McMillian's First Steps Academy

Using LA GATOR at McMillian's First Steps Academy

The state classifies McMillian's First Steps Academy as accredited on its 2025-26 BESE approval list, which is the gate for LA GATOR tuition. Louisiana doesn't publish which approved schools signed up with Odyssey in a given year, so ask the school directly. Its Brumfield v. Dodd nondiscrimination approval, required for any state-funded placement, dates from 2009.

On that list the school reported 93 K-12 students plus 45 in pre-K, which makes it the 91st-largest of 114 approved schools in the eight-parish area.

By enrollment it is the 32nd of 42 approved schools within Orleans Parish; the nearest comparable schools with the same grade span and affiliation in the area are École Bilingue de la Nouvelle-Orléans, Bishop McManus School. Its pre-K program (45 children) is the usual route into kindergarten here, which is the first year LA GATOR can pay.

It was also on the state's 2024-25 list of schools taking Tuition Donation Credit scholarships. For a family at or below 250% of the poverty line that matters: since Act 403, an STO award from ACE, Arete, Aspiring Scholars or the New Orleans-based Son of a Saint can be added on top of LA GATOR, up to the school's actual tuition and fees.

The federal Private School Survey (2021-22) recorded 78 students, 12 full-time-equivalent teachers and a ratio of about 6.5 to 1. The school reports membership in NAEYC.

Kindergarten to grade 8 is 9 years at this school. Funded every year at 2026-27 levels, that is roughly $47,187 at the standard amount or $68,634 at the 250%-of-poverty amount, before any STO scholarship. Awards are reset annually and depend on the appropriation, so use it for planning, not budgeting. Pre-K years aren't eligible; the account starts at age 5.

Covering the rest

Independent schools publish tuition and run need-based aid through FACTS or a similar service. Ask where LA GATOR sits in that calculation; at the larger campuses the account covers a fraction of tuition and aid does the heavy lifting.

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Grade 9 options after McMillian's First Steps Academy

Approved schools serving grade 9, nearest first:

• The Louise S. McGehee School (New Orleans, grades PK-12, all-girls, about 1 mi)
• Ursuline Academy (New Orleans, grades K-12, all-girls, about 1 mi)
• Academy of the Sacred Heart (New Orleans, grades PK-12, all-girls, about 1 mi)
• Isidore Newman School (New Orleans, grades PK-12, about 1 mi)
• St. Mary's Dominican High School (New Orleans, grades 8-12, all-girls, about 2 mi)
• De La Salle High School (New Orleans, grades 8-12, about 2 mi)

Ask the admissions office

1. Is the school registered with Odyssey as a LA GATOR school for 2026-27, and does it bill tuition quarterly to match the deposits?
2. What is the all-in cost for this grade, including fees, and what does a family at the $5,243 and $7,626 levels owe after the account?
3. Do you take STO scholarships (ACE, Arete, Aspiring Scholars, Son of a Saint)? Which is applied first, LA GATOR or the STO award?
4. Does a PK-4 seat guarantee a kindergarten seat, which is when the account can start?

Nearest private schools

Straight-line distance between campus coordinates.