Summary
Louisiana HB 1 (Open States or Louisiana Legislature) is the state’s budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2013-14. This bill protected the Louisiana Course Choice program by finding alternative means of funding the program after the Supreme Court ruled the original funding method was unconstitutional. It invests an additional $69 million in K-12 education, half of which is dedicated to teacher pay raises. The budget also protects prior education reforms, including the Louisiana Scholarship Program and changes to teacher tenure. New education funding also includes $3 million to the Louisiana Virtual Charter School.
Legislative Analysis
HB 1, the state budget for FY 2013-14, invests an additional $69 million in K-12 education over the prior year, half of which is dedicated to teacher pay raises. The budget also protects education reforms made during the previous year’s legislative session, including the Louisiana Scholarship Program and changes to teacher tenure.
The Louisiana Scholarship Program, designed to provide school choice vouchers to low-income families, was supported, with $45 million added to the state general fund to cover the cost of 8,500 voucher slots. This is an increase of $20 million and 4,000 additional slots over the previous year’s funding.
Support for the Course Choice Program, where public school students can take online classes through online firms, colleges, and private course providers, was scaled back in the state budget, so the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Department of Education are funding a pilot, mini-voucher program. With $2 million in funding from various grants, the program reached full capacity at 2,000 students, with an additional 500 on a waiting list. The cost of one online course is averaging $1,000.
$3 million was appropriated to the Louisiana Virtual School (LVS) in order to provide instructional services to public high schools across the state, where such instruction would not otherwise be available due to a lack of funding and/or qualified instructors to teach the courses. LVS serves approximately 4,500 students in 225 schools.
Additional appropriations include $100,000 for the charter school startup loan fund and $6.6 million for research or pilot programs.
HB 1 promotes digital learning through supporting the Louisiana Scholarship Program, where students may choose to enroll in a virtual or blended learning program. It also provides financial support for the Louisiana Virtual School. Although HB 1 did not provide support for the Course Choice Program, the higher than expected demand for the Course Choice Pilot Program indicates the interest of Louisiana students and families in having this online option.
Legislative History
Detailed Vote History: Legiscan | Open States
Approved by Governor Bobby Jindal on 6/21/2013