2011 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 17 — Education
RS 17:24.10 — The cecil j. picard la 4 early childhood program; early childhood development and enrichment activity classes; establishment; eligibility; requirements; funding; study


LA Rev Stat § 17:24.10 What's This?

§24.10. The Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program; early childhood development and enrichment activity classes; establishment; eligibility; requirements; funding; study

A. The state Department of Education shall allocate funding, out of monies appropriated for such purpose, to each city, parish, other local public school system, or charter school that applies for such funding and uses the funding solely for the purpose of providing a program for early childhood development and enrichment activity classes in compliance with the requirements of this Section, which shall be named "The Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program" and shall be referred to in this Section as "the program". Such classes shall be referred to in this Section as "LA 4 classes".

B.(1) LA 4 classes shall be made available to every child in the school system's jurisdiction who will be eligible to enter public school kindergarten pursuant to R.S. 17:151.3 in the following year, who meets the requirements of law for immunization documentation required for regular school enrollment, and who is consistently and regularly in attendance for the early childhood education program portion of the day.

(2)(a) LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child who is eligible to receive free or reduced price meals pursuant to the federal child nutrition program as documented by a completed application for such meals whether or not such meals are sought.

(b) Prior to the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year, any other eligible child may be charged a tuition for all or part of the LA 4 class, in an amount not to exceed that necessary for the system to provide the LA 4 class to the child and, in any case, no more than the average amount expended per pupil on those children from whom no tuition may be required, excluding any amount attributable to the provision of classroom space and utility costs. Such tuition may be scaled and imposed according to a student's family income in compliance with a rule of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, referred to in this Section as the "state board".

(c) Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose and for the 2009-2010 school year, LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child whose family income is classified at or below three hundred percent of the poverty level based on the United States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(d) Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose and for the 2010-2011 school year, LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child whose family income is classified at or below three hundred fifty percent of the poverty level based on the United States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(e) Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose and for the 2011-2012 school year, LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child whose family income is classified at or below four hundred percent of the poverty level based on the United States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(f) Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose and for the 2012-2013 school year, LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to the child or his family for any eligible child whose family income is classified at or below four hundred fifty percent of the poverty level based on the United States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(g) Subject to the appropriation of funds for this purpose and beginning with the 2013-2014 school year and continuing thereafter, LA 4 classes shall be provided at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to every eligible child, without regard to income level.

C. Each LA 4 class shall include or have provided all of the following:

(1)(a) A full day program of not less than ten hours per day for each day that the regular school program in the school system is in session that includes a program of early childhood education during the period of the day that school is normally in session and a program of high quality enrichment activities during the before and after school session time.

(b) The precise start and end times of the full day program shall be determined by each school system and may vary at different school sites in each system according to the needs of the community served by the program at each site as determined by an assessment of those needs done and documented by the school system.

(c)(i) A waiver or partial waiver to the requirement for enrichment activities, but not to the program of early childhood education during the period of the day that school is actually in session, may be granted by the state board to an applicant pursuant to rules adopted by the state board upon a showing acceptable to the board that it is not possible or reasonably feasible for economically justifiable reasons for the applicant to provide sufficient enrichment activities preceding or subsequent to the early childhood education period of the day to provide the full ten-hour day otherwise required, provided the applicant has specific and achievable plans for meeting the full ten-hour requirement by no later than the beginning of the third year of operation; such a waiver may be provided for only one operational year at a time, for a total of no more than two consecutive operational years, and only at the time of approval of the initial application or during the applicant's initial year of operation.

(ii) A waiver or partial waiver to the requirement for enrichment activities, but not to the program of early childhood education during the period of the day that school is actually in session, may be granted by the state board to an applicant pursuant to rules adopted by the state board upon a showing acceptable to the board that, over time and consistently during the same period of the day, so few children are present for enrichment activities that providing the enrichment activities otherwise required for all or a portion of a full ten-hour day is not reasonably feasible. Such a waiver may be provided for only one year at a time, but may be renewed annually based on a continued showing that participation is so low that providing such activities is not reasonably feasible.

(2) A program of developmentally appropriate early childhood education the content of which shall meet the standards required for accreditation of a high quality early childhood education program as determined by the state Department of Education.

(3) A teacher in each classroom who is in charge of the classroom, who supervises other adults employed in the classroom, and who plans the activities of the students in the classroom, who is referred to in this Section as the "lead teacher" who is either:

(a) Certified by the Louisiana state Department of Education in nursery school education, kindergarten, or early intervention; or

(b) If the superintendent of the employing school system certifies by sworn affidavit that no qualified applicant with a certificate, as provided in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph, has applied for the position, then certified by the Louisiana state Department of Education in elementary education and authorized to be temporarily assigned in kindergarten, nursery school, or early intervention; or

(c) If the superintendent of the employing school system certifies by sworn affidavit that no qualified applicant with a certificate, as provided in Subparagraph (a) or (b) of this Paragraph, has applied for the position, then holding a degree in elementary education, kindergarten, nursery school, or early intervention and employed pursuant to the interim emergency policy of the state board for hiring non-certified personnel.

(d) The employment and retaining and reemployment of any person as a lead teacher who is qualified in any way other than as provided in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph may occur only if such teacher can document consistently working toward obtaining the qualifications in Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph in compliance with the requirements of the state board rule.

(4)(a) Except as otherwise provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, a student to lead teacher ratio of no more than twenty to one and a student to adult staff member ratio of no more than ten to one.

(b) Effective for the 2005-2006 school year, the provisions of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall not be applicable to any city, parish, other local public school system, or charter school that provides LA 4 classes pursuant to the provisions of this Section if both of the following apply:

(i) The school system or charter school enrolled any students during the 2005-2006 school year who were displaced from school in such year due to school closures as a result of natural catastrophe or disaster.

(ii) The school system or charter school cannot meet the requirements of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph due to the enrollment of students as specified in Item (i) of this Subparagraph as certified by the state superintendent of education and approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

(c) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education may adopt rules effective for the 2005-2006 school year relative to the ratios required for LA 4 classes.

(5) Classroom and instructional supplies consistent with the standards required in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection and consistent with standards required by state board rule.

(6) Required professional development for lead teachers and all other persons whose employment in LA 4 classes involves direct contact with students in compliance with state board rule.

(7) Adequate and appropriate space and facilities. In the case that any early childhood education or enrichment activities are provided at a site not operated by the school system, adequate and appropriate space and facilities requires space and facilities that meet the same requirements as those required to be licensed as a Class A day care.

(8) Transportation for every student to ensure presence of the child for the early childhood education portion of the LA 4 class. Other transportation may be provided.

(9) Appropriate meals and snacks for every student.

(10) Provision for services which support the students and their families consistent with the needs of the community, which may include health care, employment counseling, literacy services, tutoring, or parental training.

D. Each participating school system shall:

(1)(a)(i) Beginning with the 2009-2010 school year and continuing thereafter, use at least ten percent of the total increase in LA 4 funding received each year in excess of the amount received during the 2008-2009 school year to provide the early childhood education program component of LA 4 classes through collaborative agreements with non-school system providers of early childhood education that serve children residing within the geographic boundaries of the participating school system and that meet the definition of a "child care facility" as provided in R.S. 47:6102(2) and has attained the minimum quality rating required to be eligible to participate in the program as established by the state board.

(ii) Such collaborative agreements may include but shall not be limited to the following options:

(aa) The participating school system may lease physical space from a non-school system provider for a LA 4 class.

(bb) The participating school system may provide a lead teacher with the non-school system provider supplying the physical space and all other personnel, materials, or supplies needed to meet LA 4 program requirements.

(cc) The non-school system provider supplies the physical space and all of the teaching and ancillary personnel, materials, and supplies needed to meet LA 4 program requirements.

(b)(i) Participating school systems shall explore all feasible supports to enable non-school system providers of early childhood education to meet the requirements of the LA 4 program, including providing teachers employed by the school system to teach LA 4 classes in non-school system provider settings, provided such teachers are certified to serve as a lead teacher in accordance with Paragraph (C)(3) of this Section.

(ii) A non-school system provider of early childhood education that serves children residing within the jurisdiction of a participating city, parish, or other local public school system and that wishes to participate in the LA 4 program shall apply to the city, parish, or other local public school board of such school system in accordance with the timelines and regulations established by the state board. Such application shall, at a minimum, include the following information:

(aa) Verification that the applicant is a provider of early childhood education that meets the definition of a "child care facility" as provided in R.S. 47:6102(2) and has attained the minimum quality rating required to be eligible to participate in the program as established by the state board.

(bb) Documentation that the provider meets the requirements for participation in the program as provided by state law and state board regulation.

(cc) Documentation relative to the provider's organizational, governance, and operational structure.

(dd) Documentation relative to the provider's policies, programs, and practices in place to ensure parental involvement.

(ee) Documentation relative to the provider's personnel policies and employment practices.

(ff) Documentation relative to the provider's rules and regulations applicable to children, including disciplinary policies and procedures.

(gg) Documentation relative to the adequacy of the provider's facilities and equipment.

(hh) Documentation relative to the types and amounts of the provider's insurance coverage.

(ii) Documentation relative to applicable teacher certification requirements.

(iii) The provisions of R.S. 17:15 shall be applicable to all employees of a non-school system provider of early childhood education that enters into a collaborative agreement with a city, parish, or other local public school board to provide LA 4 classes in a non-school system provider setting, and each non-school system provider shall comply with all rules and regulations established by the participating school system pursuant to such law relative to criminal history review.

(iv) A waiver of the requirement specified in Item (a)(i) of this Paragraph may be granted to a participating school system by the state board, after consultation with the secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services, provided the participating school system provides documentation acceptable to the state board that it meets at least one of the following conditions:

(aa) There are no non-school system providers of early childhood education located within the geographic boundaries of the participating school system that have attained the minimum quality rating required to be eligible to participate in the program as established by the state board.

(bb) The participating school system did not receive an application from a non-school system provider of early childhood education seeking to collaborate in the provision of LA 4 classes.

(cc) After a good faith effort, and for good cause shown, the participating school system and a non-school system provider are unable to reach an agreement regarding the provision of LA 4 classes in a non-school system provider setting.

(v) The state board shall send written notification to a participating school system as to whether its application for a waiver has been granted. However, in no case shall a waiver be granted for more than one school year at a time.

(vi) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any given school year the provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to a participating school system with excess capacity in its LA 4 program nor shall such a system be required to seek or be granted a waiver from the state board from such requirements.

(2) Submit an application at the time, in the form, and with the content required by state board rule that includes, at a minimum:

(a) A plan for advising the population of the availability of the LA 4 classes.

(b) A detailed plan for the provision of LA 4 classes, including a plan for the provision of LA 4 classes in collaboration with non-school system providers of early childhood education as provided in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.

(c) An estimation of participation, including an estimate of the number of children within the system's jurisdiction or participating segment within the jurisdiction who would be eligible for free or reduced price meals under the federal child nutrition law.

(d) An estimated budget.

(3) Provide for resource coordination services which shall be available to LA 4 class students and their families to assist in supporting the needs of the student and their family, including such services as adult literacy services. Resource coordination services shall be provided at the level necessary for the students who would benefit from such assistance and their families to have such services readily available as determined by and in compliance with state board rule.

(4) Meet with all other governmentally funded providers of early childhood education which serve children residing within the jurisdiction of the system, including child care providers that participate in the Quality Rating System established by the Department of Children and Family Services and federal programs such as Head Start, to discuss common issues and establish means to coordinate programs in such a way as to ensure that a high quality early childhood education program is available to the maximum number of children who would be eligible under this Section. Such meeting shall occur as often as necessary, but not less often than quarterly.

(5) Report any information required by the state board.

(6) Maintain in each year of participation pursuant to this Section the same total level of funding from any source for programs or classes of early childhood education or child care provided in the year prior to such participation.

(7) Provide written notice to the parent or guardian of every enrolled student of the availability of enrichment activities for the students before and after the early childhood education portion of the day for a total of ten hours per day, except in any year when the system has been granted a waiver from making such activities available pursuant to Item (C)(1)(c)(i) of this Section.

E. Each participating school system may:

(1) Enter into consortiums with other participating systems to share the responsibility to provide such resources as transportation, food, and resource coordination services provided sufficient services to comply with the requirements of state board rule are provided.

(2) In addition to providing the LA 4 class at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to children who are eligible for free or reduced price meals, provide the LA 4 classes to other eligible children at no cost for the early childhood education portion of the LA 4 class, or for the day care portion, or both.

(3) Work collaboratively with other governmentally funded providers of early childhood education which serve children residing within the jurisdiction of the system, including federal programs such as Head Start, in providing the services provided for in this Section. Such collaboration may include agreements to share resources provided that such agreements are documented, no regulation of any provider is compromised or violated, and a clear demarcation of responsibility as to costs, employee supervision, and program administration is maintained.

F.(1) Any school system which has a minimum foundation program membership according to the minimum foundation program budget letter preceding the system's application to participate or renew which exceeds nine thousand students may participate on a partial basis.

(2)(a) In such a case, the school system seeking partial participation shall divide the elementary schools in its system into groups approximately equal in size with regard to the number of schools in each group. Each group shall contain an approximately equal number of elementary schools which have the same designation according to the School and District Accountability Program as in every other group and in accordance with state board rule.

(b)(i) The maximum number of groups which may be formed by a school system with a minimum foundation program membership of twenty thousand students or greater shall be eight.

(ii) The maximum number of groups which may be formed by a school system with a minimum foundation program membership of not less than sixteen thousand students nor greater than nineteen thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine shall be six.

(iii) The maximum number of groups which may be formed by a school system with a minimum foundation program membership of not less than nine thousand students nor greater than fifteen thousand, nine hundred and ninety-nine shall be four.

(c) Groups formed which do not apply for participation or do not become participants shall be reformed as necessary to comply with the requirements of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph prior to any subsequent application. However, in such a case groups may be formed out of the remaining nonparticipating portions of the school system up to the remainder of the maximum number of groups the school system qualified to form at the time of the formation of the first participating group.

(3) Any school district seeking to participate on a partial basis may do so for any number of the groups formed as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection. In such a case, only a child who meets all other eligibility requirements and who would attend one of the schools in the group, if the child were attending public school, may attend an LA 4 class provided in the group.

(4)(a) Any participating partial school system group initially formed pursuant to this Subsection may continue to participate subject to renewal pursuant to Subsection J of this Section without reconfiguration of the group regardless of changes in the school accountability designations of the schools in the group or the other schools in the system.

(b) At any time an entire system is effectively participating through the aggregate effect of the approval and participation of a series of partial groups, the system may thereafter renew as a single applicant and such renewal shall not be considered a new application.

G. The state board shall adopt and promulgate, pursuant to the Administrative Procedure Act, all rules required by this Section and any other rules necessary to the administration of this Section, which shall include minimum salary amounts to be paid to lead teachers and all other persons whose employment in LA 4 classes involves direct contact with students.

H. The state Department of Education shall:

(1) Provide regional coordinators sufficient to provide each applicant and each participating school system with supportive technical assistance and to ensure that each participating school system complies with the requirements of this Section and all rules adopted pursuant to this Section.

(2) Require statistical reporting and other documentation and reporting as is required for primary grades, including information on the number of children participating in LA 4 classes provided by non-school system providers of early childhood education.

(3) Provide a researched base of excellent early childhood education models and programs from which a participating local school can develop an LA 4 class which in all ways complies with the requirements of this Section and state board rules adopted pursuant to the authority provided in this Section.

(4) Develop and implement a system of evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of LA 4 classes in improving both the preparedness of students for elementary school especially focused on reading readiness as well as a study of the long-term effects of LA 4 classes on the school success of the participating students.

(5) Provide regular, scheduled, and appropriate professional development for lead teachers and all other persons whose employment in LA 4 classes involves direct contact with students.

I.(1)(a)(i) Except as provided in Item (ii) of this Subparagraph, out of funds appropriated for such purposes from whatever source, the state Department of Education shall provide an amount of funding based upon the per pupil amount defined in this Subsection multiplied by the estimated number of students for the year who will be eligible to receive free or reduced price meals, or to attend LA 4 classes at no cost, other than the applicable lunch cost, as calculated in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph (B)(2) of this Section for whom early childhood development classes are being provided by the system for the first time as a result of the system's participation in the program. The per pupil amount in any year shall be based upon the total amount of money actually expended by all participating systems as authorized by this Section for LA 4 classes, excluding the cost of providing classroom space and utilities, divided by the number of students actually participating in accordance with the amount of money appropriated for the purpose of this Section and the minimum amount necessary to provide a high quality program as required in this Section. Funding for the enrichment activities provided during the before and after school session time shall be provided only for the number of eligible students actually participating in those activities.

(ii) No funding shall be allocated as the result of the participation of any student in an early childhood education class which is funded from another source such as the Louisiana Education Quality Trust Fund, federal money for Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, or federal money for the Head Start program. However, a participating school system may claim funding from the state Department of Education on a reimbursement basis and in compliance with limits established by the state board for money actually spent to provide resources necessary to make the program required in this Section available to all eligible children served by the system or for money actually spent to provide resources in compliance with a collaborative agreement reached pursuant to Paragraph (E)(3).

(iii) No LA 4 funding in excess of the amount received for the 2008-2009 school year shall be allocated to a participating school system that has failed to comply with the provisions of Subparagraph (D)(1)(a) of this Section, unless the participating school system has been granted a waiver as provided in Item (D)(1)(b)(iv) of this Section or the provisions of Item (D)(1)(b)(vi) of this Section apply.

(b) Any appropriated, but unallocated, money shall revert to the fund from which it was appropriated.

(c) Each participating system shall receive a payment based on estimated participation. After the completion of an accurate student enrollment count, the balance of the payments due each system shall be adjusted as necessary to ensure that the total received for the year equals the total required allocation.

(d) Repealed by Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 25, §2, eff. April 18, 2002.

(2) The payments required to a participating system shall be suspended at any time a determination is made that a system is not in compliance with the requirements of this Section as determined by the state Department of Education. Payments may be renewed upon compliance being achieved. Recovery of any payments lost during any period of suspension shall be at the discretion of the state board pursuant to a system of appeal established by state board rule.

(3) To the degree that money is available for such purposes, each eligible applicant that is to be funded for the first time shall receive a one-time payment to be used solely and exclusively for the provision of developmentally appropriate materials, equipment, and supplies as approved by the state Department of Education pursuant to rules approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. To receive the funding provided for in this Paragraph, the applicant shall provide the department with a complete inventory of the early childhood education material, equipment, and supplies it has available and shall document its need for additional material, equipment, and supplies using the program standards required in this Section as the basis for such determination.

(4) In addition, out of funds appropriated for that purpose, the state Department of Education shall provide funding for technical assistance and compliance monitoring, central administration and accountability, and long-term study of the effects of the program as provided in this Section.

(5)(a) At any time that less money is appropriated than is required for full funding of all eligible applications, applications shall be fully funded as provided in this Section until all available money has been committed for expenditure in the manner provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph. As provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, LA 4 funding shall first be used to fully fund the provision of early childhood education services to children eligible to receive free or reduced priced meals pursuant to the federal child nutrition program.

(b)(i) The department shall calculate the approximate percentage of the total number of children in the state who will be eligible to enter public school kindergarten pursuant to R.S. 17:151.3 in the following year, who will be eligible to receive free or reduced price meals pursuant to the federal child nutrition program, who are not likely to be enrolled in an early childhood education class, based on the level of the enrollment in such classes in the previous school year, and who can be enrolled in LA 4 classes as provided in this Section with the money available for such purpose.

(ii) An amount of the total money available shall be set aside to provide LA 4 classes for the same percentage as that calculated pursuant to Item (i) of this Subparagraph of the total number of children in each State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education election district who will be eligible to enter public school kindergarten pursuant to R.S. 17:151.3 in the following year, who will be eligible to receive free or reduced price meals pursuant to the federal child nutrition program, and who are not likely to be enrolled in an early childhood education class, based on the level of the enrollment in such classes in the previous school year.

(iii)(aa) After sufficient funding has been made available to provide LA 4 classes at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to all eligible children as provided in Items (i) and (ii) of this Subparagraph, the same method of calculation employed in Items (i) and (ii) of this Subparagraph shall be applied to provide funding for eligible children from a family whose income is classified at or below three hundred percent of the poverty level based on the United States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(bb) After sufficient funding has been made available to provide LA 4 classes at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to all eligible children as defined in Subitem (aa) of this Item, the same method of calculation employed in Items (i) and (ii) of this Subparagraph shall be applied to provide funding for eligible children from a family whose income is classified at or below three hundred fifty percent of the poverty level based on the United States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(cc) After sufficient funding has been made available to provide LA 4 classes at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to all eligible children as defined in Subitem (bb) of this Item, the same method of calculation employed in Items (i) and (ii) of this Subparagraph shall be applied to provide funding for eligible children from a family whose income is classified at or below four hundred percent of the poverty level based on the United States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(dd) After sufficient funding has been made available to provide LA 4 classes at no cost, except for the applicable lunch cost, to all eligible children as defined in Subitem (cc) of this Item, the same method of calculation employed in Items (i) and (ii) of this Subparagraph shall be applied to provide funding for eligible children from a family whose income is classified at or below four hundred fifty percent of the poverty level based on the United States federal poverty guidelines published annually by the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

(iv) The date and time of receipt of all applications shall be noted by the department. All eligible applications shall be divided among the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education election districts. The earliest received eligible application from each district shall be funded in preference to the second earliest eligible application. This process of funding by date and time of eligible application shall continue until all available funding has been committed for expenditure.

(v) In the case that any single applicant is located in more than one State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education election district, that applicant shall be assigned to the election district in which it predominates.

(vi) Should any single applicant have a sufficient number of children who will be eligible to enter public school kindergarten pursuant to R.S. 17:151.3 in the following year, who will be eligible to receive free or reduced price meals pursuant to the federal child nutrition program or who meet the income requirements as provided in Item (iii) of this Subparagraph, and who, based on the level of the enrollment in early childhood classes in the previous school year, are not likely to be enrolled in such classes such that providing funding for such children to be enrolled in LA 4 classes equal to the percentage calculated pursuant to Item (i) of this Subparagraph would consume more than the amount of funding set aside for that election district, then the applicant shall divide into the maximum number of groups provided for and in the manner provided by Subsection F of this Section. Each such group shall be considered a different applicant from the same election district.

(6)(a) In the case that money set aside for use in any election district remains unallocated after the qualification of applicants, the state Department of Education shall redistribute such money among remaining districts which have outstanding, but unfulfilled applications on a basis which shall be provided by rule which assures complete and adequate funding of each funded applicant.

(b) In the case that any election district has no participating system or partial system, an eligible applicant from that district for the following year shall be funded as an initial participant in preference to all other eligible applicants.

J. Annually after the first year of participation and provided the state department finds that the program continues to meet the requirements of this Section, a participating school system or partial school system may renew its participation by notifying the state department of its intention to do so in compliance with a procedure for such notice established by rule of the state board. Such renewals shall be funded in preference to any application. Failure to renew shall place any prior participant in the same position as any other applicant in any future year. A school system that is participating on a partial basis may renew each participating segment; however, any additional segment for which participation is sought shall be considered as an initial application.

Acts 2001, No. 1146, §1, eff. June 29, 2001; Acts 2002, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 25, §§1 and 2, eff. April 18, 2002; Acts 2005, No. 305, §1; Acts 2005, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 19, §1, eff. Nov. 29, 2005; Acts 2007, No. 56, §1; Acts 2008, No. 876, §1; Acts 2010, No. 861, §8.

Disclaimer: These codes may not be the most recent version. Louisiana may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.