School Choice TrackerOpen the appLouisiana LA GATOR: reimbursement receipts and allowed expenses
LA GATOR Education Savings Account · administered by the Louisiana Department of Education on the Odyssey platform · last checked September 25, 2026.
LA GATOR's reimbursement rule is one of the strictest around: an itemized invoice and proof of payment combined into one file per request, and handwritten or self-made receipts are rejected. Get the documentation right the first time and approved reimbursements go through cleanly.
How you spend (Odyssey)
- Direct Pay — funds go to a participating school or approved provider; tuition and fees transfer quarterly to participating schools.
- Marketplace — buy eligible items from approved vendors.
- Reimbursement (if approved) — pay out of pocket, then upload documentation to be paid back. Reimbursement is approval-gated, not automatic.
Award amounts (2026-27)
| Student | Award |
|---|---|
| IDEA disability (160% MFP) | $15,253 |
| At or below 250% FPL (80% MFP) | $7,626 |
| Other eligible (55% MFP) | $5,243 |
Funds are deposited quarterly.
The documentation rule
A reimbursement request needs an itemized invoice and proof of payment combined into ONE PDF or image. Cash or check purchases must have vendor point-of-sale or invoicing-system documentation. Handwritten, self-typed or self-prepared receipts are rejected.
Allowed expense categories
- Private-school tuition and fees (participating schools)
- Curricula and instructional materials
- Educational therapies
- Tutoring
- Computer hardware
- Other BESE-approved educational supplies and expenses
Things that are not allowed
Examples: cash refunds to parents, and tuition or fees at non-participating nonpublic schools.
Build the one-file receipt without the scramble
School Choice Tracker stores each itemized invoice and its proof of payment together, tagged by child and category, so when a reimbursement is approved you already have the single clean document LA GATOR wants. It stays on your phone.
School Choice Tracker is independent and not affiliated with the Louisiana Department of Education or Odyssey. This page summarizes public sources and isn't legal or financial advice; the official guides control. Sources: LA GATOR (LDOE), Odyssey acceptable-documentation guide.