2013 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 17 - Education
RS 17:10.1 - School and district accountability system; purpose; responsibilities of state board

§10.1. School and district accountability system; purpose; responsibilities of state board

A. It is the purpose of this Section to:

(1) Provide for the development and implementation of a school and district accountability system which requires and supports student achievement in each public school.

(2) Provide assurance to the citizens that the quality of education in each public school is monitored and maintained at levels essential for each student to receive a minimum foundation of education.

(3) Provide clear standards and expectations for schools and school systems so that assessment of their effectiveness will be understood.

(4) Provide information that will assist schools and school systems in order that energies and resources may be focused on student academic achievement.

B. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, hereafter referred to as the "state board", shall provide for a statewide system of accountability for schools and school districts based on student achievement and minimum standards for the approval of schools pursuant to R.S. 17:10. Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, such system shall be based, in part, on growth in student achievement using a value-added assessment model as determined by the state board. The program shall include, at a minimum, clear and appropriate standards for schools and school districts, indicators for the assessment of schools and school districts, student achievement baselines, student growth targets, and appropriate minimum levels of student achievement for each public school and school district, rewards and corrective actions, specific intervals for assessment and reassessment of schools and school districts, a review process for evaluating growth targets, and technical assistance.

C. The state board shall develop and adopt a policy to invalidate student achievement growth data using a value-added assessment model for any school year in which there is a natural disaster or any other unexpected event that results in the temporary closure of schools.

D.(1) The state board shall, by rule, define "financially at risk" as a status of any city, parish, or other local public school board the unresolved finding of which subjects the school system and its board to the provisions of Chapter 9B of Title 39 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 regarding the judicial appointment of a fiscal administrator.

(2) Each city, parish, or other local public school board shall be notified on a regular basis by the state Department of Education of its status related to the elements of the definition of financially at risk.

E. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall not use any performance data or indicator, including student academic achievement, test scores, attendance rates, dropout rates, or completion rates, related to students enrolled in an alternative school or educational program operated within a juvenile residential center, juvenile detention center, or any facility under the jurisdiction of the office of juvenile justice in the calculation of any school or district performance score or measure for the city, parish, or other local public school system within the boundaries of which such facility is located.

F. In addition to any other performance-related labels or designations assigned to public schools and school districts pursuant to the school and district accountability system, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, in consultation with parents, teachers, school administrators, and other education stakeholders, shall develop a letter grade system reflective of school and district performance that shall include but not necessarily be limited to the following:

(1)(a) Assignment of a letter grade to each public elementary and secondary school and school district that is based upon the current method of determining school and district performance scores.

(b) Any school that has been labeled academically unacceptable shall be assigned a grade of "F".

(2) Inclusion of the letter grade assigned to each public school and school district in the school report cards compiled by the Department of Education and distributed to parents and in any public release of school and district performance scores.

(3) Creation of an honor roll which recognizes all high-performing schools and high schools with graduation rates that exceed the state average, which shall also be made public when information relative to school and district performance scores and letter grades are released.

Acts 1997, No. 478, §1, eff. June 30, 1997; Acts 2001, No. 1137, §1; Acts 2005, No. 7, §1, eff. May 27, 2005; Acts 2010, No. 54, §1, eff. May 27, 2010; Acts 2010, No. 122, §1; Acts 2010, No. 718, §1.