SLS 23RS-239 REENGROSSED
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 to be presented during the educator's work day, but not
12 during the statutorily guaranteed planning period, designed for the professional
13 development of educators that includes information on instructing students
14 regarding the vertical alignment of mathematical concepts and the blending of
15 concepts, procedures, strategies, problem-solving, and disposition.
16 (2) "Teacher" means each fourth through eighth grade public school
17 teacher who teaches mathematics.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
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SLS 23RS-239 REENGROSSED
1 B. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the state
2 Department of Education shall:
3 (1) Not later than March 1, 2024, develop a list of approved professional
4 development courses.
5 (2) Not later than August 1, 2025, require each teacher to successfully
6 complete at least one approved professional development course and provide
7 documentation to the teacher's employing school. A teacher who provides
8 documentation of a successfully completed approved professional development
9 course within five years prior to August 1, 2025, shall be considered in
10 compliance with the provisions of this Paragraph. Courses completed more than
11 five years prior to August 1, 2025, shall not be used to fulfill the requirements
12 of this Paragraph.
13 (3) Require any teacher hired after July 31, 2025, to provide
14 documentation to the employing school of successful completion of an approved
15 professional development course within two years of the date of employment.
16 (4)(a) On May 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, require each city, parish,
17 or other local public school board to report to the department the number and
18 percentage of teachers who have successfully completed an approved
19 professional development course.
20 (b) The data required by Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall be
21 included in the department's school progress profiles required by R.S. 17:3911
22 and 3912.
23 C. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt
24 rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the
25 provisions of this Section.
26 D. The effectiveness of the provisions of this Section shall be subject to
27 the designation and allocation of funds by the state Department of Education;
28 however, no state funds or obligated federal funds shall be used to implement
29 the provisions of this Section.
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SLS 23RS-239 REENGROSSED
1 E. Nothing in this Section shall be construed to extend the hours in the
2 teacher's work day nor the hours to be worked in a year.
3 * * *
4 §3996. Charter schools; exemptions; requirements
5 * * *
6 B. Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and
7 except as may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a
8 charter school established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this
9 Chapter and its approved charter and the school's officers and employees shall be
10 exempt from all statutory mandates or other statutory requirements that are
11 applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees except for
12 the following laws otherwise applicable to public schools with the same grades:
13 * * *
14 (75) Numeracy professional development, R.S. 17:24.13.
15 * * *
16 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
17 signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
18 by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
19 vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
20 effective on the day following such approval.
The original instrument was prepared by Cheryl Serrett. The following
digest, which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was
prepared by Thomas L. Tyler.
DIGEST
SB 163 Reengrossed 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). Specify
that the required numeracy skills training shall be presented during the educator's work day,
but not during the statutorily guaranteed planning period.
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
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SLS 23RS-239 REENGROSSED
of the approved professional development courses and provide documentation of a
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,
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.
Proposed law provides that nothing in proposed law shall be construed to extend the hours
in the teacher's work day nor the hours to be worked in a year.
Effective upon signature of the governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Adds R.S. 17:24.13 and 3996(B)(75))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
original bill
1. Specify that the required numeracy skills training shall be presented during
the educator's work day, but not during the statutorily guaranteed planning
period.
2. Provide that nothing in proposed law shall be construed to extend the hours
in the teacher's work day nor the hours to be worked in a year.
Senate Floor Amendments to engrossed bill
1. Technical amendments.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.