Peter Cook
Thus far, the 2013 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature has been a mixed bag for public education. While some anti-reform proposals have been either killed in committee or amended, a number of troubling bills have moved forward with surprisingly little resistance. Among the most concerning are HB 160, which would delay the full implementation of the Compass teacher evaluation program for a year, and SB 199, which would carve out a whiter, more affluent school district from the East Baton Rouge School System.
Below are brief updates on selected education bills up for consideration in the 2013 Regular Session:
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Bill # |
Summary |
Update |
| Provides for parent petitions relative to the transfer of certain schools from the Recovery School District back to the local school system |
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| Delays implementation of certain teacher evaluation program requirements and requires legislative approval of the value-added teacher assessment model prior to implementation of the requirements |
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| Subjects charter schools to the same State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education rules and regulations as traditional public schools with respect to employment eligibility requirements for teachers and other school employees |
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| Repeals provisions of law relative to teacher certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards |
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| Provides relative to charter schools |
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| Provides for the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program |
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| Provides relative to performance-based scores and letter grades assigned to public schools and school districts |
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| Requires the State Bd. of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop and adopt rules and regulations providing for parental choice relative to state standardized testing for public school students |
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| Provides relative to salary supplements for public school educational diagnosticians |
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| Provides relative to the process for discharging, demoting, or disciplining a permanent public school teacher |
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| Establishes and provides for the Special Education Scholarship Program |
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| Requires the State Bd. of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to adopt rules requiring high school students to complete at least one course offered by a BESE-authorized online or virtual course provider as a prerequisite to graduation |
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| Provides for policies, procedures, and programs relative to school prayer, the pledge of allegiance, and instruction regarding the pilgrim fathers and the U.S. flag in certain school districts |
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| Provides relative to charter schools |
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| Constitutional Amendment to prohibit unfunded mandates on political subdivisions or public school systems, with limited exceptions. |
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| Constitutional Amendment to prohibit unfunded mandates on political subdivisions or public school systems, with limited exceptions. |
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| Constitutional amendment to require the statewide election of the state superintendent of education. |
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| Constitutional amendment to grant the Southeast Baton Rouge community school system in East Baton Rouge Parish the same authority granted parishes relative to MFP funding and raising revenue for schools. |
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| Provides relative to tenure for teachers and certain other school employees. |
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| Requires certain local public school boards to obtain BESE approval before making certain changes in the status of a failing school. |
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| Creates and provides for the Southeast Baton Rouge Community School Board and school system in East Baton Rouge Parish. |
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| Provides for empowered community schools. |
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