Parents Participating in Louisiana Private School Choice Program Give Schools High Marks for Academics and COVID-19 Response

The Louisiana Federation for Children (LFC), the state’s voice for educational choice, is pleased to announce the results of its annual Parental Satisfaction Survey.
During this unprecedented school year where educators and parents faced challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, 94.6 percent of parents participating in the Louisiana Scholarship Program said their scholarship school handled COVID-19 perfectly or as well as could be expected.
Nearly 93 percent of parents participating in the Louisiana Scholarship Program say they are happy with their children’s academic progress. The annual satisfaction survey of parents of children participating in the Louisiana Scholarship Program finds an overwhelming majority of parents approve of academic gains and support Louisiana’s private school choice program.
The Louisiana Scholarship Program provides students with additional opportunities to attend the school of their choice. Student applicants are eligible to receive state-funded scholarships to enroll in participating nonpublic schools.
“Facing extreme obstacles, Louisiana Scholarship Program schools created safe learning environments for parents who prioritized in-person learning. At the same time, families who preferred a virtual education for their children were accommodated,” said Ann Duplessis, Louisiana Federation for Children President and American Federation for Children Board Member.
The experience has been a blessing in every way! I still remember receiving the email stating my daughter was accepted. I sat in my car and cried happy tears!!Jamie Lee, Parent
Claiborne Christian School, Monroe
“Parents are in the best position to know if the school their child attends is providing a quality education that prepares them for the future,” said Paul Dauphin, American Federation for Children’s Louisiana Director of Operations.
Survey Highlights:
  • 54.8% of parents said their scholarship school handled COVID-19 perfectly.
  • 39.8% of parents said schools handled the pandemic as well as could be expected.
  • 91.0% of parents are very satisfied or satisfied with their child’s current scholarship school.
  • 92.9% of parents are happy with their child’s academic progress at his/her scholarship school.
  • 97.8% of parents say their child feels safe in his/her scholarship school.
  • 96.9% of parents say they and their children feel welcome at their child’s current scholarship school.
The annual survey conducted by LFC is one of the most comprehensive parental satisfaction surveys of a school choice program. The Louisiana Department of Education reported 6,141 students were enrolled in the Louisiana Scholarship Program during the 2020-2021 school year. 4,331 surveys were emailed to parents who have one or more children enrolled in the program. 913 parents participated in the survey – a 21.1 percent return rate.Enacted in 2008 by a bipartisan group of legislators, the Louisiana Scholarship Program has the strongest and most transparent accountability measures of any program in the nation. Every child in the program comes from a low-income family, and 85 percent of students in the program are minority students, giving many of Louisiana’s most vulnerable students the opportunity to choose the education that best fits their individual needs.
Download survey summary2020-2021 Parental Satisfaction Survey Summary

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER

Thank you for signing up! An email has been sent to your inbox.

Request a Fellow to Speak at Your Event