Using LA GATOR at St. Cletus School
The state classifies St. Cletus School 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 1981.
On that list the school reported 321 K-12 students plus 38 in pre-K, which makes it the 46th-largest of 114 approved schools in the eight-parish area.
By enrollment it is the 4th of 14 approved schools on the West Bank; the nearest comparable schools with the same grade span and affiliation in the area are Immaculate Conception School, Visitation of Our Lady School, St. Anthony School. Its pre-K program (38 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 (2023-24) recorded 334 students, 22 full-time-equivalent teachers and a ratio of about 15.2 to 1. The school reports membership in National Catholic Educational Association.
Kindergarten to grade 7 is 8 years at this school. Funded every year at 2026-27 levels, that is roughly $41,944 at the standard amount or $61,008 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. After grade 7, the award moves with your child to an approved high school.
Covering the rest
West Bank parish schools are among the most affordable approved schools in the metro at the parishioner rate, which puts the $7,626 award within reach of the full bill for qualifying families once an STO scholarship is added. Confirm the rate and the fees billed through Odyssey.
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Grade 8 options after St. Cletus School
New Orleans high schools admit at grade 8, so families here apply in the fall of 7th grade. Approved schools serving grade 8, nearest first:
- Muslim Academy (Gretna, grades 1-12, about 1 mi)
- Arden Cahill Academy (Gretna, grades PK-12, about 1 mi)
- Calvary Baptist School (New Orleans, grades PK-8, about 3 mi)
- Archbishop Shaw High School (Marrero, grades 8-12, all-boys, about 4 mi)
- Academy of Our Lady (Marrero, grades 8-12, all-girls, about 4 mi)
- Trinity Episcopal School (New Orleans, grades PK-8, about 4 mi)
Ask the admissions office
- Is the school registered with Odyssey as a LA GATOR school for 2026-27, and does it bill tuition quarterly to match the deposits?
- 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?
- Do you take STO scholarships (ACE, Arete, Aspiring Scholars, Son of a Saint)? Which is applied first, LA GATOR or the STO award?
- Which high schools do your 7th graders move on to, and do you help with placement test preparation?
- Does a PK-4 seat guarantee a kindergarten seat, which is when the account can start?
Nearest private schools
| School | Type | Grades | Distance | BESE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muslim Academy | Other faith | 1-12 | 1.0 mi | ✓ |
| Arden Cahill Academy | Independent | PK-12 | 1.5 mi | ✓ |
| Stepping Stones Montessori School | Montessori | PK-3 | 1.7 mi | ✓ |
| Knights Academy and High School | Christian | 5-12 | 2.6 mi | ✓ |
| Calvary Baptist School | Baptist | PK-8 | 3.2 mi | ✓ |
| St. Anthony School | Catholic | PK-7 | 3.2 mi | ✓ |
Straight-line distance between campus coordinates.