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How does Louisiana’s recently passed education savings account program compare with similar programs in other Southern states? There are some major differences, The Center Square reports.
Gov. Jeff Landry signed the Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise Scholarship Program, or the LA GATOR program, into law on June 19.
The program provides ESAs to parents in an effort to give them more of a say in what schools their children will attend. The funds can also be used for online school tuition, tutors or hybrid programs. Other states—Arkansas, for example—are not as lenient with how the funding can be utilized.
But the use of funding isn’t the only way Louisiana’s program is more vague than programs in neighboring states. Louisiana left more regulation out of the legislation than most.
“Louisiana left a lot of determination to the state board of education,” Nathan Sanders, policy and advocacy director for EDChoice, says. “A lot of these states, in the legislation, [will] outline the path to universal eligibility.”
