HLS 13RS-848 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2013
HOUSE BILL NO. 509
BY REPRESENTATIVE CARTER
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
STUDENT/LOANS-SCHOLARSHP: Provides relative to the Taylor Opportunity Program
for Students
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(1)(e), to enact R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(6), and to repeal2
R.S. 17:3048.1(C)(1)(e), relative to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students;3
to provide relative to academic eligibility standards for students with respect to the4
high school core curriculum; to prohibit the administering agency of the Taylor5
Opportunity Program for Students from updating course names and establishing6
course equivalencies for courses included in the core curriculum; and to provide for7
related matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(1)(e) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.10
17:3048.1(A)(6) is hereby enacted to read as follows: 11
§3048.1. Program awards; eligibility; amounts; limitations; funding; administration12
A.(1) As part of the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, the13
state shall financially assist any student who enrolls on a full-time basis in a public14
college or university in this state or a regionally accredited independent college or15
university in the state that is a member of the Louisiana Association of Independent16
Colleges or Universities, hereafter in this Chapter referred to collectively as "eligible17
colleges or universities", to pursue an academic undergraduate degree or, as provided18
by this Subsection, skill or occupational training as defined by the Board of Regents,19
including a vocational or technical education certificate or diploma program or a20 HLS 13RS-848 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 509
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nonacademic undergraduate degree, and who meets the qualifications of1
Subparagraph (b), (c), or (d) of this Paragraph and all of the applicable following2
qualifications:3
* * *4
(e) Except as otherwise provided by this Section, and through the 2006-20075
school year, has successfully completed at least sixteen and one-half units of high6
school course work, which constitutes a core curriculum, and meets standards for7
admission to the desired college or university. and has successfully completed a8
specified minimum number of units of high school course work, which constitutes9
a core curriculum, as follows: Except as otherwise provided by this Section and10
beginning with the 2007-2008 school year through the 2012-2013 school year, meets11
standards for admission to the desired college or university and has successfully12
completed at least seventeen and one-half units of high school course work as13
permitted by this Subparagraph, which constitutes a core curriculum. Except as14
otherwise provided by this Section and beginning with the 2013-2014 school year15
and thereafter, meets the standards for admissions to the desired college or university16
and has successfully completed at least nineteen units of high school course work as17
permitted by this Subparagraph, which constitutes a core curriculum. For students18
qualifying under Subparagraph (A)(1)(c) of this Section, the core curriculum19
requirements of this Subparagraph shall become effective beginning with the high20
school graduating class of the year 1998, except that the core curriculum requirement21
for a Performance Award shall be waived for any student graduating during the22
1997-1998 school year who is certified as having graduated within the top five23
percent of his graduating class at a Louisiana public high school or nonpublic high24
school which is approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary25
Education. 26
(i) Except as otherwise provided by this Section, a student who graduates in27
the 2012-2013 school year shall have successfully completed at least seventeen and28 HLS 13RS-848 ORIGINAL
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one-half units of high school course work, and for such a student, the core1
curriculum shall be defined as follows:2
(i) (aa) English I, II, III, and IV (four units).3
(ii) (bb) Algebra I (one unit) or Applied Algebra 1A and 1B (two units) and4
Algebra II (one unit).5
(iii) (cc) Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, or comparable Advanced6
Mathematics (one unit). through the 2012-2013 school year, two units beginning7
with the 2013-2014 school year and thereafter).8
(iv) (dd) Biology (one unit).9
(v) (ee) Chemistry (one unit).10
(vi) (ff) Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physical Science, Biology11
II, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, or Physics for Technology (one unit), or12
Agriscience I and II (both for one unit)(one unit through the 2012-2013 school year,13
two units beginning with the 2013-2014 school year and thereafter).14
(vii) (gg) American History (one unit).15
(viii) (hh) World History, Western Civilization, or World Geography (one16
unit). through the 2012-2013 school year); World History, Western Civilization,17
World Geography, or History of Religion (two units beginning with the 2013-201418
school year and thereafter).19
(ix) (ii) Civics and Free Enterprise (one unit combined) or Civics (one unit,20
nonpublic).21
(x) (jj) Fine Arts Survey (one unit; or through the 2012-2013 school year22
substitute two units of performance courses in music, dance, or theater; or substitute23
two units of visual art courses; or substitute two units of studio art courses; or24
substitute one unit as an elective from among the other subjects listed in this core25
curriculum); beginning with the 2013-2014 school year and thereafter, Fine Arts26
Survey (one unit or substitute one unit of a performance course in music, dance, or27
theater; or substitute one unit of a visual art course; or substitute one unit of a studio28
art course).29 HLS 13RS-848 ORIGINAL
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(xi) (kk) Foreign Language (one unit for students graduating from high1
school during the 1996-1997 school year or the 1997-1998 school year; (two units2
in a single language). for students graduating from high school during the 1998-19993
school year and thereafter).4
(xii) (ll) Computer Science, Computer Literacy, or Business Computer5
Applications (one-half unit; or substitute at least one-half unit of an elective course6
related to computers that is approved by the State Board of Elementary and7
Secondary Education; or substitute at least one-half unit as an elective from among8
the other subjects listed in this core curriculum). The provisions of this Item shall9
not be applicable to any student who graduates during the 2013-2014 school year or10
thereafter.11
(xiii) For students who graduate during the 2007-2008 school year and12
continuing through the 2012-2013 school year, at (mm) At least one unit as an13
elective from among the following math subjects: Geometry, Calculus, or approved14
advanced math substitute, or the following science subjects: Biology II, Chemistry15
II, Physics , or Physics II.16
(xiv) Trigonometry will no longer be included in the core curriculum for17
students graduating after the 2004-2005 school year.18
(ii) Except as otherwise provided by this Section, a student who graduates in19
the 2013-2014 school year through the 2016-2017 school year shall have20
successfully completed at least nineteen units of high school course work, and for21
such a student, the core curriculum shall be defined as follows:22
(aa) English I, II, III, and IV (four units).23
(bb) Algebra I (one unit) or Applied Algebra 1A and 1B (two units) and24
Algebra II (one unit).25
(cc) Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus, or comparable Advanced26
Mathematics (two units).27
(dd) Biology (one unit).28
(ee) Chemistry (one unit).29 HLS 13RS-848 ORIGINAL
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(ff) For a total of two units: Earth Science, Environmental Science, Physical1
Science, Biology II, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, or Physics for Technology2
(one unit) or Agriscience I and II (both for one unit).3
(gg) American History (one unit).4
(hh) World History, Western Civilization, World Geography, or History of5
Religion (two units).6
(ii) Civics and Free Enterprise (one unit combined) or Civics (one unit,7
nonpublic).8
(jj) Fine Arts Survey (one unit or substitute one unit of a performance course9
in music, dance, or theater, one unit of a visual art course, or one unit of a studio art10
course).11
(kk) Foreign Language (two units in a single language).12
(iii) Except as otherwise provided by this Section, a student who graduates13
in the 2017-2018 school year and thereafter shall have successfully completed at14
least nineteen units of high school course work. For the purposes of this Item, any15
Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course of a higher level than any16
course provided in this Item and any Advanced Placement or International17
Baccalaureate course that may be taken for college credit shall also fulfill the core18
curriculum requirements in the course's subject area. For such a student, the core19
curriculum shall be defined as follows:20
(aa) For a total of four units:21
(I) English I (one unit).22
(II) English II (one unit).23
(III) One unit from the following: English III, Advanced Placement English24
Language and Composition, or International Baccalaureate English III.25
(IV) One unit from the following: English IV, Advanced Placement English26
Literature and Composition, or International Baccalaureate English IV.27
(V) Dual enrollment for any credit in non-remedial college English28
Composition (one unit).29 HLS 13RS-848 ORIGINAL
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(bb) Algebra I (one unit), Geometry (one unit), and Algebra II (one unit).1
Integrated Mathematics I, II, and III may be substituted for the Algebra I, Geometry,2
Algebra II sequence.3
(cc) Algebra III, Advanced Math-Functions and Statistics, Probability and4
Statistics, Pre-Calculus, Advanced Math-Precalculus, International Baccalaureate5
Math Methods I, Calculus, Advanced Placement Calculus AB, Advanced Placement6
Statistics, or dual enrollment for credit in non-remedial college mathematics (one7
unit). 8
(dd) Biology (one unit).9
(ee) Chemistry (one unit).10
(ff) For a total of two units:11
(I) Earth Science (one unit).12
(II) Physical Science (one unit).13
(III) One unit from the following: Environmental Science, Advanced14
Placement Environmental Science, or International Baccalaureate Environmental15
Systems.16
(IV) One unit from the following: Physics I, International Baccalaureate17
Physics I, or Advanced Placement Physics B.18
(V) One unit from the following: Advanced Placement Biology,19
International Baccalaureate Biology, or Advanced Placement Chemistry.20
(VI) Dual enrollment for credit in non-remedial wet-laboratory college21
science (one unit). 22
(gg) American History, Advanced Placement American History, or23
International Baccalaureate American History (one unit).24
(hh) For a total of one unit: Government (one-half unit) and Economics,25
Advanced Placement Economics Macro, or Advanced Placement Economics Micro26
(one-half unit).27
(ii) For a total of two units: 28 HLS 13RS-848 ORIGINAL
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(I) One unit from the following: World History, Advanced Placement World1
History, or International Baccalaureate World History.2
(II) One unit from the following: World Geography, Advanced Placement3
Human Geography, or International Baccalaureate Geography.4
(III) One unit from the following: Western Civilization, European History,5
or Advanced Placement European History.6
(IV) History of Religion (one unit).7
(V) Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics (one unit).8
(VI) International Baccalaureate Economics (one unit).9
(VII) Dual enrollment for college credit in non-remedial college social10
science (one unit).11
(jj) French, Spanish, German, any Advanced Placement language and12
culture, any International Baccalaureate language, or dual enrollment for college13
credit in non-remedial college language (two units in a single language).14
(kk) Performance course in Music, Dance, or Theatre, Fine Arts Survey,15
Talented Art I, II, III, or IV, Talented Music I, II, III, or IV, Talented Theater Arts16
I, II, III, or IV, any Advanced Placement art course, any International Baccalaureate17
art course, or dual enrollment for credit in any non-remedial college level art course18
(one unit).19
* * *20
(6) The administering agency shall not update any course name or establish21
any course equivalency for any course included in any definition of core curriculum22
provided in Subparagraph (1)(e) of this Subsection. 23
Section 2. R.S. 17:3048.1(C)(1)(e) is hereby repealed in its entirety.24 HLS 13RS-848 ORIGINAL
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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. 509
Abstract: Relative to TOPS eligibility, provides a new high school core curriculum
beginning with students graduating in 2017-18 school year; prohibits the TOPS
administering agency from updating any course name or establishing any course
equivalency for any course included in the definition of core curriculum.
Relative to the high school core curriculum that certain students must successfully complete
to be eligible for an Opportunity, Performance, or Honors award pursuant to the Taylor
Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS):
Present law provides that to be eligible for these awards, a student who graduates from a La.
public or approved nonpublic high school, in addition to meeting other eligibility
requirements, must successfully complete a specific minimum number of units of specified
course work that constitutes a core curriculum, as follows:
(1)Students graduating in the 2012-2013 school year: At least 17-½ units.
(2)Students graduating in the 2013-2014 school year and thereafter: At least 19 units.
Proposed law:
(1) Limits the applicability of core curriculum requirements that begin with 2013-14
graduates to students graduating through the 2016-17 school year .
(2)Maintains a 19-unit requirement for students graduating in 2017-18 and thereafter
but revises the course work that constitutes a core curriculum for such students.
Present law provides that the administering agency of present law relative to TOPS is the La.
Student Financial Assistance Commission. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law requires the administering agency to provide by rule guidelines and procedures
by which it may update the course name and establish course equivalencies for any course
included in the definition of core curriculum provided by present law and provides that such
guidelines and procedures shall include the following requirements:
(1)Any such course name change or equivalency establishment shall be done by agency
rule.
(2)Prior to issuing a notice of intent to consider any such rule, the administering agency
shall consult with and seek written comments and recommendations of the State Bd.
of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and the Bd. of Regents.
Proposed law repeals present law and instead prohibits the administering agency from
updating any course name and establishing any course equivalency for any course included
in any definition of core curriculum provided by present law.
(Amends R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(1)(e); Adds R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(6); Repeals R.S.
17:3048.1(C)(1)(e))