HLS 16RS-718 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 562
BY REPRESENTATIVE LEGER
SCHOOLS/CHARTER: Permits local public school boards to assign students to charter
schools under certain circumstances
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3991(B)(3), relative to charter schools; to permit city, parish,
3 and other local public school boards to assign students to charter schools under
4 certain circumstances; to provide for such assignment to be based on parental
5 preferences; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:3991(B)(3) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
8 ยง3991. Charter schools; requirements; limitations; renewal; amendment; revocation
9 * * *
10 B. Each proposed charter shall contain or make provision for the following:
11 * * *
12 (3) Admission requirements, if any, that are consistent with the school's role,
13 scope, and mission may be established pursuant to rules promulgated by the state
14 board. Such admission requirements shall be specific and shall include a system for
15 admission decisions which precludes exclusion of pupils based on race, religion,
16 gender, ethnicity, national origin, intelligence level as ascertained by an intelligence
17 quotient examination, or identification as a student with an exceptionality as defined
18 in R.S. 17:1942(B). Such admission requirements may include, however, specific
19 requirements related to a school's mission such as auditions for schools with a
20 performing arts mission or proficiency in a foreign language for schools with a
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 16RS-718 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 562
1 language immersion mission. Any school which was chartered prior to July 1, 2012,
2 and which incorporated achievement of a certain academic record as part of its
3 admission requirements may continue to utilize use such admission requirements.
4 No local board shall assign any pupil to attend a charter school, except that a local
5 board in a district that has one or more charter schools and that uses a single
6 application for public school enrollment may assign a pupil to a charter school based
7 on the preferences of the pupil's parent or legal guardian.
8 * * *
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 562 Original 2016 Regular Session Leger
Abstract: Permits a local public school board in a district that has one or more charter
schools and uses a single application for public school enrollment to assign students
to charter schools based on the preferences of a student's parent or legal guardian.
Present law provides relative to charter school requirements, limitations, and prohibitions.
Requires that charter school admission requirements be consistent with the school's role,
scope, and mission. Requires that the admission requirements include a system for
admission decisions which precludes exclusion of students based on race, religion, gender,
ethnicity, national origin, intelligence level, or identification as a student with an
exceptionality as defined in present law. Provides that such requirements may include
specific requirements related to a school's mission such as auditions or proficiency in a
foreign language. Proposed law retains present law.
Present law prohibits local school boards from assigning students to attend a charter school.
Proposed law exempts from this prohibition a local public school board in a district that has
one or more charter schools and uses a single application for public school enrollment.
Allows such a board to assign students to charter schools based on the preferences of the
parents.
(Amends R.S. 17:3991(B)(3))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.