SLS 16RS-583 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 361
BY SENATOR MORRISH
STUDENTS. Provides relative to student eligibility to participate in the Student
Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:4013(2)(a) and (b), 4015(3)(b) and (7)(b), and 4021(C),
3 relative to the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program; to provide
4 with respect to eligibility of students to participate in the scholarship program; and
5 to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:4013(2)(a) and (b), 4015(3)(b) and (7)(b), and 4021(C) are hereby
8 amended and reenacted to read as follows:
9 §4013. Definitions
10 As used in this Chapter, unless otherwise clearly indicated, the following
11 terms mean:
12 * * *
13 (2) "Eligible student" means a student who resides in Louisiana, is a member
14 of a family with a total income that does not exceed two hundred fifty percent of the
15 current federal poverty guidelines as established by the federal office of management
16 and budget, and who meets any one of the following criteria:
17 (a) Is entering kindergarten and any one of the following criteria applies:
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1 (i) has enrolled in the local school system in which the The public school he
2 would have otherwise attended is located or in a school under the jurisdiction of the
3 Recovery School District. Each local school system or the Recovery School District
4 shall conduct its annual kindergarten enrollment process and shall report such
5 enrollment to the department prior to the program enrollment process received a
6 letter grade of "D" or "F", or any variation thereof, for the most recent year
7 pursuant to the school and district accountability system.
8 (ii) Is the sibling of a scholarship recipient.
9 (iii) Was enrolled the previous school year in the Nonpublic School Early
10 Childhood Development program at the school in which he is entering
11 kindergarten.
12 (b) Was enrolled in a public school in Louisiana on October first and on
13 February first of the most recent school year pursuant to the definition of student
14 membership established by the state board for purposes of the minimum foundation
15 program formula, and such school received a letter grade of "C", "D", or "F" or any
16 variation thereof, for the most recent year pursuant to the school and district
17 accountability system.
18 * * *
19 §4015. Program administration
20 §4015. Program administration
21 In administering the program pursuant to this Chapter, the department shall:
22 * * *
23 (3)
24 * * *
25 (b) In the event there are more eligible students who submit applications than
26 there are available seats at participating schools for any grade, the department shall
27 conduct a random selection process to award scholarships that provides each eligible
28 student an equal opportunity for selection. Only after each student who attended or
29 otherwise would be attending a public school that received a letter grade of "D" or
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1 "F" or any variation thereof has been placed at a participating school which the
2 parent or legal guardian indicated as a choice on the eligible student's application
3 shall a student who attended a public school that received a letter grade of "C" or any
4 variation thereof be entered into the random selection process. At such time, each
5 student who attended or otherwise would be attending a public school that received
6 a letter grade of "C" or any variation thereof shall be provided an equal opportunity
7 for selection into that particular participating school. However, the department may
8 give preference to the following:
9 (i) Siblings of students already enrolled in the participating school.
10 (ii) Students enrolled in the Nonpublic School Early Childhood Development
11 Program at the participating school.
12 (iii) Participating students transferring from an ineligible school pursuant to
13 this Section, provided the student would otherwise attend a public school that
14 received a "D" or "F", or any variation thereof, for the most recent year
15 pursuant to the school and district accountability system.
16 (iv) Students residing in the parishes as indicated pursuant to the notice of
17 intent, if applicable.
18 * * *
19 (7) Annually publish the following information for all schools participating
20 in the program:
21 * * *
22 (b) A list of all public schools with a letter grade of "C", "D", or "F", or any
23 variation thereof.
24 * * *
25 §4021. School eligibility
26 * * *
27 C. Scholarship recipients enrolled in a participating school that fails to meet
28 the eligibility criteria established in this Section may transfer to another participating
29 school for the succeeding school year without loss of eligibility, and such. Such
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1 recipients shall be given preference for enrollment at other participating schools,
2 provided such recipients would otherwise attend a public school that received
3 a letter grade of "D" or "F", or any variation thereof, for the most recent year
4 pursuant to the school and district accountability system.
5 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
6 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
7 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
8 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
9 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 Cheryl Serrett.
DIGEST
SB 361 Original 2016 Regular Session Morrish
Present law establishes the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program.
Present law provides that to be eligible for a scholarship a student shall reside in La., be a
member of a family with a total income that does not exceed 250% of the current federal
poverty guidelines, and shall meet any one of several criteria.
Present law provides that an entering kindergartner is eligible for the scholarship program
if he has enrolled in the local school system in which the public school he would have
otherwise attended is located or in a school under the jurisdiction of the Recovery School
District.
Proposed law provides that an entering kindergarten student who meets one of the following
criteria is eligible to participate in the program:
(1)Would otherwise be assigned to attend a public school with a letter grade of a "D"
or "F".
(2)Is the sibling of a scholarship recipient.
(3)Was enrolled in the Nonpublic School Early Childhood Development program at the
school in which he is entering kindergarten.
Present law provides that each local school system or the Recovery School District shall
conduct its annual kindergarten enrollment process and shall report such enrollment to the
department prior to the program enrollment process. Proposed law removes present law.
Present law allows a student who was enrolled, for the prior school year, in a public school
that received a letter grade of "C", "D", or "F" to be eligible for a scholarship.
Proposed law removes eligibility for a student who attended a public school that received
a letter grade of "C".
Present law provides for a random selection process to award scholarships in the event more
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applications are submitted than participating schools have seats. The process provides that
students who would otherwise attend public schools that received a letter grade of "D" or "F"
during the most recent grading period would be provided seats before those from schools
with a letter grade of "C".
Proposed law removes students that would otherwise attend public schools with a letter
grade of "C" from the award process.
Present law provides that if there is a shortage of seats at participating schools that the
Department of Education may give preference to:
(1) Siblings of students already enrolled in the participating school.
(2) Students enrolled in the Nonpublic School Early Childhood Development Program
at the participating school.
(3) Students with a scholarship who are transferring from an ineligible school.
(4)Students residing in the parishes as indicated pursuant to the notice of intent, if
applicable.
Proposed law removes preferences for students with a scholarship who would otherwise go
to public schools that received a "C" during the prior grading period and who are transferring
from an ineligible school. Proposed law additionally, removes preferences for students
residing in the parishes indicated.
Present law requires that the Department of Education annually provide a list of all schools
with a letter grade of "C", "D" or "F" to participating schools.
Proposed law removes the requirement that the department include schools with a letter
grade of "C" in this list.
Present law provides that scholarship recipients enrolled in an ineligible school may transfer
to another participating school without loss of eligibility, and that such recipients shall be
given preference for enrollment at other participating schools. Proposed law provides that
only students that would otherwise attend a public school that received a letter grade of "D"
or "F" will be given preference.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:4013(2)(a) and (b), 4015(3)(b) and (7)(b), and 4021(C))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.