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Regular Session, 2013
SENATE BILL NO. 205
BY SENATORS LAFLEUR AND GUILLORY AND REPRESENTATIVE ORTEGO
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
public school districts and repeals the Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and
Evolution-Science Act. (8/1/13)
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 17:273.3 and to repeal Subpart D-2 of Part III of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the2
Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, comprised of R.S. 17:286.1 through 286.7,3
relative to curriculum and instruction; to provide relative to foreign language4
immersion programs; to authorize local public school boards to establish foreign5
language immersion programs; to provide for a process whereby parents may request6
a local public school board to establish a foreign language immersion program; to7
provide for certification of such programs; to repeal the Balanced Treatment for8
Creation-Science and Evolution-Science Act; and to provide for related matters.9
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:10
Section 1. R.S. 17:273.3 is hereby enacted to read as follows:11
ยง273.3. Foreign language immersion programs; creation by local school12
boards; parent petition13
A. This Section shall be known and may be cited as the "Immersion14
School Choice Act".15
B. The legislature finds that:16
(1) Research indicates that students who participate in foreign language17 SB NO. 205
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immersion programs, particularly French, demonstrate greater levels of1
proficiency in the English language, higher overall academic achievement, and2
higher levels of self-esteem.3
(2) Learning a second language has a positive effect on intellectual4
growth and increased awareness of diverse cultures through access to history,5
art, and literature.6
(3) Students in foreign language immersion programs have been shown7
to demonstrate enhanced cognitive functions in solving complex problems and8
mathematical computations through the development of more divergent and9
higher order thinking skills.10
(4) In Louisiana, French language development and French language11
immersion programs, in particular, provide a better understanding of the12
state's social traditions and serve to promote, preserve, and develop our unique13
bilingual culture.14
C.(1) Any local public school board may establish a foreign language15
immersion program in any school under its jurisdiction that shall be open to the16
enrollment of any student who resides within the jurisdictional boundaries of17
the school district.18
(2)(a) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a local school board,19
if requested in writing by the parent or legal guardian of at least twenty-five20
students enrolled in kindergarten who reside within the jurisdictional21
boundaries of the school district, shall establish a foreign language immersion22
program for such students, provided that both of the following apply:23
(i) The parent or legal guardian of each student commits, in writing, that24
the student will participate in the program.25
(ii) The requisite number of written requests are submitted to the local26
school board not later than March first prior to the school year in which the27
program is to be established.28
(b) Such program shall be continued as long as at least twenty students29 SB NO. 205
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remain enrolled in the program.1
(c) The local school board shall ensure that any foreign language2
immersion program established pursuant to this Section is designated as a3
Certified Foreign Language Immersion Program by the State Board of4
Elementary and Secondary Education in accordance with R.S. 17:273.2.5
Section 2. Subpart D-2 of Part III of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised6
Statutes of 1950, comprised of R.S. 17:286.1 through 286.7, is hereby repealed.7
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
LaFleur (SB 205)
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 in writing signed by the parent or legal guardian of at least 25 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:
(a)The parent or legal guardian of each student commits, in writing, that the
student will participate in the program.
(b)The requisite number of signatures are submitted to the local school board
not later than March first prior to the school year in which the program is to
be established.
(3)Provides that such program shall be continued as long as at least 20 students remain
enrolled in the program.
(4)Requires the local school board to ensure that any foreign language immersion
program created pursuant to proposed law is designated as a Certified Foreign
Language Immersion Program in accordance with applicable law.
Present law provides for the Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and Evolution-
Science Act which required public schools in the state to give balanced treatment to creation-
science and evolution-science in classroom instruction and instructional materials.
Proposed law repeals present law which was ruled unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme
Court. (Edwards v. Aguillard, La. 1987, 107 S. Ct. 2573, 96 L.Ed.2d 510.)
Effective August 1, 2013.
(Adds R.S. 17:273.3; repeals RS 17:286.1-286.7) SB NO. 205
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Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
original bill
1. Replaces parent petition process with written request by specified number of
parents.
2. Provides that the required number of written requests be submitted to the
local school board by March first of the year prior to the school year in which
the program will be established.
3. Requires the local school board to ensure that immersion programs
established pursuant to proposed law are designated as a Certified Foreign
Language Immersion Program by BESE.
4. Repeals the Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and Evolution-Science
Act.