The article is intended for Louisiana parents to understand the funding amount for the GATOR Program.
Award Amounts
The maximum annual award shall be calculated using a multiplier of the prior year Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) formula average state and local per pupil amount.
For the 2026-2027 school year, the award will be the following:
- Up to $15,253 (160% of MFP) for students identified as having a disability consistent with the IDEA
- $7,626 (80% of MFP) for students from a family with a total income at or below 250% of the federal poverty guidelines
- $5,243 (55% of MFP) for any other eligible student
Special Education Funding Tiers
A student is considered eligible for special education funding under LA GATOR if the student is currently eligible for special education and related services as a student with a disability pursuant to Louisiana’s Education of Students with Exceptionalities Act, R.S. 17:1941 et seq. A valid evaluation and/or IEP developed by a Local Educational Agency (as defined in R.S. 17:1942) is required as proof of a student’s current eligibility.
Tiered funding will be determined by the student’s disability as verified in the LDOE’s internal system using the student’s LASID and the family income as verified through the Odyssey platform’s verification process. A LASID is required to receive special education funding. If it was not provided during the application period, the student will not be able to receive additional funding.
Students with a disability that are from families with an income at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines (FPL) will be able to receive funds in addition to the amounts received for students with a disability that are from families above 250% of the FPL.
Please refer to the charts below that detail exceptionalities by tier and the tiered funding calculation.
Prior Louisiana Scholarship Program (LSP) Students:
Students who participated in the Louisiana Scholarship Program during the 2024-2025 school year shall be awarded an amount equal to the award amount received in 2024-2025 and shall continue to receive this award until the student completes the school’s terminal grade or until the student leaves the school, whichever comes first.
Eligible (Waitlisted) Students
In the case of students coming off the waitlist, the amount allocated to an account shall be prorated if a student transfers into the program after the beginning of the school year. Additional details will be shared if your student is selected to come off the waitlist.