Louisiana Revised Statutes Tit. 17, § 2928. Graduation goals; responsibility; recognition for graduation rates and student academic achievement

A. (1) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall establish improved high school graduation rates as a top educational priority, and the board and the state superintendent of education are hereby charged with the responsibility to achieve a high school graduation rate of eighty percent by the end of the 2013-2014 school year, while maintaining the integrity of the required curriculum for each major.

(2) Progress toward achieving this goal shall be made part of the board's annual performance evaluation process for the state superintendent of education.

(3) The board shall submit a written report regarding school, district, and statewide graduation rates for the prior school year, including trend data, to the Senate and House Committees on Education and to the governor not later than October first of each year.

(4) If the Senate and House Committees on Education determine that satisfactory progress toward meeting the established graduation rate goal is not being made, the committees shall jointly make recommendations to the legislature regarding additional actions they deem necessary to facilitate achievement of the stated goal.

B. (1) The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall revise the school and student accountability system to recognize schools and school districts that improve their high school graduation rates and for the number of students who successfully complete programs that lead to industry-based certifications and International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, and dual enrollment courses.

(2) International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, and dual enrollment courses, and any related examinations as approved by the board, shall be given equal status and recognition by the board for purposes of determining school performance scores and letter grades.