Governor's budget seeks expansion of LA Gator vouchers and boosts to MJ Foster scholarship

Commissioner Taylor Barra and Office of Planning and Budget staff told the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget that the governor included funding in the FY'7 proposal to expand school-choice scholarship funding and to bolster adult-focused scholarships. The administration described a roughly $44.2 million request for a new tranche of LA Gator scholarships that would operate under existing income limits and could serve an estimated 4,900 additional students.

Senator Patricia Edmonds (first spoken appearance in roll call and Q&A) and other members raised operational questions about school capacity in regions if thousands of new vouchers are approved and whether prior mismatches left some kindergarten students out of the original roll. Barra said the Department of Education and Department of Education services could provide region-by-region seat analyses and that the second tranche includes kindergarten eligibility that should resolve earlier shortfalls.

The Board of Regents programs were also discussed. Colleen Gill said the administration proposes raising the base funding for the Murphy J. Foster scholarship program: the base is currently $10.5 million and the proposal would bring the base nearer to $25 million to serve adult learners and workforce-priority credentialing programs. Senators asked whether formula funding for higher education institutions was affected; the administration said the Regents formula was not changed in this request but programmatic and technology investments (START modernization) are funded separately.

Lawmakers pressed for more precise LDOE/LDH comparisons for early-childhood spending and asked officials to confirm that expansions would not leave students without seats; the administration directed the committee to department-level testimony for further technical detail. The hearing did not include formal votes.