The Louisiana Scholarship Program assists families by providing them the financial resources to send their child to the school of their choice, whether a public or nonpublic institution. More than 15 nonpublic schools citywide currently participate in the program.
An important note about this year’s participating Scholarship schools
Participating Scholarship schools are schools that have submitted a notice of intent to the Louisiana Department of Education (LDE) to accept new Scholarship students for the 2020-2021 school year. As school performance results become available, the LDE will review the list of Scholarship schools and may determine that some are no longer eligible to accept new students. If you apply to a Scholarship school that is later deemed ineligible, your student will not be placed there.
Additionally, because scholarships are funded through state dollars, there is a possibility that the Legislature will choose to reduce funds to these programs, and if that happens, this would mean that one or more of the schools listed in this application may have fewer seats available to serve new and continuing students.
*Families interested in attending a Scholarship school outside of Orleans Parish should visit LDE.
Should I apply for a Scholarship?
Your child should apply for a scholarship if he or she is interested in attending a participating Scholarship school. In order to be eligible to receive a Scholarship you must meet the following requirements:
- Your child must be a resident of Louisiana.
- Your child must be either entering kindergarten or enrolled in a public school with a C, D, F, or T grade on both October 1 and February 1 of the current school year or a continuing Scholarship student
- Your income must be below the figure listed for your household size.
| This chart shows 250% of 2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines | ||||
| Household Size | Yearly Income | Monthly Income | Bi-Weely Income | Weekly Income |
| 2 | $42,275 | $3,523 | $1,624 | $812 |
| 3 | $53,325 | $4,444 | $2,050 | $1,025 |
| 4 | $64,375 | $5,365 | $2,474 | $1,237 |
| 5 | $75,425 | $6,285 | $2,900 | $1,450 |
| 6 | $86,475 | $7,206 | $3,324 | $1,662 |
| 7 | $97,525 | $8,127 | $3,750 | $1,875 |
| 8 | $108,575 | $9,048 | $4,174 | $2,087 |
| Add this amount for each additional family member | $11,050 | $921 | $424 | $212 |
| *Guidelines are updated annually. 2020 Guidelines listed. | ||||
How does the Scholarship program considers students with disabilities?
The Louisiana Department of Education does not consider a student’s disability when assigning students to nonpublic schools. Some nonpublic schools may not offer additional educational services for students with disabilities, but all schools must enroll all students awarded scholarships, regardless of disability. Please reference the school information on the school profile for more information about special education services offered at participating nonpublic schools. Not all nonpublic schools offer special education services. Please contact the school(s) of your choice before listing them on your child’s application to ensure they are able to meet your child’s needs
My child currently participates in the Scholarship Program. Should I complete an application?
If your child currently participates in the Scholarship program* and want to remain at their current school, you should not submit an application; current students in non-transitional grades will automatically be re-enrolled if they do not apply to transfer. If you submit an application for your child and they are assigned to a public school choice then they will lose their Scholarship and not be able to transfer back to their scholarship school if you change your mind. If you submit an application and they are assigned to another scholarship choice, their scholarship will transfer to the new school.
*Students at participating PK4 NSECD programs must apply for Kindergarten.
How do I verify my income and residency?
In order to be eligible to receive a Scholarship, families must submit proof of income and residency to a Family Resource Center or participating Scholarship school listed on their application.
The following documents are accepted for income verification:
- Most recent Federal Tax Return, total income
- Most recent unemployment compensation statement
- Alimony as shown in court decree or agreement
- Most recent pension statements
- Most recent Social Security benefits statement
- SNAP Benefits
- Louisiana Purchase Card Budget Sheet or Benefits Statement
The following documents are accepted for residency verification:
- Rental lease agreement or mortgage
- Electricity/Gas Bill
- Telephone Bill (Landline ONLY)
- Cable/Internet Service Bill
- Sewerage/Water Bill
- Current Official Letter from a Government Agency (DSS, DHH)
- Homestead Exemption Notice
- Property Tax Notice
