"Private" and "Nonpublic" are not the same animal. Private schools cannot receive state money or services (except for textbooks). Nonpublic schools are defined by our Board of Elementary and Secondary Education as schools that can be eligible to receive state funding and services.
Our state's constitution is specific in its reference to "private" schools and makes no mention of "nonpublic." This is important because the constitution limits the state's authority so that it cannot regulate "private" or "proprietary" schools.
In this bill, the constitutional provision of private and proprietary schools being able to request a determination from the state of whether or not their curricula is of at least the same quality that the state schools offer is being eliminated and provided only to nonpublic schools.
This constitutional provision actually applies only to private and proprietary schools specifically since the record from the constitutional convention details this as the intent of the delegates who created it.
Look to the right on his contact page, and you will see another link for emailing him. Below is the email that we sent:
Dear Governor Bel Edwards:
We write in reference to HB 562 (Emerson) that was passed this session and sent to you for your approval. We ask that you veto this bill based on the following:
The purpose of the bill is stated to be:
'AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S. 17:7(8) and 11 and R.S. 36:651(L) and 801.5(A), to enact R.S. 17:3140.1 through 3140.17, and to repeal R.S. 17:3141.1 through 3141.19, relative to proprietary schools; to provide for technical corrections and recodification of statutory provisions relative to proprietary schools; to provide for the regulation and oversight of proprietary schools by the Board of Regents including licensure, applications, fees, appeals, and degree granting; to provide with regard to the Advisory Commission on Proprietary Schools and the Proprietary School Student Protection Fund; and to provide for related matters.'
Although this bill purports to address Proprietary Schools, it goes beyond those confines in striking not only 'proprietary' in its amendments, but also 'private.' It replaces both terms with 'nonpublic.'
We hope you will agree that addressing 'private' schools in this bill is more than technical and less than a 'related matter,' which would make this bill unconstitutional.
Additionally, our Louisiana Constitution specifically provides for 'private' schools, as well as, 'proprietary' schools with no mention of 'nonpublic.' In its Bulletin 741 (Handbook for Nonpublic School Administrators), BESE defines 'nonpublic schools' as entities that may be eligible to receive state funding:
'§107. School Approval
1.In order to benefit from state and federal funds'
On its webpage regarding Nonpublic Schools, LDOE has reported:
'Nonpublic schools may also be eligible for state funding and support.'
The delegates at the Louisiana Constitutional Convention who constructed our current constitution were explicit in their decision that 'private schools' are schools that are ineligible to receive state funding or services with the only exception being the provision of textbooks. As a result, it is 'private schools' that are designated in our constitution---not 'nonpublic.' We hope that you will agree that this bill should be vetoed.
We thank you for any consideration that you may give our remarks.
Respectfully,
Angela Alef & Karen Champagne
The People, LLC"