RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 500 (SB 303) 2016 Regular Session Morrell
Prior law provided Department of Public Safety and Corrections (DPSC) sole authority over
the placement, care, treatment, or other considerations necessary for children judicially
committed to DPSC.
New law clarifies that the authority is with the office of juvenile justice within DPSC and
makes an exception for educational services as provided in new law.
New law adds "office of juvenile justice schools" to the state and district accountability
program and all programs providing educational services to students in secure care of DPSC.
New law requires, not later than July 1, 2016, State Board of Elementary and Secondary
Education (BESE) to convene a mutual accountability team to draft and propose to BESE
a specialized accountability program for office of juvenile justice schools.
New law requires the mutual accountability team to have recommendations on the
accountability program to BESE no later than March 1, 2017.
New law provides the membership of the mutual accountability team shall consist of:
(1)One member of the School and District Accountability Commission
(2)One person designated by the deputy secretary of the office of juvenile justice.
(3)One person who is an expert on education in custodial settings, designated by the
chairperson of the Juvenile Justice Reform Act Implementation Commission, after
consultation with the Council of State Governments.
(4)One person representing the interests of students and families, designated by the
executive director of the Louisiana Advocacy Center.
(5)One person who is an expert in alternative education in community settings,
designated by the director of the Institute for Public Health and Justice at Louisiana
State University.
New law requires BESE to adopt rules establishing a specialized accountability program to
office of juvenile justice schools no later than March 1, 2017. The specialized accountability
program must include:
(1)A specialized school report card for office of juvenile justice schools.
(2)A program of regular, in-person monitoring of office of juvenile justice schools on
no less than an annual basis.
(3)A set of supports, interventions, and remedies for implementation when an office of
juvenile justice school is deemed academically unacceptable.
New law requires the state Department of Education to assemble and calculate office of
juvenile justice school report cards annually and publish report cards and performance scores
on their website.
New law requires the office of juvenile justice to publish report cards and performance scores
of office of juvenile justice schools on their website.
New law requires the mutual accountability team to recommend to BESE a policy governing
educational assessment and counseling of students in office of juvenile justice schools no
later than January 1, 2017.
New law requires, no later than July 1, 2017, the mutual accountability team recommend to
BESE a policy mandating which records, information, or other documentation must be maintained. New law further provides that BESE consider the mutual accountability team's
recommendations when adopting rules and regulations.
New law provides that no later than December 1, 2016, the mutual accountability team shall
recommend selection criteria for a comprehensive computerized student information system
to be used by office of juvenile justice schools.
New law requires the state superintendent of education designate a program manager for
juvenile justice education programs no later than January 1, 2017.
New law provides that the office of juvenile justice shall be considered a parish school board
for purposes of development and submission of pupil progression plans.
New law provides that Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) funds and other federal funds
for youth in office of juvenile justice facilities be subject to the same oversight and
accountability as other school boards.
New law provides that office of juvenile justice schools are subject to same data collection
provisions as city and parish school boards.
Effective August 1, 2016.
(Amends Ch.C. Art. 908(A), R.S. 15:905(A), (B), and (C), and R.S. 17:3911(B)(1)(intro
para) and (3) and (C)(2), and 3912(A); adds R.S. 17:10.9 and 100.1(D))