Universal school choice bill approved by Louisiana Senate committee

A Louisiana Senate committee just advanced a universal school choice bill that would make the state the 12th in the nation to pass such a program.

SB 313, sponsored by Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, would create the Louisiana Giving All True Opportunity to Rise (LA GATOR) Scholarship Program. It passed the Senate Education Committee by a 5-2 vote.

Rep. Julie Emerson, R-District 39, introduced a House version of the bill, HB 745, on March 18. 

LA GATOR scholarships would be education savings accounts (ESAs) that could be used for tuition, curriculum, tutoring, or a variety of other education-related expenses.  

The average student would receive 55% of their per-pupil state and local education funds. Low-income students would receive 80% and students with special learning needs up to 160%.  

Current per-pupil spending is nearly $14,000 in Louisiana.  

If approved, the program would launch for the 2025-26 school year.  

School choice advocates celebrated the bills. 

“The Pelican Institute applauds Representative Julie Emerson for her efforts to ensure every child in Louisiana has access to the school or educational opportunity that fits them best,” Daniel Erspamer, CEO of the Pelican Institute, told The Lion.  

“It’s long past time for bold action for our state’s families, and we look forward to supporting Representative Emerson, the Legislature, and the governor in their efforts to bring education freedom to Louisiana in 2024,” Erspamer concluded.  

“Louisiana’s main barrier to school choice was their Democrat Gov., John Bel Edwards,” education policy expert Corey DeAngelis added on social media. “Jeff Landry is now the Governor & he supports school choice.”  

During his gubernatorial campaign, Landry criticized the current state of public education and called for more parental empowerment. 

“Throwing more money at a broken system that lacks accountability is not the answer,” his website said. “[Landry] knows that parents are the most critical voices in a child’s education.”  

Republicans currently have a strong majority in both chambers of the Legislature.  

In addition to creating LA GATOR scholarships, SB 313 and HB 745 would repeal the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence, a voucher program serving low-income students at low-performing public schools, since these students would receive larger scholarships through the LA GATOR program.  

However, the state’s voucher for special needs students and its tax-credit programs would remain in place. 

As in other states, public school activists claim school choice would harm government-run schools. 

“We have to stop trying to find way[s] to decimate the public school system,” said Ashonta Wyatt, an educator who once ran for the Louisiana state school board. “The only group that this is going to hurt are communities that are already underserved.”  

She called the bill “another misguided attempt to give parents what they think they’re looking for.” 

Others were more supportive.  

“It’s leveling the playing field,” commented Michelle Abdelsamad. “I think it offers a lot of opportunity for underserved children to get an education that currently public schools aren’t offering.”