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GATOR scholarship applies to 33,000 applicants; committee hears LDOE outline phased priority and first‑come process
Summary
The Louisiana Department of Education told the House Appropriations Committee that the state’s new GATOR education‑savings program had 33,000 applicants as of early April and outlined the phased, priority and timestamp (first‑come) rules that will be used to allocate awards if appropriation funds are limited.
The Louisiana Department of Education and House Fiscal Division summarized the state's new education savings account program (Act 1 of 2024, known in committee as "GATOR") and early‑childhood funding during the House Appropriations hearing.
House Fiscal analyst Ashari Robinson told the committee the application portal had received roughly 33,000 applications as of early April. "33,000 applications are in," Robinson said, adding that roughly 5,000 of those are students who already received vouchers under the previous state program.
What the committee heard: LDOE (Superintendent Cade Brumley) and House Fiscal staff described the GATOR statute as structured in phases and priorities. Phase 1 gives priority to existing voucher recipients; within later priorities the law directs eligibility for students from families at or below certain income thresholds and for students with disabilities. If appropriation funds are exhausted inside a…
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