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Regular Session, 2013
SENATE BILL NO. 205
BY SENATOR LAFLEUR
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
SCHOOLS. Provides for the establishment of foreign language immersion programs in local
public school districts. (8/1/13)
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 17:273.3, relative to foreign language immersion programs; to authorize local2
public school boards to establish foreign language immersion programs; to provide3
for a process whereby parents may petition a local public school board to establish4
a foreign language immersion program; and to provide for related matters.5
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:6
Section 1. R.S. 17:273.3 is hereby enacted to read as follows:7
ยง273.3 Foreign language immersion programs; creation by local school boards;8
parent petition9
A. This Section shall be known and may be cited as the "Immersion10
School Choice Act".11
B. The legislature finds that:12
(1) Research indicates that students who participate in foreign language13
immersion programs, particularly French, demonstrate greater levels of14
proficiency in the English language, higher overall academic achievement, and15
higher levels of self-esteem.16
(2) Learning a second language has a positive effect on intellectual17 SB NO. 205
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growth and increased awareness of diverse cultures through access to history,1
art, and literature.2
(3) Students in foreign language immersion programs have been shown3
to demonstrate enhanced cognitive functions in solving complex problems and4
mathematical computations through the development of more divergent and5
higher order thinking skills.6
(4) In Louisiana, French language development and French language7
immersion programs, in particular, provide a better understanding of the8
state's social traditions and serve to promote and preserve our unique bilingual9
culture.10
C.(1) Any local public school board may establish a foreign language11
immersion program in any school under its jurisdiction that shall be open to the12
enrollment of any student who resides within the jurisdictional boundaries of13
the school district.14
(2)(a) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a local school board, if15
requested through a petition signed by the parent or legal guardian of at least twenty-16
five students enrolled in kindergarten who reside within the jurisdictional boundaries17
of the school district, shall establish a foreign language immersion program for such18
students, provided that the parent or legal guardian of each student commits, in19
writing, that the student will participate in the program.20
(b) Such program shall be continued as long as at least twenty students21
remain enrolled in the program.22
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
Proposed law creates the "Immersion School Choice Act" and provides as follows:
(1)Authorizes a local public school board to establish a foreign language immersion
program in any school under its jurisdiction that shall be open to the enrollment of
any student who resides within the jurisdictional boundaries of the school district.
(2)Provides that, beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a local public school board,
if requested through a petition signed by the parent or legal guardian of at least 25 SB NO. 205
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
students enrolled in kindergarten who reside within the jurisdictional boundaries of
the school district, shall establish a foreign language immersion program for such
students, provided the parent or legal guardian of each student commits, in writing,
that the student will participate in the program. Further provides that such program
shall be continued as long as at least 20 students remain enrolled in the program.
Effective August 1, 2013.
(Adds R.S. 17:273.3)