SLS 12RS-824 ORIGINAL
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Regular Session, 2012
SENATE BILL NO. 382
BY SENATOR NEVERS
BESE. Provides relative to the duties, functions, and responsibilities of BESE. (8/1/12)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:7(2)(b), relative to elementary and secondary education; to2
provide relative to the duties, functions, and responsibilities of the State Board of3
Elementary and Secondary Education; to provide with respect to a board study and4
evaluation of the minimum foundation program formula; to provide relative to5
submission of study findings, conclusions, and recommendations; and to provide for6
related matters.7
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:8
Section 1. R.S. 17:7(2)(b) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 9
ยง7. Duties, functions, and responsibilities of board10
In addition to the authorities granted by R.S. 17:6 and any powers, duties, and11
responsibilities vested by any other applicable laws, the board shall:12
* * *13
(2)14
* * *15
(b) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall conduct16
an extensive study and evaluation of the formula used to determine the cost of a17 SB NO. 382
SLS 12RS-824 ORIGINAL
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
minimum foundation program of education in all public elementary and secondary1
schools and to equitably allocate the funds to parish and city local public school2
systems, charter school governing authorities, the Recovery School District, and3
any other schools, programs or entities which may be allocated funds through4
such formula. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall report5
the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of its study in writing to the House6
and Senate Committees on Education not later than February 15, 1989 2013. The7
study and evaluation shall address but need not be limited to the following issues:8
(i) Recommended components of a minimum foundation program of9
education, both regular and special, for public school students from prekindergarten10
through high school graduation.11
(ii) The adequacy of the current formula and program in achieving the12
education goal established in Article VIII, Preamble, of the Constitution of13
Louisiana, and recommended improvements as appropriate.14
(iii) The adequacy of the current formula and program in encouraging and15
ensuring the proper management of school dollars, and recommended improvements16
as appropriate.17
(iv) The adequacy of the current formula and program in providing18
accountability for student achievement, and recommended improvements as19
appropriate.20
(v) The adequacy of the current formula and program in considering factors21
of local financial support, and recommended improvements as appropriate.22
(vi) The adequacy of the current formula and program in providing funding23
equity among the sixty-six local public school systems, public schools which are24
not under the jurisdiction of a local public school board, charter schools, the25
Recovery School District, and other schools, programs or entities which may be26
allocated funds through the formula and recommended improvements as27
appropriate.28
(vii) Recommended changes and revisions in the formula and program so as29 SB NO. 382
SLS 12RS-824 ORIGINAL
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
to maximize formula support of classroom costs and minimize formula funding of1
nonclassroom costs.2
(viii) Recommended changes and revisions to achieve, as a minimum, the3
pupil-teacher ratios and class sizes established by law.4
(ix) Recommended changes and revisions to provide a mechanism for special5
funding for students found to be educationally at-risk.6
(x) Recommended changes and revisions to achieve more creativity,7
flexibility, and autonomy at the local level in providing education services.8
(xi) Recommended changes and revisions to hold local public school boards,9
charter school governing authorities, the Recovery School District, and other10
schools, programs or entities which may be allocated funds through the formula11
accountable for results in the delivery of education services.12
(xii) Recommended changes and revisions to reward local public school13
systems, charter school governing authorities, the Recovery School District, and14
other schools, programs or entities which may be allocated funds through the15
formula for positive results and improvements in the delivery of education services.16
(xiii) The estimated fiscal effect on each of the individual local public school17
systems, charter school governing authorities, the Recovery School District, and18
other schools, programs or entities which may be allocated funds through the19
formula of each proposed change, modification, or revision.20
* * *21
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 need 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 SB NO. 382
SLS 12RS-824 ORIGINAL
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
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
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, 2013.
2. Provides for expansion of the specified issues to be included in such study and
evaluation to cover all local public school systems, public schools which are not
under the jurisdiction of a city, parish, or other local public school board, charter
schools, the Recovery School District, and any other schools, programs or entities
which may be allocated funds through the MFP formula.
3. Makes technical wording changes in the terminology used to reference local school
systems.
Effective August 1, 2012.
(Amends R.S. 17:7(2)(b))