HLS 202ES-119 ORIGINAL
2020 Second Extraordinary Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 58
BY REPRESENTATIVE THOMAS
SCHOOLS: Provides relative to the requirements for school instructional time (Item #42)
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:154.1(A)(1) and to enact R.S. 17:154.1(C), relative to
3 minimum requirements for instructional time for students in public schools; to
4 provide for the meaning of instructional time; to provide for applicability of such
5 requirements under certain circumstances; and to provide for related matters.
6Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 17:154.1(A) is hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 17:154.1(C)
8is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง154.1. Length of school day and year; requirements
10 A.(1)(a) The minimum school day for grades one through twelve in every
11 public school in the state shall consist of three hundred sixty minutes of instructional
12 time, exclusive of all recesses. The minimum school year shall consist of one
13 hundred seventy-seven days of instruction. However, in order to provide teacher
14 training, provide for the safety and well-being of students, or implement other
15 educational reform efforts, any governing authority of a public elementary or
16 secondary school may authorize some or all of its schools to modify the total number
17 of instructional minutes per day and instructional days per year as long as the total
18 number of instructional minutes per year is no less than the minimum number of
19 instructional minutes per day multiplied by the minimum number of instructional
20 days as required by this Section.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 202ES-119 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 58
1 (b) Instructional time shall consist of the scheduled time within the regular
2 school day devoted to teaching courses outlined in the program of studies.
3 (c) Instructional time shall not include:
4 (i) Time for lunch.
5 (ii) Time for parent-teacher conferences.
6 (iii) Time for schoolwide teacher training and professional development.
7 (iv) Time between classes.
8 (v) Time in which students are assigned independent, ungraded work or
9 enrichment activities when students are not participating in in-person or virtual
10 instruction led by a classroom teacher, substitute teacher, or assigned school staff
11 member.
12 * * *
13 C. If a natural disaster or an emergency declared by the governor prevents
14 a school from meeting instructional time requirements during the regularly scheduled
15 school year, the school's governing authority shall utilize all available instructional
16 formats and modified school schedules, including but not limited to extended school
17 days and an extended school year, to ensure students receive the minimum required
18 instructional time. Nothing in this Subsection shall be construed to prohibit the
19 governor from suspending instructional time requirements if he declares a natural
20 disaster or an emergency pursuant to R.S. 29:724.
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 58 Original 2020 Second Extraordinary Session Thomas
Abstract: Provides relative to the minimum requirements for instructional time at public
schools.
Present law, applicable to public school grades 1 - 12, requires that a school day consist of
at least 360 minutes of instructional time, exclusive of all recesses, and a school year consist
of at least 177 days of instruction. Proposed law retains present law.
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 202ES-119 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 58
Proposed law provides that instructional time does not include any of the following:
(1)Independent, ungraded work and enrichment activities that are not led by a teacher
or staff member.
(2)Lunch.
(3)Parent-teacher conferences.
(4)Schoolwide teacher training and professional development.
(5)Time between classes.
Proposed law requires public school governing authorities to use modified instructional
formats and schedules to ensure students receive the minimum required instructional time
pursuant to present law regardless of a natural disaster or an emergency declared by the
governor.
(Amends R.S. 17:154.1(A)(1); Adds R.S. 17:154.1(C))
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.