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ACT No. 6332026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 271
BY REPRESENTATIVE WYBLE
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 36:651(F)(8), to enact Part XIV of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the
3 Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to be comprised of R.S. 17:410.21, and to repeal
4 Part XIII of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950,
5 comprised of R.S. 17:410.11, relative to education; to create and provide for the
6 Louisiana Commission on Foundational Education; to provide for the commission's
7 purpose, membership, and powers and duties; to provide with respect to commission
8 meetings; to require staff support by the state Department of Education; to abolish
9 the Louisiana Literacy Advisory Commission and to provide for the transfer of its
10 records to the newly created commission; and to provide for related matters.
11 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
12 Section 1. Part XIV of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
13 1950, comprised of R.S. 17:410.21, is hereby enacted to read as follows:
14 PART XIV. LOUISIANA COMMISSION ON FOUNDATIONAL EDUCATION
15 §410.21. Louisiana Commission on Foundational Education
16 A. The Louisiana Commission on Foundational Education, referred to in this
17 Section as the "commission", is hereby created for the purpose of evaluating and
18 making recommendations to improve foundational education policy.
19 B. The commission has the following powers and duties:
20 (1) To serve as an advisory body to the State Board of Elementary and
21 Secondary Education and the state Department of Education on matters relating to
22 foundational literacy, numeracy, and family engagement from kindergarten through
23 grade eight.
24 (2) To research and analyze all policies, regulations, procedures, and funding
25 structures relative to the implementation of foundational education initiatives,
26 reforms, and instructional practices.
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1 (3) To request, receive, and review state, regional, and national data
2 necessary to determine and understand the effectiveness and impact of foundational
3 education initiatives, instructional strategies, and student outcomes.
4 (4) To develop and formulate policy, programmatic, and instructional
5 recommendations aligned with evidence-based practices, including but not limited
6 to literacy practices consistent with the science of reading and research-based
7 mathematics and numeracy instruction.
8 (5) To recommend strategies to strengthen family engagement and promote
9 alignment from prekindergarten through eighth grade to ensure kindergarten
10 readiness and continuity in foundational skill development.
11 (6) To establish subcommittees or working groups to identify, analyze, and
12 develop recommendations in areas deemed appropriate by the commission. Such
13 subcommittees or working groups shall report to the commission and may include
14 commission members and individuals with relevant subject-matter expertise who are
15 not commission members.
16 C. The commission consists of the following members:
17 (1) One member appointed by the governor.
18 (2) One member appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
19 (3) One member appointed by the president of the Senate.
20 (4) The state superintendent of education or his designee.
21 (5) One member appointed by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary
22 Education.
23 (6) One member appointed by the commissioner of higher education.
24 (7) The secretary of Louisiana Works or his designee.
25 (8) The secretary of Louisiana Economic Development or his designee.
26 (9) One member from the Louisiana Parent Teacher Association appointed
27 by the president of the association.
28 (10) One member from the Louisiana Association for the Education of
29 Young Children appointed by the executive director of the association.
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1 (11) One currently employed classroom teacher or expert in literacy
2 instruction appointed by the state superintendent of education.
3 (12) One currently employed classroom teacher or expert in numeracy and
4 mathematics instruction appointed by the state superintendent of education.
5 (13) One currently serving parish or city school superintendent appointed by
6 the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
7 (14) The chief executive of Decoding Dyslexia Louisiana, or his designee.
8 (15) One member from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry
9 appointed by the president of the association.
10 (16) One member from the Pelican Institute for Public Policy appointed by
11 the chief executive officer of the institute.
12 (17) One member from a national nonprofit organization with demonstrated
13 experience advising states on comprehensive education reform and evidence-based
14 academic standards, appointed by the governor.
15 (18) One member from the Southeastern Louisiana University College of
16 Education appointed by the dean of the college.
17 (19) One member from the Center for Literacy and Learning appointed by
18 the president of the center.
19 (20) One member from the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children appointed
20 by the chief executive officer of the institute.
21 (21) One member from Leaders for a Better Louisiana appointed by the chief
22 executive officer.
23 (22) One direct provider with a membership in the Child Care Association
24 of Louisiana appointed by the board of directors of the association.
25 D.(1) Members appointed pursuant to Paragraphs (C)(1) through (C)(8) of
26 this Section shall serve for the duration of their respective terms of office or for a
27 term concurrent with the term of the appointing authority, as applicable.
28 (2) Members listed in Paragraphs (C)(9) through (C)(22) of this Section shall
29 serve three-year terms, except that for initial terms, such members shall serve
30 staggered terms as follows:
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1 (a) Members listed in Paragraphs (C)(9) through (C)(12) of this Section
2 shall serve an initial term of one year.
3 (b) Members listed in Paragraphs (C)(13) through (C)(16) of this Section
4 shall serve an initial term of two years.
5 (c) Members listed in Paragraphs (C)(17) through (C)(22) of this Section
6 shall serve an initial term of three years.
7 (3) Any appointed member may be removed for cause by the appointing
8 authority.
9 (4) Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original selection.
10 E.(1) The state superintendent of education shall call the initial meeting no
11 later than September 15, 2026.
12 (2) The commission shall elect a chair and vice chair.
13 (3) The commission shall meet at least quarterly and at such other times as
14 determined necessary by the chair.
15 (4) Eight members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
16 (5) An affirmative vote of a majority of the members present shall be
17 required for any official action.
18 (6) All meetings shall comply with the provisions of the Open Meetings
19 Law, R.S. 42:11 et seq.
20 (7) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation except per
21 diem or expenses reimbursement to which they may be individually entitled as
22 members of their constituent organizations.
23 F. The state Department of Education shall provide staff support to the
24 commission and shall provide for the records of the Louisiana Literacy Advisory
25 Commission to be transferred to the commission.
26 G. Not later than February fifteenth annually, the commission shall submit
27 a written report of its findings and recommendations and the status of the
28 implementation of its recommendations to the House Committee on Education, the
29 Senate Committee on Education, the governor, and the State Board of Elementary
30 and Secondary Education.
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1 Section 2. R.S. 36:651(F)(8) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:
2 §651. Transfer of boards, commissions, departments, and agencies to Department
3 of Education; boards, commissions, and agencies within Department of
4 Education
5 * * *
6 F. The following agencies are transferred to and hereafter shall be within the
7 Department of Education as provided in R.S. 36:901 et seq.:
8 * * *
9 (8) The Louisiana Literacy Advisory Commission (R.S. 17:410.11). The
10 Louisiana Commission on Foundational Education (R.S. 17:410.21).
11 * * *
12 Section 3. Part XIII of Chapter 1 of Title 17 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of
13 1950, comprised of R.S. 17:410.11, is hereby repealed in its entirety.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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