HLS 24RS-582 ENGROSSED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 583
BY REPRESENTATIVE AMEDEE
SCHOOLS/CHOICE: Provides for school choice with respect to foreign language
immersion
1 AN ACT
2To amend and reenact R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(a)(introductory paragraph) and (v), (b), (d), and
3 (e) and to enact R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(g), relative to foreign language immersion
4 programs; to provide relative to the procedure for parents to make requests to
5 establish a new program; to provide for effectiveness; and to provide for related
6 matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(a)(introductory paragraph) and (v), (b), (d), and (e)
9are hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(g) is hereby enacted to read as
10follows:
11 §273.3. Foreign language immersion programs; creation by local school boards;
12 parent petition
13 * * *
14 C.
15 * * *
16 (2)(a) Beginning with the 2014-2015 school year, a A local school board, if
17 requested in writing by the parents or legal guardians of at least twenty-five students
18 seeking to be enrolled in kindergarten or of at least twenty-five students seeking to
19 be enrolled in first grade who reside within the jurisdictional boundaries of the
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HB NO. 583
1 school district, shall establish a foreign language immersion program for such
2 students, provided that all of the following apply:
3 * * *
4 (v) There is no existing foreign language immersion program offered by the
5 local school board, in the same foreign language being proposed, that has been
6 certified by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to R.S.
7 17:273.2. R.S. 17:273.2, or the parents requesting the program submit in writing that
8 the existing foreign language immersion program is geographically inaccessible.
9 (b) Such program shall be continued as long as at least twenty students
10 remain enrolled in the program. If a program is discontinued in violation of this
11 Subparagraph, the school board shall reimburse to the state Department of Education
12 any funds that were provided to provide salary supplements to foreign language
13 teachers through the minimum foundation program.
14 * * *
15 (d) The local school board shall review the written requests submitted
16 pursuant to this Paragraph and shall notify the parents or legal guardians not later
17 than February fifteenth fifteenth, or fifteen days after receipt of the requests,
18 whichever is sooner, of its determination as to whether or not the required number
19 of requests was submitted. Parents who submit requests may appeal such
20 determination to the state department. The state department shall make a
21 determination on the appeal within fifteen days.
22 (e) The local school board shall inform the parents and legal custodians
23 guardians of all students enrolled in the school system system, in writing via mail
24 and electronic mail, about the existence of any newly established foreign language
25 immersion program within fifteen days of the determination that at least twenty-five
26 requests were received pursuant to Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph and shall
27 permit all eligible students to apply for the program during the designated enrollment
28 period for the school year.
29 * * *
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HB NO. 583
1 (g) If a school board does not fulfill the requirements of this Subsection,
2 parents who submitted requests to the board may appeal to the state Department of
3 Education. The department shall make a determination on the appeal within fifteen
4 days. If the department finds the school board is in violation of the requirements of
5 this Subsection, the parents may pursue one of the following:
6 (i) Incorporate a nonprofit organization and request approval as a charter
7 school as provided in R.S. 17:3983.
8 (ii) Request that the administration of École Pointe-au-Chien as created by
9 R.S. 1977.1 et seq., open a campus in an area that can serve their children.
10 (iii) Request that a charter school with an immersion program open a campus
11 in an area that can serve their children.
12 Section 2. This Act shall become effective upon signature by the governor or, if not
13signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature
14by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If
15vetoed by the governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, this Act shall become
16effective on the day following such approval.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 583 Engrossed 2024 Regular Session Amedee
Abstract: Provides for a parental petition process for the creation of foreign language
immersion programs for students in grades prekindergarten through 12.
Present law (R.S. 17:273.3) authorizes local public school boards to establish foreign
language immersion programs. Requires a school board to establish such a program if
requested in writing by the parents of at least 25 students seeking enrollment in kindergarten
or at least 25 students seeking enrollment in first grade if certain criteria are met. Requires
that such program be continued as long as at least 20 students remain enrolled in the
program.
Proposed law retains present law and further requires that if the program ceases despite
having 20 students enrolled, the school board shall remit minimum foundation program
foreign language teacher salary supplement funds to the state Dept. of Education.
Proposed law authorizes parents who submit requests to local school boards to make appeals
to the State Bd. of Elementary and Secondary Education.
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HB NO. 583
Proposed law authorizes parents, if school boards do not fulfill the requirements of present
law to establish a program, to request approval as a charter school or request École Pointe-
au-Chien, L'Academie de la Louisiane, or a Type 2 charter school with an immersion
program open a new campus in an area that can serve their children.
Effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:273.3(C)(2)(a)(intro. para,) and (v), (b), (d), and (e); Adds R.S.
17:273.3(C)(2)(g))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Education to the
original bill:
1. Remove name change of the International School in Lafayette to L'Académie de
la Louisiane.
2. Remove narrowing scope of school from a world language immersion school to
only French language.
3. Remove provision of governance of the school by a 16-member board of
directors.
4. Remove expansion of École Pointe-au-Chien from a school for students in grades
pre-K through 4 to also include grade 5.
5. Remove authorization for École Pointe-au-Chien campus locations outside of
Terrebonne Parish.
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