House Bill 478: Approved Private Schools Must Take Exit Exams for TOPS

Author:
Representative Waddell

Summary:
House Bill 478 requires graduates from approved nonpublic schools to meet the same requirements as public school students in order to be eligible for a Tuition Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) award. This bill will require these graduates from approved nonpublic schools to take the high school exit exam public school students must take as a condition for graduation.

H.B. 478 does not impact homeschool students who notify the state Department of Education as unapproved private schools because they are not eligible for TOPS funding to begin with. Home study students will not fall under this bill as they are not approved nonpublic schools. Home study students do not have to prove completion of the Louisiana core curriculum but they do have to score higher on the ACT in order to be eligible.

This bill had no impact on homeschool students as introduced. Fortunately it was never able to pose a threat, as it never made it out of committee.

Status:

03/27/2006		(House) Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Education.
03/15/2006		(House) Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Education.
03/15/2006		Prefiled.

HSLDA's Position:
Neutral.

Action Requested:
None at this time.

Other Resources

Bill Text    (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)