SB 507

SLS 26RS-1469  ENGROSSED
 2026 Regular Session
 SENATE BILL NO. 507
 BY SENATOR BARTHELEMY
 STUDENTS. Requires BESE to establish a uniform process to determine when a student is
 nonenrolled due to incarceration or unknown whereabouts in order to exclude the student
 from public school accountability calculations. (8/1/26)
1AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 17:13 and 3996(B)(92), relative to student attendance; to establish a uniform
3and standardized process for determining nonenrollment under certain
4circumstances; to provide with respect to school and school system accountability;
5to provide for documentation; to provide for compliance with certain federal laws;
6to provide administrative rules; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8Section 1. R.S. 17:13 and 3996(B)(92) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
9§13. Student enrollment status; determination of nonenrollment due to
10incarceration or unknown whereabouts
11A.(1) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall
12establish a uniform and standardized process for city, parish, and other local
13public school systems to determine and document when a student shall be
14considered nonenrolled due to incarceration or unknown whereabouts.
15(2) The process to document nonenrollment shall require the school
16systems to make documented, reasonable, and good-faith efforts to locate the
17student and verify the student's enrollment status prior to making a
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  Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
  words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
 SLS 26RS-1469  ENGROSSED
  SB NO. 507
1determination pursuant to this Section.
2(3) The nonenrollment process shall include but not be limited to
3minimum documentation requirements, timelines, and verification procedures
4to ensure consistency and accuracy in reporting across all city, parish, and other
5local public school systems.
6B.(1) If, according to the nonenrollment process, a student is determined
7to be nonenrolled due to incarceration or unknown whereabouts, then the
8student shall not be considered enrolled for purposes of the school and district
9accountability system, pursuant to R.S. 17:10.1, as of the date of that
10determination.
11(2) The determination of the status of such students shall be consistent
12with applicable federal law, including the Every Student Succeeds Act, 20
13U.S.C. 6301 et seq., and related federal regulations and guidance.
14C. The provisions of this Section are intended to ensure accurate student
15enrollment reporting and accountability determinations by establishing
16consistent and verifiable procedures for identifying when a student is no longer
17considered enrolled in a public school system after documented efforts have
18been made to locate the student.
19D. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall
20promulgate rules, in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, to
21implement the provisions of this Section.
22*     *       *
23§3996. Charter schools; exemptions; requirements
24*     *       *
25B. Notwithstanding any state law, rule, or regulation to the contrary and except as
26 may be otherwise specifically provided for in an approved charter, a charter school
27 established and operated in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and its approved
28 charter and the school's officers and employees shall be exempt from all statutory mandates
29 or other statutory requirements that are applicable to public schools and to public school
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  Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
  words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
SLS 26RS-1469  ENGROSSED
  SB NO. 507
1 officers and employees except for the following laws otherwise applicable to public schools
2 with the same grades:
3*       *       *
4(92) Student enrollment status, R.S. 17:13.
5*       *       *
  The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
  of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Senate Legislative Services.
  The keyword, summary, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof
  or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
  DIGEST
SB 507 Engrossed  2026 Regular Session  Barthelemy
Present law (R.S. 17:10.1) provides for a school accountability system for public schools and
school systems and requires the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
(BESE) to develop and implement a uniform system to measure and report school and school
district performance. Present law provides that public school systems be assigned
performance scores based on multiple indicators, including student achievement, academic
growth, graduation rates, and uses those scores to classify schools with a letter grade. Present
law provides that schools are annually evaluated, and those identified as low-performing are
subject to interventions and improvement requirements.
Proposed law requires BESE to establish a uniform and standardized process for traditional
public school systems to determine and document when a student is nonenrolled due to
incarceration or unknown whereabouts. Proposed law requires the process to include
documented, reasonable, and good-faith efforts to locate and verify the student's enrollment
status, and specify minimum documentation requirements, timelines, and verification
procedures to ensure consistency and accuracy across school systems.
Proposed law provides that a student determined to be nonenrolled under this process shall
not be counted as enrolled for purposes of state accountability systems as of the date of
determination. Proposed law further provides that determinations must be consistent with
federal law, including the Every Student Succeeds Act (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.).
Proposed law provides that the purpose of the law is to ensure consistent, verifiable
procedures for identifying students who are considered no longer enrolled after documented
efforts are made to locate them.
Proposed law requires BESE to promulgate rules, in accordance with the Administrative
Procedure Act, to implement these provisions of proposed law.
Present law (17:3996) provides that charter schools are exempt from statutory mandates or
requirements applicable to public schools except for certain laws listed in present law.
Proposed law retains present law and further provides that the process to determine
nonenrollment due to incarceration or unknown whereabouts is applicable to charter schools.
Effective August 1, 2026.
(Adds R.S. 17:13 and 3996(B)(92))
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
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  Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
  words in boldface type and underscored are additions.
SLS 26RS-1469  ENGROSSED
  SB NO. 507
 Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Education to the
  original bill
 1.     Makes technical changes.
 2.     Makes proposed law applicable to charter schools.
  Page 4 of 4
 Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
 words in boldface type and underscored are additions.