SB 504: STUDENTS: Provides relative to individual graduation plans. (8/1/26) (EN NO IMPACT See Note) - Louisiana

Senate Floor Bureau Note, #2432, Carter, Gary, Adopted → SB504 Act 523 · 9 edits

MAJOR

This bill enacts new state laws requiring charter schools that end after eighth grade to provide students with Individual Graduation Plans and information about high school diploma options before they enter ninth grade. It also mandates that these plans be flexible enough to allow students to change their course of study with parental approval while ensuring they meet graduation requirements. Additionally, the law exempts charter schools from most public school mandates but explicitly requires them to comply with the new individual graduation plan regulations.

Scope change

The bill applies specifically to charter schools in Louisiana that terminate in the eighth grade, requiring them to partner with high schools to assist in creating graduation plans for their students.

REQUIREMENT

Charter schools ending in eighth grade must provide written notice to students and parents about Individual Graduation Plans and diploma requirements before the student enrolls in high school.

Charter schools ending in eighth grade may partner with high schools to help create Individual Graduation Plans for students transitioning to high school.

Parents of students entering eleventh grade have the right to request an update to their child's Individual Graduation Plan or Individualized Education Program.

Students must be offered available vocational training opportunities with assistance from parents and school counselors.

Individual Graduation Plans must be flexible enough to allow students to change their program of study with written parental approval while still meeting graduation requirements.

School counselors must meet with parents to explain how plan revisions might affect graduation requirements and postsecondary goals before making changes.

All revisions to a student's Individual Graduation Plan must be approved in writing by the parent or legal guardian.

Completed Individual Graduation Plans must be signed by the student, parent or legal guardian, and school counselor.

ELIGIBILITY

Charter schools are exempt from most public school statutory mandates but are now explicitly required to comply with the new Individual Graduation Plan laws.

SB504 Original → Senate Floor Bureau Note, #2432, Carter, Gary, Adopted · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill was amended to streamline the Individual Graduation Plan process by removing a specific line regarding the inclusion of vocational training opportunities. This change simplifies the legislative text, leaving the requirement for vocational training to be addressed elsewhere in the law or through existing regulations rather than explicitly restating it in this section.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted a specific line in the statute that mandated the Individual Graduation Plan include available vocational training opportunities, likely to avoid redundancy or align with other existing provisions.

SB504 Enrolled → SB504 Original · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill updates the requirements for Individual Graduation Plans in Louisiana to explicitly include available vocational training opportunities within each student's school district. It also clarifies that parents of students entering the 11th grade can request an updated plan reflecting these vocational options. Additionally, the bill adds a new provision stating that implementing these changes is subject to future legislative funding.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of Individual Graduation Plans by mandating the inclusion of vocational training information, which was not explicitly required in the previous version.

REQUIREMENT

Mandates that Individual Graduation Plans must include available vocational training opportunities in the student's school district.

Clarifies that parents of students entering the 11th grade may request an updated plan that includes vocational training opportunities.

FISCAL

Adds a provision stating that the implementation of these new requirements is subject to appropriation of funds by the legislature.

SB504 Reengrossed → SB504 Enrolled · 4 edits · May 26, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an Enrolled version, adding co-sponsors and updating the title to reflect new requirements for vocational training and parental authority. Substantively, the law now explicitly requires charter schools terminating in eighth grade to provide specific notices about graduation plans and diploma types to students and parents. It also mandates that all students be offered available vocational training opportunities within their school district as part of their Individual Graduation Plan.

Scope change

The bill's applicability was expanded to explicitly include charter schools in specific provisions regarding Individual Graduation Plans, whereas the previous version focused primarily on general student requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Charter schools ending in eighth grade must now provide written notice to students and parents explaining the purpose of Individual Graduation Plans, available diploma types, and required courses.

Added a specific mandate that every student must be offered available vocational training opportunities in their school district when developing their Individual Graduation Plan.

TECHNICAL

Added Representatives Broussard, Carver, Freiberg, Terry Landry, Martinez, Schlegel, and Taylor as co-sponsors to the bill.

Updated the bill title to include references to vocational training opportunities, parental authority, and related resources.

SB504 Engrossed → SB504 Reengrossed · 4 edits · Apr 21, 2026

MODERATE

This bill update clarifies the requirements for Individual Graduation Plans by removing repetitive language and eliminating a clause that made the law dependent on future legislative funding. It also expands the bill's scope by explicitly applying these graduation plan requirements to charter schools.

Scope change

The bill now explicitly applies to charter schools, whereas the previous version did not specify this applicability.

REQUIREMENT

Removed repetitive instructions requiring that updated Individual Graduation Plans must include vocational training opportunities, streamlining the text.

FISCAL

Deleted the provision stating that implementation of the law is subject to future appropriation of funds by the legislature, effectively making the law immediately effective without needing additional budget approval.

SCOPE

Added a specific exemption for charter schools, ensuring they must comply with the Individual Graduation Plan requirements under R.S. 17:2925.

TECHNICAL

Made minor technical edits to the bill's title and section references to align with the new content.

STUDENTS: Provides relative to individual graduation plans. (8/1/26) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

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