HLS 10RS-1264 ORIGINAL
Page 1 of 5
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE BILL NO. 488
BY REPRESENTATIVE HARRISON
SCHOOLS/BOARDS: Provides relative to continuing education requirements for school
board members
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:53, relative to training and instruction of school board2
members; to require each member of a local public school board to receive certain3
training; to provide for the designation of Distinguished School Board Member for4
school board members completing certain training; to require certain dissemination5
of information about training completed by school board members; and to provide6
for related matters.7
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:8
Section 1. R.S. 17:53 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 9
ยง53. School board members; training required10
A.(1) Each member of a city, parish, and other local public school board11
shall receive a minimum of sixteen hours of training and instruction during his first12
year of service on the board.13
(2) Each Except as provided in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, each14
member of a city, parish, and other local public school board shall receive a15
minimum of four six hours of training and instruction annually.16
(3) The training and instruction required by Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this17
Subsection shall be in the school laws of this state, in the laws governing the powers,18
duties, and responsibilities of city, parish, and other local public school boards, and19
in educational trends, research, and policy. In a city, parish, or other local public20 HLS 10RS-1264 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 488
Page 2 of 5
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
school district that has one or more schools identified as an academically1
unacceptable school or a school in need of academic assistance as defined by the2
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to policies developed3
and adopted by the board for implementation of the school and district accountability4
system, at least two of such hours shall focus on the improvement of schools5
identified as failing schools as defined by the state board pursuant to such policies.6
The remaining hours shall focus on Such training and instruction shall also include7
education policy issues, including but not limited to the minimum foundation8
program and formula, literacy and numeracy, leadership development, dropout9
prevention, career and technical education, redesigning high schools, early childhood10
education, school discipline, and harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Training11
shall also include instruction relative to the provisions of the Open Meetings Law,12
R.S. 42:4.1 et seq., and the Public Bid Law, Chapter 10 of Title 38 of the Louisiana13
Revised Statutes of 1950.14
(4) In a city, parish, or other local public school district that has one or more15
schools identified as academically unacceptable or in need of academic assistance16
as defined by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to17
policies developed and adopted by the board for implementation of the school and18
district accountability system, at least two of the hours required by Paragraphs (1)19
and (2) of this Subsection shall focus on the improvement of schools identified as20
failing schools as defined by the state board pursuant to such policies.21
B.(1) Such instruction may be received from a postsecondary education22
institution in this state, from instruction sponsored by the state Department of23
Education, or from an in-service training program conducted by a city, parish, or24
other local public school board central office or the Louisiana School Boards25
Association provided that the instruction and the method for demonstrating26
attendance are pre-approved by the Louisiana School Boards Association. Each27
school board member's attendance must be reported by the instructor to the28
Louisiana School Boards Association.29 HLS 10RS-1264 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 488
Page 3 of 5
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
B. (2) The postsecondary education institution, the state Department of1
Education, the school board central office, or the Louisiana School Boards2
Association that provides such instruction shall issue a certificate of completion3
annually to each school board member who completes the instruction required by4
this Section, and a copy of such certificate shall be entered into the minutes of the5
school board on which such member serves. The superintendent of the school6
system on which school board the member serves shall be responsible for verifying7
that the instruction meets the requirements of this Section.8
(3) A school board member who has received a certificate of completion for9
the initial sixteen hours of training and instruction required by Paragraph (A)(1) of10
this Section and has also received an annual certificate of completion of the training11
required by Paragraph (A)(2) of this Section for the subsequent three consecutive12
years shall receive the designation of "Distinguished School Board Member" and the13
State Department of Education shall issue each such member an appropriate14
certificate attesting to such designation. A school board member in office on January15
1, 2011, who has prior service on the board may receive the designation if he16
receives a certificate of completion of sixteen hours of training during 2011 and17
receives a certificate of completion of the required training for the subsequent three18
consecutive years.19
C.(1) The Louisiana School Boards Association shall post on its web site20
website regularly updated information relative to the number and subject matter of21
training hours completed by each school board member pursuant to the provisions22
of this Section.23
(2) At least annually, the superintendent of the school system on which24
school board the member serves shall transmit to the newspaper which is the official25
journal of the school board a press release detailing the information for his school26
board that is posted on the Louisiana School Boards Association website pursuant27
to Paragraph (1) of this Subsection and shall also include in such press release28 HLS 10RS-1264 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 488
Page 4 of 5
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
information concerning each school board member who has been designated a1
"Distinguished School Board Member" pursuant to Paragraph (B)(3) of this Section.2
Section 2. This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2011.3
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Harrison HB No. 488
Abstract: Requires members of local public school boards to receive certain training,
provides for the designation of "Distinguished School Board Member" for members
completing certain training, and requires release to the board's official journal of
certain information about training completed and members receiving the designation.
Present law requires public school board members to receive training and instruction in state
school laws; in the laws governing the powers, duties, and responsibilities of school boards;
and in educational trends, research, and policy. In a school district that has one or more
schools identified as an academically unacceptable school or a school in need of academic
assistance, requires that at least two hours focus on the improvement of failing schools.
Requires remaining hours to focus on topics including but not limited to literacy and
numeracy, leadership development, dropout prevention, career and technical education,
redesigning high schools, early childhood education, school discipline, and harassment,
intimidation, and bullying. Further requires training to include instruction on the Open
Meetings Law and the Public Bid Law. Present law requires school board members to
receive at least four hours of such training and instruction.
Proposed law instead provides that school board members shall receive at least six hours of
such training and instruction annually. Also requires that school board members receive a
minimum of 16 hours of training and instruction during their first year of service on the
board.
Proposed law further clarifies that the requirement for training and instruction on literacy
and numeracy, leadership development, dropout prevention, career and technical education,
redesigning high schools, early childhood education, school discipline, and harassment,
intimidation, bullying, the Open Meetings Law, and the Public Bid Law applies to all school
board members and not only those who are in a school district with one or more schools
identified as an academically unacceptable school or a school in need of academic
assistance. Also adds a requirement for training and instruction on the minimum foundation
program and formula.
Present law authorizes receiving such instruction from an institution of higher education in
the state, instruction sponsored by the state Dept. of Education, or an in-service training
program conducted by a school board central office or the La. School Boards Association
(LSBA). Provides that the instruction and the method for demonstrating attendance shall
be pre-approved by the LSBA and requires the instructor to report a school board member's
attendance to the LSBA.
Present law requires the training entity to issue a certificate of completion to each school
board member and that a copy of such certificate be entered into the minutes of his
respective school board. Provides that the superintendent of the school system shall verify
that the instruction meets requirements. HLS 10RS-1264 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 488
Page 5 of 5
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
Proposed law retains present law and further provides that a school board member who has
received a certificate of completion for the initial 16 hours of training and instruction and
has also received an annual certificate of completion of the required training for three
subsequent consecutive years shall receive the designation of "Distinguished School Board
Member". Requires the State Dept. of Education to issue each such member an appropriate
certificate attesting to such designation. Also provides that a member in office on Jan. 1,
2011, who has prior service on the board may receive the designation if he completes 16
hours of training during 2011 and completes the required training for the subsequent three
consecutive years.
Present law requires the LSBA to post regularly updated information on its website relative
to training hours and subject matter completed by each school board member.
Proposed law retains present law and further requires the school system superintendent, at
least annually, to transmit to the newspaper which is the official journal of the school board
a press release detailing the information for his school board that is posted on the LSBA
website as required by present law and to include in such press release information
concerning each member who has been designated a "Distinguished School Board Member".
Effective Jan. 1, 2011.
(Amends R.S. 17:53)