RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 533 (SB 50) 2022 Regular Session Hewitt
New law allows a student to enroll in a program of choice under certain circumstances.
New law defines a "program of choice" as a public high school program that allows a student
to concurrently pursue a high school diploma and one of the following:
(1)A postsecondary degree, credential, or certificate.
(2)A state-registered apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship.
New law allows a high school student to enroll in a program of choice offered within his
school system, without regard to attendance zones, provided that both of the following apply:
(1)The program of choice and the high school offering the program have available
capacity at the appropriate grade level.
(2)The program of choice is not offered at the public high school in which the student
was most recently enrolled, or would otherwise attend.
New law requires the governing authority of each public high school to adopt policies to
govern student transfers to programs of choice. New law further requires the governing
authority rules to include:
(1)A definition of "capacity" for each high school and each program of choice.
(2)The transfer request period, which shall begin no later than March first and end no
earlier than March twenty-eighth, annually.
(3)The process for submitting a student transfer request for each program.
(4)Admission requirements, if any, for each program.
(5)The process for requesting review of a denial of a request to transfer to a program of
choice by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in accordance
with existing law (R.S. 17:4035.1(C)).
New law requires the governing authority of each public high school to partner with local
businesses and public postsecondary education institutions to grow programs of choice that
are relevant to the school's local area and to the state that lead to careers in high-demand,
high-paying fields and to work to ensure the programs are evenly distributed among the high
schools in the school system.
New law restricts the authority to enroll a student in a program of choice if the enrollment
violates an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
New law provides that the new law shall not be construed as requiring a high school or a
program of choice with selective admission requirements to enroll a student who does not
meet the admission requirements, regardless of whether the school or program of choice has
available capacity.
Effective June 17, 2022.
(Adds R.S. 17:4035.2)