ENROLLED
ACT No. 403
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 462
BY REPRESENTATIVES COX, ARMES, ARNOLD, BILLIOT, WESLEY BISHOP,
BROADWATER, BROWN, BURRELL, DOVE, FANNIN, HARRISON,
HOWARD, JAMES, JEFFERSON, PYLANT, REYNOLDS, SHADOIN, ST.
GERMAIN, AND ALFRED WILLIAMS
1 AN ACT
2 To 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), 5022, 5026(A) and (C), and 5081(D)(4), relative to student
5 eligibility for certain programs; to provide relative to citizenship requirements for
6 receipt of awards from the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students; to
7 align the high school curriculum requirements for eligibility for a TOPS-Tech award
8 and a career diploma; to provide relative to certain testing requirements for eligibility
9 for a TOPS-Tech Early Start Award; to provide for effectiveness; and to provide for
10 related matters.
11 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
12 Section 1. R.S. 17:183.3(B)(2)(d) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as
13 follows:
14 §183.3. Career major; description; curriculum and graduation requirements
15 * * *
16 B.
17 * * *
18 (2) The course requirements for the career major shall consist of the
19 following:
20 * * *
21 (d) At least two social studies credits, including one credit from among the
22 following: U.S. History, AP U.S. History, or IB U.S. History; one-half one credit
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1 from among the following: Civics, Government, AP U.S. Government and Politics:
2 Comparative, or AP U.S. Government and Politics: United States; and one-half
3 credit from among the following: Economics, AP Macroeconomics, or AP
4 Microeconomics. One credit of Civics may be substituted for any two of the one-
5 half credit courses specified in this Subparagraph.
6 * * *
7 Section 2. R.S. 17:3048.1(B)(2)(introductory paragraph), (c)(introductory
8 paragraph), (d), (e), and (f) and 3048.5(D)(4) are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S.
9 17:3048.1(B)(2)(g) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §3048.1. Program awards; eligibility; amounts; limitations; funding; administration
11 * * *
12 B.
13 * * *
14 (2) As part of the Louisiana Taylor Opportunity Program for Students, for
15 students graduating from high school through the 1999-2000 school year the state
16 shall award an amount determined by the administering agency to equal the actual
17 cost of tuition of any student who enrolls on a full-time basis in a Louisiana public
18 postsecondary institution to pursue skill or occupational training, including a
19 vocational or technical education certificate or diploma program or a nonacademic
20 undergraduate degree, and who meets the following qualifications and all other
21 applicable qualifications of this Chapter and for students graduating from high
22 school during the 2000-2001 school year and thereafter the state shall award an
23 amount determined by the administering agency in accordance with the provisions
24 of Subparagraph (f) (g) of this Paragraph for any student who enrolls on a full-time
25 basis in an eligible college or university as defined in Subsection A of this Section
26 to pursue skill or occupational training as defined by the Board of Regents, including
27 a vocational or technical education certificate or diploma program or a nonacademic
28 undergraduate degree, and who meets the following qualifications and all other
29 applicable qualifications of this Chapter:
30 * * *
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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 -
30 Functions and Statistics, Advanced Math - Pre-Calculus, Pre-Calculus, or
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1 comparable Louisiana Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional
2 teams as approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
3 Integrated Mathematics I, II, and III may be substituted for Algebra I, Geometry, and
4 Algebra II, and shall equal three mathematics credits.
5 (iii) Science - Two Units
6 (aa) Biology.
7 (bb) One additional unit from the following: Chemistry I, Earth Science,
8 Environmental Science, Agriscience I and Agriscience II (both for one unit),
9 Physical Science, or AP or IB science courses.
10 (iv) Social Studies - Two Units
11 (aa) One unit from the following: U.S. History, AP U.S. History, or IB U.S.
12 History.
13 (bb) One unit from the following: Civics, Government, AP U.S.
14 Government and Politics: Comparative, or AP U.S. Government and Politics: United
15 States.
16 (v) At least nine credits in Jump Start course sequences, workplace
17 experiences, and credentials. A student shall complete a regionally designed series
18 of Career and Technical Education Jump Start coursework and workplace-based
19 learning experiences leading to a statewide or regional Jump Start credential. This
20 shall include courses and workplace experiences specific to the credential, courses
21 related to foundational career skills requirements in Jump Start, and other courses,
22 including career electives, that the Jump Start regional team determines are
23 appropriate for the career major.
24 (d) (e) Has no criminal conviction, except for misdemeanor traffic violations
25 and, if the student has been in the United States Armed Forces and has separated
26 from such service, has received an honorable discharge or general discharge under
27 honorable conditions.
28 (e) (f) Students funded through the Louisiana minimum foundation program
29 and who are attending any high school in an adjoining state pursuant to an agreement
30 in effect as of June 4, 1994, between the parish school system and the local
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1 governing authority of the school in the adjoining state shall be considered as having
2 graduated from a state-approved nonpublic high school for the purpose of qualifying
3 under this Section.
4 (f) (g)(i) For any student attending an eligible public college or university
5 that does not offer an academic undergraduate degree at the baccalaureate level or
6 higher, the amount shall equal the actual cost of tuition.
7 (ii) For any student attending an eligible college or university other than as
8 provided for in Item (i) of this Subparagraph, the amount shall equal the weighted
9 average of amounts paid pursuant to Item (i) of this Subparagraph.
10 * * *
11 §3048.5. TOPS-Tech Early Start Award; purpose; eligibility; award amounts
12 limitations; administration; implementation; reports
13 * * *
14 D. To be eligible for an initial TOPS-Tech Early Start Award, a student shall
15 meet each of the following conditions and comply with other applicable provisions
16 of this Section and administering agency rules:
17 * * *
18 (4) Score at least fifteen on the English subsection and fifteen on the
19 mathematics subsection of the ACT PLAN assessment or a successor assessment
20 administered as part of Louisiana's Educational Planning and Assessment System or
21 the ACT or an equivalent concordant value of the SAT or have attained a silver level
22 score on the assessments of the ACT WorkKeys system.
23 * * *
24 Section 3. R.S. 17:5026(A) and (C) and 5081(D)(4) are hereby enacted to read as
25 follows:
26 §5026. High school core curriculum requirements; TOPS-Tech
27 A. Except as otherwise provided by this Section, to be eligible for a TOPS-
28 Tech Award pursuant to this Chapter, the student shall have successfully completed
29 the core curriculum requirements of R.S. 17:5025 or 5025.3 or the core curriculum
30 defined as follows:
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1 (1) English - Four Units
2 (a) English I.
3 (b) English II.
4 (c) Two or more units from the following: English III, English IV, AP or IB
5 English courses, Business English, Technical Writing, or comparable Louisiana
6 Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional teams as approved by the
7 State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
8 (2) Math - Four Units
9 (a) Algebra I (one unit); or both Algebra I, Part 1 and Algebra I, Part 2; or
10 an applied or hybrid algebra course.
11 (b) Three or more units from the following: Geometry, Algebra II, Math
12 Essentials, Financial Literacy, Business Math, Algebra III, Advanced Math -
13 Functions and Statistics, Advanced Math - Pre-Calculus, Pre-calculus, or comparable
14 Louisiana Technical College courses offered by Jump Start regional teams as
15 approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Integrated
16 Mathematics I, II, and III may be substituted for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra
17 II, and shall equal three mathematics credits.
18 (3) Science - Two Units
19 (a) Biology.
20 (b) One unit from the following: Chemistry I, Earth Science, Environmental
21 Science, Agriscience I and Agriscience II (both for one unit), Physical Science, or
22 AP or IB science courses.
23 (4) Social Studies - Two Units
24 (a) One unit from the following: U.S. History, AP U.S. History, or IB U.S.
25 History.
26 (b) One unit from the following: Civics, Government, AP U.S. Government
27 and Politics: Comparative, or AP U.S. Government and Politics: United States.
28 (5) At least nine credits in Jump Start course sequences, workplace
29 experiences, and credentials. A student shall complete a regionally designed series
30 of Career and Technical Education Jump Start coursework and workplace-based
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1 learning experiences leading to a statewide or regional Jump Start credential. This
2 shall include courses and workplace experiences specific to the credential, courses
3 related to foundational career skills requirements in Jump Start, and other courses,
4 including career electives, that the Jump Start regional team determines are
5 appropriate for the career major.
6 * * *
7 C. For a student graduating after the 2001-2002 school year but prior to the
8 2017-2018 school year to be eligible for a TOPS-Tech Award pursuant to this
9 Chapter, the student shall have successfully completed the core curriculum
10 requirements of R.S. 17:5025 or 5025.3 or the core curriculum defined as follows:
11 (1) English I, II, III, and IV (four units, or substitute one unit of Business
12 English for English IV).
13 (2) Algebra I (one unit); or both Algebra I, Part 1 and Algebra I, Part 2; or
14 both Applied Mathematics I and Applied Mathematics II.
15 (3) Geometry, Applied Mathematics III, Algebra II, Financial Mathematics,
16 Advanced Mathematics I, Advanced Mathematics II, Discrete Mathematics, or
17 Probability and Statistics (two units). Integrated Mathematics I, II, and III may be
18 substituted for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II, and shall be considered the
19 equivalent of the three required math units.
20 (4) Biology (one unit).
21 (5) Earth Science, Environmental Science, Agriscience I and II (both for one
22 unit), Physical Science, Integrated Science, Biology II, Chemistry or Applied
23 Chemistry, Chemistry II, Physics, Physics II, or Physics for Technology (two units).
24 (6) American History (one unit).
25 (7) World History, Western Civilization, or World Geography (one unit).
26 (8) Civics and Free Enterprise (one unit combined) or Civics (one unit,
27 nonpublic).
28 (9) Remaining core courses shall be selected from one of the following
29 options:
30 (a) OPTION 1, consisting of four units as follows:
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1 (i) Fine Arts Survey (one unit) or drafting (one unit) or substitute two units
2 of performance courses in music, dance, or theater; or substitute two units of visual
3 art courses; or substitute two units of studio art courses; or a course from the career
4 and technical program of studies that is approved by the State Board of Elementary
5 and Secondary Education; or substitute one unit as an elective from among the other
6 subjects listed in this core curriculum.
7 (ii) Foreign Language, Technical Writing, Speech I, or Speech II (two units).
8 (iii) One unit from the secondary computer education program of studies that
9 is approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
10 (b) OPTION 2, consisting of six units required as a concentration under the
11 career options law, R.S. 17:183.1 et seq., as follows:
12 (i) At least four units in a career major comprised of a sequence of related
13 specialty courses.
14 (ii) At least two units in related or technical fields, including credit in a basic
15 computer course.
16 * * *
17 §5081. TOPS-Tech Early Start Award; purpose; eligibility; limitations;
18 administration; implementation; reports
19 * * *
20 D. To be eligible for an initial TOPS-Tech Early Start Award, a student shall
21 meet each of the following conditions and comply with other applicable provisions
22 of this Section and administering agency rules:
23 * * *
24 (4) Score at least fifteen on the English subsection and fifteen on the
25 mathematics subsection of the ACT PLAN assessment or a successor assessment
26 administered as part of Louisiana's Educational Planning and Assessment System or
27 the ACT or an equivalent concordant value of the SAT or have attained a silver level
28 score on the assessments of the ACT WorkKeys system.
29 * * *
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1 Section 4. References to R.S. 17:5026 and 5081 in this Act refer to those Sections
2 as enacted in the Act that originated as House Bill No. 705 of this 2015 Regular Session of
3 the Legislature.
4 Section 5.(A) Sections 2 and 3 of this Act are intended to achieve the same purpose
5 but are drafted differently. Section 2 amends provisions of law as they are presently.
6 Section 3 amends provisions of law as they will be if House Bill No. 705 of this 2015
7 Regular Session of the Legislature becomes law. Only one of the two Sections shall be
8 given effect as specifically provided in Section 6 of this Act.
9 (B) Regarding any conflict between the provisions of this Act and the provisions of
10 the Act that originated as House Bill No. 705 of this 2015 Regular Session of the
11 Legislature, the provisions this Act shall supercede and control regardless of the order of
12 passage.
13 Section 6.(A) If House Bill No. 705 of this 2015 Regular Session of the Legislature
14 becomes law, the provisions Section 2 of this Act shall not become effective.
15 (B) If House Bill No. 705 of this 2015 Regular Session of the Legislature does not
16 become law, the provisions of Section 3 of this Act shall not become effective.
17 Section 7. R.S. 17:5022 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
18 §5022. Citizenship requirements
19 A. Except as otherwise provided by this Section, to be eligible for an award
20 pursuant to this Chapter, a student shall be a citizen of the United States.
21 B. The following students shall be deemed to satisfy the citizenship
22 requirement of this Section:
23 (1) A student who is not a citizen of the United States but who is eligible to
24 apply for such citizenship, if within sixty days after the date the student attains the
25 age of majority, the student applies to become a citizen of the United States and
26 obtains such citizenship within one year after the date of application.
27 (2)(a) A student graduating from high school who is not a citizen of the
28 United States but who is the child of a non-United States citizen who is either
29 serving in a branch of the United States armed forces or has been honorably
30 discharged from a branch of the United States armed forces.
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1 (b) The provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall not apply to
2 a student who graduates from high school prior to the 2018-2019 school year.
3 (3) A student who graduates from high school during the 2002-2003
4 school year or thereafter, who is not a citizen of the United States but who is
5 a permanent resident as defined by the United States Citizenship and
6 Immigration Service, and who is eligible to apply for United States
7 citizenship.
8 C. An award under this Chapter shall be reinstated for any student who was
9 determined eligible prior to the 2002-2003 school year, and such award was
10 subsequently canceled due solely to that student's failure to become a United States
11 citizen within one year after the date of the application, provided the student is a
12 permanent resident, as defined by the United States Immigration and Naturalization
13 Service, and is eligible to apply for United States citizenship or is now a United
14 States citizen.
15 D. This Section is not applicable to a student who graduated from high
16 school prior to the 1999-2000 school year.`
17 Section 8. References to R.S. 17:5022 in this Act refer to this Section as enacted in
18 the Act that originated as House Bill No. 705 of this 2015 Regular Session of the
19 Legislature.
20 Section 9.(A) Section 1 of that Act that originated as House Bill No. 181 of this 2015
21 Regular Session of the Legislature and Section 7 of this Act are intended to achieve the same
22 purpose but are drafted differently. Section 1 of that Act that originated as House Bill No.
23 181 of this 2015 Regular Session of the Legislature amends provisions of law as they are
24 presently. Section 7 of this Act amends provisions of law as they will be if House Bill No.
25 705 of this 2015 Regular Session of the Legislature becomes law. Only one of the two
26 Sections shall be given effect as specifically provided in Section 10 of this Act.
27 (B) Regarding any conflict between the provisions of R.S. 17:5022 as enacted by
28 this Act and the provisions of the Act that originated as House Bill No. 705 of this 2015
29 Regular Session of the Legislature, the provisions this Act shall supercede and control
30 regardless of the order of passage.
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1 Section 10.(A) If House Bill No. 705 of this 2015 Regular Session of the Legislature
2 becomes law, the provisions of Section 1 of the Act that originated as House Bill No. 181
3 of this 2015 Regular Session of the Legislature shall not become effective.
4 (B) If House Bill No. 705 of this 2015 Regular Session of the Legislature does not
5 become law, the provisions of Section 7 of this Act shall not become effective.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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