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State notifies families after limited Louisiana Gator scholarship funding; thousands remain on eligibility list
Summary
The Louisiana Department of Education and its program administrator have notified families of limited awards under the new Louisiana Gator Scholarship accounts, funding returning scholarship students first and identifying roughly 700–800 additional slots that may be offered as families opt in.
The Louisiana Department of Education has informed families about initial allocations under the new Louisiana Gator Scholarship accounts, but state officials cautioned that funding will cover far fewer applicants than applied.
Caleb Moore, deputy chief of staff in the department's Office of School Choice, said the department funded all returning scholarship students and identified another roughly "between 7 and 800" additional applicants that could be funded with available dollars. "I think closer to the 700 number," Moore said. He added that families will receive an opt‑in notice and that the program administrator, Odyssey, will manage family communications.
The program converts a portion of state per‑pupil funds into an education savings account for eligible children to spend on approved educational expenses. Moore said the department prioritized students who previously received scholarships; he reported that "over 95% of the scholarship program students chose to return" and that applications totaled about 39,000 with roughly 34,400 meeting initial eligibility screening.
Parents and advocates urged clearer public messaging about who will receive funds and where remaining applicants stand on the waiting list. Moore said the next step is an opt‑in window that will allow some families to decline funding, after which the department and Odyssey will backfill slots from the prioritized eligibility list.
Moore and other department staff acknowledged the program's limited near‑term capacity and said they are preparing on‑page explanations and a prioritization chart for families. "We were able to fund between 7 and 800," Moore said. "As soon as we got the funding information, we went ahead and started making those calculations. We have notified families at this point about funding status."
