The LA GATOR Scholarship Program gives families the flexibility to purchase approved educational services and materials from a wide range of providers. This page includes information for current and prospective providers — including eligibility, provider types, and how public schools can participate.
Along with nonpublic school tuition and fees, the LA GATOR Scholarship Program allows participating families to use their funds for a variety of qualifying education expenses offered by approved service providers. Participating service providers can include a business, individual, nonprofit organization, city or parish public school, public charter school, or other entity that offers educational materials, courses, or educational services that are qualifying ESA expenses.
Any individual, business, nonprofit, or public school entity that offers goods or services classified as eligible LA GATOR expenses can apply to become a service provider.
To participate, all providers must:
The application for service providers will remain open for a rolling application process.
Service providers fall into one of three categories:
Providers who are responsible for full-time instruction and directly interact with students.
Providers offering instruction or educational services on a part-time basis, with direct interaction.
Providers offering goods or services without direct interaction with students.
Public school services, including educational classes, are an allowable expense for families participating in the LA GATOR Scholarship Program. Public School Governing Authorities that would like to have one or more of their schools provide offerings for LA GATOR must submit an application that includes a letter from their superintendent confirming the school’s ability to participate as a service provider, a copy of each school’s disciplinary policies, a description of educational qualifications, and attestations that are required by program policy.
Public School Governing Authorities will need to have a Stripe account to accept payments from families through the Odyssey platform.
LA GATOR service providers will include local educational agencies, who may provide services to LA GATOR participants with disabilities through traditional and charter public schools. Local educational agencies participating in the LA GATOR program are required to comply with the requirements of Louisiana and federal law applicable to public agencies receiving federal funding (e.g. the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973). Students with disabilities who receive services from a local educational agency through the LA GATOR program shall be considered parentally-placed, private school students under relevant state and federal law, most notably Louisiana Revised Statutes 17:1941 et seq.
We’ve moved our FAQs to the main LA GATOR FAQ page, where you’ll find categorized answers about: