SCHOOLS/CHARTER: Authorizes certain charter schools to give enrollment preference to certain students

Children Education Parental Rights

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Doyle Boudreaux
Last action: 2026-05-29
Official status: Sent to Governor
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact number of charter schools that will implement these preferences is unknown.

Charter Schools and Enrollment Preferences

This bill allows certain charter schools to give enrollment preference to specific groups of students, including those who attended early learning centers affiliated with the school, children of active military personnel, foster care children, and those under court-ordered custody plans.

What This Bill Does

Allows charter schools to prioritize enrollment for entering kindergarten students who attended a licensed early learning center operated by or affiliated with the school.
Gives preference to students whose parent or guardian is serving in active military service.
Prioritizes foster care children placed through the Department of Children and Family Services.
Provides enrollment preference for students under court-ordered custody plans.

Who It Names or Affects

Charter schools in Louisiana, except those in school districts where most schools were transferred to a Recovery School District.
Students entering kindergarten who attended specific early learning centers.
Children of active military personnel.
Foster care children and those under court-ordered custody plans.

Terms To Know

Charter school: A public school that is independently run but still accountable to the state for meeting certain educational standards.
Enrollment preference: The ability of a charter school to give priority admission to specific groups of students based on their background or circumstances.

Limits and Unknowns

This bill does not apply to charter schools in districts where most schools were transferred to the Recovery School District.
It is unclear how many charter schools will choose to use these enrollment preferences.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

House Committee Amendment #3836 EDUC Adopted

Adopted

Plain English: HCAHB1079 3391 3836 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB1079 3391 3836 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.
1079 by Representative Boudreaux 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 4, after "education;" and before "and" insert "to provide relative to children 3 in military families; to provide relative to children in foster care; to provide for exceptions;" 4 AMENDMENT NO.
2 5 On page 1, delete lines 17 through 19 and on page 2, delete lines 1 through 3 and insert the 6 following: 7 "(vii) Each charter school, except for any school in a school district where 8 the majority of schools were transferred from the local district to the Recovery 9 School District, may give enrollment preference to a student who falls into any of the 10 following categories: 11 (aa) An entering kindergarten student who attended one of the following: 12 (I) A licensed early learning center operated by the charter school.

House Committee Amendment #3801 EDUC Draft

Draft

Plain English: HCAHB1079 3391 3801 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB1079 3391 3801 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.
1079 by Representative Boudreaux 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 4, after "education;" and before "and" insert "to provide for exceptions;" 3 AMENDMENT NO.
2 4 On page 1, line 17, after "charter" and before "may" delete "school" and insert "school, 5 except for any school in a school district where the majority of schools were transferred from 6 the local district to the Recovery School District," Page 1 of 1 CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored are additions.

House Committee Amendment #3564 EDUC Draft

Draft

Plain English: HCAHB1079 3391 3564 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.

HCAHB1079 3391 3564 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by House Committee on Education to Original House Bill No.
1079 by Representative Boudreaux 1 AMENDMENT NO.
1 2 On page 1, line 4, after "education;" and before "and" insert "to provide relative to children 3 in military families; to provide relative to children in foster care;" 4 AMENDMENT NO.
2 5 On page 1, delete lines 17 through 19 and on page 2, delete lines 1 through 3 insert the 6 following: 7 "(vii) Each charter school may give enrollment preference to a student who 8 falls into any of the following categories: 9 (aa) An entering kindergarten student who attended one of the following: 10 (I) A licensed early learning center operated by the charter school.

Bill History

2026-05-29 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-28 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-05-28 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-05-28 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-05-27 S
Read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-05-27 S
Called from the Calendar.
2026-05-27 S
Read by title and returned to the Calendar, subject to call.
2026-05-26 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-05-25 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-05-21 S
Reported favorably.
2026-04-27 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Education.
2026-04-22 S
Received in the Senate. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-04-22 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-04-21 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 04/22/2026.
2026-04-16 H
Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-04-15 H
Reported with amendments (11-0).
2026-03-31 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.
2026-03-30 H
Read by title. Lies over under the rules.

Official Summary Text

SCHOOLS/CHARTER: Authorizes certain charter schools to give enrollment preference to certain students

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 1079
BY REPRESENTATIVE BOUDREAUX
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:3991(C)(1)(c)(vii), relative to charter schools; to provide relative to charter
3 school enrollment; to provide relative to enrollment preference for certain students;
4 to provide relative to early childhood care and education; to provide relative to
5 children in military families; to provide relative to children in foster care; to provide
6 for exceptions; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 17:3991(C)(1)(c)(vii) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 §3991. Charter schools; requirements; limitations; renewal; amendment; revocation;
10 board membership
11 * * *
12 C. A charter school shall:
13 * * *
14 (1)
15 * * *
16 (c)
17 * * *
18 (vii) Each charter school, except for any school in a school district where the
19 majority of schools were transferred from the local district to the Recovery School
20 District, may give enrollment preference to a student who falls into any of the
21 following categories:
22 (aa) An entering kindergarten student who attended one of the following:
23 (I) A licensed early learning center operated by the charter school.
24 (II) A licensed early learning center not operated by the charter school, if the
25 student attended the center for at least seventy-five days and the charter school and
26 the center have an enrollment articulation agreement.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 1079 ENROLLED
1 (bb) A student whose parent or legal guardian is serving in active military
2 service.
3 (cc) A student who is in foster care pursuant to placement through the
4 Department of Children and Family Services.
5 (dd) A student who is the subject of a court-ordered custody plan.
6 * * *
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.