Title 17. Education

Chapter 2. Teachers and Employees

Part I. General Provisions

17:437.2      Adverse childhood experiences; trauma-informed education; in-service training

A. As used in this Section: 

(1) “Adverse childhood experiences” means all types of abuse, neglect, and other traumatic childhood experiences linked to lifelong health and social problems including: 

(a) Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. 

(b) Physical or emotional neglect. 

(c) Domestic violence. 

(d) Divorce or separation of a parent or caregiver. 

(e) Substance abuse by a household member. 

(f) Mental illness of a household member. 

(g) Incarceration of a household member. 

(2) “Trauma-informed education” means a school-wide approach to education and a classroom-based approach to student learning that recognizes the signs and symptoms of adverse childhood experiences in students, families, and staff and responds by integrating knowledge about trauma-informed policies, professional learning, procedures, and practices to address the long-term effects of adverse childhood experiences on a student’s cognitive functioning and his physical, social, emotional, and mental well-being. 

B. (1) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, after consultation with the Louisiana Department of Health, office of public health, shall develop and adopt guidelines for in-service training in recognizing the signs and symptoms of adverse childhood experiences and the utilization of trauma-informed educational practices to address student needs resulting from these experiences.

(2) The board shall adopt rules to require that, beginning with the 2021-2022 school year, all public and approved nonpublic school teachers, school counselors, principals, and other school administrators for whom the training is considered beneficial by the board shall annually participate in at least one hour of in-service training on recognizing adverse childhood experiences and the utilization of trauma-informed education. The in-service training required by this Paragraph shall be provided on a day that other types of in-service training will be provided in accordance with the school calendar adopted by each public school governing authority. 

C. The training shall include research-based information regarding the following: 

(1) The impact of adverse childhood experiences on students’ educational experiences and on the school and classroom culture. 

(2) How to identify the signs and symptoms of adverse childhood experiences. 

(3) Best practices for schools and classrooms regarding trauma-informed approaches to education. 

(4) Recognition of the impact of secondary trauma on school employees. 

D. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Section. 

Added by Acts 2021, No. 353, § 1, eff. June 17, 2021.