The Student Scholarships for
Educational Excellence Program

Act 509 of the 2008 Regular Session of the Louisiana State Legislature established the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program. This law is designed to provide families with greater educational choices and an increased opportunity for success.  To be eligible, a child must

• Reside within the geographic boundaries of the covered district (Orleans Parish);
• Be a member of a family with a total income that does not exceed 250% of the current federal poverty guidelines;
• Be entering kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, or fifth grade; and
• Have been enrolled in a public school during the 2009-2010 school year that is labeled academically unacceptable by the State, unless the student is entering kindergarten for the first time during the 2010-2011 school year

or

• Be continuing in the Scholarship program under a scholarship awarded in school year 2009-2010 and has met eligibility requirements of income and residency.

In order to apply, you must

• Follow the application instructions;
• Complete the student application; and
• Hand-deliver the completed application and all supporting documentation to the following location:

Only completed applications with all required materials will be accepted.  Make sure that you bring original versions of all documentation.  If you have more than one child that may be eligible for this program, you must fill out a complete application for each child. 

After the application process is completed and eligibility is determined, scholarship recipients will be chosen by a random selection process conducted by the Louisiana Department of Education.  Eligible students who do not receive a scholarship will be placed on a waiting list. 

We thank you for your support of quality education and your interest in this program.

For more information, please contact:

Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence
Louisiana Department of Education
studentscholarships@la.gov
877.453.2721 (toll-free)