Education
‘Hunger-free campus’ program for Louisiana colleges advances in Legislature
Louisiana college students struggling with hunger could soon get support from their universities. House Bill 888, which establishes the “Hunger-Free Campus” program, advanced Wednesday from the state Senate Education Committee. According to a HOPE Center survey, four out of 10 Louisiana college students reported being food insecure, which the federal government defines as someone in […]
Top Texas Republicans push for more armed teachers, police after Uvalde shooting
In the hours after a gunman killed more than 20 people at a South Texas elementary school Tuesday, the state’s top Republicans sought to immediately squelch the possibility of gun control measures in the wake of yet another mass shooting. As the death toll mounted from the shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde and President […]
Louisiana lawmakers approve study of university tenure policy
The House gave final passage Monday to a resolution to study tenure policies at universities in Louisiana. Senate Concurrent Resolution 6, sponsored by Sen. Stewart Cathey, R-Monroe, creates the Task Force on Tenure in Postsecondary Education. The task force would report back to lawmakers with suggestions on changing tenure policies in the state. The resolution […]
Louisiana teachers could soon have to pay for an additional criminal background check
Right now, Louisiana K-12 teachers are required to undergo a single criminal background check for their teaching certificate and during the hiring process. They may soon have to go through a subsequent review, paid for partially out of their own pockets. House Bill 156, authored by Rep. Barbara Freiburg, R-Baton Rouge, would require teachers to […]
Struggling Louisiana students could soon use state money for private or home schooling
Louisiana could soon give parents of students struggling to read the option to pull them out of public school and provide them money for private school or homeschooling. A bill that would pull these subsidies out of the state’s public education budget moved closer to final passage Wednesday in the Louisiana Legislature. Sen. Sharon Hewitt’s […]
Transgender athlete ban approved in Louisiana House
The Louisiana House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would prohibit transgender athletes from competing according to their gender identity. Senate Bill 44, sponsored by Sen. Beth Mizell, R-Franklinton, is titled the “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.” It would require athletes from the elementary through college level to compete based on their sex at […]
Critical race theory bills killed in Louisiana Legislature
The Louisiana House Education Committee rejected two bills Tuesday that would have made it illegal for schools to teach that people of any race or national origin are still affected by racism or oppression, among other topics. Both authored by Rep. Ray Garofalo, R-Chalmette, House Bill 1014 and House Bill 747 were involuntarily deferred without […]
COVID vaccine will remain a requirement for Louisiana students
The Senate Health and Welfare committee rejected a House resolution Wednesday to repeal a state rule requiring COVID vaccines for students. The committee voted 4-3 against the resolution. Its vote will allow the Louisiana Health Department to add the COVID vaccine to a list of required immunizations for students aged 16 and up. Rep. Larry Bagley, […]
Corporal punishment ban for Louisiana public schools one vote shy of approval
For the second time this legislative session, the Louisiana House struck down a ban on corporal punishment in public schools. House Bill 649, authored by Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, R-New Orleans, would have outlawed “the use of physical force that causes pain or discomfort to discipline a student” in Louisiana schools. Correctional employees are not allowed […]
Louisiana colleges, boosters could soon pay student-athletes, recruits directly
Legislation that would allow Louisiana universities and their deep-pocketed supporters to pay student-athletes directly moved one step closer to the governor’s desk Wednesday. Senate Bill 250, authored by Sen. Patrick Connick, R-Marrero, would allow colleges, universities, their affiliates and boosters to compensate student-athletes for use of their name, image and likeness. The proposal advanced out […]
University system ends era of free-speech zones on Georgia’s college campuses
When Georgia college students return to their campuses in the fall, they could be in for more spirited intellectual debate than they’re used to. The state Board of Regents, which oversees the state’s 26 public universities, voted Tuesday to change their institutions’ free speech policies to bring them in line with newly-signed state legislation. The […]
Bills to shield unvaccinated students advance in Louisiana Legislature
Louisiana schools may soon have to change how they handle vaccinations and vaccine exemptions among their students. Multiple bills that would weaken a school’s ability to enforce a vaccine mandate passed Tuesday in the House Education Committee. House Bill 531, authored by Beryl Amedee, R-Houma, would allow parents of unvaccinated children to sue a school […]