SLS 20RS-752 ORIGINAL
2020 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 23
BY SENATORS FIELDS, BARROW, CATHEY AND MILLIGAN
EDUCATION ACCOUNTABILITY. Suspends certain laws relative to school closures due
to COVID-19.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To suspend certain laws to address the circumstances related to the closing of schools due
3 to COVID-19, including laws relative to required instructional minutes, teacher work
4 days, student assessments used in determining student proficiency and progression,
5 school and district performance scores and letter grades, and teacher evaluations.
6 WHEREAS, on March 11, 2020, the governor of Louisiana declared a public health
7 emergency in response to COVID-19; and
8 WHEREAS, at present there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and there
9 is a high probability of widespread exposure and the disease poses an imminent threat to
10 Louisiana citizens; and
11 WHEREAS, to ensure the health and safety of the children of Louisiana the governor
12 issued an executive order on March 13, 2020, to close all public school facilities until April
13 13, 2020 and suspend the instructional minute requirement for the 2019-2020 school year;
14 and
15 WHEREAS, Louisiana's mandated annual statewide student assessments are fast
16 approaching; and
17 WHEREAS, such assessments are used in determining student proficiency and
18 progression, school and district performance scores and letter grades, and teacher
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SLS 20RS-752 ORIGINAL
1 evaluations; and
2 WHEREAS, the closure of schools will disrupt the normal learning environment and
3 prevent teachers from imparting valuable information to students prior to testing; and
4 WHEREAS, student anxiety over COVID-19 and unrest caused by school closures
5 are expected to have negative ramifications on student test performance; and
6 WHEREAS, results from these assessments significantly impact students, teachers,
7 schools, and districts; and
8 WHEREAS, the health of Louisiana's students, teachers, and other school employees,
9 and not test results, should be of the utmost concern during these unprecedented, challenging
10 days.
11 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana hereby suspends
12 the provisions of R.S. 17:154.1 and 154.3, effective upon adoption of this Resolution.
13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana hereby suspends
14 the provisions of R.S. 17:10.1, 24.4, 391.2 et seq., 3881 et seq., 3901 et seq., 3997(D), and
15 4023 effective upon the receipt of notification from the United States Department of
16 Education that the state has been granted a waiver from certain student assessment related
17 requirements in the state's Every Student Succeeds Act plan.
18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
19 Education (BESE) is hereby directed to immediately apply to the United States Department
20 of Education for such waiver to ensure that suspension of the specified statutes does not
21 negatively impact the state's eligibility for federal programs or funding.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that BESE is hereby directed to adopt such
23 emergency rules as necessary to implement the suspension of student assessments and the
24 listed statutes in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.
25 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this suspension shall apply to the 2019-2020
26 school year.
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SLS 20RS-752 ORIGINAL
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Cheryl Serrett.
DIGEST
SCR 23 Original 2020 Regular Session Fields
Suspends certain laws relative to the closing of schools due to COVID-19.
Effective for the 2019-2020 school year.
(Suspends R.S. 17:10.1, 24.4, 154.1, 154.3, 391.2 et seq., 3881 et seq., 3901 et seq.,
3997(D), and 4023)
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