Louisiana Scholarship Program Grows, Provides Students With Educational Choice

Baton Rouge, La. (July 9, 2014)—The Louisiana Federation for Children (LFC), the state’s voice for educational choice, celebrated nearly 9,000 students from low-income families who were awarded a scholarship to the school of their parent’s choice through the Louisiana Scholarship Program for the 2014-15 school year, an increase of 1,000 awards over the previous year.

“The Louisiana Scholarship Program is a lifeline for our state’s children who would otherwise be trapped in failing and underperforming schools. These students have access to the kind of education that works best for their individual needs,” said Ann Duplessis, president of the Louisiana Federation for Children. “The more than ten percent growth in awards demonstrates that parents want access to educational options, despite endless attacks from special interests groups over the past two years.”

More than 13,000 families across the state applied to participate in the Louisiana Scholarship Program for the 2014-15 school year during the two-round application process conducted by the Louisiana Department of Education. Next year, 133 schools in 33 school districts and 30 parishes will participate in the Louisiana Scholarship Program, which offers students a way out of schools that do not work for them.

Angelle Green’s three children, Kayla, Kya and Keira, will attend St. Peter Claver Catholic School in New Orleans next year through the Louisiana Scholarship Program. Green is ecstatic that her children will attend a school that she believes has stronger academics and better communication with parents.

“I think it’s every parent’s right to be able to choose which school works for us and which doesn’t. Not every school works for every kid. I want [my children] to understand and excel at everything,” said Green.

Parents of Louisiana Scholarship Program students are overwhelmingly happy with the program, according to the 2014 Parental Satisfaction Survey, which shows 92 percent of parents are happy with their child’s academic progress. Nearly all parents report their student feels both safe and happy at their scholarship school.

Bipartisan legislators fully funded the program during the 2014 legislative session. The program was created in 2008 to serve low-income New Orleans families, and it was expanded statewide in 2012 by a bipartisan group of legislators.

The Louisiana Federation for Children is a state project of the American Federation for Children, the nation’s voice for educational choice.