Jefferson HB No. 171
(KEYWORD, SUMMARY, AND DIGEST as amended by Senate committee
amendments)
COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES. Provides relative to performance agreements between
the Board of Regents and certain public historically black colleges and universities.
DIGEST
Present law (the GRAD Act) authorizes specific tuition and fee increases and operational
autonomies at public postsecondary education institutions contingent on those institutions
meeting performance goals established by agreement with the Board of Regents. Requires
that such performance goals include elimination of remedial courses and developmental
programs and requires that admission standards be increased in order to increase retention
and graduation rates. Proposed law exempts Grambling, Southern, and Southern at New
Orleans from the requirement that their performance agreements require elimination of
remedial courses and developmental programs. Provides that those institutions shall not be
required to raise admission standards such that students requiring a single remedial course
would be excluded from admission.
Present law provides for the elimination of remedial course offerings and developmental
study programs unless such course or program cannot be offered at a community college in
the same geographic area. Proposed law provides that Grambling, Southern, and Southern
at New Orleans shall be deemed to have met this target if no student takes more than one
remedial course. Requires the Board of Regents postsecondary education funding formula
to fund all remedial courses offered at these institutions at the rate established for such
courses offered by community colleges.
Proposed law is applicable to performance agreements entered into after the effective date
of proposed law but shall not apply to agreements entered into for the 2018-2019 academic
year and thereafter.
Proposed law requires the Bd. of Regents annually to report the effect of the proposed law
exemptions.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:3139.2(2)(a) and (4)(a) and 3139.6(1))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the
original bill:
1. Add that proposed law shall not apply to agreements entered into for the 2018-
2019 academic year and thereafter.
2. Require the Bd. of Regents annually to report the effect of the proposed law
exemptions.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the engrossed
bill
1. Provides for a limited exception from the GRAD Act provisions requiring
elimination of remedial courses for Grambling, Southern, and Southern at New
Orleans.
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Prepared by Linda Nugent.