HLS 15RS-967 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 662
BY REPRESENTATIVES CARTER, BROADWATER, CARMODY, LOPINTO, PRICE,
REYNOLDS, AND SMITH AND SENATOR APPEL
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
STUDENT/STANDARDS: Provides relative to the review of state content standards for
public school students
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:24.4(A)(4) and (E)(1), relative to state content standards; to
3 provide a process for the review of state content standards including specified time
4 lines; to provide for a standards review committee including committee membership
5 and selection; to require the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to
6 promulgate rules for the development, implementation, and review of state content
7 standards; to provide for definitions; to provide for an effective date; and to provide
8 for related matters.
9Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 17:24.4(A)(4) and (E)(1) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
11as follows:
12 ยง24.4. Louisiana Competency-Based Education Program; statewide standards for
13 required subjects; Louisiana Educational Assessment Program; parish or city
14 school board comprehensive pupil progression plans; waivers
15 * * *
16 A. As used in this Section, the following words, terms, and phrases shall
17 have the meaning ascribed to them in this Subsection, except when the context
18 clearly indicates a different meaning:
19 * * *
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1 (4) "The statewide content standards for required subjects" are statements
2 measurements that define what a student should know or be able to accomplish at the
3 end of a specific time period or grade level or at the completion of a course. The
4 standards do not constitute mandates for conduct, how educators should deliver
5 instruction, or what curricula or instructional materials are used in the classroom.
6 Content standards shall be Louisiana standards and shall represent the knowledge
7 and skills needed for students to successfully transition to postsecondary education
8 and the workplace, as determined by content experts, elementary and secondary
9 educators and school leaders, postsecondary education leaders, and business and
10 industry leaders.
11 * * *
12 E.(1)(a) The legislature finds that it is critically important to maintain or
13 increase the level of rigor of the state's academic standards in order to prepare
14 students for increasing demands and expectations of postsecondary education and the
15 workplace. The legislature further finds that such standards shall be set to maximize
16 student preparation and opportunity and not to lower or reduce student expectations.
17 (b) The state Department of Education, with the approval of the State Board
18 of Elementary and Secondary Education, shall develop, implement, and review and
19 establish statewide content standards for required subjects to be taught in the public
20 elementary and secondary schools of this state. The statewide content standards for
21 required subjects shall be implemented by the state Department of Education as
22 approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, with
23 recommendations prior to approval and advice from the educational personnel in the
24 public schools and colleges and universities of this state. The department shall
25 conduct a review of the standards at least once every seven years as provided in this
26 Subsection. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall
27 promulgate rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act for the
28 development, implementation, and review of the standards.
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1 (c) The content standards for English language arts and mathematics shall
2 be reviewed as follows:
3 (i) By not later than June 15, 2015, the department shall post the content
4 standards for English language arts and mathematics on its website for public
5 comment.
6 (ii) By not later than November 15, 2015, the department shall convene a
7 standards review committee to review the English language arts and mathematics
8 standards, the public comments received pursuant to Item (i) of this Subparagraph,
9 and the results of the assessments administered to students in the Spring of 2015
10 pursuant to Subparagraph (F)(1)(d) of this Section.
11 (iii) The committee shall be composed of educators and administrators from
12 city, parish, and other local public schools and school systems and postsecondary
13 education, parents of public school students, and representatives from charter schools
14 and business and industry. The members of the committee from local public schools
15 and school systems shall be selected by the State Board of Elementary and
16 Secondary Education based upon recommendations from the state Department of
17 Education of candidates who meet criteria as determined by the department in
18 accordance with rules required pursuant to Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph. In
19 selecting the committee members, consideration shall be given to geographic and
20 racial diversity.
21 (iv) By not later than November 15, 2016, the committee shall adopt its final
22 recommendations for the standards for submission to the state board.
23 (v) By not later than December 31, 2016, the department shall submit the
24 final recommendations adopted by the committee to the state board for approval.
25 (d)(i) Beginning January 1, 2017, the department shall convene the standards
26 review committee to review the content standards for required subjects according to
27 time lines established by the department in accordance with the rules required
28 pursuant to Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph and such review shall be conducted
29 in the same manner as provided in Subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph.
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1 (ii) Beginning January 1, 2018, the department annually shall convene the
2 standards review committee to receive a report from the department on the status of
3 the implementation of the standards including the level of rigor of the standards and
4 the extent to which the standards are providing students with the knowledge and
5 skills needed to successfully transition to postsecondary education and the workplace
6 as specified in Paragraph (A)(4) of this Section.
7 (e) All meetings of the standards review committee and any subcommittees
8 of the committee shall be subject to the Open Meetings Law.
9 * * *
10 Section 2. The state Department of Education shall refer to the statewide content
11standards developed pursuant to R.S. 17:24.4(E) as "Louisiana Student Standards".
12 Section 3. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
13signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
14by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
15vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
16effective on the day following such approval.
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 662 Original 2015 Regular Session Carter
Abstract: Provides relative to the review of state content standards for public school
students. Specifies the process for reviewing the English language arts and math
standards beginning in June of 2015. Provides for a standards review committee and
provides for committee membership. Requires the department annually to convene
the standards review committee beginning in 2018 to receive a report on the status
of the standards implementation.
Present law requires the state Dept. of Education to develop, with the approval of the State
Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), statewide content standards for
required subjects for public elementary and secondary schools. Requires implementation
of the standards by the department as approved by BESE, with recommendations prior to
approval and advice from the educational personnel in the public schools and colleges and
universities of this state. Proposed law adds that the department shall review the standards
at least every seven years. Provides for a review process and specifies that the English
language arts and math standards shall be reviewed beginning in June of 2015. Provides that
the process shall include a standards review committee and provides for committee
membership including educators and administrators from local public schools and school
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systems and postsecondary education, parents of public school students, and representatives
from charter schools and business and industry. Requires the department annually to
convene the standards review committee beginning in 2018 to receive a report on the status
of the standards implementation. Provides that all meetings of the standards review
committee and any subcommittees thereof shall be subject to the Open Meetings Law.
Provides for definitions. Otherwise retains present law.
(Amends R.S. 17:24.4(A)(4) and (E)(1))
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