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.

BATON ROUGE, La. -- The Louisiana Department of Education is inviting stakeholders to provide public comment and feedback on the state’s draft revisions of Louisiana’s Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS). These drafted revisions are the culmination of a year-long effort led by a committee of early childhood experts and stakeholders from around the state. The standards serve as a framework for supporting the implementation of high-quality, developmentally appropriate early childhood programs. These standards are intended to help early childhood educators and families across Louisiana deepen their understanding of how children grow and develop in order to best prepare them for kindergarten and beyond.

The goals of the standards revision process are to make stronger connections to kindergarten readiness expectations and to create a scaffolded alignment of developmentally-appropriate indicators across age-bands. Other revision goals are to ensure a strong integration of language that supports children with disabilities and dual language learners, embed commonly-used assessments with intentionality to increase alignment, and update resources to reflect current research and Department initiatives.

“Louisiana must continue to be a leader in early childhood education,” said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Cade Brumley. “This process of engagement and improvement will make environments even stronger for Louisiana’s youngest learners.”

During their April 6, 2022, meeting, the ELDS Review Committee unanimously endorsed the drafted standards revisions, which will establish a common vision for what the state of Louisiana wants children to learn before they enter kindergarten. The Department posted an online public comment portal to give stakeholders the opportunity to share their feedback on the revised standards and indicators. The portal can be accessed in the Standards Review Committee Library until May 9, 2022. The Department will consider the public’s feedback to make further revisions and submit the updated Early Learning and Development Standards to BESE for approval in June.

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