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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 an individual graduation4
plan for each eligible student enrolled in such a program; to provide for funding5
through the minimum foundation program formula; to provide for definitions; and6
to provide for related matters.7
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:8
Section 1. R.S. 17:221.4(A) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 17:221.6 is9
hereby enacted to read as follows:10
§221.4. Dropout prevention and recovery program11
A. This Section shall be known and may be cited as the "Louisiana School12
Dropout Prevention and Recovery Act of 2008 2014".13
* * *14
§221.6. Dropout recovery programs; individual graduation plan; requirements;15
definitions16
A. Each school district and charter school that provides instruction to high17
school students may offer a dropout recovery program for eligible students.18 HLS 14RS-1437 REENGROSSED
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B. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's prescribed1
standards and achievement testing requirements shall apply to dropout recovery2
programs.3
C. The dropout recovery program shall do the following:4
(1) Make available appropriate and sufficient supports for students, including5
tutoring, career counseling, and college counseling.6
(2) Comply with federal and state laws governing students with disabilities.7
(3) Meet state requirements for high school graduation.8
D. Each eligible student enrolled in a dropout recovery program shall have9
an individual graduation plan developed by the student's assigned academic coach.10
The plan shall include the following elements:11
(1) The start date and anticipated end date of the plan.12
(2) Courses to be completed by the student during the academic year.13
(3) Whether courses will be taken sequentially or concurrently.14
(4) State competency exams to be taken, as necessary.15
(5) Expectations for satisfactory monthly progress.16
(6) Expectations for contact with the student's assigned academic coach.17
E. The monthly participation in a dropout recovery program shall be reported18
for funding purposes to the state Department of Education on or before the tenth19
school day of the following month. Funding for dropout recovery programs shall be20
provided through the minimum foundation program formula. Monthly participation21
calculations shall include:22
(1) Newly enrolled students who have an individual graduation plan on file23
on or before the first school day of the month.24
(2) Students who met the expectations for satisfactory monthly progress for25
the month.26
(3) Students who did not meet the expectations for satisfactory monthly27
progress for the month but did meet the expectations one of the two previous months.28 HLS 14RS-1437 REENGROSSED
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(4) Students who met expectations for program reentry in the revised1
individual graduation plan in the previous month.2
F. School districts and charter schools may contract with an educational3
management organization to provide a dropout recovery program. If contracting4
with an educational management organization, the school district or charter school5
shall ensure that all of the following requirements are met:6
(1) The educational management organization is accredited by a regional7
accrediting body.8
(2) Teachers provided by the educational management organization hold a9
current teaching license from any state, and teachers of core subjects are highly10
qualified in the subjects to which they are assigned.11
(3) The educational management organization has provided one or more12
dropout recovery programs for at least two years prior to providing a program13
pursuant to this Section.14
G. Dropout recovery programs shall be classified as alternative programs.15
H. Entities that are contracted to provide dropout recovery programs may16
conduct outreach to encourage students who are not enrolled in a school district or17
charter school in this state to return to school. Entities that are contracted to provide18
dropout recovery programs shall not conduct advertising or marketing campaigns19
directed at students who are currently enrolled in a school district or charter school,20
or undertake any other activity that encourages students who are enrolled in a school21
district or charter school to stop attending school in order to qualify for a dropout22
recovery program.23
I. For the purposes of this Section:24
(1) "Eligible student" means a student who is not enrolled in a school district25
or charter school and who has been withdrawn from a school district or charter26
school for at least thirty days, unless a school administrator determines that the27
student is unable to participate in other district programs.28 HLS 14RS-1437 REENGROSSED
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(2) "Satisfactory monthly progress" means an amount of progress that is1
measurable on a monthly basis and that, if continued for a full twelve months, would2
result in the same amount of academic credit being awarded to the student as would3
be awarded to a student in a traditional education program who completes a full4
school year. Satisfactory monthly progress may include a lesser required amount of5
progress for the first two months that a student participates in the program.6
(3) "Academic coach" is an adult who assists students in selecting courses7
needed to meet graduation requirements, monitors student pace and progress through8
the program, and conducts regular pace and progress interventions.9
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 dropout recovery programs.
Proposed law provides that each school district and charter school that provides instruction
to high school students may offer a dropout recovery program for eligible students. Provides
that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education's prescribed standards and
achievement testing requirements apply to dropout recovery programs.
Provides that the dropout recovery programs shall make available appropriate and sufficient
supports for students, including tutoring, career counseling and college counseling, comply
with federal and state laws governing students with disabilities, and meet state requirements
for high school graduation.
Provides that each eligible student enrolled in a dropout recovery program shall have an
individual graduation plan developed by the student's assigned academic coach. Specifies
certain elements to be included in the plan.
Provides that the monthly participation in a dropout recovery program shall be reported for
funding purposes to the state Dept. of Education on or before the 10
th
day of the following
month. Provides that funding for such programs shall be provided through the minimum
foundation program formula (MFP). Requires that monthly participation calculations shall
include specified components.
Authorizes school districts and charter schools to contract with an educational management
organization to provide a dropout recovery program and if so, shall ensure that the
educational management organization is accredited by a regional accrediting body, that
teachers provided by the educational management organization hold a current teaching
license and that teachers of core subjects are highly qualified in those subjects, and that the
organization has provided one or more dropout recovery programs for at least two years.
Provides that dropout recovery programs shall be classified as alternative programs. Further
provides that entities that are contracted to provide dropout recovery programs may conduct HLS 14RS-1437 REENGROSSED
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outreach to encourage students who are not enrolled in a school district or charter school in
this state to return to school. Prohibits entities that are contracted to provide dropout
recovery programs from conducting advertising or marketing campaigns directed at students
who are enrolled in a school district or charter school, or undertake any other activity that
encourages students who are enrolled in a school district or charter school to stop attending
school in order to qualify for a dropout recovery program.
Defines "eligible student", "satisfactory monthly progress", and "academic coach" for
purposes of proposed law.
(Amends R.S. 17:221.4(A); Adds R.S. 17:221.6)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the original
bill.
1. Deletes requirement that dropout recovery programs provide curriculum aligned
to standards adopted by BESE and the authorization for the curriculum to be
delivered online.
2. Deletes requirement that dropout recovery programs provide standardized tests
required by state and federal law.
3. Requires students in dropout recovery programs to have an individual graduation
plan instead of a written learning plan and requires that such plan be developed
by the student's assigned academic coach instead of assigned mentor.
4. Requires that monthly participation in a dropout recovery program be reported
for funding purposes to the state Dept. of Education on or before the 10
th
day of
the following month instead of being recorded on or before the 10
th
day of each
month and reported to the department.
5. Deletes provisions with regard to recording and calculating student attendance
for students participating in dropout recovery programs.
6. Deletes requirement that school districts and charter schools are responsible for
tuition and fees for students participating in dropout recovery programs.
7. Provides that dropout recovery programs are classified as alternative programs
instead of alternative schools.
8. Provides for determinations made by school administrators instead of school
districts with regard to student eligibility for participation in a dropout recovery
program.
House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill.
1. Adds that funding for dropout recovery programs shall be provided through the
minimum foundation program formula (MFP).
2. Adds requirement that a school district ensure that an educational management
organization has provided one or more dropout recovery programs for at least
two years prior to providing a program pursuant to proposed law.
3. Adds definition of "academic coach" for purposes of proposed law.