HLS 14RS-1437 ORIGINAL
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are additions.
Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 968
BY REPRESENTATIVE LEGER
STUDENTS: Provides relative to dropout prevention and recovery
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:221.4(A) and to enact R.S. 17:221.6, relative to the dropout2
prevention and recovery program; to provide with respect to the requirements for3
such a program; to provide with respect to a development of a written learning plan4
for each eligible pupil enrolled in such a program; to provide for definitions; and to5
provide for related matters.6
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:7
Section 1. R.S. 17:221.4(A) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 17:221.6 is8
hereby enacted to read as follows:9
§221.4. Dropout prevention and recovery program10
A. This Section shall be known and may be cited as the "Louisiana School11
Dropout Prevention and Recovery Act of 2008 2014".12
* * *13
§221.6 Dropout recovery programs; written learning plan; requirements; definitions14
A. Each school district and charter school that provides instruction to high15
school pupils may offer a dropout recovery program for eligible pupils.16
B. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall prescribe17
standards and achievement testing requirements for dropout recovery programs that18
attempt to ensure that the programs are compatible with public school education19 HLS 14RS-1437 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 968
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goals and requirements. The standards shall require dropout recovery programs to1
do all of the following:2
(1) Provide curriculum aligned to the academic standards adopted by the3
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. The curriculum may be4
delivered online. A provider of Louisiana online instruction may not also operate a5
dropout recovery program pursuant to this Section.6
(2) Provide standardized tests required by federal and state law.7
(3) Make available appropriate and sufficient supports for pupils, including8
tutoring, career counseling, and college counseling.9
(4) Comply with federal and state laws governing pupils with disabilities.10
(5) Meet state requirements for high school graduation.11
C. Each eligible pupil enrolled in a dropout recovery program shall have a12
written learning plan developed by the pupil's assigned mentor. The written learning13
plan shall include the following elements:14
(1) The start date and anticipated end date of the plan.15
(2) Courses to be completed by the pupil during the academic year.16
(3) Whether courses will be taken sequentially or concurrently.17
(4) State competency exams to be taken, as necessary.18
(5) Expectations for satisfactory monthly progress.19
(6) Expectations for contact with the pupil's assigned mentor.20
D. The monthly participation in a dropout recovery program shall be21
recorded on or before the tenth school day of each month and shall be reported to the22
Department of Education. Monthly participation calculations shall include:23
(1) Newly enrolled pupils who have a written learning plan on file on or24
before the first school day of the previous month.25
(2) Pupils who met the expectations for satisfactory monthly progress in the26
previous month.27 HLS 14RS-1437 ORIGINAL
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(3) Pupils who did not meet the expectations for satisfactory monthly1
progress in the previous month but did meet the expectations in the month before the2
previous month.3
(4) Pupils who met expectations for program reentry in the revised written4
learning plan in the previous month.5
E. For pupils participating in a dropout recovery program, an eligible pupil6
shall be counted as being in attendance in the school's average daily attendance7
calculations if the pupil meets one of the following conditions:8
(1) Is in the first month of enrollment in the program and completes the9
program orientation during that month.10
(2) Is enrolled in teacher-facilitated courses and meets the expectations for11
satisfactory monthly progress for the current or previous month. A pupil who does12
not meet expectations for monthly progress for three or more consecutive months13
shall not be reported as being in attendance until the pupil meets the expectations for14
program reentry.15
(3) Meets the expectations for program reentry in the revised written learning16
plan.17
F. The average daily membership for pupils enrolled in a dropout recovery18
program shall equal the average daily attendance of the pupils. 19
G. School districts and charter schools shall be responsible for tuition charges20
and fees related to pupil participation in a dropout recovery program, including21
course materials and access to technology for use with online courses.22
H. School districts and charter schools may contract with an educational23
management organization to provide a dropout recovery program. If contracting with24
an educational management organization, the school district or charter school shall25
ensure that all of the following requirements are met:26
(1) The educational management organization is accredited by a regional27
accrediting body.28 HLS 14RS-1437 ORIGINAL
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(2) Teachers provided by the educational management organization hold a1
current teaching license from any state, and teachers of core subjects are highly2
qualified in the subjects to which they are assigned.3
I. Dropout recovery programs shall be classified as alternative schools.4
J. Entities that are contracted to provide dropout recovery programs may5
conduct outreach to encourage pupils who are not currently enrolled in a school6
district or charter school in this state to return to school. Entities that are contracted7
to provide dropout recovery programs shall not conduct advertising or marketing8
campaigns directed at pupils who are currently enrolled in a school district or charter9
school, or undertake any other activity that encourages pupils who are currently10
enrolled in a school district or charter school to stop attending school in order to11
qualify for a dropout recovery program.12
K. For the purposes of this Section:13
(1) "Eligible pupil" means a pupil who, if enrolled, would be eligible for14
placement in an alternative school but who is not currently enrolled in a school15
district or charter school and who has been withdrawn from a school district or16
charter school for at least thirty days, unless the district determines that the student17
is unable to participate in other district programs.18
(2) "Satisfactory monthly progress" means an amount of progress that is19
measurable on a monthly basis and that, if continued for a full twelve months, would20
result in the same amount of academic credit being awarded to the pupil as would be21
awarded to a pupil in a traditional education program who completes a full school22
year. Satisfactory monthly progress may include a lesser required amount of progress23
for the first two months that a pupil participates in the program.24 HLS 14RS-1437 ORIGINAL
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are additions.
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. 968
Abstract: Provides with respect to the dropout prevention and recovery program.
Proposed law provides that each school district and charter school that provides instruction
to high school pupils may offer a dropout recovery program for eligible pupils. Further
provides that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) shall
prescribe standards and achievement testing requirements for dropout recovery programs
that attempt to ensure that the programs are compatible with public school education goals
and requirements.
Proposed law provides that the standards shall require dropout recovery programs to do all
of the following:
(1)Provide curriculum aligned to the academic standards adopted by the State Board of
Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE).
(2)Provide standardized tests required by federal and state law.
(3) Make available appropriate and sufficient supports for pupils, including tutoring,
career counseling and college counseling.
(4)Comply with federal and state laws governing pupils with disabilities.
(5)Meet state requirements for high school graduation.
Proposed law provides that each eligible pupil enrolled in a dropout recovery program shall
have a written learning plan developed by the pupil's assigned mentor. The written learning
plan shall include the following elements:
(1)The start date and anticipated end date of the plan.
(2)Courses to be completed by the pupil during the academic year.
(3)Whether courses will be taken sequentially or concurrently.
(4)State competency exams to be taken, as necessary.
(5)Expectations for satisfactory monthly progress.
(6)Expectations for contact with the pupil's assigned mentor.
Proposed law provides that the monthly participation in a dropout recovery program shall
be recorded on or before the tenth school day of each month and shall be reported to the
department of education. Monthly participation calculations shall include:
(1)Newly enrolled pupils who have a written learning plan on file on or before the first
school day of the previous month.
(2)Pupils who met the expectations for satisfactory monthly progress in the previous
month. HLS 14RS-1437 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 968
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are additions.
(3)Pupils who did not meet the expectations for satisfactory monthly progress in the
previous month but did meet the expectations in the month before the previous
month.
(4)Pupils who met expectations for program reentry in the revised written learning plan
in the previous month.
Proposed law provides that, because dropout recovery pupils are not expected to regularly
attend classes at the district facilities, standard procedures for recording pupil attendance
cannot be effectively applied to those students. For pupils participating in a dropout
recovery program, an eligible pupil shall be counted as being in attendance in the school's
average daily attendance calculations pursuant to subsection F of this section if the pupil
meets one of the following conditions:
(1)Is in the first month of enrollment in the program and completes the program
orientation during that month.
(2)Is enrolled in teacher-facilitated courses and meets the expectations for satisfactory
monthly progress for the current or previous month.
(3)Meets the expectations for program reentry in the revised written learning plan.
Proposed law provides that the average daily membership for pupils enrolled in a dropout
recovery program shall equal the average daily attendance of the pupils. Further provides
that school districts and charter schools shall be responsible for tuition charges and fees
related to pupil participation in a dropout recovery program, including course materials and
access to technology for use with online courses.
Proposed law provides that school districts and charter schools may contract with an
educational management organization to provide a dropout recovery program. If contracting
with an educational management organization, the school district or charter school shall
ensure that all of the following requirements are met:
(1)The educational management organization is accredited by a regional accrediting
body.
(2)Teachers provided by the educational management organization hold a current
teaching license from any state, and teachers of core subjects are highly qualified in
the subjects to which they are assigned.
Proposed law provides that dropout recovery programs shall be classified as alternative
schools. Further provides that entities that are contracted to provide dropout recovery
programs may conduct outreach to encourage pupils who are not currently enrolled in a
school district or charter school in this state to return to school. Entities that are contracted
to provide dropout recovery programs shall not conduct advertising or marketing campaigns
directed at pupils who are currently enrolled in a school district or charter school, or
undertake any other activity that encourages pupils who are currently enrolled in a school
district or charter school to stop attending school in order to qualify for a dropout recovery
program.
(Amends R.S. 17:221.4(A); Adds R.S. 17:221.6)