HLS 11RS-788 ORIGINAL
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
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Regular Session, 2011
HOUSE BILL NO. 529
BY REPRESENTATIVE CARTER
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: Provides relative to retention of first-year students at public
institutions of postsecondary education
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 17:3139(G)(4), relative to public institutions of postsecondary education; to2
provide relative to standards of student success established by law and the3
authorities, including authority to increase tuition, that are conditioned on achieving4
those standards; to provide relative to the retention of first-year students; and to5
provide for related matters.6
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. R.S. 17:3139(G)(4) is hereby enacted to read as follows:8
ยง3139. Louisiana Granting Resources and Autonomy for Diplomas Act; purpose;9
agreements; monitoring and renewal; reporting10
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G. Monitoring; reporting; renewal. 12
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(4) In addition to all of the targets in a performance agreement during the14
first or any subsequent renewal period, no institution shall be granted or exercise15
autonomies, including authority to increase tuition, that are contingent on16
performance pursuant to this Section unless, in the immediately prior academic year,17
it retained its first-year, full-time degree seeking students at a rate that is predictive18
of the mean graduation rate of each institution's peers as identified by the Board of19
Regents in accordance with R.S. 17:3351(A)(5)(e)(i). The Board of Regents shall20 HLS 11RS-788 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 529
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collect and analyze data from institutions in Southern Regional Education Board1
member states to determine the appropriate retention rate for each class of institution.2
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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)]
Carter HB No. 529
Abstract: Relative to the GRAD Act, provides that for all agreements after the initial six-
year agreements, every institution will be required each year to retain its first-year
students at a rate predictive of the graduation rate of the institution's peers.
Present law provides for six year agreements between the Bd. of Regents (the board) and
public postsecondary education institutions through which institutions agree to make certain
improvements in exchange for specified autonomies and authority to increase tuition.
Requires the board annually to monitor and report on each participating institution's progress
in meeting the established targets for performance objectives and, at the end of the initial
agreement period and each subsequent agreement period, to determine whether to
recommend renewal of an institution's performance agreement subject to the approval of the
Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget.
Proposed law provides that in addition to all of the targets in a performance agreement
during the first or any subsequent renewal period, no institution shall be granted or exercise
autonomies, including authority to increase tuition, that are contingent on performance
pursuant to present law unless, in the immediately prior academic year, it retained its first-
year, full-time degree seeking students at a rate that is predictive of the mean graduation rate
of each institution's peers as identified by the board in accordance with present law.
Requires the board to collect and analyze data from institutions in Southern Regional
Education Bd. member states to determine the appropriate retention rate for each class of
institution.
(Adds R.S. 17:3139(G)(4))