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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. 599
BY SENATOR ERDEY
TOPS. Provides relative to TOPS reporting requirements. (gov sig)
AN ACT1
To enact R.S. 17:3048.3(B)(7), (8) and (9), (D), and (E), relative to the Taylor Opportunity2
Program for Students; to provide relative to the program's information reporting3
system; and to provide for related matters.4
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:5
Section 1. R.S. 17:3048.3(B)(7), (8) and (9), (D), and (E) are hereby enacted to read6
as follows: 7
ยง3048.3. Program information reporting system; implementation; requirements;8
applicability; participation by eligible institutions and others9
* * *10
B. The Taylor Opportunity Program for Students information reporting11
system shall include but not be limited to the following:12
* * *13
(7) Demographic information of program award recipients, including but14
not limited to race, gender, and parents' household income.15
(8) High school grade point average and ACT or concordant Scholastic16
Aptitude Test scores of program award recipients grouped by mean, median,17 SB NO. 599
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
and mode.1
(9) High school grade point average and ACT or concordant Scholastic2
Aptitude Test score cross-referenced with those students who lost the award and3
those who were placed on probationary status and the reasons therefor.4
* * *5
D. The Board of Regents shall submit a written report including all of6
the information required by this Section for the preceding academic year to the7
Senate Committee on Education and the House Committee on Education, not8
later than December first of each year.9
E. All information reported pursuant to this Section shall be reported10
in the aggregate only and shall contain no personally identifiable information11
for any recipient of a program award.12
Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not13
signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature14
by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If15
vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become16
effective on the day following such approval.17
The original instrument was prepared by Alan Miller. The following digest,
which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared
by Jeanne Johnston.
DIGEST
Erdey (SB 599)
Present law requires the Board of Regents to formulate, develop, establish, and implement
a uniform Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) information reporting system
for the purposes of policy analysis and program evaluation and for providing accurate data
and statistics to the legislature, the governor and appropriate executive branch agencies, and
the public relative to the program's impact on the state and on students.
Present law requires the TOPS information reporting system to include the following:
(1)A report prepared as of the end of the Fall semester and Spring semester during each
academic year relative to the rate of retention of program awards by students. The
data shall be reported by institution attended and by program award category, and
shall include the percent of students losing program eligibility due to not earning the
minimum number of credit hours, the percent of students losing program eligibility
due to not having the required cumulative grade point average, and the percent of
students losing program eligibility for failing to make steady academic progress. SB NO. 599
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(2)The persistence rates of freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior students receiving
a TOPS award reported by award category and by award year.
(3)The graduation rates reported by award category and award year, including for those
graduating with an academic degree at the baccalaureate level the rate for persons
graduating within four years, within five years, and within six years, respectively.
(4)The mean length of time required for a student receiving a program award to
graduate with an academic degree at the baccalaureate level or to complete the
chosen postsecondary education program if otherwise applicable with such
information being reported by award category and by award year.
(5)An annual report on the number of applicants as well as the percent of high school
graduates by high school and by parish who apply for a program award, by award
category, and the percent of those students who subsequently enroll in a college or
university.
(6)Statistical studies on the relationship between the courses taken and grades earned
by a high school student and the student's score on the American College Test (ACT)
or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). Relative to public high schools, such
statistical studies shall use student course and grade data that is otherwise available
from the schools and such studies shall be conducted at no additional cost to the
governing authority of any public high school.
Proposed law retains present law and adds the following reporting requirements:
(1)Demographic information of program award recipients, including but not limited to
race, gender, and parents' household income.
(2)High school grade point average and ACT or SAT scores of program award
recipients grouped by mean, median, and mode.
(3)High school grade point average and ACT or SAT score cross-referenced with those
students who lost the award and those who were placed on probationary status, and
the reasons therefor.
Proposed law requires the Board of Regents to submit a written report including all of the
information required for the preceding academic year to the Senate Committee on Education
and the House Committee on Education, not later than December first of each year.
Proposed law specifies that all information reported shall be reported in the aggregate only
and shall contain no personally identifiable information for any recipient of a program
award.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:3048.3(B)(7), (8) and (9), (D) and (E))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
original bill
1. Makes technical corrections.
2. Requires written report to Senate and House education committees by
December first of each year. SB NO. 599
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3. Provides that all data be reported in the aggregate and that no personally
identifiable student information shall be included in the report.
Senate Floor Amendments to the engross bill
1. Makes technical changes.