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Dear John,
Today marks a monumental achievement for Louisiana as SB 313, a bill establishing the LA GATOR Scholarship Program, has successfully passed both the House and the Senate. This landmark legislation is the result of nine years of unwavering advocacy by Louisiana Kids Matter’s Kelli Bottger and her coalition partners, proving once again the power of persistence.
The bill is now headed to Governor Landry's desk for his signature, and he has already indicated his strong support for the legislation.
The LA GATOR Scholarship Program creates a universal ESA that will be phased in beginning in 2025, with priority given to low income students, current LA Scholarship Program students and students currently enrolled in a public school.
Funds can be used for a wide range of educational expenses, including tuition, fees, tutoring, textbooks, educational software and special education services.
The ESA program also contains testing and accountability requirements. Participating students must take an annual norm-referenced test and the Department of Education must publicly report these assessment results.
In addition to this ESA bill, Louisiana Kids Matter is working in the final weeks of session on getting its other key goals across the finish line, including reducing bureaucratic burdens on teachers, implementing a universal math screener, expanding career pathways for students, securing direct funding for families to get tutoring help after school and over the summer, and $30 million for expanding high-dosage tutoring during the school day.
We invite you to stay updated through Louisiana Kids Matter’s social media feed and The New Reality Roundup, where we will share through the end of session.
Best,
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