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 42 Reengrossed 2020 Second Extraordinary Session Wright
Abstract: Provides relative to authority of students to attend the public school of their choice,
including provisions for appealing a denial of enrollment to the State Bd. of Elementary and
Secondary Education (BESE).
Present law allows parents to enroll children in the public school of their choice, without regard to
residence, school system geographic boundaries, or attendance zones, if both of the following apply:
(1)The public school in which the student was most recently enrolled or would otherwise attend
received a school performance letter grade of "D" or "F" for the most recent school year.
(2)The school in which the student seeks to enroll received a school performance letter grade
of "A", "B", or "C" for the most recent school year and has sufficient capacity at the
appropriate grade level.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law requires each public school governing authority to adopt a policy to govern student
transfers authorized by present law. Proposed law requires that the student transfer policy be posted
to each public school governing authority's website by May 31, 2021, and reported to the state Dept.
of Education by June 30, 2021.
Proposed law authorizes appeals to BESE by students who are denied enrollment into their public
school of choice.
Proposed law prohibits BESE from:
(1)Approving an enrollment request if approval would result in a school exceeding capacity.
(2)Requiring a school to enroll a student ahead of another student who was on an existing
waiting list.
Proposed law requires BESE to pursue funds to provide financial incentives and student supports
to schools enrolling students pursuant to present law.
Proposed law requires that school governing authority policies and BESE prioritize requests for
intradistrict transfers over interdistrict transfers. Proposed law provides that if a student chooses a school under a different governing authority, he
shall not be included in the school's performance ratings for their first two years of attendance.
Further provides that funding for such a student shall be provided from the student's former school's
governing authority in an amount equal to the per pupil supplemental allocation via a transfer under
a schedule agreed upon by both governing authorities.
(Amends R.S. 17:4035.1) Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The House Floor Amendments to the engrossed bill:
1. Delete provision that a student be funded in the manner of a student enrolled at a Type
2 charter school. Require instead that if a student transfers from a school under the
jurisdiction of one governing authority to another, an amount equal to the per pupil
supplemental allocation be transferred to the governing authority of the school in which
the student enrolls.
2. Prohibit BESE from approving a request that would cause a school to exceed its capacity
and from requiring a student to be enrolled ahead of one on a waiting list.
3. Require that school governing authority policies and BESE prioritize intradistrict
priorities.