7/31/2019 Voucher School Criteria

1/3

LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

CriteriaforNonpublicSchoolParticipationintheLouisianaScholarshipProgram

Act2ofthe2012RegularSessionestablishestheLouisianaStudentScholarshipProgram,allowingfamiliesdissatisfied

with traditionalschooloptions tomakealternatechoices.The lawstipulatesthat thestateDepartmentofEducation

shall develop criteria for [school] participation that includes an accountability system for participating students at

participating schools. This document theproductof consultationwitheducators, policymakers, and community

membersisthefirstoftwosetsofrulesthatrespondtothislegalmandate.Itentailscriteriaforparticipationhavingto

dowith the operations of participating schools, and itwill be followed by a second document detailing academic

accountability.

Theproposedcriteriareflectthefollowingvalues:

Autonomy:minimizingbureaucracyandcomplexity. Responsibility:upholdingthepublictrustwhenpublicfundsareinvolved. Safety:protectionofchildrenshealthandwelfare.

Thepoliciesaremeanttoprotectchildrenwhileavoidingalabyrinthofpoliciesthattiethehandsofeducatorsand

families.Theyexisttominimizetherareharmfulcircumstanceratherthantoregulateday-to-dayconditionsinschools.

CriteriaforParticipatingNonpublicSchools

InordertoparticipateintheScholarshipProgram,andinadditiontocriteriaforparticipationalreadyestablishedinthe

statuteandinthelaw,nonpublicschoolsshallsatisfythefollowingcriteriaforparticipation.Schoolsthatdonotmeet

thesecriteriaforparticipationmaybedeclaredineligibletoparticipateintheprogram.Ineligibilitytoparticipatemay

resultintheschoolenrollingnonewstudentsforoneormoreyears,enrollingnonewstudentspermanently,orending

allparticipationimmediately.

FocusArea

Standard

Enrollment Participatingschoolsshallindicatethenumberofstudentstheyareableandwillingtoserve.I

theincreasetototalstudentenrollmentwouldresultintotalstudentenrollmentthatisgreater

than 125 percentof their total studentenrollment in theprevious school year or 50 students

morethanwereenrolledinthepreviousschoolyear,includingpre-kindergartenenrollment,theDepartment shall consider granting the request based after a review of parent demand

(demonstratedthroughthestudentapplicationprocess)andtheschoolsdemonstratedcapacity

toeffectivelyservesuchstudents.

7/31/2019 Voucher School Criteria

2/3

2

FinancialPractice Participatingschoolsshallcomplywiththefollowingrulesregardingfinancialpractice.Violations

mayresultinaschoolbeingdeclaredineligibletoparticipate.

UseofFunds

Scholarshipfundsshallbespentonlyoneducationalpurposes,asdefinedinthemostrecently

approvedMinimumFoundationProgramformula.

Any expenditure of scholarship funds constituting gross irresponsibility or gross individual

enrichmentisprohibited.

Noofficer,administrator,director,manager,oremployeeofaparticipatingschoolshallusethe

authorityofhisofficeorpositioninconnectionwiththeschoolsparticipationintheScholarship

Program,directlyorindirectly,inamannerintendedtocompelorcoerceanypersontoprovide

himselforanyotherpersonwithanythingofeconomicvalue.

Tuition

Tuitionand fees received throughtheScholarshipProgram forparticipatingstudentsshall not

exceedtuitionandfeescharged toenrolledstudentsnotparticipatingin theprogram.Tuition

andfeesshallbedefinedasthetotalpaymentchargedtoenrolledstudentsnotparticipatingin

theScholarshipProgram,andpaidon behalfof those students.Scholarship fundsmaynot be

usedtopaytuitionandfeesforstudentsnotparticipatingintheScholarshipProgram.

AnnualIndependentScholarshipAudit

TheDepartmentshallpublishguidanceastothecontentsoftheannualindependentscholarship

auditsoastoensurecompliancewiththelimitsentailedinthelaw.Theauditshalladdressrules

offinancialpracticecontainedinthisbulletin.Failuretocorrectviolationsoftherulescontained

inthisbulletin,orevidenceofgrossfiscalirresponsibility,mayresultinpenaltiesincludingthe

schoolbeing declared ineligible toparticipate. Schools that donotobtain anaudit ordonot

submit the auditaccording to a timelineestablishedby the Departmentmay incurpenalties

includingbeingdeclaredineligibletoparticipate.

StudentMobility Inparticipatingschools,theDepartmentmayinvestigateinstancesinwhichtherateofstudents

remainingenrolledfromthebeginningofoneschoolyeartothenextschoolyearfallsshortof

theaverage ofallparticipating schoolsbya significantpercentage. Schoolswith exaggerated,

repeated, or uncorrected patterns of low relative rates of continued enrollment may be

instructedtoenrollnonewstudentsforoneyearortofullyendparticipation.

7/31/2019 Voucher School Criteria

3/3

3

Health,Safety&

Welfareof

Students

Participatingschoolsshallbeincompliancewithallfederal,state,andlocallawsandregulations

pertaining to the health, safety, and welfare of students for public or nonpublic schools, as

applicable.

Participating schools shall not have an employee, or any person having supervisory or

disciplinaryauthorityoverchildren,whohasbeenconvictedoforplednolocontenderetoany

crimelistedinR.S.15:587.1(C)exceptR.S.14:74orhasbeenconvictedunderthelawsofany

state or of the United States or of any foreign government or country of a crimewhich, if

committedinLouisiana,wouldbeanR.S.15:587.1crime.

The State Superintendent may immediately declare a school ineligible to participate if the

schoolscontinuedparticipationendangerstheacademicwelfare,health,orsafetyofchildren.