LA GATOR at a glance
LA GATOR is Louisiana's education savings account, and it is not yet universal. The Legislature decides each year how much money the program gets, and awards stop when that money runs out. EdChoice reports the program served about 6,000 students in 2025-26 on a $43.5 million appropriation.
| Question | Answer (as of October 2026) |
|---|
| Award (2025-26) | $5,243 base; $7,626 low-income; up to $15,253 with a disability |
| Who qualifies | Prior participants, kindergartners, public school students, or income at or below 250% FPL |
| 2026-27 window | March 1 to 16, 2026 (closed) |
| Platform | Odyssey |
| Run by | Louisiana Department of Education |
| Homeschool | Not while enrolled in home study |
Who qualifies for LA GATOR
A student must live in Louisiana, be 5 to 21 by September 30, 2026, and meet one of four conditions:
- participated in LA GATOR in 2025-26,
- is entering kindergarten,
- was enrolled in a public school on both October 1 and February 1 of 2025-26, or
- lives in a household earning at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.
Eligibility is reverified every year. It ends if the student enrolls full time in public school, moves out of state, graduates or withdraws, if fraudulent information is submitted, or if the account sits unused for two consecutive years. Students with disabilities qualify through the same doors; disability status affects the amount and priority.
Priority order when money runs short
If funding doesn't cover every eligible student, awards go in this order:
- Students already in LA GATOR
- Students with a disability under IDEA, or from families at or below 250% FPL
- Siblings of current LA GATOR students
- All other eligible students
Within each group, earlier applications win. That is why applying early in the short March window matters as much as qualifying.
How much is a GATOR scholarship?
Awards are a percentage of the prior year's Minimum Foundation Program per-pupil funding. The Department's published 2025-26 amounts:
| Student | 2025-26 award |
|---|
| All other eligible students | $5,243.00 |
| Household at or below 250% FPL | $7,626.00 |
| Disability, Tier 1, above 250% FPL | $7,864.50 |
| Disability, Tier 1, at or below 250% FPL | $10,247.50 |
| Disability, Tier 2, above / at or below 250% FPL | $9,175.25 / $11,558.25 |
| Disability, Tier 3, above / at or below 250% FPL | $12,870.00 / $15,253.00 |
Tier 1 includes speech or language impairment, specific learning disability, mild intellectual disability and developmental delay. Tier 2 includes emotional disturbance, other health impairment, autism, moderate or severe intellectual disability, deaf or hard of hearing, orthopedic impairment and partial sight. Tier 3 covers traumatic brain injury, multiple disabilities, deaf-blindness and blindness. Your child needs a valid evaluation or IEP from a public school system to qualify for tier funding.
Former Louisiana Scholarship Program students who stay at the same school keep their 2024-25 award until they finish the school's last grade or leave. All amounts depend on final funding decisions by the Legislature and Governor.
How to apply for the Louisiana GATOR program
- Sign up for LDOE email updates so you hear when the next window opens. The 2026-27 window ran only 16 days.
- Prepare documents before the window: proof of residency and age, and income records or a current IEP if you are claiming a priority group.
- Apply in Odyssey on day one if you can. Returning families renew in the same portal; skipping renewal means losing eligibility.
- Wait for the budget. The Legislature sets funding between April and June. Award notices arrived around June and July in 2026.
- Accept and set up. Families with awards set up the student account and choose a school or providers over the summer.
How spending works in Odyssey
Every LA GATOR dollar is spent inside the Odyssey platform. Families pay participating schools and service providers there, and buy approved materials through it. The Department is clear that out-of-pocket purchases cannot be reimbursed. Funds arrive quarterly, and unused money rolls over each year, according to EdChoice.
Tutors, therapists and other providers must be approved before families can pay them. If a provider you want isn't in Odyssey, point them to the LA GATOR service provider application. Saving candidates on your Edulist wishlist makes it easy to share a list with providers.
What you can buy with LA GATOR
The approved list is broad:
- nonpublic school tuition and fees, and nonpublic online programs
- curricula, textbooks and instructional materials
- tutoring from a tutor or tutoring service, such as Varsity Tutors or Kumon
- educational therapies, including occupational, behavioral, physical, speech-language and audiology; families of students with dyslexia may compare reading programs for learning differences such as Lindamood-Bell or All About Reading
- educational software, such as IXL
- computers and devices used mainly for educational needs
- dual enrollment, career and technical school costs, and AP, CLEP, IB, LEAP and admission exams
- summer and after-school academic programs, uniforms, and parent navigation services
Whether a specific product is approved is up to the program, so confirm in Odyssey before you buy.
Homeschoolers and LA GATOR
LA GATOR is not a homeschool funding program. The policy requires disenrollment if a student enrolls in a BESE-approved home study program or a home study registered as a nonpublic school not seeking state approval. Homeschool families should read our Louisiana homeschool guide for the rules and options that apply to home study.
Federal scholarship tax credit in Louisiana
Louisiana has opted in. Governor Jeff Landry announced participation on December 17, 2025, and the Louisiana Department of Education says application details for families will come after Treasury rules are finalized. Donors can claim up to $1,700 for gifts to SGOs on Louisiana's list starting in 2027. See how the federal credit works and Louisiana's own donor tax credits.