Expanding Education Options for All Students

LOUISIANA SCHOOL CHOICE

School Choice Options for Louisiana Students

Expanding educational choice for student and families is one of Louisiana's Education Priorities. Parents are their child’s first and foremost teachers, and are in control of their child’s education. Families should have the freedom to choose the educational setting that best meets their needs. That’s why we are committed to school choice options, from high-quality traditional public schools to public charters, non-public schools, and home-study programs. No child should be limited by their zip code.

School Choice

LA GATOR Scholarship Program Charter Schools BESE-Approved Nonpublic Schools Nonpublic Schools Not Seeking State Approval BESE-Approved Home Study Program Louisiana Scholarship Program School Choice Program for Certain Students with Exceptionalities Tuition Donation Credit Program

School Choice in Louisiana

These are some of the options families in Louisiana have when choosing the best education environment for their child. Click on the links at the top of this page to learn more and access resources for families, educators, and system leaders.

Traditional Public Schools

Public schools serve local communities and are open to all students. They follow state-approved curriculum standards and are funded by taxpayer dollars to ensure a well-rounded, accessible education.

Charter Schools

Charter schools offer innovative approaches to education and greater flexibility in curriculum and teaching methods. They’re publicly funded and open to all students, with accountability to state standards and school performance.

Nonpublic Schools

Approved nonpublic schools offer families a private school option that meets specific state requirements. They may provide unique curricula, faith-based programs, or specialized instruction to fit family preferences.

Nonpublic Schools Not Seeking State Approval

These private schools operate independently without state oversight. They offer more freedom in curriculum design, though they aren’t required to meet state standards or performance reporting.

Home Study

The home study option allows families to develop a personalized education experience at home. It’s a flexible, parent-led program with state registration available to meet certain criteria and access select state resources.

Louisiana Department of Education’s Grow.Achieve.Thrive. plan approved by BESE, takes effect for 2025-26 school year

(BATON ROUGE, LA) - Louisiana is raising the bar for academic success, enhancing the value of career education, and making it easier for the public to understand how schools are performing. The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) received approval from the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) today on revisions to the state’s K-12 accountability system, which is used to grade the performance of public schools and school systems.

Grow.Achieve.Thrive. is based on three fundamental drivers.

Simple and Transparent: Utilizes a new 100-point grading scale
High Expectations: Raises the bar for student outcomes
Career and College Readiness: Emphasizes career education, college preparation, or military service readiness

“Today marks the culmination of three years of work to elevate educational expectations for Louisiana,” said Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “This revised system will drive performance to new levels and provide the public with a transparent understanding of school quality.”

The plan’s name comes from its three core student expectations. Louisiana expects all students to grow academically year-over year, achieve proficiency on key content, and thrive beyond high school. .

Grow: Schools will be measured by the number of students growing in math and English, with special attention paid to growing the lowest achieving students and supporting English learners as they learn the English language..

Achieve: Schools will be measured by the number of students who are proficient in math, English, science, and social studies.

Thrive: High schools will be measured on the number of students graduating on time, showing readiness on a nationally recognized exam, and prepared to accelerate by earning college credit or high value career credentials with work experience.

“K-12 education in Louisiana is on a positive trajectory, and this improved and simplified standard for measuring school performance will support that momentum going forward,” said BESE President Ronnie Morris. “With high value placed on core skills development, academic growth and work based learning opportunities, the accountability revisions adopted today strengthen Louisiana’s foundation for learning and will open the door to meaningful opportunities for more students.”

Schools and systems will be graded using Louisiana’s Accountability Scorecard, which includes elements foundational to student success. Each of the scorecard’s foundational elements will be evenly averaged to determine a score for schools and systems.

Louisiana's Accountability Scorecard

The plan will go into effect for the 2025-26 school year. However, simulated scores will be provided for 2023-24 and 2024-25.

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