Since the Louisiana constitution authorizes BESE and the Department of Education to oversee only public schools, this would make Rep. Huval’s attempt to give the Dept. of Education oversight of private schools and homeschool(s) unconstitutional. Is Rep. Huval attempting to eliminate those options in favor of the public school option? Will parents have to send their children to public school in order to be in compliance with compulsory attendance laws?
Rep. Huval's office claims that the bill was written in response to a school in Breaux Bridge that was accused of falsifying records and transcripts. Obviously, Rep. Huval does not believe that the citizens of Louisiana are innocent until proven guilty and wants to use his power as a legislator to require the remainder of citizens to provide proof to the government on a daily basis that we are in compliance with the law. The system that is in place is good enough to find and stop such abuse, but apparently, Rep. Huval prefers a bigger boot.
Is Rep. Huval for real? Does he really think that the Louisiana Department of Education is the answer to any problem? This is the same LDOE that released student social security numbers to the cloud; and, then there are a litany of cases like this: Teacher in Louisiana charged with abusing 8 children...which LDOE oversight failed to prevent.
So, what is this bill really about? The People, LLC believe it is all about money, of course, and federal requirements tied to the money...ESSA requirements to be more specific. According to a flyer from the LDOE:
"Under the Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), local education agencies”(LEAs)” must provide equitable services for eligible private school students, teachers, educational school personnel and their families."
Of course, by private school they mean "private non-profit" organized schools because "for-profit private" schools are not eligible. Rep. Huval's bill fails to distinguish between the two. Now, why would that be? Maybe because, if the private non-profit school does not want the Title 1 funds, or if the private for-profit school does not qualify for the funds, the public school system still gets to keep the money as long as the eligible students are accounted for by the state.
But wait, what about homeschoolers, you ask? Don't worry, they qualify for the funding, as well. Is this why homeschoolers are being led to believe that they must register as private/nonpublic schools with the LDOE which has no purview over them? Could be since, you guessed it, if the homeschoolers don't want the funds, the public school system gets to keep the money as long as the eligible students are accounted for by the state.
In reference to TM Landry, the little school in Breaux Bridge, what we have is a school full of eligible Title 1 fund recipients. Since TM Landry accepts no government funding and is not registered with the state, the public school district missed out on those funds. THAT is the real issue here.
Rep. Huval, don't write unconstitutional bills...especially just to line the coffers of bureaucrats.
Please, call Rep. Huval, and tell him that his bill is unconstitutional. BESE and the Department of Education have purview over public schools only. Anything else is just another overreach of government.