SLS 17RS-343 ORIGINAL 2017 Regular Session SENATE BILL NO. 73 BY SENATOR MILKOVICH Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana. SCHOOLS. Allows each public school governing authority to determine the education content standards and assessments to be used in the schools under its jurisdiction. (gov sig) 1 AN ACT 2 To enact R.S. 17:24.4(E)(7), relative to state content standards and related assessments; to 3 allow each public school governing authority to determine the content standards and 4 assessments to be used in the schools under its jurisdiction; to prohibit the State 5 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state Department of 6 Education from mandating the use of state-adopted standards and assessments; to 7 provide for a process whereby the people can decide which content standards and 8 assessments will be used in public schools; to provide relative to the school and 9 district accountability system, teacher evaluations, and pupil progression plans; and 10 to provide for related matters. 11 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana: 12 Section 1. R.S. 17:24.4(E)(7) is hereby enacted to read as follows: 13 ยง24.4. Louisiana Competency-Based Education Program; statewide standards for 14 required subjects; Louisiana Educational Assessment Program; parish 15 or city school board comprehensive pupil progression plans; waivers 16 * * * 17 E. Page 1 of 3 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 73 SLS 17RS-343 ORIGINAL 1 * * * 2 (7)(a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the 3 governing authority of each public elementary and secondary school may adopt 4 and implement the content standards and related assessments it determines best 5 serves the educational needs of the students it serves. 6 (b) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the 7 state Department of Education shall not require the governing authority of any 8 public elementary and secondary school to implement the common core 9 standards developed jointly by the National Governors Association Center for 10 Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers, or any other 11 content standards adopted by the state board, nor shall local schools and school 12 districts be required to participate in the administration of any state tests or 13 assessments. 14 (c)(i) Upon receipt of a petition signed by at least ten percent of the 15 registered voters residing within the geographic boundaries of the school 16 district, the local public school board shall provide for an election whereby the 17 people shall choose whether state content standards and related assessments or 18 locally adopted content standards and assessments shall be used in the schools 19 within the school system. 20 (ii) In the case of a charter school, upon receipt of a petition signed by at 21 least ten percent of the parents who have children enrolled in the school, the 22 governing authority of the school shall provide for a process whereby the 23 parents of the children enrolled in the school shall be able to vote on whether 24 state content standards and related assessments or content standards and 25 assessments adopted by the school's governing authority shall be used in the 26 school. 27 (d) A public school or school district that declines to implement the state 28 content standards and assessments adopted by the state board shall not be 29 subject to the requirements of the school and district accountability system, nor Page 2 of 3 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 73 SLS 17RS-343 ORIGINAL 1 shall there be any negative consequences with respect to teacher evaluations or 2 pupil progression plans. 3 * * * 4 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not 5 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature 6 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If 7 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become 8 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 Jeanne C. Johnston. DIGEST SB 73 Original 2017 Regular Session Milkovich Present law provides for the Louisiana Competency-Based Education Program and requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) to adopt state content standards for required subjects and develop state assessments based upon those standards. Proposed law retains present law but authorizes the governing authority of each public elementary and secondary school to adopt and implement the content standards and related assessments it determines best serves the educational needs of the students it serves. Proposed law prohibits BESE and the state Dept. of Education from requiring any public school governing authority to implement the common core state standards or any other content standards adopted by the board. Additionally prohibits BESE from requiring schools and school districts to participate in the administration of any state tests or assessments. Proposed law provides that, upon receipt of a petition signed by at least 10% of the registered voters residing within the geographic boundaries of a school district, the local school board shall provide for an election whereby the people shall choose whether state content standards and assessments or locally adopted content standards and assessments will be used in district schools. Proposed law provides that in the case of a charter school, upon receipt of a petition signed by at least 10% of the parents who have children enrolled in the school, the charter school governing authority shall provide for a process whereby the parents of the children enrolled in the school shall be able to vote on whether state content standards and assessments or content standards and assessments adopted by the school's governing authority will be used in the school. Proposed law provides that a public school or school district that declines to implement the state content standards and assessments adopted by the state board shall not be subject to the requirements of the school and district accountability system, nor shall there be any negative consequences with respect to teacher evaluations or pupil progression plans. Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action. (Adds R.S. 17:24.4(E)(7)) Page 3 of 3 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law; words in boldface type and underscored are additions.