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Regular Session, 2010
SENATE BILL NO. 495
BY SENATOR NEVERS
BESE. Provides relative to the duties, functions, and responsibilities of BESE. (8/15/10)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:7(2)(b), relative to the duties, functions, and responsibilities2
of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; to provide with respect3
to a board study and evaluation of the minimum foundation program formula; to4
provide relative to submission of study findings, conclusions, and recommendations;5
and to provide for related matters.6
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. R.S. 17:7(2)(b) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 8
ยง7. Duties, functions, and responsibilities of board9
In addition to the authorities granted by R.S. 17:6 and any powers, duties, and10
responsibilities vested by any other applicable laws, the board shall:11
* * *12
(2)13
* * *14
(b) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall conduct15
an extensive study and evaluation of the formula used to determine the cost of a16
minimum foundation program of education in all public elementary and secondary17 SB NO. 495
SLS 10RS-981 ORIGINAL
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schools and to equitably allocate the funds to parish and city, parish, and other1
local public school systems, charter school governing authorities, and the2
Recovery School District . The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education3
shall report the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of its study in writing4
to the House and Senate Committees on Education not later than February 15, 19895
2011. The study and evaluation shall address but need not be limited to the following6
issues:7
(i) Recommended components of a minimum foundation program of8
education, both regular and special, for public school students from prekindergarten9
through high school graduation.10
(ii) The adequacy of the current formula and program in achieving the11
education goal established in Article VIII, Preamble, of the Constitution of12
Louisiana, and recommended improvements as appropriate.13
(iii) The adequacy of the current formula and program in encouraging and14
ensuring the proper management of school dollars, and recommended improvements15
as appropriate.16
(iv) The adequacy of the current formula and program in providing17
accountability for student achievement, and recommended improvements as18
appropriate.19
(v) The adequacy of the current formula and program in considering factors20
of local financial support, and recommended improvements as appropriate.21
(vi) The adequacy of the current formula and program in providing funding22
equity among the sixty-six city, parish, and other local public school systems,23
public schools which are not under the jurisdiction of a city, parish, or other24
local public school board, charter schools, and the Recovery School District, and25
recommended improvements as appropriate.26
(vii) Recommended changes and revisions in the formula and program so as27
to maximize formula support of classroom costs and minimize formula funding of28
nonclassroom costs.29 SB NO. 495
SLS 10RS-981 ORIGINAL
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(viii) Recommended changes and revisions to achieve, as a minimum, the1
pupil-teacher ratios and class sizes established by law.2
(ix) Recommended changes and revisions to provide a mechanism for special3
funding for students found to be educationally at-risk.4
(x) Recommended changes and revisions to achieve more creativity,5
flexibility, and autonomy at the local level in providing education services.6
(xi) Recommended changes and revisions to hold local city, parish, and7
other local public school boards, charter school governing authorities, and the8
Recovery School District accountable for results in the delivery of education9
services.10
(xii) Recommended changes and revisions to reward local city, parish, and11
other local public school systems, charter school governing authorities, and the12
Recovery School District for positive results and improvements in the delivery of13
education services.14
(xiii) The estimated fiscal effect on each of the individual local city, parish,15
and other local public school systems, charter school governing authorities, and16
the Recovery School District of each proposed change, modification, or revision.17
* * *18
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
Present law requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to conduct an
extensive study and evaluation of the minimum foundation program formula and to report
the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of such study in writing to the House and
Senate Committees on Education not later than February 15, 1989.
Provides that such study and evaluation shall address but not be limited to the following
issues:
1. Recommended components of a minimum foundation program of education, both
regular and special, for public school students from prekindergarten through high
school graduation.
2. The adequacy of the current formula and program in achieving the education goal
established in the state constitution, and recommended improvements as appropriate.
3. The adequacy of the current formula and program in encouraging and ensuring the SB NO. 495
SLS 10RS-981 ORIGINAL
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
proper management of school dollars, and recommended improvements as
appropriate.
4. The adequacy of the current formula and program in providing accountability for
student achievement, and recommended improvements as appropriate.
5. The adequacy of the current formula and program in considering factors of local
financial support, and recommended improvements as appropriate.
6. The adequacy of the current formula and program in providing funding equity among
the sixty-six local public school systems, and recommended improvements as
appropriate.
7. Recommended changes and revisions in the formula and program so as to maximize
formula support of classroom costs and minimize formula funding of nonclassroom
costs.
8. Recommended changes and revisions to achieve, as a minimum, the pupil-teacher
ratios and class sizes established by law.
9. Recommended changes and revisions to provide a mechanism for special funding for
students found to be educationally at-risk.
10.Recommended changes and revisions to achieve more creativity, flexibility, and
autonomy at the local level in providing education services.
11.Recommended changes and revisions to hold local school boards accountable for
results in the delivery of education services.
12.Recommended changes and revisions to reward local school systems for positive
results and improvements in the delivery of education services.
13.The estimated fiscal effect on each of the individual local school systems of each
proposed change, modification, or revision.
Proposed law retains present law and also provides as follows:
1. Provides for a new reporting date of not later than February 15, 2011.
2. Provides for expansion of the specified issues to be included in such study and
evaluation to cover city, parish, and other local public school systems, public schools
which are not under the jurisdiction of a city, parish, or other local public school
board, charter schools, and the Recovery School District.
3. Makes technical wording changes in the terminology used to reference local school
systems.
Effective August 15, 2010.
(Amends R.S. 17:7(2)(b))