LA GATOR Scholarship Program

Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise

The Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise (LA GATOR) Scholarship Program was signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry June 19, 2024. Enacted by the 2024 Louisiana legislature (Act 1), this new program will for the first time ever provide education scholarship accounts (ESAs) to Louisiana families. These scholarships provide parents with an account that allows them to customize their child’s education. The scholarship accounts can be used for school tuition and fees, tutoring, educational therapies, textbooks and curricula, dual enrollment courses, and uniforms.

Launching in 2025

Pending legislative appropriation, the LA GATOR Scholarship Program will begin serving Louisiana families and students in 2025. The LDOE will begin accepting online student applications no later than March 1, 2025, for the 2025-2026 school year. Continue to visit our website for the latest updates or sign-up for our LA GATOR email list. 

LA GATOR Scholarship Program Policy

During the 2024 Regular Legislative Session, Act 1 created the Louisiana Giving True Opportunity to Rise (LA GATOR) Scholarship Program to provide educational savings accounts for parental choice in K-12 education. Act 1 required revisions to Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) policy contained in Bulletin 133 - Scholarship Programs. LA GATOR Scholarship Program policy can be downloaded.

Current Louisiana Scholarship Program Schools and Students

The Louisiana Scholarship Program will continue to be administered through the end of the 2024-2025 school year. The Louisiana Scholarship Program will sunset on June 30, 2025 and Louisiana Scholarship Program students and nonpublic schools will receive priority access to the LA GATOR Scholarship Program. The Louisiana Department of Education will contact current Louisiana Scholarship Program families on next steps for the 2025-2026 school year.

Louisiana Scholarship Program Schools

Any nonpublic school participating in the Louisiana Scholarship Program during the 2024-2025 school year, provided that it has not subsequently been found to be ineligible to participate in the Louisiana Scholarship Program, may participate in the LA GATOR Program during the 2025-2026 school year without undergoing a separate application or approval process. Such a nonpublic school opting to participate in the LA GATOR Program will be required to register and attest to program requirements according to the process outlined by the department.

For each school year thereafter, such schools shall comply with the LA GATOR Program requirements with respect to the application process.

Louisiana Scholarship Program Students

Students having participated in the Louisiana Scholarship Program during the 2024-2025 school year, subject to the allocation of state funds, shall be awarded an amount equal to the award amount received during the 2024-2025 school year and shall continue to receive this award until the student completes the school’s terminal grade or until the student leaves the school, whichever comes first. 

Student Eligibility

For a student to be eligible for an ESA, the student must be a resident of Louisiana and meet one of the following:
  • Participated in the Louisiana Scholarship Program previous school year
  • Entering kindergarten
  • Enrolled in a public school the previous school year
  • From a family with total income at or below 250% of federal poverty guidelines
Student eligibility is terminated when a participating student meets one of the following:
  • Enrolls full-time in a public school
  • Ceases to be a Louisiana resident
  • Found to have fraudulent representation in the application for the account or in conjunction with payment of funds
  • Graduates or withdraws from school
  • Account inactive for two consecutive years

Student Prioritization

Funding for student accounts is subject to annual legislative appropriation of state funds. If allocated funds are insufficient to fund all eligible students, awards shall be prioritized as follows:

  1. Students currently participating in the Louisiana Scholarship Program or LA GATOR
  2. Students from a family with a total income at or below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines or students identified as having a disability under IDEA
  3. Siblings of students currently participating in LA GATOR
  4. Other eligible students

Student Awards

The maximum annual award shall be calculated using a multiplier of the prior year Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) formula average state and local per pupil amount.

For the 2025-2026 school year, the award will be the following:

  • Up to $15,253 (160% of MFP) for students identified as having a disability consistent with the IDEA
  • $7,626 (80% of MFP) for students from a family with a total income at or below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines
  • $5,243 (55% of MFP) for any other eligible student
Louisiana Scholarship Program Students: Students who participated in the Louisiana Scholarship Program during the 2024-2025 school year, subject to the allocation of state funds, shall be awarded an amount equal to the award amount received in 2024-2025 and shall continue to receive this award until the student completes the school’s terminal grade or until the student leaves the school, whichever comes first.