La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § LXXIX-2111

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024

Section LXXIX-2111 - State Diploma

A. A nonpublic high school choosing to issue a state diploma shall meet state requirements.

B. Any approved nonpublic school may award a school diploma to any student who meets the state minimum high school graduation requirements.

1. Any approved nonpublic school that participates in the state Exit Testing Program shall award a state and/or school diploma to a student who successfully completes the state's minimum graduation requirements and meets the assessment requirements below.

a. Repealed.

b. For incoming freshmen in 2010-2011 through 2016-2017, students must pass three LEAP 2025 high school assessments in the following categories:

i. English II or English III;

ii. algebra I or geometry;

iii. biology or U.S. history.

c. For incoming freshmen in 2017-2018 through 2023-2024, students must pass three LEAP 2025 assessments in the following categories:

i. English I or English II;

ii. algebra I or geometry;

iii. biology or U.S. history.

d. Beginning with incoming freshmen in 2024-2025 and beyond, the LEAP 2025 civics assessment will replace the LEAP 2025 U.S. History assessment as the social studies assessment required for graduation. The LEAP 2025 U.S. history assessment will be available through 2026-2027 for those students requiring a retest to fulfill graduation requirements. Students must pass three LEAP 2025 assessments in the following categories:

i. English I or English II;

ii. algebra I or geometry;

iii. biology or civics.

2. A student who attends a school that opts to participate in the state Exit Testing Program but who does not successfully complete the state's minimum graduation requirements and meet the assessment requirements shall not be eligible for either a state or a school diploma.

1. Any state-approved nonpublic school that wishes to award the state diploma to its students shall contact the state department for time lines and other administrative guidelines for administering the State Exit Testing Program.

2. Any nonpublic school that opts to participate in the state Exit Testing Program shall follow rules and regulations set by BESE including the test security policy as defined in Bulletin 118-Statewide Assessment Standards and Practice.

3. For high school seniors enrolled during spring 2022 and graduating by August 31, 2022, the following may be substituted for the LEAP 2025 high school assessment requirement, provided the student has initially participated in all required assessments:

a. an ACT composite score of 17 or higher for all students; or

b. an ACT subject score of 17 or higher in the corresponding LEAP 2025 high school assessment pair, as follows:

i. a score of 17 or higher on the ACT English or Reading tests shall satisfy the English I/English II LEAP 2025 high school assessment requirement;

ii. a score of 17 or higher on the ACT Mathematics test shall satisfy the Algebra I/Geometry LEAP 2025 high school assessment requirement; and

iii. a score of 17 or higher on the ACT Science test shall satisfy the Biology/U.S. History LEAP 2025 high school assessment requirement; or

c. the student participates in 20 or more extended learning hours per LEAP 2025 high school assessment subject pair for which the student has yet to achieve level 2 (approaching basic) or above, with such instruction provided by a qualified teacher.

i. the instruction must take place following the academic year, and the student must demonstrate proficiency corresponding to level 2 (approaching basic) or above, as determined by either the school or school system.

ii. a qualified teacher is defined as a teacher holding a valid and current Louisiana teaching certificate or has received a final COMPASS evaluation of effective: emerging or higher.

d. for purposes of this Section, a qualified teacher is defined as a teacher holding a valid and current Louisiana teaching certificate or has received a final COMPASS evaluation of effective: emerging or higher.

D. Any approved nonpublic school that does not choose to participate in the state Exit Testing Program may grant a school diploma, which shall carry the same privileges as one issued by a state-approved public school.

E. The awarding of high school diplomas shall in no way affect the school approval classifications of any school.

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § LXXIX-2111

Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, LR 29:2351 (November 2003), amended LR 31:636 (March 2005), LR 31:3082 (December 2005), LR 36:1498 (July 2010), LR 39:1446 (June 2013), Amended LR 4838 (1/1/2022), Amended LR 482560 (10/1/2022), Amended LR 49642 (4/1/2023), Amended LR 49861 (5/1/2023).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:6(A)(10), (11), and (15), R.S. 17:7(6), R.S. 17:10, R.S. 17:22(6), R.S. 17:391.1-391.10, and R.S. 44:411.