§10. Approval of public schools; standards; enforcement of standards; effect of failure of a public school to meet and maintain standards

A. The State Department of Education shall approve each public elementary and secondary, vocational-technical, and special school in the state under the jurisdiction of the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in accordance with minimum standards submitted by the State Department of Education and approved by the board.

B. The parish or city school board within whose jurisdiction each public elementary or secondary school is located and the administrative head of each other school covered by this section shall apply to the State Department of Education for approval on forms prescribed and furnished by the department and approved by the state superintendent. The State Department of Education shall approve each such school which it finds meets the minimum standards as adopted by the board.

C. The initial approval granted by the State Department of Education shall be reexamined at such intervals as the department shall determine in order to assure that the minimum standards fixed by the board are maintained on a continuing basis.

D. Whenever the State Department of Education determines that a school has failed to meet the minimum standards fixed by the board for initial approval or has failed to maintain such standards on a continuing basis, the department shall so inform the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the local school board in the case of a public elementary or secondary school, or administrative head of the school in the case of any other school, in writing, setting forth specific details as to the particular standard or standards which are deficient, the action necessary for compliance therewith, and the time within which action must be taken to bring the school to minimum standards. Opportunity for a hearing within thirty days after the date on which such notification is given shall be afforded. After the hearing the department shall take action to modify or reaffirm its previous determination. If the school is aggrieved by the determination then made, the school shall have a right of appeal to the district court having jurisdiction; however, any such action shall be filed within thirty days after the date on which the department notifies the school board or administrative head, as the case may be, of its determination following the hearing. If no hearing is requested, or if an appeal to the courts is taken and the court upholds the determination of the department, such action as the department has directed shall be taken within the time set forth in the determination. The department may grant one or more extensions of time within which deficiencies must be corrected.

E. Upon a determination by the State Department of Education that the identified deficiencies have been corrected, the school shall be approved or its previous approval reinstated, as the case may be. If the deficiencies are not corrected to the extent necessary to meet the minimum standards within the time fixed by the department, the school shall not be approved or, if previously approved, that approval shall be withdrawn, the school shall be placed on probation, and the school board, or head of the vocational-technical school or special school shall be notified in writing that the school has been placed on probation and that all state funds to which the school otherwise would be entitled under the law will be withheld unless the stated deficiencies are corrected within a stated period then fixed by the department. If such corrections are not made within the time so fixed, the department shall disapprove the school and the board shall withhold such state funds for that school until the corrections are made and the department determines that the minimum standards have been met. When state funds are so withheld, the board shall, in writing, notify the governor, the state treasurer, and the legislature of that fact and the reasons therefor. Upon a subsequent compliance with the necessities to meet the minimum standards, the school shall be approved or its approval reinstated, and the state funds to which the school thereafter is entitled shall be paid over to the school board or to the administrative head of the vocational-technical or special school.

Acts 1975, No. 274, §1. Amended by Acts 1976, No. 455, §1.