ChoiCe-Based aid in Louisiana May 2008 - Written by dick M. Carpenter ii - john K. ross

Oct 15, 2026

Louisiana school choice initiative in 2008 proposes a $10 million budget to allow New Orleans parents to select the school that best fits their children’s needs, including private schools, via state-funded scholarships. The Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Act would target low-income families with awards over $6,000, expanding from early grades to later grades. The report argues Louisiana’s long policy tradition uses public funding to expand educational and social-service options, supported by detailed participation and funding tables across multiple scholarship and grant programs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages28

Reading Time1 h 11 min

AccessFree to download

ChoiCe and oPPorTuniTy

Proposed 2008 Budget and School Choice Initiative

Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Act

Public Response and Historical Context in Louisiana

Choice-based Programs: Participation and Funds Available

How Choice-based Aid Flows to Providers

ChoiCe and oPPorTuniTy. The PasT and FuTure oF ChoiCe-Based aid in Louisiana May 2008 Written by dick M. Carpenter ii, Ph. d. and john K. ross a re PorT By The insTiTuTe For jusTiCe On February 29, 2008, Gov. Bobby Jindal presented the Louisiana Legislature with a proposed budget allocating $10 million for a school choice initiative that would enable parents in New Orleans to send their children to the school of their choice, including private schools, with state-funded scholarships.1 According to Gov. Jindal, “We want to make sure that every family is able to find a school that best fits their needs.”2 Introduced in April 2008, the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Act would provide scholarships of over $6,000 to low-income families in New Orleans for use in non-public schools in New Orleans and public schools in Jefferson, St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes. Initially available to students entering kindergarten through grade 3, the program would grow to encompass grades 4 through 12 in successive years.3 Leaders of the public school establishment went on record to oppose the initiative, spreading fear that providing parents more educational options would take away from public schools. But, as this report demonstrates, Louisiana has a rich history of offering a wide array of choices, including private and religious options, through public programs, including in education. These choices add to—rather than subtract from—the opportunities available to its citizens.4 Indeed, the Governor’s school choice initiative follows a long tradition in Louisiana public policy of the government funding—but not necessarily providing—education and other vital social services. In addition to two programs initiated after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Louisiana currently offers at least 12 scholarship, grant or voucher programs through the Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance, Governor’s Office of Community Programs and the Department of Health and Hospitals that help more than 210,000 Louisianans secure better education, child care and health care. Louisiana makes at least $174 million in aid available to its citizens through these choice-based programs. Choice-based Programs in Louisiana: Participation and Funds Available | Programs | Participants | Funds | | --- | --- | --- | | Primarily State Funded | | Expenditures | | Tuition Opportunity Program for Students– Opportunity Awards | 27,954 | $70,238,323.93 | | Tuition Opportunity Program for Students– Performance Awards | 8,679 | $26,920,271.29 | | Tuition Opportunity Program for Students– Honors Awards | 6,204 | $22,635,345.25 | | GO Grants* | 8,295 | $14,098,252 | | Non-Public Assistance – Textbooks | 116,124 | $3,137,685 | | Non-Public Assistance – Transportation | 17,962 | $7,202,105 | | Subtotal - Expenditures | 185,218 | $144,231,982. 47 | | | | Allocations | | Leveraging Educational Assistance Program | 2,433 | $1,451,070 | | 8(g) Block Grant Program | NA | $1,548,357 | | 8(g) Competitive Grant Program | NA | $254,318 | | Education Excellence Fund | NA | $4,424,190 | | Subtotal - Allocations | 2,433 | $7,677,935 | | Primarily Federally Funded
Non-Public Schools Early Childhood Development | 11,734 | Expenditures
$6,163,185 | | Access to Recovery | 11,114 | $16,489,924 | | Subtotal - Expenditures | 22,848 | $22,653,109 | | Total -Current Choice-based Programs | 210,499 | $174,563,026.47 | | One-time Hurricane-related Aid
Emergency Impact Aid for Displaced Students** Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations*** | 47,929 NA | Allocations
$294,514,500
$425,990,479 | | Total - Hurricane-related Aid | 47,929 | $720,504,979 | Notes: All programs include both religious and non-religious providers. Unless otherwise indicated, the data covers the 2006-2007 school year, the most recent available in most cases. For some programs, actual expenditures were not available, so this report uses legislative allocation

FAQs

What did Louisiana’s 2008 school choice initiative propose for New Orleans families?

It proposed a $10 million budget for a school choice initiative allowing parents in New Orleans to send children to the school of their choice, including private schools, using state-funded scholarships.

What scholarships and eligibility details were included in the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Act?

It provided scholarships over $6,000 to low-income families in New Orleans for use in non-public schools in New Orleans and certain public schools in specific parishes, starting with kindergarten through grade 3 and expanding in later years.

How does the report explain the purpose and effect of choice-based programs?

It argues that aid follows and supports the child by allowing public funds to flow to non-public institutions or directly to citizens based on individual choices, thereby expanding options and empowering families to select suitable providers.

Oct 15, 2026

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