ENROLLED
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 44
BY REPRESENTATIVES MELERINE, BRYANT, CARVER, CHASSION, FREIBERG,
KNOX, MYERS, NEWELL, OWEN, PHELPS, SELDERS, TARVER, TAYLOR,
WYBLE, AND YOUNG
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To direct the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to explore the creation of
an appeals process for certain students who do not pass the state-administered,
end-of-course assessments required for high school graduation and to submit a
written report to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on
Education, which includes a status update and any recommendations for related
legislation, not later than March 1, 2025.
WHEREAS, current law, R.S. 17:24.4, requires the state Department of Education
to implement the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program (LEAP) with the approval of
the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE); and
WHEREAS, the law further requires that BESE implement standards-based
assessments in English language arts, math, science, and social studies and requires BESE
to establish by rule the adequate test score to determine successful performance of the
student on each test; and
WHEREAS, successful performance on certain LEAP tests is required to obtain a
high school diploma; and
WHEREAS, in 2023, BESE adopted a policy establishing an appeals process
involving the submission of a portfolio for high school seniors unable to meet the state's
LEAP test requirements for graduation; this policy was overturned by an executive order in
January of 2024; and
WHEREAS, House Bill No. 8 of this 2024 Regular Session of the Legislature
prohibits an appeals process allowing a student who has not passed LEAP tests required for
high school graduation to become eligible for graduation through the submission of a
portfolio; however, there is strong interest in discussing other avenues through which certain
students may be eligible to participate in a graduation appeals process developed by BESE.
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
direct the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to explore the creation of an
appeals process for certain students who do not pass the state-administered, end-of-course
assessments required for high school graduation.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that BESE should explore a variety of options for
students to become eligible for graduation, including but not limited to the use of nationally
norm-referenced testing, and should ensure that students eligible for graduation have
successfully demonstrated proficiency relative to the applicable state content standards.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that BESE should not allow the appeals process to
be administered by the school in which the student was enrolled when he failed to pass the
assessments required for graduation but rather require that the process be administered by
another entity such as the school's governing authority or the state Department of Education.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that BESE shall submit a written report to the House
Committee on Education and Senate Committee on Education, which includes an update on
the status of the appeals process development and any recommendations for related
legislation, not later than March 1, 2025.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state
superintendent of education.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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