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 239 Original 2017 Regular Session Bouie
Abstract: Requires the State Bd. of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to submit certain
information relative to all charter schools operating in La. to the legislature and the
legislative auditor. Prohibits the authorization of charter schools pending certification of
such information by the legislative auditor.
Proposed law requires BESE to submit a report to the legislature and the legislative auditor by Feb.
15, 2018, that includes all of the following information for each charter school operating in the state:
(1)Performance data, including all raw data collected, and results that include, at a minimum,
a description of the education program offered by each school and how that program has met
the needs of the students since the school was created and if and to what extent the school
is achieving its stated goals and objectives as specified in its approved charter.
(2)An analysis of such data and results for each school.
(3)Other information as determined by the legislative auditor.
Proposed law prohibits BESE and local public school boards from authorizing charter schools until
the legislature receives written notification from the legislative auditor certifying that the information
submitted by BESE as required in proposed law complies with the requirements of proposed law and
present law relative to the intended purposes of the charter school law.
Present law (R.S. 17:3972) creates the Charter School Demonstration Programs Law to authorize
experimentation of innovative kinds of independent public schools, to provide a framework for such
experimentation by the creation of such schools, a means for all persons with valid ideas and
motivation to participate in the experiment, and a mechanism by which experiment results can be
analyzed, the positive results repeated or replicated, and the negative results identified and
eliminated.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:3981(9))