Louisiana’s school choice program is improving education outcomes for students disadvantaged by crime, economic disparities, and parents who did not complete their own education, a recent report found.
The state rolled out its GATOR Scholarship Program in 2025, which awards families scholarships to cover private school tuition and other education related costs. The study surveyed 105 families and 190 private schools and found that despite many of the private schools approved by the program existing in the same high crime areas as nearby public schools and serving large portions of low income students, students who attended the program’s schools were much more likely to graduate high school and go on to enroll in college.
The report, conducted independently by Studyville, found that of the families surveyed, 63.8% were considered economically disadvantaged, with more than half having household incomes below $50,000. In addition, a majority were single-parent households. Still, more than 85% of the families reported that their child’s academic performance has improved since starting the program.
Louisiana’s public school graduation rate sits around 80%, while the rate in GATOR program schools has reached 97.5%. More than 81% of students at GATOR schools went on to enroll in college compared to 62% of public school students in the state, and chronic absenteeism shrunk from 20.8% in public schools to 6.3% within the program’s schools.
The study posited these statistics are due to the private schools’ smaller class sizes, increased number of counselors dedicated to college and career support, and higher number of advanced coursework offerings. Parents sending their kids to private schools through the scholarship program also became more engaged with their child’s school.
“The LA GATOR Scholarship Program is simple — it gives students the opportunity to get the education that fits their needs. It’s just common sense. And the results speak for themselves—parents are happier, students are doing better, and it does it all at a lower cost. That’s what happens when you give families a choice,” Landry told the Daily Caller News Foundation in a statement.
Studyville also found that the state spends less on the scholarships than it does on individual students enrolled in public schools. For public education, the state allocates $9,568 per student, whereas the GATOR program awards students $7,220 on average. The program currently serves 5,546 students, though approximately 40,000 have applied.
The report even found that students who benefitted from the program transferred to schools that were in their same community, with their new schools dealing with the same or worse crime than their previous public school. More than 60% of the participating schools operate in high or very high crime areas, it revealed.
“GATOR does not move families to safer cities,” Studyville concluded in a letter sent to Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry detailing the report’s findings. “It gives them access to safer school environments and prevents outmigration by allowing them to stay within the communities where they already live.”
Yet the private schools also provided a safer environment for children in addition to increased academic success. With higher staff to student ratios than their public counterparts and a culture centered around learning and community, GATOR schools had 95% fewer incidents of bullying and suspension.
“The safety advantage comes from school selection itself in the choice of smaller class sizes, consistent discipline policies, engaged parent communities, and aligned values rather than from relocating to safer neighborhoods,” the report concludes.
However, the report does state that there is no clear, consistent reporting standards that all schools must follow, and recommended that “harmonized disciplinary definitions and uniform reporting protocols” be mandated across schools. Still, two thirds of parents surveyed said their child’s conduct had improved since starting at a GATOR school.
“It was important to the study that the analysts explore how the ESA [Education Savings Account] program affects the whole child and family unit, not just the academic outcomes. What the study uncovered was eye-opening,” Amanda Martin, the founder and CEO of Studyville, said in statement to the DCNF. “School safety is not is not exclusive to elite neighborhoods; non-public schools in the same high crime zones and zip codes had more safety measures in place and were more secure.”
“There were almost zero bullying incidents,” Martin continued. “The ESA prevented outmigration for many families. Our team at StudyTrack is eager to do a more in depth study to uncover more, including the true fiscal impact of an ESA, which isn’t so black and white.”
Critics of school choice programs often point to the lack of accountability standards private schools are required to follow. Many states, including Louisiana, do not require private school students to take state standardized tests, leaving educational improvements unclear.
However, the report found that by tracking metrics such as graduation rates, attendance and college enrollment, private schools can continue to operate independently while remaining accountable to the state.
Now, the governor is looking to double the program’s funding to open doors for the tens of thousands of applicants.
All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact [email protected].
