The newest policy and legislative developments in Louisiana education, summarized and annotated by Orleans Public Education Network. This is a still-developing list and will be continually updated throughout the session. This is not a full list of all movements up before the legislature; to access that list, please click here.
Highlighted in red are bills we feel may contain harmful, ineffective or inequitable policy outcomes; in yellow are bills that are still developing and/or should be closely watched; and in green are bills OPEN supports in line with its values of equity, transparency, and justice.
The Education Committee and other legislators are meeting now in Baton Rouge — time to make your voice heard. Got an opinion about these bills? Use our Find My Education Policymaker page to easily get their contact information!
APRIL 24 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
We’ve been tracking the progress of bills as they make their way through the legislative process! Click the titles to jump to their summary and full text.
• HB344: Notice given subject to call – House final passage. Scheduled for 4/24.
• HB513: Considered 4/23
• HB650: Considered 4/20
• HB144: Considered 4/23
• HB284: Considered 4/19
• HB294: Considered 4/19
• HB399: Considered 4/17
• HB418: Failed house final passage
• HB587: Considered 4/11
• SB380: Considered 4/17
• HB284: Considered 4/19
• HB294: Considered 4/19
• SB95: Substitute adopted on the Senate floor. Became SB562
• SB380: Considered 4/17
• SB452: Considered 4/17
APRIL 17 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
• SB89: Senate final passage, Scheduled 4/16/18
• SB381: Considered 4/12/18
• SB55: Considered 4/5/18
• SB298: Considered 4/12/18
• SB301: Considered 3/22/18
• SB95: Considered 4/12/18
• SB107: Considered 4/12/18
• SB345: Considered 4/12/18
• HB344: Scheduled 4/17/2018
• HB499: Considered 4/4/2018
• HB105: Pending House final passage, Scheduled 4/18/2018
• HB413: Scheduled for 4/17/2018
• HB414: Scheduled for 4/17/2018
• HB587: Considered 4/11/2018
• HB618: Considered 4/7/18
APRIL 10 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
• HB199: Considered April 2
• HB344: Considered April 10
• HB387: Considered April 10
• SB89: Considered March 22
• SB228: Considered March 22
• HB498: Hearing scheduled April 12
• HB499: Considered April 4
• HB509: Considered April 9
• HB284: Considered April 9
• HB343: Considered April 10
• HB413: Hearing scheduled April 12
• HB414: Hearing scheduled April 12
• HB418: Considered April 5
• HB575: Considered April 5
• SB292: Considered March 22
• SB380: Considered April 2
• SB394: Considered April 2
• SB224: Passed Senate April 5, on the way to House floor
• SB253: Passed
• SB301: Considered March 22, signed by Governor
• SB450: Considered March 27
HB199
Sponsor: P.SMITH
Purpose: EXCEPTIONAL PERSONS: Creates Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids (LEAD-K) Task Force to develop framework for assessing children who are deaf or hard of hearing to determine language skills and ensure kindergarten readiness
Link to full text
HB344
Sponsor: S.CARTER
Purpose: TEACHERS: Provides relative to the statutory rights of teachers
Link to full text
HB387
Sponsor: EDMONDS
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Revises the Parents’ Bill of Rights for Public Schools
Link to full text
HB513
Sponsor: S.CARTER
Purpose: FUNDS/FUNDING: Requires a portion of the monies in the Unclaimed Property Leverage Fund to be dedicated to the Louisiana Early Childhood Education Fund
Link to full text
HB638
Sponsor: HUNTER
Purpose: SCHOOLS/EMPLOYEES: Provides relative to disclosure and reporting requirements for certain arrests and incidents with respect to employment in public schools
Link to full text
SB89
Sponsor: W.BISHOP
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Requires parent representation on each charter school governing or management board. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB228
Sponsor: MORRELL
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Prohibits elementary and secondary schools that receive state funds from discriminating based on gender identity or sexual orientation. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB381
Sponsor: T.CARTER
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Provides relative to unified student enrollment systems in certain school systems. (8/1/18)
Link to full text
HB498
Sponsor: JORDAN
Purpose: SCHOOLS/PARENTS: Requires school crisis management and response plans to provide for parental notification in the event of a shooting or other violent incident or emergency situation
Link to full text
HB499
Sponsor: P.SMITH
Purpose: CURRICULA: Provides relative to sex education instruction in public schools
Link to full text
HB509
Sponsor: G.CARTER
Purpose: EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY: Requires school boards to make presentations at public meetings relative to plans for schools in need of academic improvement
Link to full text
HB161
Sponsor: GAROFALO
Purpose: TOPS: Provides, under specified circumstances, for repayment of a Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) award
Why is this bill harmful?: Would require TOPS scholars to pay back the amount of their scholarship if they fail to graduate, with interest on any unpaid debt. This is a clear equity issue: no matter their cause, students who drop out of college are clearly in no position to become suddenly saddled with student debt and no accompanying degree — particularly when it is Black and low-income college students who will be most disproportionately affected.
Link to full text
HB487
Sponsor: ZERINGUE
Purpose: STUDENT/TUITION: Creates a program for education savings accounts for tuition expenses for elementary and secondary schools
Why is this bill harmful?: This is just vouchers under a different name: ineffective and inequitable. Private school families accept the burden when they enroll their children there. They do not need a tax shelter using public dollars to pay for private school.
Link to full text
HB511
Sponsor: BACALA
Purpose: MENTAL HEALTH: Requires a mental health evaluation of persons who threaten public safety or physical harm to other persons
Why is this bill harmful?: While we applaud any increased awareness around youth mental health, the language of this bill raises concerns about potential abuse and student pushout.
Link to full text
HB569
Sponsor: N.LANDRY
Purpose: STUDENT/ASSESSMENT: Provides relative to education standards and related assessments
Why is this bill harmful?: Repeals a portion of the existing law that creates modified assessments for students with special needs.
Link to full text
HB650
Sponsor: FOIL
Purpose: STUDENT/TUITION: Creates a program for education savings accounts for tuition expenses for elementary and secondary schools
Why is this bill harmful?: See HB487.
Link to full text
SB55
Sponsor: MILKOVICH
Purpose: EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY: Allows each public school governing authority to determine the education content standards and assessments to be used in the schools under its jurisdiction.
Why is this bill harmful?: What are the implications for New Orleans? How will this help drive critically conscious, historic and relevant content delivered in all schools?
Link to full text
SB224
Sponsor: BARROW
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Require instruction and display of the national motto “In God We Trust” in public schools. (gov sig)
Why is this bill harmful?: Includes patriotic customs rather than “exercises” and requires the instruction to include information on the national motto, “In God We Trust”. Additionally requires each public school governing authority to display the national motto in each building it uses and in each school under its jurisdiction.
Link to full text
SB253
Sponsor: MILKOVICH
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Provides relative to school employee participation in student-initiated prayer. (gov sig)
Why is this bill harmful?: This bill creates a slippery slope of personal beliefs impacting how children are treated in public spaces. It’s already legal for students and teachers to practice their religion on personal time; allowing those practices in the classroom, during a school day paid for by ALL taxpayers, has the potential to create a group of “insiders” and “outsiders” in the school setting
Link to full text
SB298
Sponsor: MILKOVICH
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Provide relative to school safety. (gov sig)
Why is this bill harmful?: Essentially gives teachers the right to unilaterally arrest students — excuse us, “place them in the custody of appropriate law enforcement” — and effectively suspend them for three days based on one individual’s say-so. Will unquestionably be abused to incarcerate Black students at even disproportionately higher rates than already exist.
Link to full text
SB301
Sponsor: MILKOVICH
Purpose: TEACHERS: Provides relative to Teacher Bill of Rights. (gov sig)
Why is this bill harmful?: Actively prohibits schools from disciplining a teacher who gets into any physical altercation with a student. Promotes a divisive “us vs. them” mentality in an already racially and socioeconomically fraught setting.
Link to full text
SB303
Sponsor: MILKOVICH
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Provides relative to bullying. (gov sig)
Why is this bill harmful?: Gives way too much latitude to teachers using physical violence against students. Poses a potential issue with implicit bias and discriminating against students of color: “A school employee who witnesses an incident of bullying may take all steps deemed necessary to stop the behavior, including reasonable force, physical restraint, or removal of the offending student from the school grounds. A school official may contact law enforcement and have the student exhibiting bullying behavior immediately removed from the school grounds.”
Link to full text
SB379
Sponsor: APPEL
Purpose: STUDENTS: Allows START distributions for K-12 expenses. (8/1/18)
Why is this bill harmful?: See HB487.
Link to full text
SB386
Sponsor: DONAHUE
Purpose: TUITION: Allows START distributions for K-12 expenses. (8/1/18)
Why is this bill harmful?: See HB487.
Link to full text
SB448
Sponsor: BARROW
Purpose: TUITION: Allows START distributions for K-12 expenses. (8/1/18)
Why is this bill harmful?: See HB487.
Link to full text
SB450
Sponsor: MORRISH
Purpose: TOPS: Changes award amounts and creates a new TOPS award. (gov sig)
Why is this bill harmful?: Potential equity issues. Creates an Honor Plus award. The proposal is that the state give larger grants to students who have the grades to apply for other merit based support. But income correlates strongly with GPA — the kids making the best grades will in likelihood receive support from their families.
Link to full text
HB105
Sponsor: STOKES
Purpose: SCHOOLS/CHARTER: Allows certain Type 1 charter schools to act as their own local education agencies
Link to full text
HB144
Sponsor: ABRAHAM
Purpose: FUNDS/FUNDING: Creates the Louisiana Jobs Now Fund for the purpose of funding postsecondary education degree and certificate production in high-demand fields (OR SEE FISC NOTE SD EX)
Link to full text
HB284
Sponsor: P.SMITH
Purpose: SCHOOLS/FOOD PROGRAMS: Revises procedures relative to a student’s inability to pay for school meals and a student’s meal debt
Link to full text
HB294
Sponsor: P.SMITH
Purpose: STUDENTS: Changes references to “at-risk” students to students who are “economically disadvantaged” throughout Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes
Link to full text
HB343
Sponsor: S.CARTER
Purpose: TEACHERS: Provides relative to the statutory rights of teachers
Link to full text
HB399
Sponsor: G.CARTER
Purpose: TOPS: In the event of insufficient funding, provides for reducing or eliminating Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) awards based on certain academic and financial criteria and eliminating payment of certain stipends to students (OR SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)
Link to full text
HB413
Sponsor: IVEY
Purpose: TOPS: Creates a new Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) award, the TOPS Transfer Award, and raises grade point average and ACT score required for initial eligibility for a TOPS Opportunity Award
Link to full text
HB414
Sponsor: IVEY
Purpose: TOPS: Raises grade point average required to maintain eligibility for the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) Opportunity Award
Link to full text
HB418
Sponsor: IVEY
Purpose: STUDENT/TUITION: Authorizes public postsecondary education management boards to increase tuition and provides for limitations and exceptions
Link to full text
HB566
Sponsor: REYNOLDS
Purpose: TEXTBOOKS/MATERIALS: Provides relative to the review of textbooks and other instructional materials by the state Department of Education
Link to full text
HB570
Sponsor: N.LANDRY
Purpose: SCHOOLS/CHARTER: Provides relative to charter schools
Link to full text
HB575
Sponsor: NORTON
Purpose: CURRICULA: Relative to safety, provides for instruction in public schools and public postsecondary education institutions, provides for reporting online content to school and campus security officers and local law enforcement agencies
Link to full text
HB587
Sponsor: HOFFMANN
Purpose: TEACHERS: Provides relative to teacher tenure
Link to full text
HB616
Sponsor: HILFERTY
Purpose: SCHOOLS/FOOD PROGRAMS: Provides relative to foods and beverages, other than school breakfast or lunch, offered in public schools
Link to full text
SB47
Sponsor: APPEL
Purpose: EARLY CHILDHOOD ED: Provides relative to the Early Childhood Care and Education Network.
Link to full text
SB95
Sponsor: BOUDREAUX
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Provides relative to virtual charter schools. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB107
Sponsor: MORRISH
Purpose: EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY: Requires the state Department of Education to provide student assessment results for certain assessments for dispersal to teachers. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB152
Sponsor: MORRISH
Purpose: EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY: Provides relative to information provided with the release of school performance scores and letter grades. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB205
Sponsor: BOUDREAUX
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Provides relative to the operation of a Type 2 charter school. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB206
Sponsor: BOUDREAUX
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Provides relative to the operation of a Type 2 charter school. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB292
Sponsor: BARROW
Purpose: SCHOOLS: Prohibits a chartering authority from approving or renewing charters until the legislative auditor conducts certain performance audits. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB345
Sponsor: DONAHUE
Purpose: STUDENTS: Provides relative to school master plans for supporting student behavioral health. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB380
Sponsor: W.BISHOP
Purpose: TOPS: Creates the TOPS Second Chance Award. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB394
Sponsor: B.WHITE
Purpose: TOPS: Creates the TOPS-Tech 2Plus2 Award. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB452
Sponsor: MORRISH
Purpose: TOPS: Changes certain TOPS initial eligibility requirements and provides relative to the sharing of certain student data. (gov sig)
Link to full text
SB454
Sponsor: MORRISH
Purpose: TOPS: Provides additional TOPS awards for students who are successful in postsecondary education. (gov sig)
Link to full text
