SLS 20RS-420 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 324
BY SENATOR BARROW
BESE. Creates the "Educator Pipeline to Success Program". (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:427.6, relative to public schools; to create the Educator Pipeline to Success
3 Program; to support and develop principals and teachers who work in low-
4 performing schools; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 17:427.6 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 ยง427.6. Educator Pipeline to Success Program; creation; implementation
8 A.(1) There is hereby created the "Educator Pipeline to Success
9 Program", referred to in this Section as the "program", for the purpose of
10 developing strong school leaders and teachers to effectively educate students
11 and facilitate a culture of success at low-performing public schools, as defined
12 by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to the
13 state school and district accountability system.
14 (2) The program shall be implemented beginning with the 2020-2021
15 school year and shall be administered by the state Department of Education.
16 The department shall periodically evaluate the program to measure its
17 effectiveness and make recommendations to the state board.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 324
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1 B. The program shall:
2 (1) Include components that specifically focus on developing and
3 supporting principals and teachers to increase student performance. At a
4 minimum, such components shall provide for:
5 (a) A mentor for each participating principal and teacher who shall
6 provide coaching sessions to support to the principal or teacher on at least a
7 monthly basis.
8 (b) Practice-based learning activities.
9 (c) Rigorous performance evaluations.
10 (d) Condensed pathways to next-level certifications.
11 (2) Establish the criteria for and identification of low-performing schools
12 which may employ principals and teachers who are participating in the
13 program. At a minimum, the criteria shall include:
14 (a) School performance scores.
15 (b) District performance scores.
16 (c) Percentage of uncertified teachers.
17 (d) Percentage of teachers teaching outside of their area of certification.
18 (e) Availability of certified principals.
19 (f) Percentage of students enrolled in the school who live at or below the
20 poverty level.
21 (3) Provide a process by which each city, parish, or other local school
22 board with jurisdiction over a school identified pursuant to Paragraph (2) of
23 this Subsection shall be notified of the opportunity to participate in the program
24 and be provided with program criteria and guidelines.
25 (4) Establish the criteria for selecting principals and teachers to
26 participate in the program.
27 C. The program shall provide for the development, support, and
28 certification of principals and teachers to work in low-performing public
29 schools in order to improve student achievement and school and district
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 324
SLS 20RS-420 ORIGINAL
1 performance.
2 D. Any city, local, or other local school board that participates in the
3 program shall provide an alternative salary schedule that provides additional
4 compensation for participating principals and teachers.
5 E. The employing school board and the state Department of Education
6 shall conduct a rigorous review of each participating principal, teacher, and
7 school at the end of each year of participation. The evaluation shall form the
8 basis for recommendations as to whether the principal, the teacher, or the
9 school shall be allowed to continue to participate in the program.
10 F. The state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt
11 rules and regulations for the implementation of this Section in accordance with
12 the Administrative Procedure Act.
13 G. Not later than March 1, 2022, the state board shall submit a written
14 report to the Senate Committee on Education and the House Committee on
15 Education regarding the implementation of the program including:
16 (1) Impact of the program on student academic achievement.
17 (2) Impact of the program on school performance scores.
18 (3) A determination as to whether program results warrant continuation
19 of the program.
20 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
21 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
22 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
23 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
24 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 324 Original 2020 Regular Session Barrow
Proposed law creates the "Educator Pipeline to Success Program" for the purpose of
developing and supporting strong principals and teachers to effectively educate students and
facilitate a culture of success at low-performing public schools.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 324
SLS 20RS-420 ORIGINAL
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:427.6)
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.