RS 17:53 School board members; training required
§53. School board members; training required
A. Each member of a city, parish, and other local public school board shall receive a minimum of four hours of training and instruction annually in the school laws of this state, in the laws governing the powers, duties, and responsibilities of city, parish, and other local public school boards, and in educational trends, research, and policy. In a city, parish, or other local public school district that has one or more schools identified as an academically unacceptable school or a school in need of academic assistance as defined by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education pursuant to policies developed and adopted by the board for implementation of the school and district accountability system, at least two of such hours shall focus on the improvement of schools identified as failing schools as defined by the state board pursuant to such policies. The remaining hours shall focus on education policy issues, including but not limited to literacy and numeracy, leadership development, dropout prevention, career and technical education, redesigning high schools, early childhood education, school discipline, and harassment, intimidation, and bullying. Training shall also include instruction relative to the provisions of the Open Meetings Law, R.S. 42:4.1 et seq., and the Public Bid Law, Chapter 10 of Title 38 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950. Such instruction may be received from a postsecondary education institution in this state, from instruction sponsored by the state Department of Education, or from an in-service training program conducted by a city, parish, or other local public school board central office or the Louisiana School Boards Association provided that the instruction and the method for demonstrating attendance are pre-approved by the Louisiana School Boards Association. Each school board member's attendance must be reported by the instructor to the Louisiana School Boards Association.
B. The postsecondary education institution, the state Department of Education, the school board central office, or the Louisiana School Boards Association that provides such instruction shall issue a certificate of completion to each school board member who completes the instruction required by this Section, and a copy of such certificate shall be entered into the minutes of the school board on which such member serves. The superintendent of the school system on which school board the member serves shall be responsible for verifying that the instruction meets the requirements of this Section.
C. The Louisiana School Boards Association shall post on its web site regularly updated information relative to the number and subject matter of training hours completed by each school board member pursuant to the provisions of this Section.
Acts 1998, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 66, §1; Acts 2008, No. 380, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009.