2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 17:7 — Duties, functions, and responsibilities of board

§7.  Duties, functions, and responsibilities of board

In addition to the authorities granted by R.S. 17:6 and any powers, duties, and responsibilities vested by any other applicable laws, the board shall:

(1)  Pay the per diem and expenses of the board and its members and the salaries and expenses, including but not necessarily restricted to facilities, equipment, and supplies, of its staff out of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the operating and administrative expenses of the board.

(2)(a)  Adopt a minimum foundation program and adopt a formula for the equitable allocation of minimum foundation funds to parish and city school systems.  In adopting such program and formula, funding shall be at the pupil-teacher ratio of twenty students to one classroom teacher for kindergarten through grade three and twenty-five students to one classroom teacher for grades four through six, or as provided for in the general appropriation bill with the ultimate goal of twenty students to one classroom teacher for kindergarten through grade three and twenty-five students to one classroom teacher for grades four through six.  However, if less than the total amount of funds necessary to implement the pupil-teacher ratios provided herein is appropriated in the general appropriation bill, the money appropriated on the basis of the regular education portion of the minimum foundation formula shall be applied first to meeting the ratios established for classroom teachers for kindergarten and then for classroom teachers to meet the ratios for each succeeding grade.  Any additional classroom teaching positions generated in meeting the ratio requirements shall not be used in computing authorized administrative position allotments.  The board shall adopt such program and formula for each ensuing fiscal year in a timely manner so that the program and formula may be submitted to the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget in accordance with R.S. 17:22(2)(d).

(b)  The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall conduct an extensive study and evaluation of the formula used to determine the cost of a minimum foundation program of education in all public elementary and secondary schools and to equitably allocate the funds to parish and city school systems.  The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall report the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of its study in writing to the House and Senate Committees on Education not later than February 15, 1989.  The study and evaluation shall address but need not be limited to the following issues:

(i)  Recommended components of a minimum foundation program of education, both regular and special, for public school students from prekindergarten through high school graduation.

(ii)  The adequacy of the current formula and program in achieving the education goal established in Article VIII, Preamble, of the Constitution of Louisiana, and recommended improvements as appropriate.

(iii)  The adequacy of the current formula and program in encouraging and ensuring the proper management of school dollars, and recommended improvements as appropriate.

(iv)  The adequacy of the current formula and program in providing accountability for student achievement, and recommended improvements as appropriate.

(v)  The adequacy of the current formula and program in considering factors of local financial support, and recommended improvements as appropriate.

(vi)  The adequacy of the current formula and program in providing funding equity among the sixty-six local public school systems, and recommended improvements as appropriate.

(vii)  Recommended changes and revisions in the formula and program so as to maximize formula support of classroom costs and minimize formula funding of nonclassroom costs.

(viii)  Recommended changes and revisions to achieve, as a minimum, the pupil-teacher ratios and class sizes established by law.

(ix)  Recommended changes and revisions to provide a mechanism for special funding for students found to be educationally at-risk.

(x)  Recommended changes and revisions to achieve more creativity, flexibility, and autonomy at the local level in providing education services.

(xi)  Recommended changes and revisions to hold local school boards accountable for results in the delivery of education services.

(xii)  Recommended changes and revisions to reward local school systems for positive results and improvements in the delivery of education services.

(xiii)  The estimated fiscal effect on each of the individual local school systems of each proposed change, modification, or revision.

(c)  The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall be responsible for all planning functions for the Department of Education, including collection, analysis and interpretation of all data, information, test results, evaluations, and other indicators that are used to formulate policy, identify areas of concern and need, and serve as the basis for short-range and long-range planning.  Such planning shall include assembling data, conducting appropriate studies and surveys, and sponsoring research and development activities designed to provide information about educational needs and the effect of alternative educational practices.

(d)  The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall establish within the Department of Education, office of management and finance, a program of fiscal accountability for purposes of providing an audit, evaluation, and a computerization of the data submitted by local school systems and used in the determination of the cost of the Minimum Foundation Program for public elementary and secondary education and in the equitable distribution of funds provided for the Minimum Foundation Program for public elementary and secondary education.  The board shall annually report, not later than March fifteenth, the findings of the audit and evaluation, with recommendations for improvement, to the committees on education of the House of Representatives and the Senate.  The audit and evaluation shall consider the minimum performance standards established by the legislature, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state Department of Education.

(e)  The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall develop and implement an integrated information system for educational management.  The system shall support, as feasible, the management decisions to be made in each office of the state Department of Education and at the individual school and district levels.  Similar data elements among offices and levels shall be compatible.  The system shall be based on an overall conceptual design; the information needed for such decisions, including fiscal, student, program, personnel, facility, community, evaluation, and other relevant data; and the relationship between cost and effectiveness.  The system shall be managed and administered by the state superintendent of education and shall include a district subsystem component to be administered at the local school system level, with input to the state level.  Each local school system with a unique management information system shall assure that compatibility exists between its unique system and the district component of the state system to the extent that all data required as input to the state system shall be made available in the appropriate input format.

(3)  Exercise budgetary responsibility and allocate for expenditure by the schools and programs under its jurisdiction all monies appropriated or otherwise made available for purposes of the board and of such school and programs.

(4)  Prescribe and adopt free school books and other materials of instruction for the children of this state at the elementary and secondary levels and all other schools and programs under its jurisdiction for which the legislature provides funds, in accordance with law.

(5)  Prepare and adopt or approve courses of study and rules, by-laws, and regulations for the discipline of students and for the government of the public elementary and secondary schools and other public schools and programs under its jurisdiction, which shall not be inconsistent with law and which shall be enforced by the parish and city school boards and the parish and city superintendents.  However, the board shall have no control over the business affairs of a parish or city school board or the selection or removal of its officers and employees.

(6)(a)(i)  Prescribe the qualifications and provide for the certification of teachers in accordance with applicable law, which qualifications and requirements shall be such as to insure that certification shall be a reliable indicator of the minimum current ability and proficiency of the teacher to educate at the grade level and in the subject(s) to which the teacher is assigned.  These qualifications and requirements shall be established and shall be effective on and after April 1, 1978.

(ii)  Additionally, whenever there is a qualification or condition established by law or board policy, or both, that a teacher holding a regular teacher certificate which is valid for three years must comply with, in order for the teacher to be issued a permanent regular teacher certificate, and it is not possible for a teacher at a nonpublic school to comply with such qualification or condition due to the teacher being employed at a nonpublic school, the board shall establish, effective for the 1998-1999 school year and thereafter, an alternative method or process by which the nonpublic school teacher may meet such qualification or condition.  A teacher employed in a nonpublic school who meets the qualifications or conditions pursuant to the alternative method or process established pursuant to this Item shall be issued a permanent regular teacher certificate which shall be valid for all purposes in this state and under all the same conditions as if it had been issued to a teacher who complied with the qualifications or conditions as otherwise established by law or board policy.  Prior to establishing an alternative method or process, the board shall direct the nonpublic school commission to formulate, develop, and recommend to the board the alternative method or process by which the nonpublic school teacher may meet the qualification or condition and the method or process established by the board shall be consistent with the recommendations of the nonpublic school commission.

(b)(i)(aa)  On and after September 15, 1978, any person applying for initial certification as a teacher in a public school shall have passed satisfactorily an examination, which shall include English proficiency, pedagogical knowledge, and knowledge in his area of specialization, as a prerequisite to the granting of such certificate.

(bb)  On and after September 15, 1981, any person certified to teach in another state who applies for certification to teach in the public schools of Louisiana shall be required to pass satisfactorily the examination which is administered in accordance with the provisions of this Paragraph as a prerequisite to the granting of such certification.  However, a teacher certified in another state who meets all other requirements for a Louisiana certificate granted to out-of-state graduates except for the provisions of this Item shall be granted a three-year nonrenewable provisional certificate to be used while said teacher completes the requirements set forth in this Paragraph.

(cc)  Any teacher who holds a valid out-of-state teaching certificate, has at least four years of successful teaching experience in another state as determined by the board, and has completed one year of employment as a teacher in the Louisiana public school system shall not be required to take the examination administered in accordance with the provisions of this Paragraph or to submit any examination scores from any examination previously taken in another state as a prerequisite to the granting of certification in Louisiana provided that all of the following conditions are met:

(aaa)  The teacher meets all other requirements for a Louisiana certificate as may be required by law or board policy.

(bbb)  The local superintendent or his designee of the public school system employing the teacher has recommended the teacher for employment for the following school year subject to the receipt of a valid Louisiana teaching certificate.

(ccc)  The local superintendent or his designee has requested, on behalf of the teacher, that the teacher be granted a valid Louisiana teaching certificate.

(dd)  The examination shall be administered to each student in a teacher education program at a public college or university in Louisiana prior to graduation and shall be administered to teachers certified in other states at any time such examination is offered.  The board shall prescribe other qualifications and requirements and shall consider other factors.

(ii)  The superintendent of education shall administer the aforementioned policy of the board.  In such administration of the policy, the superintendent shall choose the appropriate testing instrument, shall conduct all necessary research to validate the applicability of the instrument to teacher education programs within the state of Louisiana, and shall conduct all necessary research to determine the level at which the examination is satisfactorily completed.  During the conduct of the research and in the preparation of the testing instrument, the superintendent shall meet with and consider the suggestions of individual classroom teachers, representatives of teacher organizations, deans of education of the public colleges and universities of the state, and representatives of each of the governing boards for higher education.

(iii)  Any applicant seeking certification may apply for and take any required test or tests without limitation as to the frequency of applications or testing.

(iv)  The state superintendent of education shall annually submit a report to the House Committee on Education and the Senate Committee on Education relative to the examination administered pursuant to this Paragraph.  Such report shall include but not be limited to the following: the number of persons to whom the examination was administered; the educational background and teaching experience of such persons; the number of persons successfully completing the examination; the effectiveness of the examination; and any suggestions for improving the examination.

(c)  Any person who fails to successfully pass the original examination required by Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, but who meets all other certification requirements and who scored within ten percent of the score required for passage on the original examination selected by the state superintendent of education, may be employed for a period not to exceed one year in the following manner:

(i)  The state superintendent of education, upon receipt of a signed affidavit by the president and superintendent of the school board to which such person has applied for employment that there is no other applicant available for employment for a specific teaching position who has met the requirements of this Section, may issue an emergency teaching permit to such person.  Such permit shall be in effect for not more than one year but may be renewed twice.  Such renewal of the permit shall be accomplished in the same manner as the granting of the original permit.  The granting of such emergency teaching permit shall in no way affect, reduce, or waive the requirement that the person successfully complete the aforementioned examination.  At any time the person successfully passes the examination, he may be employed on a permanent basis.

(ii)  The period herein provided for the employment of a teacher with an emergency teaching permit granted under the provisions of this Paragraph shall not count toward tenure.

(d)  Any examination selected by the state superintendent of education which would supercede the examination currently utilized pursuant to Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, and any criteria established to determine the level at which either the examination currently used or any examination selected to supercede it is satisfactorily completed shall be approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

(e)  The board shall not adopt any policy, rule, regulation, or other measure that limits or restricts the number of times a temporary employment permit may be issued to any teacher who meets all other requirements of current board policy, has applied for employment for a specific teaching position for which position there is no other applicant available for employment who has met the requirements of this Paragraph, has the recommendation of the superintendent of the school system employing such teacher, and has had a successful local evaluation for the previous four years prior to such issuance.  Any such policy, rule, regulation, or other measure in effect on July 1, 1993 shall be null and void.

(7) Adopt minimum standards for the approval of each public elementary and secondary school and special school in the state under its jurisdiction.

(8)  Except as otherwise provided by law, approve private and proprietary schools in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 17:10 and any other applicable laws.

(9)  Meet with the Board of Regents, upon its call, to coordinate programs of public elementary, secondary, vocational-technical, career, and higher education.

(10)  Repealed by Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 151, §3, eff. July 1, 1999.

(11)(a)  Adopt and provide for the implementation of a program under which students enrolled or enrolling in public schools in this state are tested for dyslexia and related disorders as may be necessary.  Such program shall conform to the criteria and minimum standards established by the Council for Learning Disabilities.  The program also shall provide that upon the request of a parent, student, school nurse, classroom teacher, or other school personnel who has reason to believe that a student has a need to be tested for dyslexia, such student shall be referred to the school building level committee for review and referral to pupil appraisal for appropriate services.

(b)  In accordance with the program adopted by the board, the city, and parish school boards shall provide remediation for children with dyslexia or related disorders in an appropriate multi-sensory, intensive phonetic, synthetic to analytic phonics, linguistic, meaning based, systematic, language based regular education program.  For those students who are not dyslexic and who do not qualify for special education services, other appropriate programs shall be offered to remediate their particular physical or educational disorders.

(c)  The State Department of Education, by not later than January 31, 1991, shall make recommendations to the board for the delivery and funding of services to students who are identified as dyslexic, but do not qualify for services under the criteria of eligibility of Bulletin 1508, the Pupil Appraisal Handbook.

(d)  For the purposes of this Paragraph:

(i)  "Dyslexia" shall be defined as a language processing disorder which may be manifested by difficulty processing expressive or receptive, oral or written language despite adequate intelligence, educational exposure, and cultural opportunity.  Specific manifestations may occur in one or more areas, including difficulty with the alphabet, reading comprehension, writing, and spelling.

(ii)  "Related disorders" shall include disorders similar to or related to dyslexia such as developmental auditory imperception, dysphasia, specific developmental dyslexia, developmental dysgraphia, and developmental spelling disability.

(12)(a)  Develop, adopt, and by not later than the second semester of the 1991-1992 school year, provide for the implementation of a firearm familiarity and safety pilot program for students in grades six, seven, and eight.  The purpose of the program shall be to promote the protection and safety of children and the program shall be integrated within the current curriculum of such students.  All instruction and related supplies and materials shall be on an age-appropriate basis.

(b)  The firearm familiarity and safety pilot program shall be developed by the board based on recommendations of the secretary of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries or his designee and of the state superintendent of education.  The pilot program shall be made available in not less than twenty schools throughout the state and the selection of schools to participate in the pilot program shall include to the extent possible those schools already using related programs and instruction provided by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

(c)  The board shall adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to provide the firearm familiarity and safety pilot program.

(13)(a)  In the development of course outlines or other suggested or required curricular or teaching material for use in middle or high schools for courses which include material related to family life, including but not limited to Family Life and Consumer Science Education, include the topic of adoption awareness as provided in this Paragraph.

(b)  "Adoption awareness" as used in this Paragraph means specific instruction on the benefits of adoption for families wishing to add a child, for potential adoptees, and for persons who are pregnant or who have a child for whom they are unable to care.

(14)(a)  Prepare and adopt by July 1, 1992, course requirements for high school graduation which are sufficiently flexible to prepare students for, and to permit them to choose to pursue preparation for, the workplace or entrance into an institution of higher education.  Prior to adoption, the board shall report in writing to the House and Senate Committees on Education on any proposed program developed to implement the provisions of this Paragraph in order that the committees may have the opportunity to review and comment on any such program prior to its implementation.  The parent, guardian, or legal custodian of each student shall be provided information as required in R.S. 17:175(C)(1)(d).  Such requirements for high school graduation shall include the study of science and mathematical skills, including algebraic concepts, in either a functional and applied format or in a theoretical format.  Any such functional and applied format or theoretical format shall provide instruction in concepts sufficient to prepare a student to be successful on any test required in R.S. 17:24.4 administered to high school students.

(b)  Nothing in this Paragraph shall be construed to permit or require tracking of students or authorizing a system of dual diplomas.

(15)(a)  Provide guidance to city and parish school boards for delivering appropriate educational services for public school students with identified attention deficit disorders.  Any such guidance shall be in accordance with the procedures and requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and subsequent amendments, and shall include procedures for the school building level committee to follow when a request is received from a parent, student, school nurse, classroom teacher, or other school personnel concerning a student who is suspected of or regarded as having an attention deficit disorder.

(b)  Students receiving services under the provisions of this Paragraph shall be those students who do not qualify for special educational services under categories such as learning disabled, behavior disordered, and other health impaired, as defined in Bulletin 1508, the Pupil Appraisal Handbook.

(c)  The state Department of Education shall provide for:

(i)  Statewide training of representatives from public city and parish school systems on meeting the needs of students with attention deficit disorders.  Such training shall include identifying characteristics associated with attention deficit disorders, assessment techniques, and developing appropriate accommodations and modifications in home, school, and social environments.

(ii)  A request for proposals to be issued to public city and parish school systems no later than August 1, 1992, for four pilot programs for students with attention deficit disorders.  The pilot programs shall be selected based on criteria to be established by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and shall include, but not be limited to geographic location, size of the school population, and the existence of established programs for students with attention deficit disorders in local school systems.  The pilot program shall begin in the 1992-93 school year and shall be evaluated at the conclusion of such school year for effectiveness in meeting the needs of the students with attention deficit disorders.

(d)  The funding for the statewide training program and the four pilot programs shall not exceed a total of ninety-seven thousand dollars.  Funds not to exceed six percent of the total program funding shall be allocated to the state Department of Education for evaluation and oversight of the pilot programs.

(16)(a)  Develop, adopt, and by not later than the second semester of the 1992-1993 school year, provide for the implementation of a Saturday Academy pilot program for inner-city at risk youth in preschool through grade four.  The program shall include but not be limited to the following:

(i)  Emphasis on promoting self-esteem.

(ii)  Emphasis on basic academic skills.

(iii)  Emphasis on individual developmental skills.

(iv)  Emphasis on deterring students from substance abuse.

(v)  The use of parents, retired teachers, and other persons as volunteer teachers.

(b)  The board shall select four parish or city school systems for participation in the program as set forth in this Paragraph.  Such program may include the use of any community-based facility provided that the necessary arrangements and agreements are made between all parties involved.

(c)  The board shall adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to provide for and implement the Saturday Academy pilot program.

(d)  The legislature shall appropriate necessary funding for the development and implementation of such pilot program.

(e)  In addition to funds made available by the legislature, the board may accept gifts, grants, and donations from whatever sources available for the purposes of this Paragraph.

(17)  Repealed by Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 151, §3, eff. July 1, 1999.

(18)  Develop, adopt, and by not later than the beginning of the 1993-1994 school year, provide for the implementation of a pilot program in each city or parish school system in any city or parish having a population of not less than four hundred seventy-five thousand persons for the purpose of identifying any school in the system whose overall student scores are below the national average on standardized achievement tests.  The pilot program shall provide that any school so identified shall be declared by the state superintendent of education to have an education emergency.  The participating school system of any such school shall develop and implement an emergency acceleration program with assistance from the state Department of Education, which contains standards for improving such test scores, establishes guidelines for evaluating program results, and provides for reporting on program results to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the House and Senate Committees on Education, and other interested school systems throughout the state.  Development and implementation of an emergency acceleration program shall be coordinated by an emergency acceleration program team which shall include but not be limited to a representative of the office of academic programs and a representative of the office of research and development within the state Department of Education, the superintendent of the participating school system, and the principal of the school identified as needing the improvement program.

(19)(a)  Develop, adopt, and by not later than the beginning of the 1994-1995 school year, provide for the implementation of a comprehensive school improvement pilot program in grades six through twelve.  The state Department of Education shall select six schools, based on criteria to be established by the department and approved by the board, for participation in the pilot program.  Each school selected for participation in the pilot program shall formulate and develop a plan for improving overall school climate in order to enhance school organization and student outcomes.  Such plan shall include but not be limited to the following components:

(i)  Improvement of human relations skills, with primary focus on teacher-student relations, as well as student-student, teacher-teacher, and school-parent-community relations.

(ii)  Issues relative to race, culture, class, and shared values.

(iii)  Counseling for students who are in need of counseling.

(iv)  Improvement of teaching and learning, including emphasis on multisensory approaches to learning, applied learning, interdisciplinary learning, heterogeneous grouping, and team-oriented cooperative learning situations.

(v)  Provisions for a school environment that is clean, attractive, safe, and comfortable.

(b)  Each school selected for participation shall provide for appropriate staff development as needed to implement its plan for school improvement.

(c)  The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall develop and adopt necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this Paragraph.

(d)  The implementation of the provisions of this Paragraph shall be subject to the appropriation of funds by the legislature for this purpose.

(20)(a)  Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose, develop, adopt, and by not later than the beginning of the 1995-1996 school year, provide for implementation by the State Department of Education of an annual math, science, and speech and debate competition financial assistance awards program for eligible teams and individuals from public and board-approved nonpublic secondary schools representing the state of Louisiana at regional or national competitions, or both.

(b)  The following guidelines, criteria, and procedures shall apply to the financial assistance awards program provided for by this Paragraph:

(i)  Financial assistance awarded pursuant to the provisions of this Paragraph shall be used exclusively for the payment of documented and necessary expenses of eligible public and approved nonpublic secondary school team members or individuals representing the state of Louisiana at math, science, or speech and debate competitions at regional or national levels, or both, including persons designated by the school's governing authority as chaperons or coaches of such team members or individuals.

(ii)  For the purposes of this Paragraph, necessary expenses shall mean competition entry fees as well as travel, lodging, subsistence, and incidental costs directly related to participation in math, science, or speech and debate competitions at regional or national levels, or both.  Procedures governing expenditures for travel, subsistence, lodging, and incidental costs shall be consistent with travel regulations prescribed by the division of administration for state executive branch employees.

(iii)  A team may consist of persons representing one secondary school as the local or district level winner or persons who are individual winners from the state at large who have won in-state local or district level competitions and who will be competing in the same regional or national competition, or both.  The board shall provide by rule for the method of determining the appropriate school governing authority to represent  the interests of a team composed of persons who are individual winners from the state at large who have won in-state local or district level competitions and who will be competing in the same regional or national competition, or both.

(iv)  Each winning team or individual winner from the state at large seeking a financial assistance award shall identify a sponsor who shall be under the auspices of the governing authority of the public or approved nonpublic secondary school.

(v)  An application for a financial assistance award shall be submitted by the governing authority of the public or approved nonpublic secondary school acting on behalf of the sponsor of a team or individual participating at a math, science, or speech and debate competition at the regional or national level, or both.

(vi)  An application form shall include general information on the individual competitor or individual team members, a documented record of the competitions in which the individual competitor or team members have participated, including competition results, and a reasonable estimate of expenses for which financial assistance is being sought, all of which information shall be attested to by the sponsor for its accuracy and validity.

(vii)  Upon approval, a financial assistance award shall be made to the governing authority of the public or approved nonpublic secondary school submitting the application for the sponsor.  The school's governing authority shall serve as the fiscal agent for the team or individual and shall be responsible for keeping appropriate records and documentation for audit purposes of all award expenditures.

(viii)  Awarded but unexpended monies shall be returned to the State Department of Education.

(ix)  The criteria for approving a financial assistance award shall consist of thoroughness and detail of information submitted in the application process and the qualifications and competition record of the team members or individual competitors seeking assistance. Award criteria shall not discriminate against any student on the basis of race, sex, religious belief, or school attendance at an approved nonpublic school.

(x)  If the total dollar amount of approved financial awards for any one program year exceeds total funds available for this purpose, award monies shall be allocated among all approved applicants on the basis of each eligible team or individual competitor receiving the same percentage amount of the total amount approved for the team or individual.

(c)  The board shall adopt necessary rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Paragraph.

(d)  The cost of the program provided for by this Paragraph shall not exceed fifty thousand dollars in state general funds for the 1995-1996 Fiscal Year.

(21)(a)  Annually submit to the House Committee on Education and to the Senate Committee on Education, at the time of the board's submission to the legislature of the proposed minimum foundation program formula, a report providing the following information regarding actual expenditures from state general funds as well as from all sources of funds for public elementary and secondary education purposes, on a school system by school system basis and for the state as a whole, for the most recent year such information is available:

(i)  Expenditures, by dollar amount and by percent of total spending, for all instructional purposes, including a subtotal for pupil support and a subtotal for instructional support.

(ii)  Expenditures, by dollar amount and by percent of total spending, for food services.

(iii)  Expenditures, by dollar amount and by percent of total spending, for other support services.

(iv)  Total expenditures.

(b)  Information for the same expenditure categories as required by Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph also shall be reported by the amounts and by the percentages of such spending that occur at the individual school building level compared to such expenditures that occur at other than the school building level.

(c)  Expenditure categories and subcategories provided for by Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall be defined by rule by the board and shall be consistent with expenditure functions adopted by the board for use in its uniform accounting handbook.

(d)  The report required by this Paragraph shall include for the same time period education personnel data for the following categories both by numbers of persons employed and by the percent such employment is of the total:

(i)  Classroom teachers.

(ii)  Teacher aides and paraprofessionals.

(iii)  Professional/technical.

(iv)  School administration.

(v)  Central office administration.

(vi)  Office/clerical.

(vii)  Maintenance/operations.

(e)  The board shall adopt necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Paragraph.

(22)  Annually submit each member of the legislature at the time of publication an electronic copy of the state, district, school, and parent-level progress profiles as required by R.S. 17:3912.  Upon request, the board shall provide such profiles to any legislator in the form of a paper report.

(23)(a)  Develop, adopt, and provide for the implementation of a pilot program in eight public elementary schools as follows:

(i)  Two public elementary schools from the northern region of the state.

(ii)  Two public elementary schools from the southern region of the state.

(iii)  Two public elementary schools from the eastern region of the state.

(iv)  Two public elementary schools from the western region of the state.

(b)  Participation in the pilot program shall be on a voluntary basis.  If, by November 30, 1997, more than the specified number of schools volunteer to participate in the program, then the state Department of Education shall select the schools to participate based upon criteria as established by the department and approved by the board. Such selection of participating schools shall include, to the extent possible, those schools which have already departmentalized any grades at the elementary level and representation from rural, suburban, and urban school systems throughout the state.

(c)  Each school participating in the pilot program as provided in this Paragraph shall:

(i)  Provide for the departmentalization, or grouping according to subject matter, of grades one through six.

(ii)  Study the outcomes of teachers who teach in specialized areas as opposed to teachers who teach all subjects.

(iii)  Create a strategic plan for improving and analyzing student achievement and instructional methods.

(iv)  Provide for a daily planning period which allows all teachers to meet to discuss student progress in accordance with the strategic plan.

(d)  The pilot program as provided in this Paragraph shall be fully implemented by not later than August 31, 1998.  After the third year of implementation, the program shall be evaluated by the department in accordance with criteria as established by the department and approved by the board which shall include the collection of data as to the results of the program and student progress and based upon such evaluation, the board shall determine if the program should be implemented on a statewide basis.

(e)  The board shall adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to provide for and implement the pilot program as provided in this Paragraph.

(24)(a)  Develop, adopt, and beginning in the summer after the 1999-2000 school year, provide for the implementation of a pilot education and nutrition summer program based upon the West Virginia Energy Express program.  The state Department of Education, with the approval of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, shall select the sites to participate in the pilot program, which may include school buildings.  The purpose of the program shall be to provide children from low-income families with learning activities, social programs, and free breakfast and lunch during the summer when they are not in school.  Participation by children in the pilot program shall be on a voluntary basis.

(b)  The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall develop and adopt necessary rules and regulations for the implementation of the provisions of this Paragraph and such development shall include consultation with and participation by the cooperative extension service at any state public college or university.

(c)  The legislature shall appropriate necessary funding for the development and implementation of the pilot program as provided in this Paragraph.

(d)  In addition to funds made available by the legislature, the board may seek and accept any gifts, grants, and donations, including federal funds, from whatever sources may be available to accomplish the purposes of this Paragraph.

(25)  Subject to the appropriation of funds for such purpose,  develop, adopt, and by not later than the beginning of the 1999-2000 school year, provide for the implementation of a pilot program in each city or parish school system in any municipality having a population of not less than four hundred thousand persons according to the most recent federal decennial census for the purpose of providing systemic improvements in the areas of English and language arts instruction similar to the science and mathematics education reform effort as provided through the Louisiana Systemic Initiatives Program.  Such pilot program shall focus on students who have a history of low achievement in such areas. The program shall include in-service training programs for teachers in such areas in order to strengthen teachers' subject matter background and help them develop new teaching techniques and curricular strategies which are at the forefront of English and language arts education.

Acts 1975, No. 274, §1; Acts 1976, No. 455, §1; Acts 1977, No. 645, §1; Acts 1977, 1st Ex.Sess., No. 16, §1, eff. Aug. 17, 1977; Acts 1979, No. 271, §§1, 2; Acts 1979, No. 644, §1; Acts 1979, No. 729, §1; Acts 1980, No. 236, §2; Acts 1980, No. 480, §1; Acts 1980, No. 816, §1; Acts 1981, No. 619, §1, eff. Sept. 15, 1981; Acts 1981, No. 677, §1, eff. Aug. 1, 1981; Acts 1982, No. 625, §1; Acts 1983, No. 197, §1; Acts 1984, No. 290, §1, eff. July 2, 1984; Acts 1986, No. 549, §1; Acts 1988, No. 616, §1, eff. July 14, 1988; Acts 1988, No. 903, §1, eff. July 26, 1988; Acts 1990, No. 854, §1; Acts 1990, No. 1051, §1, eff. July 27, 1990; Acts 1991, No. 392, §1, eff. July 8, 1991; Acts 1991, No. 818, §1; Acts 1991, No. 983, §1; Acts 1992, No. 386, §1, eff. June 18, 1992; Acts 1992, No. 503, §1, eff. June 22, 1992; Acts 1992, No. 613, §1; Acts 1992, No. 1047, §1; Acts 1992, No. 1120, §1, eff. July 14, 1992; Acts 1993, No. 300, §1; Acts 1993, No. 801, §1, eff. June 22, 1993; Acts 1993, No. 914, §1, eff. July 1, 1993; Acts 1995, No. 441, §1, eff. June 17, 1995; Acts 1995, No. 508, §1, eff. June 18, 1995; Acts 1995, No. 568, §1, eff. June 18, 1995; Acts 1997, No. 439, §1, eff. June 22, 1997; Acts 1997, No. 451, §1, eff. June 22, 1997; Acts 1997, No. 540, §1, eff. July 3, 1997; Acts 1997, No. 1307, §1; Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 151, §§1, 3, eff. July 1, 1999; Acts 1999, No. 369, §1; Acts 1999, No. 688, §1, eff. July 1, 1999; Acts 1999, No. 1373, §1, eff. July 12, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 45, §1; Acts 2003, No. 93, §1, eff. July 1, 2003; Acts 2005, No. 103, §1.