SLS 16RS-382 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 353
BY SENATOR BISHOP AND REPRESENTATIVE HILFERTY
SCHOOLS. Provides for the Louisiana Expectant and Parenting Students Act. (8/1/16)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:221.7 and 3996(B)(42), relative to dropout prevention programs for high
3 school students; to provide for the Louisiana Expectant and Parenting Students Act;
4 to provide for a purpose for the Act; to require public high school governing
5 authorities to adopt policies that support expectant and parenting students; to provide
6 for reporting requirements and criteria; to provide for an effective date; and to
7 provide for related matters.
8 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
9 Section 1. R.S. 17:221.7 and 3996(B)(42) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
10 §221.7. Dropout prevention and recovery for expectant and parenting students
11 A. The Louisiana Legislature recognizes the need to ensure that all
12 students graduate from high school, despite the many challenges they may face.
13 The legislature acknowledges that pregnancy is consistently the most common
14 family-related reason given by female students who drop out of high school.
15 Further, the legislature finds that federal Title IX of the Education
16 Amendments of 1972 protects the rights of expectant and parenting students,
17 and encompassed in that protection is the right to a safe and supportive school
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SLS 16RS-382 ORIGINAL
1 environment that promotes high school graduation.
2 B. Basic legal obligations of any education program or activity receiving
3 federal financial assistance under federal Title IX of the Education
4 Amendments of 1972 include:
5 (1) Prohibiting discrimination against a student based on pregnancy,
6 childbirth, false pregnancy, or recovery from any of these conditions.
7 (2) Prohibiting illegally excluding a pregnant student from participating
8 in any part of an educational program.
9 (3) Excusing a student's absence because of pregnancy or childbirth for
10 as long as the doctor deems the absence medically necessary.
11 (4) Permitting a female student to return to the same academic and
12 extracurricular status as before her medical leave began.
13 C. (1) Each governing authority of a public secondary school receiving
14 federal financial assistance shall adopt a policy that complies with the
15 requirements of federal Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and
16 shall submit a copy of such policy to the state Department of Education.
17 (2) In addition to the basic legal obligations under federal Title IX of the
18 Education Amendments of 1972, the following key provisions shall be included
19 in a school governing authority's policy regarding expectant and parenting
20 students:
21 (a) Maintaining student confidentiality.
22 (b) Ensuring a safe and supportive learning environment.
23 (c) Promoting academic success.
24 (d) Implementing sensible attendance policies.
25 (e) Utilizing liaisons to share information.
26 (3) The state Department of Education shall review each policy
27 submitted pursuant to this Section for compliance with applicable federal law,
28 rules and regulations.
29 (4) The state Department of Education shall also collect data from each
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1 public secondary school governing authority regarding the number of expectant
2 and parenting students in the school who graduated from high school and those
3 that did not.
4 (5) The department shall submit a written report to the Senate and
5 House committees on education and health and welfare at least sixty days before
6 the 2017 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature which shall include the
7 level of compliance of public school governing authorities with the provisions
8 of this Section, a summary of the data related to the graduation rate of
9 expectant and parenting students, and any recommendations for changes in
10 policy or legislation.
11 §3996. Charter schools; exemptions; requirements
12 * * *
13 B. Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and
14 except as may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a
15 charter school established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this
16 Chapter and its approved charter and the school's officers and employees shall be
17 exempt from all statutory mandates or other statutory requirements that are
18 applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees except for
19 the following laws otherwise applicable to public schools with the same grades:
20 * * *
21 (42) Louisiana Expectant and Parenting Students Act, R.S. 17:221.7.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Christine Arbo Peck.
DIGEST
SB 353 Original 2016 Regular Session Bishop
Proposed law establishes the Louisiana Expectant and Parenting Students Act to recognize
existing Federal Title IX obligations and policy provisions that shall be adopted by
governing authorities of public secondary schools and charter schools. Further, provides for
a report by the state Department of Education on school compliance with policies and data
on rates of graduation for students who are expecting and parenting and recommendations
for legislation.
Effective August 1, 2016.
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(Adds R.S. 17:221.7 and 3996(B)(42))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.