(BATON ROUGE, LA) - The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) announced today that it received more than 39,000 student applications for the Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise (LA GATOR) Scholarship Program for the 2025–2026 school year. Of those, nearly 35,000 students have been determined eligible.
The number of eligible students the program can serve depends on the funding allocation approved by the Louisiana Legislature during the current session. Governor Jeff Landry requested just over $93 million for the program in his executive budget, which would serve approximately 12,000 students.
“These astounding numbers show just how vital the Gator Scholarship is to Louisianans. With over 39,000 applicants, this program is helping parents of children with disabilities and low-income families. The Gator Scholarship is finally putting parents in the driver’s seat and allowing them to select the learning environment that best suits their needs and values,” said Gov. Landry.
Student applications were accepted from March 1 to April 15. In total, the LDOE received 39,189 applications. Of those:
- 34,848 have been deemed eligible for funding
- 81% of applicants come from families at or below 250% of the federal poverty level
- Nearly 3,000 applicants are students with disabilities
“This is among the largest turnouts for a new ESA program in the nation,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “Louisiana families are making it clear—they want more educational options and the freedom to choose what works best for their children.”
Student Funding Prioritization
The LA GATOR Scholarship Program is funded annually by the Louisiana Legislature. If there is not enough funding to cover every eligible student, awards are prioritized in this order:
- Students currently in the Louisiana Scholarship Program or LA GATOR
- Students with a disability under IDEA or from families earning ≤250% of the federal poverty level
- Siblings of current LA GATOR or LSP students
- All other eligible students
If multiple students fall in the same priority group, applications are ordered by submission timestamp. Students who applied earlier within the window are prioritized over later applicants.
What’s Next
Along with waiting on a funding decision from the Louisiana Legislature, the future of LA GATOR also depends on a vote later this month by the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget (JLCB) to extend the program’s current management contract - which is set to end in June. Already approved by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), the contract amendment extends the current contract to June 2026 and includes the operation of LA GATOR for the 2025-2026 school year.
Families will be notified of their child’s priority status and suggested next steps before the end of April. Award notifications will be issued after the Louisiana Legislature finalizes the state budget and Governor Landry signs it into law. The current legislative session is scheduled to end no later than June 12.
Transition from the Louisiana Scholarship Program to LA GATOR
The Louisiana Scholarship Program (LSP) will continue through the end of the 2024–2025 school year and officially end on June 30, 2025. Beginning with the 2025–2026 school year, eligible LSP families who applied for LA GATOR will transition into the new program. Early estimates show that at least 91% of current LSP families applied for LA GATOR.
LSP Students Receive Top Priority
- Students who participated in LSP during the 2024–2025 school year are part of Phase 1 of LA GATOR and are designated as Priority 1 for funding.
- Of Governor Landry’s over $93 million request for LA GATOR, $43 million is dedicated to cover all current LSP students.
- These over 5,000 students will be the first group considered for awards once legislative funding is finalized.
- If an LSP student remains at the same school, they will continue to receive the same award amount they received through LSP until they finish the school’s final grade or leave the school.
About the LA GATOR Scholarship Program
The LA GATOR Scholarship Program is Louisiana’s first education scholarship account (ESA), providing scholarship accounts to eligible students. Parents can use these funds for approved educational services, such as:
- Nonpublic school tuition and fees
- Tutoring and educational therapies
- Textbooks and curricula
- Dual enrollment courses
- Uniforms
Signed into law by Governor Landry, the LA GATOR Scholarship Program represents a significant step in expanding educational freedom in Louisiana. It complements the state’s numerous school choice offerings, which include traditional public schools, public charter schools, nonpublic schools, and home study programs.
Families used the Odyssey platform to complete applications and can expect further updates through the platform and via email in the coming weeks. To learn more, visit lagator.la.gov.