LAFAYETTE PARISH — With the start of school just weeks away for most parishes in Acadiana, families are feeling the effects of limited funding for Louisiana’s new school choice program.
Multiple private schools in the region have been approved to receive funding through the LA Gator Scholarship Program. But some local parents said they’re learning too late that their children won’t be receiving any financial aid.
One of them, Jackie Richard, said she was notified just Tuesday that her child was not selected for a scholarship — only three weeks before the school year begins.
“It was kind of disheartening,” Richard said. “The email arrived yesterday and here we are counting down toward the end of July preparing for the school year. I did receive the eligibility notice and was going back and forth with the school, and I was excited this was happening. So now we kind of have to pedal forward and try to figure out next steps and what’s going to happen.”
The email she received read in part:
"While your child met the eligibility criteria, we regret to inform you that they will not be receiving a LA Gator Scholarship for the 2025–26 school year. Due to limited funding and high demand — nearly 40,000 students applied for about 6,000 available scholarships — priority was given based on criteria outlined in state law."
The LA Gator Scholarship Program was designed to help families afford private education. Gov. Jeff Landry proposed $93.5 million in funding for the initiative, but lawmakers approved less than half that amount — $43.5 million — enough to cover only about 6,000 scholarships, despite more than 35,000 eligible students.
As a result, thousands of families across the state are left without the financial support they were hoping for.
State officials are urging families who have not yet received a final decision to develop a backup plan.
