Leger (HB 968) Act No. 530
New law authorizes school districts and charter schools that provide instruction to high
school students to 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. Requires that dropout recovery
programs make available appropriate and sufficient supports for students, including tutoring
and career and college counseling, comply with federal and state laws governing students
with disabilities, and meet state requirements for high school graduation. Requires each
student enrolled in a dropout recovery program to have an individual graduation plan
developed by the student's assigned academic coach. Specifies certain elements to be
included in the plan. Requires that a student enrolled in a dropout recovery program be
included in the student enrollment count for the school or school system offering the
program. Requires monthly reporting by schools and school systems to the state Dept. of
Education and specifies information to be included in the reports.
Authorizes school districts and charter schools to contract with an educational management
organization to provide a dropout recovery program and if so, to ensure that the educational
management organization is accredited by a regional accrediting body, the teachers provided
by the educational management organization hold a current teaching license and the teachers
of core subjects are highly qualified in those subjects, and the organization has provided one
or more dropout recovery programs for at least two years.
Requires that dropout recovery programs be classified as alternative programs. Provides that
entities that are contracted to provide dropout recovery programs may conduct outreach to
encourage students who are not enrolled in a school district or charter school in La. to return
to school. Prohibits such entities 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 to stop attending such schools in order to qualify for
a dropout recovery program. Requires that contracts entered into by local public school
boards for dropout recovery programs include requirements for the protection of all
personally identifiable student information that comply with all applicable state and federal
law and regulations.
Effective Aug. 1, 2014.
(Amends R.S. 17:221.4(A); Adds R.S. 17:221.6)