SLS 23RS-239 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 163
BY SENATOR HEWITT
Prefiled pursuant to Article III, Section 2(A)(4)(b)(i) of the Constitution of Louisiana.
TEACHERS. Requires numeracy professional development for certain teachers. (gov sig)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:24.13 and 3996(B)(75), relative to numeracy skills professional
3 development; to require numeracy skills training for certain teachers; to provide
4 reporting on the training; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 17:24.13 and 3996(B)(75) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 §24.13. Numeracy professional development; purpose; requirements;
8 reporting; funding
9 A. As used in this Section:
10 (1) "Approved professional development course" means a numeracy
11 skills instruction course designed for the professional development of educators
12 that includes information on instructing students regarding the vertical
13 alignment of mathematical concepts and the blending of concepts, procedures,
14 strategies, problem-solving, and disposition.
15 (2) "Teacher" means each fourth through eighth grade public school
16 teacher who teaches mathematics.
17 B. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the state
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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. 163
SLS 23RS-239 ORIGINAL
1 Department of Education shall:
2 (1) Not later than March 1, 2024, develop a list of approved professional
3 development courses.
4 (2) Not later than August 1, 2025, require each teacher to successfully
5 complete at least one approved professional development course and provide
6 documentation to the teacher's employing school. A teacher who provides
7 documentation that the teacher successfully completed an approved
8 professional development course within five years prior to August 1, 2025, shall
9 be considered in compliance with the provisions of this Paragraph. Courses
10 completed more than five years prior to August 1, 2025, shall not be used to
11 fulfill the requirements of this Paragraph.
12 (3) Require any teacher hired after July 31, 2025, to provide
13 documentation to the employing school of successful completion of an approved
14 professional development course within two years of the date of employment.
15 (4)(a) On May 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, require each city, parish,
16 or other local public school board to report to the department the number and
17 percentage of teachers who have successfully completed an approved
18 professional development course.
19 (b) The data required by Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall be
20 included in the department's school progress profiles required by R.S. 17:3911
21 and 3912.
22 C. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt
23 rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the
24 provisions of this Section.
25 D. The effectiveness of the provisions of this Section shall be subject to
26 the designation and allocation of funds by the state Department of Education;
27 however, no state funds or obligated federal funds shall be used to implement
28 the provisions of this Section.
29 * * *
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
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1 §3996. Charter schools; exemptions; requirements
2 * * *
3 B. Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and
4 except as may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a
5 charter school established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this
6 Chapter and its approved charter and the school's officers and employees shall be
7 exempt from all statutory mandates or other statutory requirements that are
8 applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees except for
9 the following laws otherwise applicable to public schools with the same grades:
10 * * *
11 (75) Numeracy professional development, R.S. 17:24.13.
12 * * *
13 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
14 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
15 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
16 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
17 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 163 Original 2023 Regular Session Hewitt
Proposed law requires each public school teacher who teaches fourth through eighth grade
mathematics to successfully complete a foundational numeracy skills professional
development course that is approved by the state Department of Education (LDOE).
Proposed law requires, not later than March 1, 2024, the LDOE to develop a list of approved
professional development courses.
Proposed law requires, by August 1, 2025, each teacher to successfully complete at least one
of the approved professional development courses and provide documentation of the
successful completion to the employing school. Further provides that teachers who provide
documentation of completion of an approved program within five years prior to August 1,
2025, will be considered in compliance.
Proposed law requires each newly hired teacher to document successful completion of an
approved program to the employing school within two years of the date of employment.
Proposed law requires, beginning May 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, that each city,
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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. 163
SLS 23RS-239 ORIGINAL
parish, or other local school board report to LDOE the number and percentage of teachers
who have successfully completed an approved course. Further requires the data to be
reported on LDOE's school progress profiles.
Proposed law requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to adopt
rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of
proposed law.
Present law provides for public charter schools and provides for requirements for those
schools.
Proposed law requires public charter schools to comply with provisions of proposed law.
Proposed law provides that the effectiveness of the provisions of proposed law is subject to
the designation and allocation of funds by the LDOE and that no state or obligated federal
funds shall be used to implement proposed law.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:24.13 and 3996(B)(75))
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.