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Regular Session, 2010
HOUSE BILL NO. 488
BY REPRESENTATIVES HARRISON, CARTER, GISCLAIR, HARDY, AND ST.
GERMAIN
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 authorize certain training during a member's first year of service; to4
provide for the designation of Distinguished School Board Member for school board5
members completing certain training; to require certain dissemination of information6
about training completed by school board members; and to provide for related7
matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. R.S. 17:53 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 10
ยง53. School board members; training required11
A.(1) Each member of a city, parish, and other local public school board may12
receive a minimum of sixteen hours of training and instruction during his first year13
of service on the board.14
(2) Each Except as provided in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, each15
member of a city, parish, and other local public school board shall receive a16
minimum of four six hours of training and instruction annually.17
(3) The training and instruction referred to in Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this18
Subsection shall be in the school laws of this state, in the laws governing the powers,19 HLS 10RS-1264 REENGROSSED
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duties, and responsibilities of city, parish, and other local public school boards, and1
in educational trends, research, and policy. In a city, parish, or other local public2
school district that has one or more schools identified as an academically3
unacceptable school or a school in need of academic assistance as defined by the4
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to policies developed5
and adopted by the board for implementation of the school and district accountability6
system, at least two of such hours shall focus on the improvement of schools7
identified as failing schools as defined by the state board pursuant to such policies.8
The remaining hours shall focus on Such training and instruction shall also include9
education policy issues, including but not limited to the minimum foundation10
program and formula, literacy and numeracy, leadership development, dropout11
prevention, career and technical education, redesigning high schools, early childhood12
education, school discipline, and harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Training13
shall also include instruction relative to the provisions of the Open Meetings Law,14
R.S. 42:4.1 et seq., and the Public Bid Law, Chapter 10 of Title 38 of the Louisiana15
Revised Statutes of 1950.16
(4) In a city, parish, or other local public school district that has one or more17
schools identified as academically unacceptable or in need of academic assistance18
as defined by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to19
policies developed and adopted by the board for implementation of the school and20
district accountability system, at least two of the hours referred to in Paragraphs (1)21
and (2) of this Subsection shall focus on the improvement of schools identified as22
failing schools as defined by the state board pursuant to such policies.23
B.(1) Such instruction may be received from a postsecondary education24
institution in this state, from instruction sponsored by the state Department of25
Education, or from an in-service training program conducted by a city, parish, or26
other local public school board central office or the Louisiana School Boards27
Association provided that the instruction and the method for demonstrating28
attendance are pre-approved by the Louisiana School Boards Association. Each29 HLS 10RS-1264 REENGROSSED
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school board member's attendance must be reported by the instructor to the1
Louisiana School Boards Association.2
B. (2) The postsecondary education institution, the state Department of3
Education, the school board central office, or the Louisiana School Boards4
Association that provides such instruction shall issue a certificate of completion5
annually to each school board member who completes the instruction required by6
this Section, and a copy of such certificate shall be entered into the minutes of the7
school board on which such member serves. The superintendent of the school8
system on which school board the member serves shall be responsible for verifying9
that the instruction meets the requirements of this Section.10
(3) A school board member who has received a certificate of completion for11
the initial sixteen hours of training and instruction required by Paragraph (A)(1) of12
this Section and has also received an annual certificate of completion of the training13
required by Paragraph (A)(2) of this Section for the subsequent three consecutive14
years shall receive the designation of "Distinguished School Board Member" and the15
State Department of Education shall issue each such member an appropriate16
certificate attesting to such designation. A school board member in office on January17
1, 2011, who has prior service on the board may receive the designation if he18
receives a certificate of completion of sixteen hours of training during 2011 and19
receives a certificate of completion of the required training for the subsequent three20
consecutive years.21
C.(1) The Louisiana School Boards Association shall post on its web site22
website regularly updated information relative to the number and subject matter of23
training hours completed by each school board member pursuant to the provisions24
of this Section.25
(2) At least annually, the superintendent of the school system on which26
school board the member serves shall transmit to the newspaper which is the official27
journal of the school board a press release detailing the information for his school28
board that is posted on the Louisiana School Boards Association website pursuant29 HLS 10RS-1264 REENGROSSED
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to Paragraph (1) of this Subsection and shall also include in such press release1
information concerning each school board member who has been designated a2
"Distinguished School Board Member" pursuant to Paragraph (B)(3) of this Section.3
Section 2. This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2011.4
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: Authorizes members of local public school boards to receive certain training
during their first year of service, changes the number of years of annual required
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 provides that school board members may
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. HLS 10RS-1264 REENGROSSED
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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.
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)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill.
1. Changed proposed law requirement for a minimum of 16 hours of training during
a member's first year of service to make it permissive rather than mandatory.