in LaLege, Louisiana, Policy, Politics, Reform

Sixteen Days to Go…

Below are updates on selected education-related bills up for consideration before the 2013 Legislative Session of the Louisiana Legislature:

Bill#

Bill Description

Notes

HB115

Provides for parent petitions relative to the transfer of certain schools from the Recovery School District back to the local school system
  • Amended in committee to exclude Type 5 charter schools, thereby making the bill a non-issue, since the RSD is focused on chartering schools, not running them
  • PASSED the House, 99 to 0; awaiting consideration by Senate Education Committee

HB160

Delays implementation of certain teacher evaluation program requirements relative to termination proceedings and restricts use of evaluation results
  • Unfortunately PASSED the House, 102 to 0; headed to Senate, where hopefully it will die
  • More about this bill here

HB343

Prohibits certain public high school students from being administered tests pursuant to La. Educational Assessment Program or the La. school and district accountability system with certain exceptions
  • PASSED by the House, 99-0
  • Awaiting consideration by Senate Education Committee

HB466

Provides relative to the assignment of performance-based letter grades to public schools and school districts
  • This bill, which seeks to politicize the school and district accountability, unfortunately PASSED the House, 70-28
  • Awaiting consideration by Senate Education Committee

HB467

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
  • Unfortunately for Rep. Bel Edwards (but thankfully for public education in Louisiana) this bill DIED in committee

HB540

Provides relative to the eligibility of nationally certified school teachers, counselors, and psychologists for specific salary adjustments
  • PASSED the House, 92 to 0; working its way through the Senate

HB542

Provides relative to charter schools
  • No Action

HB597

Provides for the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program
  • No Action

HB598

Provides relative to performance-based scores and letter grades assigned to public schools and school districts
  • No Action

HB613

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 students with disabilities
  • PASSED by the House, 81-14
  • Awaiting consideration by Senate Education Committee

HB618

Provides relative to salary supplements for public school educational diagnosticians
  • PASSED the House, 97 to 0; headed to Senate

HB625

Provides relative to the process for discharging, demoting, or disciplining a permanent public school teacher
  • No Action

HB642

Establishes and provides for the Special Education Scholarship Program
  • Rep. Nancy Landry dropped the bill in the face of overwhelming opposition to it

HB648

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
  • No Action

HB660

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
  • This proposal has been drastically altered and is now HB 724
  • HB 724 simply provides that students are free to gather to engage in prayer before or after school hours, which is redundant since numerous court decisions have already made clear this is permissible

HB661

Creates and provides for Type 3B charter schools and provides for charter school funding
  • Was on the docket for floor debate in the House on 5/16, but debate moved to 5/22
  • See background on this bill here

HB89

Provides relative to the use of seclusion and physical restraint to address the behavior of certain students
  • PASSED House, 97-0; PASSED Senate, 34-0
  • Awaiting Gov. Jindal’s signature

HCR30

Requests that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education study the feasibility and advisability of pursuing a residential charter school model in La.
  • ADOPTED by House, awaiting consideration by Senate Education Committee

SB199

Creates and provides for the Southeast Baton Rouge Community School Board and school system in East Baton Rouge Parish.
  • Part of a package with SB 73, this bill was approved by the Senate Finance Committee and PASSED in the Senate, 25-12
  • Awaiting consideration by House Appropriations Committee
  • A similar bill, also sponsored by Sen. White, died last year on the floor

SB206

Provides for empowered community schools.
  • Amended; PASSED by the Senate, 22-16
  • Awaiting consideration by House Education Committee

SB29

Constitutional Amendment to prohibit unfunded mandates on political subdivisions or public school systems, with limited exceptions.
  • WITHDRAWN prior to introduction

SB41

Constitutional amendment to require the statewide election of the state superintendent of education.

SB73

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.
  • Unfortunately PASSED Senate, 27-11; now awaiting consideration by House Committee on Civil Law and Procedure
  • Part of a package with SB 199, the future of this bill depends on the outcome of its sister bill

SB89

Provides relative to tenure for teachers and certain other school employees.
  • No Action

SB176

Requires certain local public school boards to obtain BESE approval before making certain changes in the status of a failing school.

SCR23

Provides legislative approval of the MFP formula for FY 2013-2014 as adopted by BESE on March 8, 2013.
  • No Action

SCR28

Requests the Department of Education to plan and conduct the Louisiana Teacher Empowerment, Learning and Leading Survey (La TELLS) Initiative.
  • ADOPTED by the Senate; awaiting consideration by the House Education Committee

SCR68

Requests BESE and the Department of Education to withdraw from the Common Core State Standards Initiative and cease all activities related to implementation of such standards.
  • No Action
  • Filed by the same Sen. Crowe, the same lawmaker who tried to pass anti-gay legislation last year

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Written by Peter Cook

Pete became involved in education reform as a 2002 Teach For America corps member in New Orleans Public Schools and has worked in various capacities at Teach For America, KIPP, TNTP, and the Recovery School District. As a consultant, he developed teacher evaluation systems and served as a strategic advisor to school district leaders in Cleveland, Nashville, Chattanooga, and Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. He now writes about education policy and politics and lives in New Orleans.

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