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HB386 • 2026

SCHOOLS/CHARTER: Provides relative to charter school funding (EG1 NO IMPACT See Note)

SCHOOLS/CHARTER: Provides relative to charter school funding (EG1 NO IMPACT See Note)

Education Elections
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Emily Chenevert
Last action
2026-05-28
Official status
Signed by the President
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide specific details about the financial impact or obligations of charter schools, leaving some aspects open to interpretation.

Charter School Funding Act

This act modifies how certain charter schools receive funding and sets rules for their financial oversight.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the way Type 1, 3, 3B (not acting as its own local education agency), and 4 charter schools get money from the state's minimum foundation program formula.
  • Allows Type 1, 3, or 3B charter schools to be considered local education agencies for federal funding purposes if approved by the local school board.
  • Requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to create rules about how these charter schools should handle federal funds and programs.
  • Gives the state superintendent power to rescind a charter school's authority to act as its own local education agency if it fails to meet financial and programmatic obligations.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Charter schools in Louisiana, specifically Type 1, 3, 3B (not acting as its own LEA), and 4 schools.
  • Local school boards that oversee charter agreements.
  • The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education which will create new rules for certain charter schools.

Terms To Know

Type 1, Type 3, Type 3B (not acting as its own local education agency), and Type 4 charter schools
Different categories of charter schools in Louisiana with specific characteristics and funding requirements.
Local education agency (LEA)
An organization responsible for providing public education within a defined area. Certain charter schools can act as their own LEA for federal funding purposes if approved by the local school board.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the funding changes will affect individual charter schools or students.
  • It is unclear what specific financial obligations and program requirements will be set by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Amendments

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

Filed

Plain English: The amendment allows certain charter schools to be recognized as their own local education agency for federal funding purposes, with rules set by the state board.

  • Allows Type 1, 3, and 3B charter schools to act as their own local education agencies (LEAs) for federal funding if approved by the local school board.
  • Requires BESE to create rules about financial and programmatic obligations for these charter schools acting as LEAs.
  • The exact impact of this change on current practices is not fully explained in the provided text.
Filed

Plain English: The amendment to HB386 involves the House voting on Senate amendments related to charter school funding, but does not specify concrete changes in the text provided.

  • The official amendment text only includes roll call votes and does not provide specific details about the content of the amendments or what changes they would make.
Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds new language to HB386 that requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to create rules for certain types of charter schools regarding federal funding, including consequences if these schools do not meet their obligations.

  • Adds a requirement for the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to make rules about financial and programmatic obligations related to federal funds for specific types of charter schools.
  • Includes provisions that allow the state superintendent to revoke a charter school's ability to act as its own local education agency if it fails to meet these obligations.
  • The exact details of how the rules will be implemented and enforced are not specified in this amendment text.
Draft

Plain English: SCAHB386 428 2914 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Education to Engrossed House Bill No.

  • SCAHB386 428 2914 SENATE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS 2026 Regular Session Amendments proposed by Senate Committee on Education to Engrossed House Bill No.
  • 386 by Representative Chenevert 1 AMENDMENT NO.
  • 1 2 On page 1, line 3, after "(I)" insert "and to enact R.S.
  • 17:3995(L)" 3 AMENDMENT NO.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-28 S

    Signed by the President of the Senate.

  2. 2026-05-28 H

    Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.

  3. 2026-05-27 H

    Read by title, roll called, yeas 91, nays 0, Senate amendments concurred in.

  4. 2026-05-26 H

    Scheduled for concurrence on 05/27/2026.

  5. 2026-05-25 H

    Received from the Senate with amendments.

  6. 2026-05-21 S

    Rules suspended. The amended bill was read by title, passed by a vote of 33 yeas and 0 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

  7. 2026-05-13 S

    Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.

  8. 2026-05-12 S

    Committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.

  9. 2026-05-11 S

    Reported with amendments.

  10. 2026-03-31 S

    Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Education.

  11. 2026-03-30 S

    Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.

  12. 2026-03-30 H

    Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 93, nays 0. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.

  13. 2026-03-26 H

    Scheduled for floor debate on 03/30/2026.

  14. 2026-03-25 H

    Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.

  15. 2026-03-24 H

    Reported favorably (13-0).

  16. 2026-03-09 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.

  17. 2026-02-27 H

    First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

  18. 2026-02-25 H

    Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Education.

  19. 2026-02-25 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

SCHOOLS/CHARTER: Provides relative to charter school funding (EG1 NO IMPACT See Note)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 386
BY REPRESENTATIVE CHENEVERT
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 17:3995(A)(1)(introductory paragraph) and (4)(a)(ii), (H), and
3 (I) and to enact R.S. 17:3995(L), relative to charter schools; to provide for charter
4 school funding; and to provide for related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 17:3995(A)(1)(introductory paragraph) and (4)(a)(ii), (H), and (I) are
7 hereby amended and reenacted and R.S. 17:3995(L) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §3995. Charter school funding
9 A.(1) For the purpose of funding, a Type 1 charter school, Type 3 charter
10 school, Type 3B charter school not acting as its own local education agency, and
11 Type 4 charter school shall be considered an approved public school of the local
12 school board entering into the charter agreement.; however, a Type 1 charter school,
13 Type 3 charter school, or Type 3B charter school, subject to the approval of the local
14 school board and in accordance with rules the local school board adopts for such
15 purpose, may be considered the local education agency for federal funding purposes
16 and statutory definitions, Type 2 charter schools and a Type 3B charter school acting
17 as its own local education agency shall receive a per pupil amount each year
18 authorized by the state board each year as provided in the approved minimum
19 foundation program formula. The per pupil amount provided to a Type 1, 2, 3, 3B,
20 or 4 charter school shall be computed annually and shall be equal to the per pupil
21 amount provided through the minimum foundation program formula, determined by
22 the allocation weights in the formula based upon student characteristics or needs,
23 received by the school district in which the student resides from the following
24 sources based on the district's membership count used in the minimum foundation
25 program formula:
26 * * *
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 386 ENROLLED
1 (4)(a)
2 * * *
3 (ii) The state Department of Education may withhold and retain from state
4 funds otherwise allocated to a local public school system through the minimum
5 foundation program formula an amount equal to one quarter of one percent of the fee
6 amount charged to a Type 3B charter school acting as its own local education agency
7 pursuant to Item (i) of this Subparagraph, or a Type 1, 3, or 4 charter school acting
8 as its own education agency pursuant to R.S. 17:10.7.1 or as provided in Paragraph
9 (1) of this Subsection, for administrative costs incurred by the department for
10 providing financial oversight and monitoring of such charter schools.
11 * * *
12 H.(1) Any Type 2 or 5 charter school shall be considered the local education
13 agency for funding purposes and statutory definitions pursuant to rules adopted by
14 the state board.
15 (2) With the approval of the local school board, a Type 1 charter school,
16 Type 3 charter school, or Type 3B charter school may be considered the local
17 education agency for federal funding purposes and statutory definitions in
18 accordance with rules adopted by the local school board.
19 I. The local school board shall remain the local education agency for any
20 Type 1, 3, or 4 charter school, unless the charter school is authorized to act as its own
21 local education agency, pursuant to R.S. 17:10.7.1 or as provided in Paragraph
22 (A)(1) of this Section.
23 * * *
24 L. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall promulgate
25 rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act regarding a Type 1 charter
26 school, Type 3 charter school, or a Type 3B charter school that is acting as its own
27 local education agency. Such rule shall do all of the following:
28 (1) Delineate the financial and programmatic obligations of the charter school
29 as related to the receipt of federal funds.
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HB NO. 386 ENROLLED
1 (2) Authorize the state superintendent of education to rescind a charter
2 school's authority to act as its own local education agency if the school fails to meet
3 the financial and programmatic obligations established by the state board.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.