HLS 14RS-1970 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 140
BY REPRESENTATIVE REYNOLDS
SCHOOLS/CHOICE: Requests that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
Education study the feasibility of developing an accountability system for nonpublic
schools participating in the voucher program comparable to the accountability
system for public schools
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to study the2
feasibility of developing and implementing an accountability system for nonpublic3
schools participating in the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence4
Program that is comparable to and contains the same components, requirements, and5
criteria as the accountability system for public schools and to submit a written report6
of findings and recommendations to the House Committee on Education and the7
Senate Committee on Education not later than December 1, 2014.8
WHEREAS, current law establishes a voucher program known as the Student9
Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program and provides for the legislature's findings10
and declarations relative to the program, including that it is in the public interest that all11
Louisiana schoolchildren receive the best education that its citizens can provide and that the12
state has the right, responsibility, duty, and obligation to accomplish the objective of quality13
education for all Louisiana children; and14
WHEREAS, the legislature also finds and declares in current law, relative to the15
participation of nonpublic schools in this program, that nonpublic schools can offer a quality16
education to students and that it is in the public interest to offer students the means of17
accessing the educational opportunities offered by nonpublic schools by providing them with18
scholarships to attend such schools; and19 HLS 14RS-1970 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 140
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WHEREAS, both public and nonpublic schools must meet specific eligibility criteria1
to participate in this program; and2
WHEREAS, a public school must have received a letter grade of "A" or "B", or any3
variation thereof, for the most recent school year pursuant to the school and district4
accountability system; and5
WHEREAS, school letter grades are designed to be reflective of school performance;6
thus, parents who choose to send their children to a public school participating in the7
program are able to make an informed choice based on the knowledge that it has been8
determined through the accountability system to be a high-performing school; and9
WHEREAS, meanwhile, a nonpublic school must meet these criteria in order to10
participate in the program: be approved, provisionally approved, or probationally approved11
by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and comply with the criteria set12
forth in Brumfield, et al. v. Dodd, et al. 425 F. Supp. 528.; current law also stipulates that13
in a nonpublic school that has been so approved for less than two years, enrollment of14
scholarship recipients shall not exceed twenty percent of its total student enrollment; and15
WHEREAS, thus, while there are some standards and safeguards in place relative to16
the eligibility of nonpublic schools, and while current law does require the state Department17
of Education to develop criteria for participation that include an accountability system for18
participating students at participating schools, there is some concern among parents and the19
general public relative to a general lack of knowledge as to the quality of some of the20
participating nonpublic schools; and21
WHEREAS, because parents need and deserve assurance that the quality of22
education in each participating nonpublic school is monitored and maintained, nonpublic23
schools participating in the program should be evaluated according to comparable criteria24
and with the same level of rigor that the accountability system applies to public schools; and25
WHEREAS, parental choice educational programs are best implemented when26
parents are empowered to access information through which they can evaluate the27
effectiveness of the school where they choose to send their children, and in the case of a28
nonpublic school, this should include information demonstrating how such a school29
compares to a parent's public school options; and30 HLS 14RS-1970 ORIGINAL
HCR NO. 140
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WHEREAS, in order to ensure the state's fulfillment of what the legislature declares1
to be the state's right, responsibility, duty, and obligation to accomplish the objective of2
quality education for all Louisiana children, it is appropriate that the State Board of3
Elementary and Secondary Education evaluate the feasibility of developing and4
implementing an accountability system for nonpublic schools participating in the Student5
Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program that is comparable to such system for6
public schools.7
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby8
urge and request the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to study the9
feasibility of developing and implementing an accountability system for nonpublic schools10
participating in the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program that is11
comparable to and contains the same components, requirements, and criteria as the12
accountability system for public schools, including but not limited to requirements for high13
stakes testing, assignment of letter grades to schools, and publishing and reporting of14
accountability results, and to submit a written report of findings and recommendations to the15
House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education not later16
December 1, 2014.17
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the18
president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and to the state19
superintendent of education.20
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)]
Reynolds HCR No. 140
Requests that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education study the feasibility
of developing and implementing an accountability system for nonpublic schools
participating in the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence (voucher) Program that
is comparable to and contains the same components, requirements, and criteria as such
system for public schools, including but not limited to requirements for high stakes testing,
assignment of school letter grades, and publishing and reporting of accountability results,
and submit a report of findings and recommendations to the House and Senate education
committees by Dec. 1, 2014.