SLS 15RS-354 ENGROSSED
2015 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 69
BY SENATOR NEVERS
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. Requires the Dept. of Education to pay the cost of certain
postsecondary remedial and developmental coursework required of public high school
graduates. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:401, relative to remedial and developmental coursework; to require the
3 state Department of Education to ensure that every graduate from a Louisiana high
4 school is college and career ready; to require the department to provide instructional
5 assistance to students unprepared for postsecondary coursework; to require the
6 department to pay the cost for certain remedial and developmental coursework
7 required of public high school graduates enrolled in public postsecondary
8 institutions; and to provide for related matters.
9 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
10 Section 1. R.S. 17:401 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
11 ยง401. College and career ready; cost of remedial and developmental
12 postsecondary coursework
13 A. The department shall ensure that every student who graduates from
14 a Louisiana public high school has the basic knowledge and skills to be college
15 and career ready and shall provide for additional instructional assistance to
16 students who have demonstrated insufficient academic achievement to
17 successfully undertake postsecondary coursework.
Page 1 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 69
SLS 15RS-354 ENGROSSED
1 B.(1) The department shall pay the cost of any remedial or
2 developmental coursework in English, reading, mathematics, or science
3 required of a graduate of a Louisiana public high school by a Louisiana public
4 institution of postsecondary education as a condition of admission or
5 enrollment.
6 (2) The provisions of this Subsection shall only apply to remedial and
7 developmental coursework completed by the student during the academic year
8 immediately following enrollment in the postsecondary educational institution.
9 C.(1) The provisions of this Section shall be implemented as
10 expeditiously and to the maximum extent possible utilizing any and all available
11 public and private funding sources, including legislative appropriation, grants,
12 and donations.
13 (2) The state Department of Education shall diligently identify and
14 pursue the funding necessary to fully implement the provisions of this Section.
15 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
16 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
17 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
18 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
19 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Jeanne C. Johnston.
DIGEST
SB 69 Engrossed 2015 Regular Session Nevers
Proposed law:
(1)Requires the Dept. of Education (DOE) to ensure that every student who graduates
from a La. public high school has the basic knowledge and skills to be college and
career ready. Further requires DOE to provide for additional instructional assistance
to students who have demonstrated insufficient academic achievement to
successfully undertake postsecondary coursework.
(2)Requires DOE to pay the cost of any remedial or developmental coursework in
English, reading, mathematics, or science required of a graduate of a La. public high
school by a La. public institution of postsecondary education as a condition of
admission or enrollment. Further provides that this requirement only applies to
remedial and developmental coursework completed by the student during the
Page 2 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 69
SLS 15RS-354 ENGROSSED
academic year immediately following enrollment in the postsecondary educational
institution.
(3)Provides that proposed law shall be implemented as expeditiously and to the
maximum extent possible utilizing any and all available public and private funding
sources, including legislative appropriation, grants, and donations.
(4)Requires DOE to diligently identify and pursue the funding necessary to fully
implement proposed law.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:401)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
original bill
1. Makes implementation contingent upon funding.
2. Requires DOE to identify and pursue funding sources.
Page 3 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.