Education (Testing & Assessment)

HB 262 removes a requirement for Louisiana high school students to pass state-administered end-of-course tests (like the LEAP assessments) to earn a diploma. It states that students who successfully complete all required coursework (Carnegie units) for graduation will automatically receive a high school diploma, regardless of their test scores. The bill directly affects all Louisiana public high school students by eliminating a barrier to graduation tied to standardized testing. This policy change shifts graduation eligibility solely to course completion, not test performance, for the first time under Louisiana's current framework.

HB 821 establishes the Louisiana Center for Safe Schools within the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Criminal Justice. The center will administer school and nonprofit security programs, develop statewide safety frameworks (including threat assessment models), and provide training on emergency planning, facility security, and crisis response to schools and nonprofits. It will coordinate with state agencies like the Department of Education and coordinate emergency notification systems while maintaining data privacy. The bill also creates a 13-member advisory council, including education and law enforcement leaders, to review safety frameworks and recommend grant priorities.

HB 818 limits the time Louisiana public school students spend on standardized tests to no more than 2% of annual instructional time starting in 2027-2028, excluding college exams, accommodations for students with disabilities, and teacher-selected classroom assessments. It requires schools and the state education department to publish annual, publicly accessible schedules of all required tests online by specific deadlines, listing details like test names, grade levels, administration dates, and time estimates. The bill mandates that these schedules exclude locally developed tests not required by federal or state law and must be updated within 10 business days of any changes. This directly affects Louisiana public school students, teachers, and school districts by standardizing test transparency and restricting testing time.