Louisiana § RS 17:24.13 - Numeracy professional development; purpose; requirements; reporting; funding

§ RS 17:24.13. Numeracy professional development; purpose; requirements; reporting; funding

            A. As used in this Section:

            (1) "Approved professional development course" means a numeracy skills instruction course to be presented during the educator's work day, but not during the statutorily guaranteed planning period, designed for the professional development of educators that includes information on instructing students regarding the vertical alignment of mathematical concepts and the blending of concepts, procedures, strategies, problem-solving, and disposition.

            (2) "Teacher" means each kindergarten through eighth grade public school teacher who teaches mathematics.

            B. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the state Department of Education shall:

            (1) Not later than March 1, 2024, develop a list of approved professional development courses.

            (2)(a) Not later than August 1, 2025, require each fourth through eighth grade teacher to successfully complete at least one approved professional development course and provide documentation to the teacher's employing school. A teacher who provides documentation of a successfully completed approved professional development course within five years prior to August 1, 2025, shall be considered in compliance with the provisions of this Subparagraph. Courses completed more than five years prior to August 1, 2025, shall not be used to fulfill the requirements of this Subparagraph.

            (b) Not later than August 1, 2027, require each kindergarten through third grade teacher to successfully complete at least one approved professional development course and provide documentation to the teacher's employing school. A teacher who provides documentation of a successfully completed approved professional development course within five years prior to August 1, 2027, shall be considered in compliance with the provisions of this Subparagraph. Courses completed more than five years prior to August 1, 2027, shall not be used to fulfill the requirements of this Subparagraph.

            (3)(a) Require any fourth through eighth grade teacher hired after July 31, 2025, to provide documentation to the employing school of successful completion of an approved professional development course within two years of the date of employment.

            (b) Require any kindergarten through third grade teacher hired after July 31, 2027, to provide documentation to the employing school of successful completion of an approved professional development course within two years of the date of employment.

            (4)(a) On May 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, require each city, parish, or other local public school board to report to the department the number and percentage of teachers who have successfully completed an approved professional development course.

            (b) The data required by Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall be included in the department's school progress profiles required by R.S. 17:3911 and 3912.

            C. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt rules in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this Section.

            D. The implementation of the provisions of this Section shall be subject to the designation and allocation of funds by the state Department of Education. Federal and state funds may be used to implement the provisions of this Section if numeracy-related expenditures are allowable under relevant funding guidelines.

            E.(1) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to extend the hours in the teacher's work day nor the hours to be worked in a year.

            (2) A public school governing authority may offer a stipend for completion of numeracy professional development outside of a teacher's normal work day or a combination of a stipend and job-embedded training time.

            Acts 2023, No. 260, §1, eff. June 12, 2023; Acts 2025, No. 353, §1; Acts 2025, No. 366, §2.