HLS 15RS-993 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 462
BY REPRESENTATIVE COX
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
STUDENTS: Provides relative to eligibility requirements for receipt of certain TOPS
awards and a career diploma
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:183.3(B)(2)(d), 3048.1(B)(2)(introductory paragraph),
3 (c)(introductory paragraph), (d), (e), and (f), and R.S. 17:3048.5(D)(4) and to enact
4 R.S. 17:3048.1(B)(2)(g), relative to student eligibility for certain programs; to align
5 the high school curriculum requirements for eligibility for a TOPS-Tech award and
6 a career diploma; to provide relative to certain testing requirements for eligibility for
7 a TOPS-Tech Early Start Award; to provide for effectiveness; and to provide for
8 related matters.
9Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 17:183.3(B)(2)(d), 3048.1(B)(2)(introductory paragraph),
11(c)(introductory paragraph), (d), (e), and (f), and R.S. 17:3048.5(D)(4) are hereby amended
12and reenacted and R.S. 17:3048.1(B)(2)(g) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
13 §183.3. Career major; description; curriculum and graduation requirements
14 * * *
15 B.
16 * * *
17 (2) The course requirements for the career major shall consist of the
18 following:
19 * * *
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HB NO. 462
1 (d) At least two social studies credits, including one credit from among the
2 following: U.S. History, AP U.S. History, or IB U.S. History; one-half one credit
3 from among the following: Civics, Government, AP U.S. Government and Politics:
4 Comparative, or AP U.S. Government and Politics: United States; and one-half
5 credit from among the following: Economics, AP Macroeconomics, or AP
6 Microeconomics. One credit of Civics may be substituted for any two of the one-
7 half credit courses specified in this Subparagraph.
8 * * *
9 §3048.1. Program awards; eligibility; amounts; limitations; funding; administration
10 * * *
11 B.
12 * * *
13 (2) As part of the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, for
14 students graduating from high school through the 1999-2000 school year the state
15 shall award an amount determined by the administering agency to equal the actual
16 cost of tuition of any student who enrolls on a full-time basis in a Louisiana public
17 postsecondary institution to pursue skill or occupational training, including a
18 vocational or technical education certificate or diploma program or a nonacademic
19 undergraduate degree, and who meets the following qualifications and all other
20 applicable qualifications of this Chapter and for students graduating from high
21 school during the 2000-2001 school year and thereafter the state shall award an
22 amount determined by the administering agency in accordance with the provisions
23 of Subparagraph (f) (g) of this Paragraph for any student who enrolls on a full-time
24 basis in an eligible college or university as defined in Subsection A of this Section
25 to pursue skill or occupational training as defined by the Board of Regents, including
26 a vocational or technical education certificate or diploma program or a nonacademic
27 undergraduate degree, and who meets the following qualifications and all other
28 applicable qualifications of this Chapter:
29 * * *
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HB NO. 462
1 (c) Except Through the 2016-2017 school year, except as otherwise provided
2 by this Section, has successfully completed a core curriculum, and meets standards
3 for admission to the desired eligible college or university. The core curriculum
4 specified in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph shall be effective only for high
5 school graduates through the 2001-2002 school year; thereafter, a student shall meet
6 the core curriculum requirements as specified in this Subparagraph. Except as
7 otherwise provided by this Section, a student may qualify for a TOPS-Tech Award
8 by meeting the core curriculum requirements of Subparagraph (A)(1)(e) or (f) of this
9 Section or the core curriculum defined as follows:
10 * * *
11 (d) Except as otherwise provided by this Section, has successfully completed
12 a core curriculum. The core curriculum specified in Subparagraph (c) of this
13 Paragraph shall be effective for high school graduates from the 2002-2003 school
14 year through the 2016-2017 school year. Except as otherwise provided by this
15 Section, a student may qualify for a TOPS-Tech Award by meeting the core
16 curriculum requirements of Subparagraph (A)(1)(e) or (f) of this Section or the core
17 curriculum defined as follows:
18 (i) English - Four Units
19 (aa) English I.
20 (bb) English II.
21 (cc) Choose two or more from the following: English III, English IV, AP or
22 IB English courses, Business English, Technical Writing, or comparable Louisiana
23 Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional teams as approved by the
24 State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
25 (ii) Math - Four Units
26 (aa) Algebra I (one unit); or both Algebra I, Part 1 and Algebra I, Part 2; or
27 an applied or hybrid algebra course.
28 (bb) Choose three or more from the following: Geometry, Algebra II, Math
29 Essentials, Financial Literacy, Business Math, Algebra III, Advanced Math -
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HB NO. 462
1 Functions and Statistics, Advanced Math - Pre-Calculus, Pre-calculus, or comparable
2 Louisiana Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional teams as
3 approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Integrated
4 Mathematics I, II, and III may be substituted for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra
5 II, and shall equal three mathematics credits.
6 (iii) Science - Two Units
7 (aa) Biology.
8 (bb) One additional unit from the following: Chemistry I, Earth Science,
9 Environmental Science, Agriscience I and Agriscience II (both for one unit),
10 Physical Science, or AP or IB science courses.
11 (iv) Social Studies - Two Units
12 (aa) One unit from the following: U.S. History, AP U.S. History, or IB U.S.
13 History.
14 (bb) One unit from the following: Civics, Government, AP U.S.
15 Government and Politics: Comparative, or AP U.S. Government and Politics: United
16 States.
17 (v) At least nine credits in Jump Start course sequences, workplace
18 experiences, and credentials. A student shall complete a regionally designed series
19 of Career and Technical Education Jump Start coursework and workplace-based
20 learning experiences leading to a statewide or regional Jump Start credential. This
21 shall include courses and workplace experiences specific to the credential, courses
22 related to foundational career skills requirements in Jump Start, and other courses,
23 including career electives, that the Jump Start regional team determines are
24 appropriate for the career major.
25 (d) (e) Has no criminal conviction, except for misdemeanor traffic violations
26 and, if the student has been in the United States Armed Forces and has separated
27 from such service, has received an honorable discharge or general discharge under
28 honorable conditions.
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HB NO. 462
1 (e) (f) Students funded through the Louisiana minimum foundation program
2 and who are attending any high school in an adjoining state pursuant to an agreement
3 in effect as of June 4, 1994, between the parish school system and the local
4 governing authority of the school in the adjoining state shall be considered as having
5 graduated from a state-approved nonpublic high school for the purpose of qualifying
6 under this Section.
7 (f) (g)(i) For any student attending an eligible public college or university
8 that does not offer an academic undergraduate degree at the baccalaureate level or
9 higher, the amount shall equal the actual cost of tuition.
10 (ii) For any student attending an eligible college or university other than as
11 provided for in Item (i) of this Subparagraph, the amount shall equal the weighted
12 average of amounts paid pursuant to Item (i) of this Subparagraph.
13 * * *
14 §3048.5. TOPS-Tech Early Start Award; purpose; eligibility; award amounts
15 limitations; administration; implementation; reports
16 * * *
17 D. To be eligible for an initial TOPS-Tech Early Start Award, a student shall
18 meet each of the following conditions and comply with other applicable provisions
19 of this Section and administering agency rules:
20 * * *
21 (4) Score at least fifteen on the English subsection and fifteen on the
22 mathematics subsection of the ACT PLAN assessment or a successor assessment
23 administered as part of Louisiana's Educational Planning and Assessment System or
24 the ACT or an equivalent concordant value of the SAT or have attained a silver level
25 score on the assessments of the ACT WorkKeys system.
26 * * *
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HB NO. 462
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)]
HB 462 Original 2015 Regular Session Cox
Abstract: Aligns the high school curriculum requirements for eligibility for a TOPS-Tech
award and requirements for a career diploma. Provides relative to certain testing
requirements to receive a TOPS-Tech Early Start Award.
Present law provides curriculum requirements for high school career major programs for
receipt of a career diploma by students who successfully complete such requirements.
Requires students to complete at least two social studies credits and specifies course choices
including Economics, AP Macroeconomics, or AP Microeconomics. Further requires the
completion of a regionally designed series of Career and Technical Education Jump Start
coursework and workplace-based learning experiences leading to a statewide or regional
Jump Start credential. Proposed law changes the social studies curriculum requirements to
include Civics among the specified course choices and deletes Economics, AP
Macroeconomics, or AP Microeconomics as possible choices. Otherwise retains present
law.
Present law provides for a TOPS-Tech award for students who enroll in a La. public
postsecondary institution to pursue skill or occupational training, including a vocational or
technical education certificate or diploma program or a nonacademic undergraduate degree.
Provides curriculum requirements for eligibility for such an award. Proposed law retains
present law curriculum requirements for students graduating from high school through the
2016-2017 school year and changes the curriculum requirements for students graduating
from high school in 2017-2018 and thereafter to align the curriculum in all areas with that
required for receipt of a career diploma as specified in present law and proposed law.
Otherwise retains present law.
Present law, relative to a TOPS-Tech Early Start Award, provides that such award may be
used by students in the 11th and 12th grades for any technical or applied course leading to
an Industry-Based Certification, a Certificate of Applied Science, and a Certificate of
Technical Sciences offered at a La. public or nonpublic postsecondary education institution
or by any La. training provider recognized by the La. Workforce Commission and approved
by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as provided in present law if
such certification is approved by the Workforce Investment Council. Provides eligibility
requirements for receipt of the award including scoring at least 15 on the English subsection
and 15 on the mathematics subsection of the ACT PLAN assessment. Proposed law adds
that a student also may be eligible if he attains such scores on the ACT or an equivalent
concordant value of the SAT or attains a silver level score on the assessments of the ACT
WorkKeys system. Proposed law otherwise retains present law.
(Amends R.S. 17:183.3(B)(2)(d), 3048.1(B)(2)(intro. para.), (c)(intro. para.), (d), (e), and
(f), and R.S. 17:3048.5(D)(4); Adds R.S. 17:3048.1(B)(2)(g))
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