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Regular Session, 2014 ENROLLED
SENATE BILL NO. 126
BY SENATORS NEVERS AND THOMPSON AND REPRESENTATI VE COX
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(1)(e)(x) and (f)(vi) and (B)(2)(c)(introductory2
paragraph), (vi), and (x)(aa)(aaa) and 3048.5(B) and (D) through (G) and to repeal3
R.S. 17:3048.1(B)(2)(c)(v), relative to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students;4
to provide relative to the high school core curriculum required for initial eligibility5
for certain program awards; to provide relative to the TOPS-Tech Early Start Award;6
to provide for purpose; to provide that certain courses offered at public and7
nonpublic postsecondary education institutions and by certain training providers may8
be funded by such award; to provide for the selection and approval of such training9
providers; to provide for rules and regulations; to provide for eligibility; to provide10
for reporting; and to provide for related matters.11
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:12
Section 1. R.S. 17:3048.1(A)(1)(e)(x) and (f)(vi) and (B)(2)(c)(introductory13
paragraph), (vi), and (x)(aa)(aaa) and 3048.5(B) and (D) through (G) are hereby amended14
and reenacted to read as follows:15
§3048.1. Program awards; eligibility; amounts; limitations; funding; administration16
A.(1) As part of the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, the17
state shall financially assist any student who enrolls on a full-time basis in a public18
college or university in this state or a regionally accredited independent college or19
university in the state that is a member of the Louisiana Association of Independent20
Colleges and Universities, hereafter in this Chapter referred to collectively as21
"eligible colleges and universities", to pursue an academic undergraduate degree or,22 SB NO. 126 ENROLLED
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as provided by this Subsection, skill or occupational training as defined by the Board1
of Regents, including a vocational or technical education certificate or diploma2
program or a nonacademic undergraduate degree, and who meets the qualifications3
of Subparagraph (b), (c), or (d) of this Paragraph and all of the applicable following4
qualifications:5
* * *6
(e) Except as otherwise provided by this Section and through the 2006-20077
school year, has successfully completed at least sixteen and one-half units of high8
school course work, which constitutes a core curriculum, and meets standards for9
admission to the desired college or university. Except as otherwise provided by this10
Section and beginning with the 2007-2008 school year through the 2012-2013 school11
year, meets standards for admission to the desired college or university and has12
successfully completed at least seventeen and one-half units of high school course13
work as permitted by this Subparagraph, which constitutes a core curriculum.14
Except as otherwise provided by this Section and beginning with the 2013-201415
school year through the 2016-2017 school year, meets the standards for admission16
to the desired college or university and has successfully completed at least nineteen17
units of high school course work as permitted by this Subparagraph, which18
constitutes a core curriculum. For students qualifying under Subparagraph (A)(1)(c)19
of this Section, the core curriculum requirements of this Subparagraph shall become20
effective beginning with the high school graduating class of 1998, except that the21
core curriculum requirement for a Performance Award shall be waived for any22
student graduating during the 1997-1998 school year who is certified as having23
graduated within the top five percent of his graduating class at a Louisiana public24
high school or nonpublic high school which is approved by the State Board of25
Elementary and Secondary Education. Except as otherwise provided by this Section,26
the core curriculum shall be defined as follows:27
* * *28
(x) Fine Arts Survey (one unit; or through the 2012-2013 school year29
substitute two units of performance courses in music, dance, or theater; or substitute30 SB NO. 126 ENROLLED
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two units of visual art courses; or substitute two units of studio art courses; or1
substitute one unit as an elective from among the other subjects listed in this core2
curriculum); beginning with the 2013-2014 school year and thereafter, Fine Arts3
Survey (one unit or substitute one unit of a performance course in music, dance, or4
theater; or substitute one unit of a visual art course; or substitute one unit of a studio5
art course; or substitute one unit of drafting).6
* * *7
(f) Except as otherwise provided by this Section and beginning with students8
graduating in the 2017-2018 school year and thereafter, meets the standards for9
admission to the desired college or university and has successfully completed a core10
curriculum which consists of nineteen units of high school course work as follows:11
* * *12
(vi) Art - One unit13
One unit chosen from the following: Performance course in Music, Dance,14
or Theatre; Fine Arts Survey; Art I, II, III, and IV; Talented Art I, II, III, and IV;15
Talented Music I, II, III, and IV; Talented Theater Arts I, II, III, and IV; Speech III16
and Speech IV (one unit combined); AP Art History; AP Studio Art: 2-D Design; AP17
Studio Art: 3-D Design; AP Studio Art: Drawing; AP Music Theory; Film Study I18
IB; Film Study II IB; Music I IB; Music II IB; Art Design III IB; Art Design IV IB;19
or Theatre I IB. ; or Drafting.20
* * *21
B.22
* * *23
(2) As part of the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, for24
students graduating from high school through the 1999-2000 school year the state25
shall award an amount determined by the administering agency to equal the actual26
cost of tuition of any student who enrolls on a full-time basis in a Louisiana public27
postsecondary institution to pursue skill or occupational training, including a28
vocational or technical education certificate or diploma program or a nonacademic29
undergraduate degree, and who meets the following qualifications and all other30 SB NO. 126 ENROLLED
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applicable qualifications of this Chapter and for students graduating from high1
school during the 2000-2001 school year and thereafter the state shall award an2
amount determined by the administering agency in accordance with the provisions3
of Subparagraph (f) of this Paragraph for any student who enrolls on a full-time basis4
in an eligible college or university as defined in Subsection A of this Section to5
pursue skill or occupational training as defined by the Board of Regents, including6
a vocational or technical education certificate or diploma program or a nonacademic7
undergraduate degree, and who meets the following qualifications and all other8
applicable qualifications of this Chapter:9
* * *10
(c) Except as otherwise provided by this Section, has successfully completed11
a core curriculum, and meets standards for admission to the desired eligible college12
or university. The core curriculum specified in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph13
shall be effective only for high school graduates through the 2001-2002 school year;14
thereafter, a student shall meet the core curriculum requirements as specified in this15
Subparagraph. Except as otherwise provided by this Section, a student may qualify16
for a TOPS-Tech Award by meeting the core curriculum requirements of17
Subparagraph (A)(1)(e) or (f) of this Section or the core curriculum defined as18
follows:19
* * *20
(vi) Earth Science, Environmental Science, Agriscience I and II (both for one21
unit), Physical Science, Integrated Science, Biology II, Chemistry or Applied22
Chemistry, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, or Physics for Technology ( one unit23
two units).24
* * *25
(x) Remaining core courses shall be selected from one of the following26
options:27
(aa) OPTION 1, consisting of four units as follows:28
(aaa) Fine Arts Survey (one unit) or drafting (one unit) or substitute two29
units of performance courses in music, dance, or theater; or substitute two units of30 SB NO. 126 ENROLLED
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visual art courses; or substitute two units of studio art courses; or a course from the1
career and technical program of studies that is approved by the State Board of2
Elementary and Secondary Education; or substitute one unit as an elective from3
among the other subjects listed in this core curriculum.4
* * *5
§3048.5. TOPS-Tech Early Start Award; purpose; eligibility; award amounts6
limitations; administration; implementation; reports7
* * *8
B.(1) A TOPS-Tech Early Start Award may be used to fund any technical9
or applied course leading to an Industry-Based Certification, a Certificate of10
Applied Science, and a Certificate of Technical Sciences offered at a Louisiana11
public or nonpublic postsecondary education institution for the purpose of pursuing12
an industry-based occupational or vocational education credential as defined by the13
Board of Regents or by any Louisiana training provider recognized by the14
Louisiana Workforce Commission and approved by the State Board of15
Elementary and Secondary Education as provided in Paragraph (4) of this16
Subsection when such credential also meets all of the following conditions17
certification or certificate is approved by the Workforce Investment Council as18
meeting the following requirements:19
(a) Is identified by the Occupation Forecasting Conference as a credential for20
an occupation in top demand in Louisiana.21
(b) Is recognized by the State Industry-Based Certification Leadership22
Council.23
(c) Is approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education24
and by the Board of Supervisors of Community and Technical Colleges.25
(2) An eligible recipient may receive a TOPS-Tech Early Start Award for26
two semesters during the eleventh grade and two semesters during the twelfth grade,27
excluding summer sessions.28
(3) The administering agency, on behalf of a TOPS-Tech Early Start Award29
recipient, shall pay to the Louisiana postsecondary education institution in which the30 SB NO. 126 ENROLLED
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student is enrolled in an eligible program of studies or a training program provider1
an amount of one hundred fifty dollars for each three credit-hour or equivalent time2
course taken by the student, not to exceed two such courses per high school semester3
for an eleventh-grade student and two such courses per high school semester for a4
twelfth-grade student.5
(4)(a) By January thirty-first annually, the State Board of Elementary6
and Secondary Education shall determine which training program providers it7
approves for the academic year that begins in the fall of that year.8
(b) For the 2014-2015 academic year, the number of training program9
providers at which a TOPS-Tech Early Start Award may be used shall be10
limited to five providers as selected by the State Board of Elementary and11
Secondary Education.12
(c) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall13
promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative14
Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Paragraph.15
(5) Implementation of the provisions of this Section shall be subject to the16
appropriation of funds for this purpose.17
* * *18
D. To be eligible for an initial TOPS-Tech Early Start Award, a student shall19
meet each of the following conditions and comply with other applicable provisions20
of this Section and administering agency rules:21
(1) Be in the eleventh or twelfth grade in a Louisiana public school.22
(2) Have prepared a five-year education and career plan, including a sequence23
of related courses with a career focus as provided by Subpart A-1 of Part III of24
Chapter 1 of this Title.25
(3) Have a cumulative high school grade point average on all courses26
attempted of not less than 2.0 when calculated on a 4.0 scale.27
(4) Have at least the minimum scores required to pass the mathematics and28
English portions of the graduation exit exam established by the State Board of29
Elementary and Secondary Education.30 SB NO. 126 ENROLLED
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(5) Score at least fifteen on the English subsection and fifteen on the1
mathematics subsection of the ACT PLAN assessment administered as part of2
Louisiana's Educational Planning and Assessment System.3
E. To maintain continuing eligibility for a TOPS-Tech Early Start Award,4
a student must meet each of the following conditions and comply with other5
applicable provisions of this Section and administering agency rules:6
(1) Be a student in good standing in a Louisiana public high school.7
(2) Maintain a cumulative high school grade point average on all courses8
attempted of not less than 2.0 when calculated on a 4.0 scale.9
(3) Be a student in good standing while enrolled in a Louisiana public or10
nonpublic postsecondary education institution or training program and continue11
to pursue one or more courses leading to an industry-based credential.12
F.(1) The provisions of this Section shall be administered by the Louisiana13
Student Financial Assistance Commission, herein referred to as the "administering14
agency". Except as otherwise provided by this Section, the authority granted to and15
limitations placed on the administering agency by R.S. 17:3048.1 relative to16
administering other awards pursuant to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students17
shall be deemed to apply also to the administration of the TOPS-Tech Early Start18
Award.19
(2) The agency shall adopt, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure20
Act, rules to implement and administer the provisions of this Section. Such rules21
shall include but not be limited to necessary guidelines, policies, procedures, forms,22
and time lines.23
(3) The administering agency, in accordance with a plan approved by the24
Board of Regents, may implement the provisions of this Section initially on a pilot25
basis. However, if implemented on a pilot basis, it is the intention of the legislature26
that full implementation be achieved at the earliest time possible.27
G. Prior to the convening of each regular legislative session, the Board of28
Regents, in consultation with the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance29
Commission, shall provide to the governor, the House Committee on Education, and30 SB NO. 126 ENROLLED
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the Senate Committee on Education a written review and analysis of TOPS-Tech1
Early Start awards relative to award use by students and the benefits therefrom as2
well as the impact on subsequent use by students of TOPS-Tech awards.3
Section 2. R.S. 17:3048.1(B)(2)(c)(v) is hereby repealed in its entirety.4
Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not5
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature6
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If7
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become8
effective on the day following such approval.9
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED: