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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. 461
BY SENATOR WALSWORTH
SCHOOLS. Provides relative to limitations on class size. (8/1/12)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:151(B), relative to public schools; to provide for pupil-2
classroom-teacher ratios; to provide for waivers; to provide for reporting3
requirements; and to provide for related matters.4
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:5
Section 1. R.S. 17:151(B) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows: 6
ยง151. Public schools; establishment by parish boards; pupil-classroom-teacher7
ratios 8
* * *9
B.(1) Except as otherwise provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection and10
effective with the 1989-1990 school year and thereafter, no parish or city school11
board shall have a systemwide pupil-classroom-teacher ratio in kindergarten through12
grade three in excess of twenty pupils to one classroom teacher.13
(2) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt14
necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Subsection and15
to assure compliance by parish and city school boards. Such rules and regulations16
shall include, but not be limited to provisions whereby a parish or city school board17 SB NO. 461
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
may request a limited waiver from the board from complying with the provisions of1
this Subsection relative to pupil-classroom-teacher ratios. The board shall consider2
granting such a request only upon a showing, in writing, by the particular parish or3
city school board that it has made, is making, and will continue to make a good faith4
effort to employ the necessary and appropriate personnel to meet the requirements5
of this Subsection. Additionally, no such waiver shall be granted unless the parish6
or city school system has submitted to and received the approval of the board of a7
plan designed to bring the school system into full compliance with the provisions of8
R.S. 17:151(B) by not later than the start of the 1992-1993 school year. 9
(2) Effective with the 2012-2013 school year and thereafter, the State10
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt necessary rules and11
regulations to implement the provisions of this Subsection to ensure compliance12
by city, parish, and other local public school boards. Such rules and regulations13
shall include but not be limited to provisions that allow a local public school14
board to request a limited waiver from the state superintendent of education15
from complying with the provisions of this Subsection relative to student-16
teacher ratios, provided that the teacher has demonstrated effectiveness as17
defined by the state board, pursuant to R.S. 17:3881 through 3905.18
(3) Not later than September first of each year, the Department of19
Education shall submit a written report to the Senate Committee on Education20
and the House Committee on Education detailing all waiver requests submitted21
by city, parish, and other local public school boards for the prior school year22
and the disposition of each request.23
The original instrument was prepared by Alan Miller. The following digest,
which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared
by Cathy R. Wells.
DIGEST
Walsworth (SB 461)
Present law prohibits any parish or city school board from adopting a systemwide pupil-
classroom-teacher ratio in kindergarten through grade three in excess of 20 pupils to one
classroom teacher. Provides for the adoption of rules by BESE relative to the limited
waivers from compliance with pupil-classroom ratios. SB NO. 461
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Proposed law requires, effective with the 2012-2013 school year and thereafter, BESE to
adopt necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of proposed law to ensure
compliance by local public school boards. Proposed law further requires such rules and
regulations to include, but not be limited to provisions that allow a local public school board
to request a limited waiver from the state superintendent from complying with the provisions
of proposed law relative to student-teacher ratios, provided that the teacher has demonstrated
effectiveness as defined by BESE, pursuant to present law.
Proposed law requires Dept. of Education, not later than Sept. 1 of each year, to submit a
written report to the joint legislative committees on Education detailing each such waiver
request and the disposition of each request.
Effective August 1, 2012.
(Amends R.S. 17:151(B))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill
1. Deletes requirement for BESE to establish maximum student-teacher ratios
for kindergarten through third grade by start of school each year.
2. Adds requirement for Dept. of Education, not later than Sept. 1 of each year,
to submit a written report to the joint legislative committees on Education
detailing student-teacher ratio waiver request and the disposition of each such
request.