RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 245 (SB 481) 2020 Regular Session Fields
New law provides for suspension of certain laws pertaining to elementary and secondary
education for students impacted by the public health emergency declared by the governor in
response to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
New law requires postsecondary education management boards to adopt policies to address
the negative impacts on postsecondary students, faculty, and other employees by the public
health emergency declared by the governor in response to the novel coronavirus, COVID-19.
New law makes the following modifications to initial eligibility requirements for a Taylor
Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) award:
(1)The deadline for taking the ACT or SAT test is Sept. 30, 2020. (The deadline is
normally April, as provided by rule.)
Prior law provided that a student loses a semester of eligibility if he is late qualifying.
New law provides that prior law shall not be applied to a student who qualifies under
the extended deadline.
(2)Provides that if any Jump Start graduation requirement was waived by a high school
for graduation purposes, the requirement shall also be waived for TOPS-Tech
eligibility purposes.
(3)Authorizes the administering agency to waive the home study requirements in prior
law if it determines that the student's failure to meet those requirements was, more
likely than not, due solely to consequences of measures taken to limit the spread of
COVID-19.
New law makes the following modifications to continuing eligibility requirements for a
TOPS award with respect to the 2019-2020 academic year:
(1)Waives requirements for steady academic progress.
(2)Waives requirements for the achievement of certain cumulative grade point averages.
(3)Extends the time a student has to recover an award that was suspended because of a
low grade point average or failure to make steady academic progress.
(4)Authorizes the administering agency to waive other provisions of prior law if the
agency determines that a failure to comply with the provision is, more likely than not,
due solely to a consequence of measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Effective upon signature of the governor (June 11, 2020).
(Adds R.S. 17:8, 3351(M), and 5103)