§391.3. Program for educational accountability

A. The superintendent of education shall develop a guide for educational accountability for the public schools of the state no later than May 1, 1977. Such guide shall be the basis for a comprehensive plan for an education accountability program which shall be developed by the superintendent no later than July 1, 1980. The educational accountability program and the guide therefor developed as provided herein shall apply to all parish and city school systems in the state. The initial guide and the annual revisions thereof as developed shall be approved by the Joint Legislative Committee on Education no later than January 1, 1978, and each year thereafter.

B. Specifically, but without limitation, the program shall:

(1) Establish and provide for implementation of a procedure for the continuous identification, examination, and improvement of the goals of education in the state.

(2) Establish basic uniform statewide skills and concepts for each grade level and subject area, including but not limited to, reading, writing, and mathematics.

(3) Identify performance objectives which will lead directly to the achievement of pupil proficiencies.

(4) Develop evaluation instruments including, but not limited to, tests to provide the evaluation required.

(5) Develop and implement an overall evaluation design to provide for continuous and comprehensive review of the progress of school pupils toward the established goals and objectives, the evaluation to be conducted by teaching staff members of the school district under the direction of the chief school administrator of the district, and

(6) Provide for an annual report by the chief school administrator of each school district to the superintendent of education of the results of the evaluation of the progress of pupils accomplished as provided in Paragraph (4) above.

In order to provide for the orderly implementation of the accountability program, identification and establishment of statewide skills and concepts for each grade level and subject area, and evaluation of the achievement of these skills shall be accomplished for the school year 1977-1978, for the subject area of reading; for the school year 1978-1979, for the additional subject area of mathematics; and for the school year 1979-1980, for the additional subject area of writing; and thereafter other subject areas should be added.

C. Pursuant to this Part, the state Department of Education and local school boards, teachers, and administrators shall develop goals, objectives, and programs of educational accountability for the school districts which are in accordance with those of the program of educational accountability, and the goals and objectives thereof, established by the superintendent. Any parish or city system which has implemented or begun implementing an educational accountability and assessment program may continue such program to the extent that the program, and its goals and objectives, conform to the provisions of this Part. Any such program, and the goals and objectives thereof, shall be modified by the local school system to comply with the provisions of this Part.

D. The superintendent of education shall prescribe guidelines for reporting to the parents the progress of each pupil, including but not limited to parent-teachers' conferences, report cards, and pupil progress charts.

E. In carrying out the accountability program, the local school boards and the state Department of Education shall identify and define educational variables which may affect learning. These variables shall include, but not be limited to, the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development of pupils. Educational variables surveys or studies shall be conducted by the state Department of Education to assess their relationship to learning. Results of these surveys or studies will be used to assist teachers, administrators, and other school personnel in the teaching-learning process.

Acts 1977, No. 621, §1.