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 Engrossed 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))