BATON ROUGE (BRPROUD) New Louisiana laws are going into effect that will impact the upcoming school year.
The Louisiana Department of Education is putting together a legislative guide for parents to review all the changes in discipline, school choice and academics that will be going into effect this school year. It will be released before classes begin.
Here’s a list of a few laws that parents should be aware of.
Act 313: Cell phones must be stowed away during the entire school day unless a student has an exemption. This includes during the lunch hour. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will review a policy created by the Department of Education in August to guide schools on how to implement the law.
Act 337: Reasons for mandatory expulsion have been extended to sixth grade and older if they bring a gun, large knife or any illegal controlled substance to school, on the bus or at school-sponsored events. Students will face expulsion for two full years and superintendents can modify the length.
Act 675 and 674: Another law requires information about children opting out of required vaccinations to be readily available and provided to parents. Children also are not required to get the COVID-19 vaccination to enroll in school.
Act 681: Going into effect is also the law banning teachers from talking about or allowing classroom discussions about gender identity and sexual orientation. It also bans the topics in extracurricular activities which means all GSA-type groups will no longer be allowed.
Act 680: The Given Name Act also requires students to use the name and pronouns on their birth certificate unless they’re given permission from their parents. If a teacher refuses to use a different name for a student, then the child can change classes if there is another one available. Schools must follow established guidelines for approving unique nicknames.
Act 649: The Steve Carter Education Program has been expanded to provide up to $1,500 per student per school year for extra tutoring. Students in K-12 who are testing below reading or math levels are eligible for the program to help them get back on track.
Act 771: Requires public schools to provide high-dosage tutoring for kids in K-5 who are not achieving mastery on statewide assessments or are performing below grade level in math and reading. LDOE will release a list of approved tutors to make sure they are meeting state regulations.