A complete guide to Louisiana's Giving All True Opportunity Scholarship Program (GATOR)

The Giving All True Opportunity Scholarship Program (GATOR) scholarship program provides educational support for parents, by allowing them to use some of their tax dollars on tuition and other approved educational expenses.

GATOR replaces the Louisiana Scholarship Program and is administered by the Louisiana Department of Education, with funds allocated by the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

To qualify for the GATOR program, your child must:

• Live in Louisiana
• Be aged between 5 and 21 on September 30 of the current school year
• Meet at least one qualifying condition: currently participating in the GATOR program (returning student), entering kindergarten, previously enrolled in a public school (on required dates during the school year), or from a household earning less than or equal to 250% of the federal poverty level

Students enrolled in GATOR cannot simultaneously participate in any of these school scholarships or programs:

• The 'BESE-Approved Home Study Program'
• The 'Home Study Program' registered with the LDOE as a 'Nonpublic School Not Seeking State Approval'
• The 'Course Choice Program'
• The 'School Choice Program for Certain Students with Exceptionalities'

However, students can receive additional funding from 3rd party sources, as long as they're not prohibited by law, or listed above.

Because GATOR relies on state funding each year, meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee funds will be allocated.

Final approval and award amounts depend on the availability of state funds, which will be allocated based on the program's priority guidelines.

Where the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available funds, funding will be allocated in order of priority:

1. 1.Current GATOR participants
2. 2.Students with disabilities or from lower-income households — Less than, or equal to, 250% of the federal poverty level
3. 3.The siblings of current participants
4. 4.All other eligible students

Currently there is a waiting list. Applicants will be notified by email if and when funding is allocated. If multiple students fall in the same priority group, applications are ordered by the time their application was submitted on a first-come, first-served basis.

GATOR funding can also be withdrawn, if the student:

• Enrolls full-time in a public school
• Moves out of Louisiana
• Provides false or fraudulent information
• Graduates or withdraws from school
• Doesn't use their funding for two consecutive years

GATOR applications are submitted through the Odyssey Portal. Returning students will be able to reapply by logging into their Odyssey account.

To apply for GATOR you will need to submit documentation proving the student meets the eligibility requirements. These documents include:

• Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for the applicant (parent)
• Social Security Number (SSN) for each student applying
• LASID for special education students. This can be found in an Individualized Education Program (IEP)
• State ID or driver's license — plus any two of the following: utility bill (electric, water, gas), mortgage statement from the past year, bill of house sale, lease agreement, or property tax receipt
• 1040 Tax Form from either the 2024 or 2025 Federal Taxes, or 1099 Tax Form (2024 or 2025)

All documents should be in the parent or guardian's name and match the residential address provided in the application. Note, driver's licenses — the address does not need to match the applicant's current address, but it must be valid within the state of Louisiana.

If your family is in Louisiana due to active military duty, please provide an active duty order which places you in the state of Louisiana in place of the state ID or driver's license. You must also still provide two additional proof-of-residency documents listed above.

Tax documents should also clearly show the Adjusted Gross Income.

Once approved, GATOR funds are deposited into your Odyssey account. Neither the student, parent or guardian receives cash directly.

Payment for all services must be made through Odyssey in one of the following ways:

1. 1.Marketplace purchases — Parents purchase approved items directly from vendors listed on Odyssey
2. 2.Direct payments to approved providers — Parents submit a payment request through the Odyssey portal. The Louisiana Department of Education then pays the school or provider directly
3. 3.Reimbursement requests (if allowed and approved) — Parents pay out of pocket first and then upload receipts and documentation for reimbursement

The state monitors transactions to ensure funds are used appropriately, according to the following rules:

• Funds must be used only for approved educational expenses defined by the state
• All purchases must be made through the official ESA platform (Odyssey) or approved payment methods
• Parents must retain receipts and documentation for all expenses

GATOR funds can be spent on:

• Tuition or fees at a participating nonpublic school or for nonpublic online learning programs — such as MyEdSpace (more below)
• Curricula and textbooks or other instructional materials, including but not limited to supplemental materials or online instruction required by a participating nonpublic school or service provider
• Tuition, fees, instructional materials, and examination fees at a career or technical school
• Fees for assessments approved by the LDOE, Advanced Placement examinations, CLEP examinations, International Baccalaureate examinations, and other examinations related to postsecondary education institution admission
• Educational services and therapies, including but not limited to occupational, behavioral, physical, speech-language, and audiology therapies
• Tuition and fees at a postsecondary education institution providing instruction for a student participating in dual enrollment
• Tutoring provided by a tutor or a tutoring service
• Services contracted for and provided by a participating public school, including, but not limited to, individual classes and extracurricular activities and programs
• Computer hardware or other technological devices primarily used to help meet a student's educational needs
• Educational software applications
• School uniforms
• Tuition or fees for summer education programs and before or after-school education or childcare programs that offer academic support
• Parent navigation services, including professional consultations to assist parents with the selection of, application for, and enrollment in educational services addressing the academic needs of students, curriculum selection, and advice on career and postsecondary education opportunities
• Any other educational supplies or expenses approved by BESE

Thanks to our expert teachers, world-class resources and proven record of success, MyEdSpace is approved by the Louisiana Department of Education as a suitable option for spending GATOR funds.

Families can use their GATOR funds with MyEdSpace, to give their children access to the USA's top teachers, via live, online lessons. Plus all this:

• Every live lesson is recorded and available to re-watch whenever and wherever, 24/7
• Bespoke workbooks for every lesson
• Targeted practice questions to reinforce knowledge
• Step-by-step video explanations for every topic

To use your funds with MyEdSpace, follow these simple steps:

1. 1.Log in to your Odyssey account
2. 2.Search "MyEdSpace" in the Directory
3. 3.Select MyEdSpace and authorize the payment

At that point Odyssey will work with us directly to process the transaction. Once processed, we'll email you your MyEdSpace login details. And, that's it.