Title 17. Education

Chapter 43-a. Public School Choice

17:4035.1       Public School Choice

A. The parent or other legal guardian of any student may enroll his child in the public school of his choice, without regard to residence, school system geographic boundaries, or attendance zones, provided both of the following apply: 

(1) The public school in which the student was most recently enrolled, or would otherwise attend, received a school performance letter grade of “D” or “F” for the most recent school year, pursuant to the state’s school and district accountability system. 

(2) The school in which the student seeks to enroll received a school performance letter grade of “A”, “B”, or “C” for the most recent school year, pursuant to the state’s school and district accountability system, and has sufficient capacity at the appropriate grade level. 

B. The authority to enroll a student in the public school of choice shall not be permitted and shall not be exercised if doing so violates the order of a court of competent jurisdiction. 

C. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 17:158 to the contrary, a school system shall not be required to provide transportation to any student enrolled in a public school pursuant to this Section that is located outside of the geographic boundaries of the school system in which the student resides, if providing such transportation will result in additional cost to the school system. 

D. Any student enrolled in a public school pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be counted by the local public school system in which he is enrolled for purposes of the minimum foundation program and formula, and any other available state or federal funding for which the student is eligible. 

E. (1) The governing authority of each public elementary and secondary school shall work collaboratively and cooperatively to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Section and shall adopt a policy to govern student transfers authorized by this Section. Such policy shall be posted to the school governing authority’s website no later than September 30, 2018, and reported to the state Department of Education no later than December 31, 2018. 

(2) Any student transfer pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall comply with the policy adopted by the governing authority of the school in which the student seeks to enroll. 

Added by Acts 2014, No. 853, § 1, eff. June 23, 2014. Amended by Acts 2015, No. 297, § 1; Acts 2018, No. 459, § 1.