SLS 24RS-466 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 35
BY SENATOR BOUIE
SCHOOLS. Creates a task force to study and make recommendations relative to the
"evidence based approaches" as required by the "Charter School Demonstration Programs
Law".
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To create and provide for the Evidence Based Approach Task Force on Charter School
3 Demonstration Programs Law.
4 WHEREAS, the Charter School Demonstration Programs Law was originally
5 enacted as Act 192 of the 1995 Regular Session, as a pilot program to allow a small number
6 of school systems to volunteer to participate; and
7 WHEREAS, R.S. 17:3972 states in part that it was the intention of the legislature,
8 in enacting the Charter School Demonstration Programs Law, to authorize experimentation
9 by city and parish school boards by allowing the creation of innovative kinds of independent
10 public schools for students; and
11 WHEREAS, it was also the intention of the legislature to provide a framework for
12 such experimentation by the creation of such schools, a means for all persons with valid
13 ideas and motivation to participate in the experiment, and a mechanism by which experiment
14 results can be analyzed, the positive results repeated or replicated, if appropriate, and the
15 negative results identified and eliminated; and
16 WHEREAS, finally, it was the intention of the legislature that the best interests of
17 students who are economically disadvantaged must be the overriding consideration in
18 implementing the provisions of the Charter School Demonstration Programs Law; and
Page 1 of 4 SCR NO. 35
SLS 24RS-466 ORIGINAL
1 WHEREAS, a great number of changes have occurred within Louisiana's educational
2 system since the inception of the program, including the expansion of charter schools within
3 certain municipalities; and
4 WHEREAS, many questions surround various aspects of the Charter School
5 Demonstration Programs Law, including its original legislative intent, its impact on
6 traditional public schools, and the costs and benefits of the program; and
7 WHEREAS, since the inception of the program, information regarding the aspects
8 of the evidence based approaches and findings have never been voluntarily provided to the
9 legislature; and
10 WHEREAS, the legislature seeks to review and analyze the evidence based
11 approaches used in accordance with the Charter School Demonstration Programs Law to
12 determine a path forward that will honor the state's commitment to the students who attend
13 charter schools, with the expectation they will receive a proper and just education.
14 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
15 create a task force to study and make recommendations relative to the "evidence based
16 approaches" as required by the Charter School Demonstration Programs Law, including a
17 review of the program's purpose and history, identification of the evidence based approaches
18 learned through the duration of the program, and ways to ensure the program's long-term
19 viability, together with specific proposals for legislation by written report to the legislature
20 and to the David R. Poynter Legislative Research Library as required by R.S. 24:771 and
21 772, no later than February 15, 2025.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as part of its duties the task force shall:
23 (1) Address which charter authorizers' education programs have proven effective for
24 improving student outcomes related to positive development, positive social behavior, and
25 academic performance in math and reading.
26 (2) Address which teaching strategies are most effectively used by charter
27 authorizers.
28 (3) Address what innovations and practices are most effectively used by charter
29 authorizers.
30 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be staffed by the Senate
Page 2 of 4 SCR NO. 35
SLS 24RS-466 ORIGINAL
1 Committee on Education.
2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall consist of the following
3 members:
4 (1) The president of the Senate or his designee, who shall serve as the chairman of
5 the task force.
6 (2) The speaker of the House of Representatives or his designee.
7 (3) The chairman of the Senate Committee on Education or his designee.
8 (4) The chairman of the House Committee on Education or his designee.
9 (5) The president of BESE or his designee.
10 (6) The superintendent of the Department of Education or his designee.
11 (7) The president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents or his
12 designee.
13 (8) The executive director of the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools or
14 his designee.
15 (9) The president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers or his designee.
16 (10) The president of the Louisiana Association of Educators or his designee.
17 (11) The president of the Orleans Parish School Board.
18 (12) The president of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each ex officio member who is allowed a
20 designee shall submit the name of the designee to the task force to the secretary of the Senate
21 no later than August 1, 2024.
22 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that no later than September 15, 2024, the chairman
23 of the task force shall convene the first meeting of the task force. At the first meeting, the
24 members may elect a vice chairman and other officers as the task force may deem
25 appropriate.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that meetings of the task force shall be subject to the
27 Open Meetings Law, R.S. 42:11 et seq., and records of the task force shall be subjected to
28 the Public Records Law, R.S. 44:1 et seq.
29 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a majority of the task force shall constitute a
30 quorum for the transaction of business. All official actions of the task force shall require the
Page 3 of 4 SCR NO. 35
SLS 24RS-466 ORIGINAL
1 affirmative vote of a majority of the members present and voting.
2 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall serve
3 without compensation, except per diem or expenses reimbursement to which they may be
4 individually entitled as members of their constituent organizations.
5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall terminate on the date of the
6 submission of its report or February 15, 2025, whichever occurs first.
7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
8 president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the state
9 superintendent of education, the executive director of the Louisiana Association of Public
10 Charter Schools, the president of the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents, the
11 president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, the president of the Louisiana Association
12 of Educators, the president of the Orleans Parish School Board, and the president of the East
13 Baton Rouge Parish School Board.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Frances Aucoin.
DIGEST
SCR 35 Original 2024 Regular Session Bouie
Creates the Evidence Based Approach Task Force on Charter School Demonstration
Programs Law to study the evidence based approaches as required by the Charter School
Demonstration Programs Law and to submit a report to the legislature by February 15, 2025,
on its findings and recommendations.
Page 4 of 4