reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
LA Rev Stat § 17:4012 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4012. Legislative findings

RS 4012 - Legislative findings  The legislature finds and declares that:  (1) It is in the public interest that all Louisiana schoolchildren receive the best education that its citizens can provide, and the state of Louisiana has the right, responsibility, duty, and obligation to accomplish the objective of quality education for all Louisiana children.  (2) Attendance of children at nonpublic schools constitutes compliance with the objectives of Louisiana's compulsory attendance law; nonpublic schools in Louisiana make a significant educational and economic contribution towards meeting the goal of a quality education for every Louisiana school child; and Louisiana has recognized and encouraged that contribution through providing textbooks and transportation to students attending approved nonpublic schools for many decades.  (3) Effective nonpublic schools exist in Louisiana's school systems.  (4) Nonpublic schools can offer a quality education to students and it is in the public interest to offer students in all systems the means of accessing the educational opportunities offered by nonpublic schools by providing them with scholarships to attend such schools.  (5) Academically acceptable public schools can serve as quality alternatives for students attending low-performing public schools.  (6) It is the intent of this Part to create additional options for all children, including those with special needs or requiring special education services.  (7) Any delay in implementation of this Part would work to the detriment of children.  Acts 2008, No. 509, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2010, No. 861, §8; Acts 2012, No. 2, §1; Acts 2019, No. 21, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4013 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4013. Definitions

RS 4013 - Definitions  As used in this Part, unless otherwise clearly indicated, the following terms mean:  (1) "Department" means the state Department of Education.  (2) "Eligible student" means a student who resides in Louisiana, is a member of a family with a total income that does not exceed two hundred fifty percent of the current federal poverty guidelines as established by the federal office of management and budget, and who meets any one of the following criteria:  (a) Is entering kindergarten and has enrolled in the local school system in which the public school he would have otherwise attended is located or in a school under the jurisdiction of the Recovery School District. Each local school system or the Recovery School District shall conduct its annual kindergarten enrollment process and shall report such enrollment to the department prior to the program enrollment process.  (b) Was enrolled in a public school in Louisiana on October first and on February first of the most recent school year pursuant to the definition of student membership established by the state board for purposes of the minimum foundation program formula, and such school received a letter grade of "C", "D", or "F" or any variation thereof, for the most recent year pursuant to the school and district accountability system.  (c) Received a scholarship pursuant to this Part in the previous school year.  (3) "Participating school" means a nonpublic school that meets program requirements and seeks to enroll scholarship recipients or a public school that meets program requirements and seeks to enroll scholarship recipients subject to any court-ordered desegregation plan in effect for the school system in which the public school is located.  (4) "Program" means the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program.  (5) "Scholarship" means the funds awarded to a parent or other legal guardian on behalf of an eligible student to attend a participating public or nonpublic school.  (6) "Scholarship recipient" means an eligible student who is awarded a scholarship.  Acts 2008, No. 509, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2011, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 41, §1, eff. June 12, 2011; Acts 2012, No. 2, §1; Acts 2019, No. 21, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4014 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4014. Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program; creation

RS 4014 - Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program; creation The Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program is hereby created and shall be administered by the department. Acts 2008, No. 509, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2012, No. 2, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4017 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4017. Payment of scholarships

RS 4017 - Payment of scholarships  A. The amount to be paid for a scholarship shall be divided into four equal payments to be made to each participating school in September, December, February, and May of each school year. Payments shall be based on per pupil count dates as determined by the department. No refunds shall be made to the department or to the parent or legal guardian if the scholarship recipient withdraws from the program or is otherwise not enrolled prior to the next count date. The school in which the scholarship recipient is enrolled on the next count date shall receive the next payment.  B. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Part to the contrary, any public or private entity, including any nonprofit organization, may make a directed donation to any participating school for a scholarship recipient.  Acts 2008, No. 509, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2012, No. 2, §1; Acts 2014, No. 779, §1, eff. July 1, 2014; Acts 2015, No. 297, §1; Acts 2019, No. 21, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4018 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4018. Student eligibility

RS 4018 - Student eligibility Scholarship recipients shall remain eligible to receive scholarships in each succeeding year that they remain enrolled in a participating school through grade twelve. Eligibility shall continue if a recipient transfers from one participating school to another participating school. Acts 2008, No. 509, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2012, No. 2, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4019 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4019. Private scholarships

RS 4019 - Private scholarships  A. Recognizing the success of the program and in order to maintain the long-term financial stability of the program, private businesses, industry, foundations, charities, and other groups may ask the division of administration for, notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, authority to create privately funded scholarship programs to make payments to participating schools on behalf of individual students. If the division of administration authorizes such a private scholarship program, private scholarship funds received by a participating school from such private scholarship program on behalf of a student shall cause a reduction in the dollar amount of the program scholarship to the participating school attributable to that student such that the program scholarship associated with that student shall be an amount that is equal to the dollar amount that the program scholarship would have been if no such private scholarship funds had been received less the amount of private scholarship funds received by the participating school on behalf of that student.  B. This Section shall in no way be interpreted in such a manner that a student could receive less benefits from a combination of the program scholarship and the private scholarship funded on his behalf than he would have received solely from the program scholarship if there had been no such private scholarship funded on his behalf. Therefore, to the extent any such privately funded scholarship funds provided for in this Section made to a participating school on behalf of a qualified student are for an amount less than the amount a given student would have otherwise received as a program scholarship if no such private scholarship funds had been paid under this Section, then the participating school shall receive that difference on behalf of the student as the student's program scholarship.  C. As provided in this Section, when a participating school receives privately funded scholarship funds on behalf of a student pursuant to this Section, the annual appropriation of state funds for the program shall be reduced by the amount of such private scholarship program funds so received. The commissioner of administration shall determine and specify the amount of the reduction from the source of the funds to provide the maximum benefit to the state from the privately funded scholarship program. The state treasurer shall deposit the amount of such reduction as specified by the commissioner of administration into the Overcollections Fund created in R.S. 39:100.21 and credit such deposit to an account within the fund hereby established and created to be known as the "Program Participation Savings Account".  Acts 2014, No. 779, §1, eff. July 1, 2014; Acts 2015, No. 297, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4020 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4020. School participation; application

RS 4020 - School participation; application  A. Participation in this program by a school is voluntary, and nothing in this Part shall be construed to authorize any additional regulation of participating schools beyond that specifically authorized by this Part.  B. Any school that wishes to participate in the program and enroll scholarship recipients annually shall notify the department of its intent to participate in the program by February first of the previous school year. The notice shall specify the number of seats the school will have available for scholarship recipients at each grade level and the maximum amount of tuition attributable to each available seat, as applicable.  Acts 2008, No. 509, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2010, No. 861, §8; Acts 2012, No. 2, §1; Acts 2019, No. 21, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4021 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4021. School eligibility

RS 4021 - School eligibility  A. To be eligible to participate in the program, a nonpublic school shall meet all of the following criteria:  (1) Be approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to R.S. 17:11.  (2) Comply with the criteria set forth in Brumfield, et al. v. Dodd, et al, 425 F. Supp. 528.  (3)(a) Be accredited or designated as a provisionally accredited approved school. For purposes of this Paragraph:  (i) "Provisionally accredited approved school" means a school that is working toward meeting accreditation requirements and has met all other criteria for approval by the state board.  (ii) Accrediting entities shall be the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation organizations, the Cognia accreditation organizations, the National Association of Independent Schools accreditation organizations, the Louisiana Montessori Association, and the diocese or archdiocese in which the school is located.  (b) A provisionally accredited approved school shall be removed from the program if it does not receive accreditation within four years.  B. To be eligible to participate in the program, a public school shall have received a letter grade of "A" or "B", or any variation thereof, for the most recent school year pursuant to the school and district accountability system.  C. Scholarship recipients enrolled in a participating school that fails to meet the eligibility criteria established in this Section may transfer to another participating school for the succeeding school year without loss of eligibility, and such recipients shall be given preference for enrollment at other participating schools.  D. A participating school that fails for three consecutive years to meet minimum standards for academic performance as determined by the accountability system provided for in state board policy shall be ineligible to participate in the program.  Acts 2008, No. 509, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2012, No. 2, §1; Acts 2021, No. 196, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4021.1 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4021.1. School eligibility; exceptions; applicability

RS 4021.1 - School eligibility; exceptions; applicability  A. R.S. 17:4021(A)(3) shall not apply to a nonpublic school initially participating in the program prior to the 2022-2023 school year.  B. The measurement of three consecutive years for purposes of R.S. 17:4021(D) shall commence with the 2021-2022 school year.  Acts 2021, No. 196, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4023 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4023. Testing

RS 4023 - Testing A participating nonpublic school shall ensure that scholarship recipients are administered all examinations required pursuant to the school and district accountability system at the prescribed grade levels and that the results of such examinations are provided to parents or legal guardians. Acts 2008, No. 509, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2012, No. 2, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4024 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4024. Reports

RS 4024 - Reports A. The department annually shall report to the Senate Committee on Education, the House Committee on Education, the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, and each individual legislator regarding the implementation of the program. The report, at a minimum, shall include the following information: (1) The total number of students receiving scholarships. (2) A list of all schools participating in the program. (3) A list of all schools participating in the program grouped by legislative district. (4) The total student enrollment of each participating school, the number of scholarship recipients enrolled in each school, and the percentage of the total enrollment of each school represented by scholarship recipients. (5) Aggregate test result data for the scholarship recipients enrolled in each participating school. B. Not later than April thirtieth of each year, the department shall send a printed copy of the report required by this Section to each legislative committee as provided in Subsection A of this Section and to each member of the legislature. Acts 2008, No. 509, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2010, No. 861, §8; Acts 2012, No. 2, §1; Acts 2014, No. 728, §1, eff. June 19, 2014.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4025 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4025. Rules; severability

RS 4025 - Rules; severability  A. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Part.  B. If any provision of this Part or the application thereof is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this Part which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or applications, and to this end the provisions of this Part are hereby declared severable.  C. The severability provision hereof shall be broadly construed so as to give effect to each and every possible provision or application of this Part which is not specifically held invalid, unlawful, or unconstitutional.  Acts 2008, No. 509, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2012, No. 2, §1; Acts 2019, No. 21, §1.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4035 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4035. Short title

RS 4035 - Short title This Part shall be known and may be cited as the "Louisiana Public School Choice Act". Acts 2014, No. 853, §1, eff. June 23, 2014.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4036.1 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4036.1. Learning pods

RS 4036.1 - Learning pods  A. Each public school governing authority may establish learning pods as an extension of any school under its jurisdiction. For purposes of this Chapter, "learning pod" means a group of at least ten students enrolled in the school who receive instruction in a small group setting.  B. A student shall be assigned to a learning pod only if the assignment is requested by his parent or authorized by his parent upon the recommendation of school officials.  C. All instruction provided to students assigned to learning pods shall be provided by teachers on the staff of the school who meet all qualifications and are subject to all requirements applicable to teachers at the school who are not assigned to a learning pod.  D. Students assigned to a learning pod shall be:  (1) Counted among the enrollment of the public school governing authority for purposes of full funding through the Minimum Foundation Program formula.  (2) Subject to all requirements applicable to students enrolled in the school who are not assigned to a learning pod.  (3) Eligible for participation in all services and activities for which they would be eligible if not assigned to a learning pod.  E. The establishment of learning pods shall be subject to policies and procedures adopted by a public school governing authority, which, at a minimum, shall provide for the following:  (1) The student population of the learning pod, which may be a blended population of students of different grade levels.  (2) The method of instruction for the learning pod, which may occur in-person at a physical location on the school campus, remotely through virtual instruction, or through a hybrid approach that combines both methods.  (3) Any specialized curriculum or program provided in the learning pod.  (4) The process for a parent to request student assignment to a learning pod, grant authorization for a student's assignment to a learning pod if recommended by school officials, and withdraw a student from a learning pod.  F. This Chapter does not apply to or have any effect on any learning pod or other group of students that is formed and operated by parents, regardless of whether they are enrolled in a public school or a nonpublic school or participating in a home study program.  Acts 2021, No. 400, §1, eff. June 16, 2021.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4041 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4041. Definitions

RS 4041 - Definitions As used in this Chapter, unless otherwise clearly indicated, the following terms mean: (1) "Board" means the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2) "Department" means the state Department of Education. (3) "District" means any city, parish, or other local public school district, the Recovery School District, and the Special School District. (4) "Governing authority" means the governing authority of any public elementary or secondary school. (5) "Low-performing school" means an academically unacceptable school as determined by the board. (6) "Superintendent" means the superintendent of any city, parish, or other local public school district, the director of the Special School District, and the superintendent of the Recovery School District. (7) "Waiver" means a waiver granted pursuant to and in accordance with this Chapter which exempts the recipient district from any provision of this Title or from any rule, regulation, or policy of the board that is applicable to public schools and to public school officers and employees. A waiver may be granted for any combination of such laws, rules, regulations, or policies, including but not limited to those related to instructional time, curriculum, funding, personnel, student-to-personnel ratios, and student support; however, Subpart B of Part III of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, R.S. 17:158, 416.2, 3902 and laws, rules, and regulations identified in R.S. 17:3996(B) and those related to matters identified in R.S. 17:3996(A) shall not be waived. Also, any limitation or restriction on outsourcing of food, clerical, custodial, or paraprofessional services shall not be waived. Acts 2010, No. 749, §1, eff. June 29, 2010.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4042 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4042. Authority of the board to grant waivers

RS 4042 - Authority of the board to grant waivers Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the board may, upon receipt of a waiver application from a governing authority as set forth in this Chapter and with the goal of improving quality of instruction and student academic achievement, issue a waiver to any district. Acts 2010, No. 749, §1, eff. June 29, 2010.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4043 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4043. Requests for waivers

RS 4043 - Requests for waivers A. A governing authority may request a waiver for any school, any combination of schools, or all schools under his district's jurisdiction. However, a governing authority shall not request a waiver for any school unless a majority of the classroom teachers employed in the school, voting by secret ballot, vote in favor of inclusion of such school in the waiver request. B. A governing authority requesting a waiver shall submit to the board a written waiver request that does all of the following: (1) Identifies the specific laws, rules, regulations, and policies from which waiver is sought. (2) Identifies the school or schools that will be covered by the waiver. (3) Describes the policies and procedures that will be instituted as a substitute for the waived provisions. (4) Describes how the proposed waiver will accomplish all of the following: (a) Increase the quality of instruction for students. (b) Improve the academic achievement of students. (c) Improve teaching effectiveness within schools. (5) Describes, for each school year, specific, measurable educational goals and the methods to be used annually to measure progress in meeting such goals. Acts 2010, No. 749, §1, eff. June 29, 2010.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4045 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4045. Grant, denial, or extension of waivers

RS 4045 - Grant, denial, or extension of waivers A. If the requirements provided in this Chapter are met, the board may grant a waiver as requested or grant a waiver subject to specified modifications. The waiver shall be effective for a specified period of up to four years unless terminated sooner by the board. B. The terms and conditions of any waiver granted pursuant to this Chapter shall be reduced to writing by and approved by the board and agreed to and signed by the superintendent, subject to the approval of the governing authority, in the manner prescribed by the board. The written document containing the terms and conditions of the waiver shall not constitute a contract between the board and the governing authority. C. The board may, upon request from the governing authority and a recommendation from the department, extend the waiver period if it determines that the waiver has been effective in enabling the school to carry out the activities for which the waiver was requested and the waiver has contributed to improved quality of instruction and student academic achievement. Any such extension shall not prevent a school otherwise eligible from being subject to transfer to the Recovery School District. Acts 2010, No. 749, §1, eff. June 29, 2010.
LA Rev Stat § 17:4046 (2021)
2021 Louisiana Laws|Revised Statutes|Title 17 - Education|§4046. Reporting requirements

RS 4046 - Reporting requirements A. The governing authority of any school that receives a waiver pursuant to this Chapter shall provide periodic reports on progress in achieving specific benchmarks set forth by the board and shall provide, upon the request of the board, periodic reports on the uses and effectiveness of the waiver. B. Not later than March first of each year, the board shall submit a report to the Senate Committee on Education and the House Committee on Education: (1) Summarizing the uses of waivers granted pursuant to this Chapter. (2) Describing whether such waivers: (a) Increased the quality of instruction to students. (b) Improved the academic achievement of students. (3) Recommending any proposed legislative changes, if district success in improving quality of instruction and academic achievement under a waiver indicates that changes in an existing provision of law would be appropriate for all districts. Acts 2010, No. 749, §1, eff. June 29, 2010.