During his State of the State address this month, Gov. Jeff Landry announced his plans to increase funding for Louisiana’s GATOR Scholarship program from $44 million to $88 million.
The LA GATOR program is an Education Savings Account school choice program that — unlike a standard voucher, which only covers tuition at a private school — allows families to use scholarship funds for various private educational expenses, including tuition, tutoring, therapies, dual enrollment credits, and more.
Louisiana’s ESA program currently serves approximately 5,500 students, and scholarship amounts average $7,250. Spots in the program are coveted, as demand is through the roof. In the 2025-26 school year alone, the program received nearly 40,000 applications, leaving the vast majority, about 35,000 students on the waitlist.
Landry’s proposed budget increases the number of scholarships for families, helping students who are currently in limbo and want the opportunity to access the education that works best for them. EdChoice monthly polling shows consistently that over 70% of school parents in the state support universal ESAs.
In addition to expanding students’ access to educational freedom, Landry’s strong support for the ESA program is prudent for Louisiana’s fiscal position.
Recently, some Louisiana policymakers have raised concern about the program’s price tag.
However, across 73 studies analyzing the fiscal effects of school choice programs, 68 show these programs have statistically significant positive impacts and produce savings for taxpayers.
A recent report from EdChoice also shows that expanding school choice overwhelmingly generates fiscal benefits for states and taxpayers. Across 48 school choice programs studied from their inception through 2022, fiscal benefits to state and local taxpayers ranged from $19.4 billion to $45.6 billion. These savings translate to $2.64 in taxpayer savings for every dollar invested in an educational choice program.
The case for expanding eligibility for school choice programs goes beyond the checkbook too.
Research suggests that students who participate in school choice programs see positive effects on their safety, civic practices, educational attainment, and test scores.
Moreover, research also shows that private school choice programs support public school students by incentivizing public schools to improve through competitive effects.
A recent analysis by Dr. Patrick Graff, which examined the highest quality research on the competitive effects of private school choice and the impact of increased school spending on student achievement, found that “the academic benefits for public school students in schools facing higher levels of competition were 11 times higher than what the best research on school spending would predict.”
Graff’s findings confirm what choice proponents have known: Educational choice is a rising tide that lifts all boats.
Landry’s proposal to invest in school choice is a wise decision not just for students directly enrolled in the GATOR program, but for students throughout Louisiana.
The benefits for students and their families are undeniable. From higher civic engagement to test scores, mental health, and academic achievement, the outcomes of choice are investments Louisiana policymakers should want to cultivate by extending funding for the GATOR program to all students in the state.
If they do so, they will send a message that educational freedom is far too important to leave any student behind, and no politician, interest group, or government bureaucrat should stand in the way of a parent’s right to choose what education is best for their child.
