Act?
The Opportunity Scholarships Act provides education freedom to many Nebraska families who can't afford the best school setting for their children. The program would give priority to students in families at 100% poverty level, as well as, students with “exceptional needs”, who have experienced bullying, in the foster system, in military families, or have been denied option enrollment by public schools.
LB753 allows tax credits to incentivize contributions to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs) like Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska (OSN). The program provides a 100% state income tax credit for contributions to SGOs. Contributions are capped at 50% of an individual or business’s state tax liability. Contributions are also capped at $100,000 for individuals and businesses and $1 million for wills and trusts. Contributions are made to SGOs, which then award scholarships to eligible children.
Who supports Opportunity Scholarships?
For decades, parent advocates have been fighting for educational freedom and a school choice program in Nebraska. The Opportunity Scholarships Act, introduced by Senator Lou Ann Linehan on behalf of Governor Jim Pillen, was supported by a super majority of state senators in the Nebraska Legislature across party lines.
School choice programs are growing in popularity across the country, now offering hundreds of thousands of students educational freedom and hope for the future.
When will Opportunity Scholarships be available?
In January, Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska began accepting contributions which will be used for scholarship funds to be distributed for the 2024-2025 school year.
As a parent, where do I start?
Connect with your nonpublic school of choice about enrollment and to ask if they are partnering with Opportunity Scholarships of Nebraska. If your student is eligible to apply for a scholarship, please ask your school of choice for a link to the application. You, the school, and OSN will work together to finalize the application process.
Please feel free to contact us at info@nebraskaopportunity.org or call or text 402.205.7047 with any questions!