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7/31/2019 Voucher School Criteria
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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.
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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.
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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.