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 or viewed below.

For a student to be eligible for an ESA, the following conditions must be met:

• The student must be a resident of Louisiana and meet at least one of the following:
• The student participated in the Louisiana Scholarship Program for the previous school year.
• The student is entering kindergarten.
• The student was enrolled in a public school for the previous school year.
• The student is from a family with a total income at or below two hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty guidelines.

An applicant must submit an application according to a process and timeline outlined by the LDOE and provide information as required by the LDOE.

An applicant must attest to and agree with, at a minimum, the following:

• The applicant has full authority to make this application for the prospective participating student and to attest to and take all of the actions herein listed;
• The applicant will provide for the education of the participating student in at least the subjects of English language arts (ELA), mathematics, social studies, and science;
• The applicant will use account funds only for qualified education expenses of the participating student;
• The applicant will ensure the provision of an education for the participating student that satisfies the compulsory school attendance requirement. Each participating student who fails to comply with the attendance requirements shall be reported to the state director of child welfare and attendance by the participating nonpublic school or service provider and shall be subject to the provisions of R.S. 17:233 which may include referral to juvenile or family court.
• The applicant agrees that the student will participate in student assessments as required by BESE policy including arranging transportation to and from the testing location;
• The applicant agrees to comply with the acceptable uses of ESA funds and all responsibilities as the account holder;
• The applicant agrees to comply with all statutory and regulatory program requirements;
• The applicant agrees to immediately disenroll from the LA GATOR program upon enrollment in a public school, home study program, Course Choice Program, or School Choice Program for Certain Students with Exceptionalities;
• The applicant agrees that the student shall not participate concurrently with a home study program approved by BESE or a home study program registered with LDOE as a nonpublic school not seeking state approval, the Course Choice Program, or the School Choice Program for Certain Students with Exceptionalities;
• The applicant agrees to share the participating student’s personally identifiable, assessment, performance, and attendance information with the LDOE to be used to monitor program effectiveness and for other purposes consistent with state law and policy.