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)]
Leger HB No. 953
Abstract: Provides relative to the definition and establishment of statewide content standards
for required subjects and prohibits such standards from requiring the use of federally or
state-endorsed curricula, textbooks, or other instructional materials and from requiring the
collection or reporting of student data.
Present law provides for the La. Competency-Based Education Program, including the
development and implementation of statewide content standards for required subjects and
the La. Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) by the state Dept. of Education with approval
of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). Proposed law additionally
requires that such standards be established in accordance with La. educational priorities as
determined by BESE and prohibits such standards from requiring the use of federally or state-
endorsed curricula, textbooks, or other instructional materials and from requiring the collection
or reporting of any student data.
Present law defines "statewide content standards for required subjects" as statements that define
what a student should know or be able to accomplish at the end of a specific time period or grade
level or at the completion of a course. Proposed law revises this definition to provide for what
"La. public elementary and secondary students" rather than for what "a student" should know or
be able to accomplish and otherwise retains present law.
(Amends R.S. 17:24.4(A)(4) and (E))