SLS 14RS-1532 ORIGINAL
Page 1 of 8
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
Regular Session, 2014
SENATE BILL NO. 597
BY SENATOR KOSTELKA
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION. Creates the Student Standards Commission to develop
state standards for required subjects for public school students. (8/1/14)
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:24.4(A)(3) and (4), (E), (F)(3)(a) and (b)(ii), and (G)(2), to2
enact R.S. 36:651(G)(4), and to repeal R.S. 17:24.4(F)(1)(d), relative to education3
standards and related assessments; to create the Student Standards Commission to4
develop and adopt state education standards for required subjects for public school5
students; to provide for commission membership, vacancies, meetings, voting, and6
compensation; to provide for implementation of the standards by the State Board of7
Elementary and Secondary Education subject to legislative approval; to repeal8
provisions relative to implementation of certain standards-based assessments by the9
State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; to delete the requirement that10
the state Department of Education develop and implement statewide content11
standards for required subjects; and to provide for related matters.12
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:13
Section 1. R.S. 17:24.4(A)(3) and (4), (E), (F)(3)(a) and (b)(ii), and (G)(2) are14
hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:15
§24.4. Louisiana Competency-Based Education Program; statewide standards for16
required subjects; Louisiana Educational Assessment Program; parish17 SB NO. 597
SLS 14RS-1532 ORIGINAL
Page 2 of 8
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
or city school board comprehensive pupil progression plans; waivers1
A. As used in this Section, the following words, terms, and phrases shall2
have the meaning ascribed to them in this Subsection, except when the context3
clearly indicates a different meaning:4
* * *5
(3) "Pupil progression plan" means the comprehensive plan developed and6
adopted by each parish or city, parish, or other local public school board which7
shall be based on student performance on the Louisiana Educational Assessment8
Program with goals and objectives which that are compatible with the Louisiana9
Competency-Based Education Program and which supplements that supplement the10
minimum standards approved implemented by the State Board of Elementary and11
Secondary Education. A pupil progression plan shall require the student's mastery12
of grade-appropriate skills before he or she can be recommended for promotion.13
(4) "The statewide content standards for required subjects" are statements14
that define what a student should know or be able to accomplish at the end of a15
specific time period or grade level or at the completion of a course. Content The16
standards shall represent the knowledge and skills needed for students to successfully17
transition to postsecondary education and the workplace, as determined by content18
experts, elementary and secondary educators and school leaders, postsecondary19
education leaders, and business and industry leaders and shall be developed and20
implemented as provided in Subsection E of this Section.21
* * *22
E.(1) The state Department of Education shall, with the approval of the State23
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, as part of the Louisiana24
Competency-Based Education Program, develop and establish statewide content25
standards for required subjects to be taught in the public elementary and secondary26
schools of this state. The statewide content standards for required subjects shall be27
implemented by the state Department of Education as approved by the State Board28
of Elementary and Secondary Education, with recommendations prior to approval29 SB NO. 597
SLS 14RS-1532 ORIGINAL
Page 3 of 8
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
and advice from the educational personnel in the public schools and colleges and1
universities of this state There is hereby created the Student Standards2
Commission, referred to in this Subsection as the "commission", for the3
purpose of developing and adopting state standards as required by this Section4
for students in public elementary and secondary schools.5
(2) The membership of the commission shall be as follows:6
(a) One member representing each of the following groups,7
organizations, or entities selected by the respective group, organization, or8
entity:9
(i) The Louisiana Association of Educators.10
(ii) The Louisiana Federation of Teachers.11
(iii) The Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana.12
(iv) The Louisiana School Boards Association.13
(v) The Louisiana Association of School Superintendents.14
(vi) The Louisiana Association of Principals.15
(vii) The Louisiana Association of School Executives.16
(b) Two public school principals selected by the presiding officer of the17
Louisiana Association of Principals.18
(c) Two public elementary school teachers, one math teacher and one19
English teacher, selected by the presiding officer of the Louisiana Association20
of Principals.21
(d) Two public high school teachers, one math teacher and one English22
teacher, selected by the presiding officer of the Louisiana Association of23
Principals.24
(e) Two supervisors of instruction employed in local school systems25
selected by the president of the Louisiana Association of School26
Superintendents.27
(f) Two parents of public school students selected by the Louisiana28
Parent-Teacher Association.29 SB NO. 597
SLS 14RS-1532 ORIGINAL
Page 4 of 8
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
(g) Two parents of public school students selected by the presiding officer1
of the Louisiana Association of Principals.2
(h) Two deans of colleges of education from Louisiana public3
postsecondary education institutions, to be appointed by the commissioner of4
higher education.5
(i) Two members of the teaching faculty in engineering, math, science,6
or literature from Louisiana public postsecondary education institutions, to be7
appointed by the commissioner of higher education.8
(j) Two members of the board of directors of the Louisiana Association9
of Chamber of Commerce Executives selected by the president of the board of10
directors.11
(k) The president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary12
Education or his designee.13
(l) The state superintendent of education or his designee.14
(m) The commissioner of higher education or his designee.15
(n) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Education or his designee.16
(o) The chairman of the House Committee on Education or his designee.17
(3) Appointed members of the commission shall serve at the pleasure of18
the appointing authority. Vacancies shall be filled in the manner of the original19
appointment.20
(4) All members of the commission, except for the chairman of the21
Senate Committee on Education and the chairman of the House Committee on22
Education, shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate.23
(5) The president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary24
Education shall convene the commission for its first meeting not later than25
August 30, 2014.26
(6) The commission shall elect from among its members a chairman and27
such other officers as it deems appropriate.28
(7) A majority of the commission's total membership, as provided by29 SB NO. 597
SLS 14RS-1532 ORIGINAL
Page 5 of 8
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
this Subsection, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. A1
favorable vote of two-thirds of the total membership is required for adoption2
of the standards as required in this Subsection.3
(8) All legislative members of the commission shall receive the same per4
diem and travel allowance for attending meetings of the commission as is5
normally provided for meetings of legislative committees. Other members of6
the commission shall serve without compensation.7
(9) The members selected pursuant to Subparagraphs (2)(a) through (j)8
of this Subsection shall represent the geographic diversity of the state, to the9
extent practical.10
(10) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall11
provide administrative and staff support to the commission.12
(11) The commission shall be subject to the Public Records Law and the13
Open Meetings Law.14
(12) In developing the standards, the commission shall also consider and15
may recommend the appropriate state assessments to be used to measure16
student achievement effectively.17
(13) The standards developed and adopted by the commission shall be18
implemented by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education19
through rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with the20
Administrative Procedure Act, after the approval of the standards by the21
legislature by concurrent resolution adopted by a favorable vote of at least a22
majority of the elected members of each house. The state board shall submit the23
standards to the legislature on or before March first of any given year. The24
legislature may return the standards to the state board and include any25
recommendations for changes to the standards it deems necessary or26
appropriate. Except as provided in Paragraph (14) of this Subsection, the State27
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall not implement standards28
that have not been approved by the legislature pursuant to this Paragraph.29 SB NO. 597
SLS 14RS-1532 ORIGINAL
Page 6 of 8
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
(14) Until the implementation of the initial standards developed by the1
commission and approved by the legislature as provided in this Subsection:2
(a) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall3
implement the state standards used immediately prior to the adoption of the4
Common Core State Standards by the board.5
(b) The governing authority of each public school may utilize the6
curriculum it determines most appropriate to meet content and performance7
standards.8
F.9
* * *10
(3)(a) In lieu of the standards-based assessments prescribed in11
Subparagraphs Subparagraph (1)(c) and (d) of this Subsection, an alternate12
assessment shall be provided for and administered only to those students with13
disabilities who meet specific eligibility criteria developed by the state Department14
of Education and approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary15
Education. A determination of whether any student meets the eligibility criteria16
established by the state Department of Education shall be made by the student's17
Individual Education Plan committee and shall be so noted on that student's18
Individual Education Plan. The alternate assessment developed pursuant to this19
Paragraph shall be administered on a schedule determined by the state Department20
of Education and approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary21
Education. The alternate assessment shall be part of the Louisiana Education22
Assessment Program otherwise provided for in this Subsection and the alternate23
assessment shall be used for information, accountability, compliance, and planning24
purposes as provided by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.25
(b)26
* * *27
(ii) Students with persistent academic disabilities shall be allowed to take28
academic assessments that are sensitive to measuring progress in their learning and29 SB NO. 597
SLS 14RS-1532 ORIGINAL
Page 7 of 8
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
that recognize their individual needs. Academic assessments are to be geared1
specifically toward accommodating students to enable them to perform on standards-2
based assessments prescribed in Subparagraphs Subparagraph (1)(c) and (d) of this3
Subsection. Such accommodations shall include at a minimum verbalized test4
questions and shall provide for writing assistance of a scribe and any other5
accommodations deemed appropriate by the student's Individual Education Plan6
committee. However, any such accommodations shall not breach test security or7
invalidate the meaning of the test score or the purpose of the test.8
* * *9
G.10
* * *11
(2) Each parish or city local school board plan for pupil progression shall be12
based upon local goals and objectives which that are compatible with the Louisiana13
Competency-Based Education Program numerated described in R.S. 17:24.4(B)14
Subsection B of this Section, which comply with the provisions of R.S.15
17:24.4(A)(3) Paragraph (A)(3) of this Section, and which supplement the16
performance standards approved implemented by the State Board of Elementary and17
Secondary Education.18
* * *19
Section 2. R.S. 36:651(G)(4) is hereby enacted to read as follows:20
§651. Transfer of boards, commissions, departments, and agencies to Department21
of Education; boards, commissions, and agencies within Department22
of Education23
* * *24
G. The following agencies, as defined by R.S. 36:3, are transferred to and25
hereafter shall be within the Department of Education as provided in Part III of26
Chapter 22 of this Title:27
* * *28
(4) The Student Standards Commission (R.S. 17:24.4(E)).29 SB NO. 597
SLS 14RS-1532 ORIGINAL
Page 8 of 8
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
* * *1
Section 3. R.S. 17:24.4(F)(1)(d) is hereby repealed.2
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
Kostelka (SB 597)
Present law provides for the La. Competency-Based Education Program, including the
development and implementation of statewide standards for required subjects and the La.
Educational Assessment Program (LEAP). Requires standards-based assessments for
required subjects (English language arts, math, science, and social studies) to be
implemented by BESE and administered in at least grades three through 11. Provides that
such assessments be based on state content standards and rigorous student achievement
standards comparable to national student achievement levels. Further requires that the rigor
of such assessments shall at least compare to that of national achievement tests. Specifies
that beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, the standards-based assessments in English
language arts and math shall be based on nationally recognized content standards. Requires
BESE to establish the adequate test scores for determining successful student performance
on the tests. Provides for an alternate assessment to be administered to students with
disabilities who meet criteria developed by the state Dept. of Education. Further requires
the department to develop modified achievement standards and use alternative assessments
for certain students with persistent academic disabilities. Proposed law retains present law
except repeals present law requirement that the standards-based assessments in English
language arts and math be based on nationally recognized content standards.
Proposed law creates the Students Standards Commission in the Dept. of Education to
develop state standards for required subjects. Provides for commission membership,
vacancies, meetings, voting, and compensation. Provides that the commission shall be
subject to the Public Records Law and the Open Meetings Law. Provides that in developing
the standards, the commission shall also consider and may recommend the appropriate
assessments to be used to measure student achievement effectively.
Proposed law provides for implementation of the standards by BESE subject to legislative
approval of the standards. Requires the state board to submit the standards to the legislature
and provides that the legislature may return the standards and include any recommendations
for changes. Provides that until the implementation of the initial standards developed by the
commission and approved by the legislature, BESE shall implement the state standards used
immediately prior to the adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and each
public school governing authority may utilize the curriculum it determines best meets
content and performance standards. Further provides that the legislature shall approve any
subsequent changes to the standards before the standards can be implemented.
Proposed law deletes requirement that the state Dept. of Education develop and implement
the statewide content standards for required subjects.
Effective August 1, 2014.
(Amends R.S. 17:24.4(A)(3) and (4), (E), (F)(3)(a) and (b)(ii), and (G)(2); adds R.S.
36:651(G)(4); repeals R.S. 17:24.4(F)(1)(d))