Education

passed · Louisiana · Senate May 7, 2026

SB 507: STUDENTS: Requires BESE to establish a uniform process to determine when a student is nonenrolled due to incarceration or unknown whereabouts in order to exclude the student from public school accountability calculations. (8/1/26)

This bill modifies state law to exempt charter schools from a specific requirement that currently applies to public schools regarding student enrollment status. Under the existing rule, schools must identify students who are incarcerated or have unknown whereabouts to remove them from accountability calculations, but this bill adds that rule to the list of mandates that charter schools do not have to follow. The legislation directly affects charter school administrators by relieving them of the obligation to track and report these specific student populations for accountability purposes. By amending the statute, the bill clarifies that charter schools are not required to exclude incarcerated or missing students from their enrollment counts in the same way public schools must.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill exempts charter schools from accountability measures regarding incarcerated or missing students, potentially weakening oversight and educational access standards.75% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

Track

passed both · Louisiana · House May 21, 2026

HCR 14: EDUCATION: Expresses support for federal efforts to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and memorializes congress to fully cooperate with these efforts

This resolution expresses support for federal efforts to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and asks Congress to cooperate with those efforts. It directly affects the Louisiana Legislature by formally recording its position on a federal policy change. The bill cites the Tenth Amendment to argue that education powers should remain with states rather than the federal government. It does not create new laws or change state education policy, but rather sends a message to the federal government about Louisiana's stance on the issue.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill seeks to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, which would restrict federal educational oversight and programs affecting K-12 and higher education.90% confidence

Track

in committee · Louisiana · House Mar 31, 2026

HB 1021: TOPS: Provides relative to repayment of certain TOPS award amounts under certain circumstances (OR INCREASE GF EX See Note)

This bill requires students who receive Louisiana's TOPS scholarship to repay their award if they fail to maintain eligibility, resign from their college, or do not earn a bachelor's degree by the end of their fifth academic year. The repayment applies to the amount paid on the student's behalf for their first year of enrollment, but it does not apply if the student transfers to a community and technical college within 12 months and completes an eligible workforce program within 36 months. The administering agency must create rules to handle repayment exceptions, partial repayments, and collection methods, and must submit annual reports on TOPS student outcomes and repayment data. The law applies to high school graduates who enroll in college during or after the 2025-2026 school year.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill imposes repayment requirements on scholarship recipients, potentially limiting educational access and creating financial barriers for students who fail to complete degrees.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

Track

in committee · Louisiana · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 229: CURRICULA/COLLEGE DEGREE: Prohibits the use of public funds for certain postsecondary degree programs (OR DECREASE GF EX See Note)

HB 229 prohibits Louisiana public colleges and universities from using state funds for degree programs designated as "low-earning outcome programs" under federal law (20 U.S.C. 1087d(c)). This includes student financial aid, operational funding, and capital grants for affected programs, directly impacting institutions and students enrolled in those programs. The Board of Regents must annually review federal designations, update rules, and report on prohibited programs and fiscal impacts. An exception allows general studies programs if students concentrate in non-low-earning fields. The law takes effect before the summer 2027-2028 semester.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesDefunds specific college programs by prohibiting state funding for 'low-earning outcome' degrees, directly restricting budget allocation for targeted programs.92% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill prohibits state funding for designated 'low-earning outcome' degree programs, directly defunding specific higher education programs per federal criteria.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

Track

in committee · Louisiana · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 303: SCHOOLS/CHARTER: Excludes certain local revenues for the purposes of computing per pupil funding amounts for certain charter schools (OR NO IMPACT See Note)

HB 303 modifies how Louisiana calculates per-pupil funding for certain charter schools by excluding specific state transportation funds. The bill targets Type 1, 3, 3B (non-self-governing), and Type 4 charter schools, excluding state-provided funds for transporting nonpublic school students (as defined in R.S. 17:158) when determining their annual funding amount. This change ensures those transportation dollars aren't counted toward the state’s minimum foundation program formula used to set charter school funding. The policy directly affects charter school funding calculations without altering the actual transportation funding or total state budget for schools.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesExcludes state transportation funds from per-pupil calculation, reducing charter school funding under foundation program.85% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationExcludes transportation funds from charter school funding calculations, reducing state funding for targeted charter schools.90% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Choice School Funding

Track

in committee · Louisiana · Senate Apr 21, 2026

SB 269: SCHOOLS: Provides for the "Charlie Kirk Success Sequencing Act" relative to student success. (8/1/26) (EG SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

SB 269, the "Charlie Kirk Success Sequencing Act," requires Louisiana public and nonpublic high schools to provide students with information about a specific "success sequence" designed to reduce poverty risk. The bill mandates teaching that students should complete three steps in order: earn a high school diploma or equivalent, enter full-time work (either immediately or after postsecondary education), and marry before having children. This is based on cited statistics linking this sequence to lower poverty rates, higher graduation rates, and reduced incarceration, as outlined in the bill's legislative findings. The law applies directly to Louisiana high school students through required curriculum content in preventive education or program of study offerings.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates specific curriculum content (diploma-work-marriage sequence) for all high schools, restricting academic freedom by imposing a predetermined life path on education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

Track

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 399: COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: Creates the Louisiana Higher Education Research Security Council. (1/1/27) (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

SB 399 creates the Louisiana Higher Education Research Security Council to protect the state's colleges and universities from foreign adversaries. The law requires institutions to report and restrict gifts, contracts, research partnerships, and academic collaborations with entities from countries or groups designated as foreign adversaries, while prohibiting certain travel and gifts from such sources. It defines key terms like "foreign adversary" and "foreign source," and includes penalties for violations, such as the theft of trade secrets. The bill directly affects all Louisiana institutions of higher education that grant degrees or have a physical presence in the state.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts foreign research partnerships and gifts at universities, limiting academic collaborations per security mandates.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · Louisiana · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 240: EARLY CHILDHOOD ED: Provides relative to early learning centers. (gov sig) (OR INCREASE GF EX See Note)

SB 240 creates a new "Type IV" license for prekindergarten programs attached to public schools in Louisiana, exempting these centers from certain licensing requirements that apply to other early learning centers. Specifically, Type IV centers are exempt from mandatory criminal background checks for staff (per Section 407.42(A)(3)) and from employee training requirements on shaken baby syndrome (per Section 407.40(A)(7)). The bill also requires Type IV centers to be inspected by the Louisiana Department of Health under school regulations and mandates their representation on advisory councils and the Early Childhood Care and Education Commission. This affects school-based prekindergarten programs, ensuring they operate under streamlined rules while maintaining overall safety standards for all early learning centers.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRemoves mandatory staff background checks and shaken baby syndrome training requirements, weakening safety standards for early childhood education programs.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExempts staff from background checks and training, weakening workplace safety protections for early childhood workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Early Childhood

Track

signed · Louisiana · House May 29, 2026

HB 351: CORRECTIONS: Provides relative to the reentry preparation program (EN NO IMPACT See Note)

HB 351 repeals two specific provisions related to Louisiana's reentry preparation program for formerly incarcerated individuals. It removes a requirement (R.S. 15:827.1(E)) about reentry programs and eliminates an entrepreneurial educational curriculum component within that program. This bill directly affects inmates participating in Louisiana's reentry programs by removing these specific policy requirements from state law. The change is procedural, with no new requirements or funding added.

Topics ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRemoves entrepreneurial curriculum from reentry program, reducing rehabilitation components per bill summary95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRemoves entrepreneurial educational curriculum component from reentry program, directly eliminating an educational requirement for formerly incarcerated individuals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole Curriculum

signed · Louisiana · Senate May 15, 2026

SB 13: TEACHERS RETIREMENT: Provides relative to the determination of employer contributions and amortization of certain actuarial gains. (gov sig) (EN SEE ACTUARIAL NOTE FC)

SB 13 modifies how Louisiana's Teachers' Retirement System calculates employer contributions and handles investment returns. It changes the method for applying excess investment returns to reduce the system's debt, specifically requiring reamortization (resetting payment schedules) when the system reaches 80% funding or every five years starting in 2019. This affects the state's payments into the retirement fund and directly impacts public school teachers' retirement benefits. The bill repeals outdated calculation rules and clarifies how future contributions will be applied to the system's debt.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill modifies retirement funding to apply excess returns toward debt reduction, promoting fiscal responsibility in state budget management.92% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill modifies retirement system funding method, reducing state contributions by applying investment returns to debt reduction, directly impacting teacher benefits and potentially weakening retirement security.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentModifies retirement funding to secure teacher benefits by reducing system debt, preventing underfunding of retirement obligations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions