Every Kid Counts Oklahoma (EKCO) has been chosen as one of the recipients of the $100,000 Yass Award for Education Freedom. This award from the Yass Prize grants $5 million to education providers in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Iowa.
EKCO and other education providers in Oklahoma were nominated based on the organizations’ capacity for growth and commitment to transforming education. The award’s funds are intended to catalyze creation of new opportunities for students to benefit from Oklahoma’s education freedom programs.
“I am excited to be able to provide additional training, support and services to parents in navigating their child’s educational journey. Our families with students who have special needs will benefit greatly from the help this grant will allow EKCO to provide,” said Lucia Frohling, Director of Parent Services at EKCO.
The Yass Award for Education Freedom selected Oklahoma, Arkansas and Iowa for their work to expand opportunity in education and their legislative achievements to create equitable education that empowers parents, especially those underserved by current systems. Oklahoma was chosen for its innovative Parental Choice Tax Credit Act, which provides refundable tax credits up to $7,500 per child to cover the cost of education choices. In 2024, 20,000 families will be eligible to receive the tax credit, and that number will increase annually.
“We are honored to receive this award, and look forward to continuing our work to identify solutions that benefit students, not systems,” said Laura Hendrix, Interim Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer at EKCO. “Our mission is to provide a quality education for all Oklahoma students, and this grant will help us set students up to succeed by meeting their unique educational needs. We congratulate the other award recipients and are proud to work alongside them to improve education in our state.”