HLS 16RS-228 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 400
BY REPRESENTATIVE REYNOLDS
TEXTBOOKS/MATERIALS: Provides relative to the review of textbooks and other
instructional materials by the state Dept. of Education
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact 17:351.1(B)(1), relative to textbooks and other instructional
3 materials; to provide relative to the review of textbooks and other instructional
4 materials by the state Department of Education; to provide for a cycle during which
5 the department shall conduct reviews in certain subjects; to limit the number of
6 subjects in which the department shall conduct reviews in a given year; and to
7 provide for related matters.
8Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 17:351.1(B)(1) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
10 ยง351.1. Textbooks and other instructional materials; review; adoption; procurement;
11 distribution
12 * * *
13 B.(1)(a) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall
14 establish a transparent, digital process whereby the state Department of Education
15 shall review textbooks and other instructional materials in the core subject areas of
16 English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies and determine the
17 degree to which each aligns with state content standards. The department may review
18 textbooks and instructional materials in other subject matter areas as it deems
19 necessary or upon request of a public school governing authority.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 16RS-228 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 400
1 (b) The department may review textbooks and other instructional materials
2 at such times as it deems necessary and appropriate but shall review textbooks and
3 other instructional materials in the such core subject areas of English language arts,
4 mathematics, science, and social studies at least every six years over the course of
5 a six-year cycle, but the department shall not conduct reviews in more than one core
6 subject area in a given year.
7 * * *
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 400 Original 2016 Regular Session Reynolds
Abstract: Requires that the state Dept. of Education's reviews of textbooks in core subjects
be conducted during a six-year cycle and prohibits the department from conducting
reviews in more than one core subject in any given year.
Present law requires the state Dept. of Education (DOE) to conduct reviews of textbooks and
other instructional materials in the core subjects of English language arts, mathematics,
science, and social studies and to determine the degree to which each aligns with state
content standards. Authorizes DOE to conduct reviews in other subject areas as it deems
necessary or upon the request of a public school governing authority. Proposed law retains
present law.
Present law requires DOE to conduct reviews in four core subjects at least every six years.
Proposed law instead requires DOE to conduct these reviews over the course of a six-year
cycle. Also prohibits DOE from reviewing textbooks in more than one core subject area in
any given year.
(Amends R.S. 17:351.1(B)(1))
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.