HLS 14RS-669 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 557
BY REPRESENTATIVES HENRY AND RICHARD
STUDENT/STANDARDS: Prohibits implementation of the Common Core State Standards
and creates the Student Standards Task Force to study implementation of the
standards
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:24.4(A)(4), (E), and (F)(1)(a) and (c) and (3)(a) and (b)(ii),2
to enact R.S. 36:651(G)(4), and to repeal R.S. 17:24.4(E)(2) and (F)(1)(d) and Part3
VI of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, comprised of4
R.S. 17:391.2 through 391.13, relative to education standards and related5
assessments; to prohibit the implementation of the Common Core State Standards;6
to create the Students Standards Task Force; to provide for task force purpose,7
membership, vacancies, meetings, compensation, reporting, and termination; to8
repeal obsolete provisions relative to public school accountability and assessment;9
and to provide for related matters.10
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:11
Section 1. R.S. 17:24.4(A)(4), (E), and (F)(1)(a) and (c) and (3)(a) and (b)(ii) are12
hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:13
§24.4. Louisiana Competency-Based Education Program; statewide standards for14
required subjects; Louisiana Educational Assessment Program; parish or city15
school board comprehensive pupil progression plans; waivers16
A. As used in this Section, the following words, terms, and phrases shall17
have the meaning ascribed to them in this Subsection, except when the context18
clearly indicates a different meaning:19
* * *20 HLS 14RS-669 ORIGINAL
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(4) The "statewide content standards for required subjects" are statements1
that define what a student should know or be able to accomplish at the end of a2
specific time period or grade level or at the completion of a course. Content3
standards shall represent the knowledge and skills needed for students to successfully4
transition to postsecondary education and the workplace, as determined by content5
experts, elementary and secondary educators and school leaders, postsecondary6
education leaders, and business and industry leaders.7
* * *8
E.(1) The state Department of Education shall, with the approval of the State9
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, as part of the Louisiana10
Competency-Based Education Program, shall develop and establish statewide11
content standards for required subjects to be taught in the public elementary and12
secondary schools of this state. The statewide content standards for required subjects13
shall be implemented by the state Department of Education as approved by the State14
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, with recommendations prior to15
approval and advice from the educational personnel in the public schools and16
colleges and universities of this state. The state Department of Education or the17
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall not implement the18
Common Core State Standards for any subject.19
(2) There is hereby created the Student Standards Task Force, referred to in20
this Section as the "task force", for the purpose of studying all aspects of the21
Common Core State Standards. The membership of the task force shall be as22
follows:23
(a) One member representing each of the following groups, organizations,24
or entities selected by the respective group, organization, or entity:25
(i) The Louisiana Association of Educators.26
(ii) The Louisiana Federation of Teachers.27
(iii) The Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana.28
(iv) The Louisiana School Boards Association.29 HLS 14RS-669 ORIGINAL
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(v) The Louisiana Association of Principals.1
(vi) The Louisiana Association of School Superintendents.2
(vii) The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.3
(viii) The Council for a Better Louisiana.4
(b) Three public school principals selected by the presiding officer of the5
Louisiana Association of Principals including one elementary school principal, one6
middle school principal, and one high school principal.7
(c) The 2011 Louisiana Teacher of the Year or his designee.8
(d) The 2012 Louisiana Teacher of the Year or his designee.9
(e) The 2013 Louisiana Teacher of the Year of his designee.10
(f) Three parents of public school students selected by the Louisiana Parent-11
Teacher Association.12
(g) Two parents of public school students selected by the presiding officer13
of the Louisiana Association of Principals.14
(h) The president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education15
or his designee.16
(i) The state superintendent of education or his designee.17
(j) The commissioner of higher education or his designee.18
(k) Three deans of colleges of education of Louisiana public colleges or19
universities, to be appointed by the commissioner of higher education.20
(l) The chairman of the House Committee on Education or his designee.21
(m) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Education or his designee.22
(3) Members of the task force shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing23
authority. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment.24
(4) The president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education25
shall convene the task force for its first meeting not later than August 30, 2014.26
(5) The task force shall elect from among its members a chairman and such27
other officers as it may deem appropriate.28 HLS 14RS-669 ORIGINAL
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(6) A majority of the members of the task force shall constitute a quorum for1
the transaction of business.2
(7) All legislative members of the task force shall receive the same per diem3
and travel allowance for attending meetings of the task force as is normally provided4
for meetings of legislative committees. Other members of the task force shall serve5
without compensation.6
(8) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall provide7
primary administrative and staff support to the task force.8
(9) The task force shall be subject to the Public Records Law and the Open9
Meetings Law.10
(10) In conducting the study as required in this Subsection, the task force11
shall review and consider the following:12
(a) All costs associated with the implementation of Common Core State13
Standards in Louisiana at both the state and local levels. The task force shall request14
each city, parish, and other local public school board to submit a report of all costs15
incurred by each board for such implementation. The report shall include but not be16
limited to all one-time costs and continuing costs of implementation and costs for:17
(i) Textbooks and instructional materials.18
(ii) Technical infrastructure and support.19
(iii) Professional development and other necessary training.20
(iv) Assessments.21
(v) Remediation and summer school programs.22
(vi) Any additional costs related to implementation such as changes in class23
size and instructional time and the addition of any supplemental programs.24
(b) The advantages and disadvantages of implementing the standards in25
Louisiana which shall include the consideration of research and studies specifically26
addressing the effects of losses in instructional time and added time spent on taking27
the assessments.28 HLS 14RS-669 ORIGINAL
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(c) All professional development and training necessary for the1
implementation.2
(d) A determination as to the effectiveness and appropriateness of3
implementing the standards as compared to the state standards used prior to the4
adoption of the Common Core State Standards by the State Board of Elementary and5
Secondary Education.6
(e) The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers7
assessments administered to students to measure whether the students have met the8
standards.9
(f) Any other matters related to implementation of the standards that the task10
force deems appropriate.11
(11) The task force shall submit a written report of its findings and12
recommendations, including any recommendations for legislation related to the13
implementation of standards that the task force may deem necessary, to the House14
Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education by not later than15
sixty days prior to the convening of the 2015 Regular Session of the Legislature of16
Louisiana.17
(12) The task force shall terminate on June 30, 2015.18
F.(1)(a) The state Department of Education shall begin implementation of19
a implement the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program with the approval of the20
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.21
* * *22
(c) Standards-based assessments in English language arts, mathematics,23
science, and social studies shall be based on state content standards that represent the24
knowledge and skills needed for students to successfully transition to postsecondary25
education and the workplace and rigorous student achievement standards set with26
reference to test scores of students of the same grade level nationally. The27
assessments shall be implemented by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary28 HLS 14RS-669 ORIGINAL
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Education. Such tests state Department of Education and shall be administered, at a1
minimum, in grades three through eleven.2
* * *3
(3)(a) In lieu of the standards-based assessments prescribed in4
Subparagraphs Subparagraph (1)(c) and (d) of this Subsection, an alternate5
assessment shall be provided for and administered only to those students with6
disabilities who meet specific eligibility criteria developed by the state Department7
of Education and approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary8
Education. A determination of whether any student meets the eligibility criteria9
established by the state Department of Education shall be made by the student's10
Individual Education Plan committee and shall be so noted on that student's11
Individual Education Plan. The alternate assessment developed pursuant to this12
Paragraph shall be administered on a schedule determined by the state Department13
of Education and approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary14
Education. The alternate assessment shall be part of the Louisiana Education15
Assessment Program otherwise provided for in this Subsection and the alternate16
assessment shall be used for information, accountability, compliance, and planning17
purposes as provided by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.18
(b)19
* * *20
(ii) Students with persistent academic disabilities shall be allowed to take21
academic assessments that are sensitive to measuring progress in their learning and22
that recognize their individual needs. Academic assessments are to be geared23
specifically toward accommodating students to enable them to perform on standards-24
based assessments prescribed in Subparagraphs Subparagraph (1)(c) and (d) of this25
Subsection. Such accommodations shall include at a minimum verbalized test26
questions and shall provide for writing assistance of a scribe and any other27
accommodations deemed appropriate by the student's Individual Education Plan28 HLS 14RS-669 ORIGINAL
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committee. However, any such accommodations shall not breach test security or1
invalidate the meaning of the test score or the purpose of the test.2
* * *3
Section 2. R.S. 36:651(G)(4) is hereby enacted to read as follows:4
§651. Transfer of boards, commissions, departments, and agencies to Department5
of Education; boards, commissions, and agencies within Department of6
Education7
* * *8
G. The following agencies, as defined by R.S. 36:3, are transferred to and9
hereafter shall be within the Department of Education as provided in Part III of10
Chapter 22 of this Title:11
* * *12
(4) The Student Standards Task Force (R.S. 17:24.4(E)(2)).13
* * *14
Section 3. R.S. 17:24.4(F)(1)(d) and Part VI of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the15
Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, comprised of R.S. 17:391.2 through 391.13 are hereby16
repealed in their entirety.17
Section 4. R.S. 17:24.4(E)(2) is hereby repealed in its entirety.18
Section 5.(A) This Section and Sections 1, 2, and 3 of this Act shall become19
effective on August 1, 2014.20
(B) Section 4 of this Act shall become effective on July 1, 2015.21
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)]
Henry HB No. 557
Abstract: Prohibits implementation of the Common Core State Standards and creates the
Student Standards Task Force to study implementation of the standards.
Present law provides for the La. Competency-Based Education Program, including the
implementation of statewide standards for required subjects and the La. Educational
Assessment Program (LEAP). Requires standards-based assessments for required subjects
(English language arts, math, science, and social studies) to be implemented by the State HLS 14RS-669 ORIGINAL
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Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and administered in at least grades
3 through 11. Provides that such assessments be based on state content standards and
rigorous student achievement standards comparable to national student achievement levels.
Further requires that the rigor of such assessments shall at least compare to that of national
achievement tests. Specifies that beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, the standards-
based assessments in English language arts and math shall be based on nationally recognized
content standards. Requires BESE to establish the adequate test scores for determining
successful student performance on the tests. Proposed law retains present law provisions
with regard to implementation of LEAP tests except requires the tests to be administered in
grades 3 through 11.
Proposed law deletes present law requirement that the standards-based assessments in
English language arts and math be based on nationally recognized content standards.
Provides for implementation of the standards-based assessments by the department instead
of BESE.
Proposed law prohibits implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).
Creates the Student Standards Task Force to study all aspects of the CCSS. Provides for task
force membership, vacancies, meetings, voting, and compensation. Provides that the
commission shall be subject to the Public Records Law and the Open Meetings Law.
Provides that the task force study all costs associated with the implementation of CCSS at
both the state and local levels. Provides that the task force determine the effectiveness and
appropriateness of implementing the CCSS as compared to the state standards in place prior
to implementation of CCSS. Requires the task force to report to the House and Senate
education committees prior to the 2015 Regular Session. Provides that the task force will
terminate on June 30, 2015.
Present law (R.S. 17:391.2-391.13), relative to public school accountability and assessment,
includes requirements for an educational accountability program, pupil proficiency levels,
course content evaluations, standardized test administration, and public school accreditation.
Further provides for school readiness assessments for students entering kindergarten and a
talent search program for junior high students. Proposed law repeals present law.
(Amends R.S. 17:24.4(A)(4), (E), and (F)(1)(a) and (c) and (3)(a) and (b)(ii); Adds R.S.
36:651(G)(4); Repeals R.S. 17:24.4(E)(2) and (F)(1)(d) and 391.2-391.13)