[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6222493,"mediaKeyId","3593287-64c5dae106525459b9b653ad8338e0b2","parentId",3593287,"title","Senate panel defers request for final report on 20-year charter demonstration program","audioSeconds",2584,"startMs",100000,"endMs",2684000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3593287-64c5dae106525459b9b653ad8338e0b2&start=100&end=2684","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3593287-64c5dae106525459b9b653ad8338e0b2/thumbnail_100000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6222493/Louisiana/Senate-panel-defers-request-for-final-report-on-20-year-charter-demonstration-program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222493-329c1ffec52f69237facd99ab8f01ed0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137064&Signature=lYyCIR35yMYtx-qZkMg9XTphFh6ksmzpjY6fBA33HZRKS3m-ec5FYihussbqcz8DO0nfA5~FCUYa6igslmG1OMmZo3WEYjZUtgN0x-cgns2qh7C6fCuGqMK5zLPP~RivuY-yoOvLLwSZKFI5YiqDXC3HqeUNADkT4rbYiCV~mHT3-y9ODsjyrebVof0T6CgzRjy0qoM1YZM1aOk-LkkXBaU8bBY~mWhBDzPSQJiUw2rAcLOIl~9m7RPKiZ7gTKTWTaeAeEZY2aQrWxyJO1hvhyNg2hbOF5ssZqH2HQfxlSgb6QabH11KajTtOIsOd7xLZ9sDTVgPjBMB7FTcdLJcyw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Louisiana Legislature","date","2025-05-29T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Education Committee members on Wednesday debated SR 92, a resolution asking the Louisiana Department of Education to produce the compilation and final report called for in the original Charter School Demonstration Program law after the state ended the program.

Supporters, led by Sen. Jay Buie, said the resolution seeks a statutorily required “final report” detailing program outcomes, demographic and fiscal comparisons and recommendations after a roughly 20‑year demonstration period. “When the experiment is over . . . you have to give a final report. What are your results? What we found?” Buie said. Caroline Romer of Louisiana Charter Schools in Action said reporting required by later amendments remains in place, including a demographics report tied to recent statute changes.

Proponents argued the report would provide transparency and let the legislature and the public assess whether charter schools met the law’s original intent to “authorize experimentation” and to compare charter pupil performance with comparable groups. Buie repeatedly cited language in the original authorizing act directing a compilation and comparison of academic and fiscal performance and said the Department of Education and other entities have information needed to compile it.

Opponents and the Department of Education pointed to practical limits. Ashley Townsend of the Department of Education told the committee the agency had not prepared a fiscal estimate but expected that compiling decades of varied charter data would require “an additional 2 to 3 FTEs” because records and formats differ over time and some historical data may no longer be available. Townsend said the department could prepare a fiscal note for the committee but questioned the value of attempting a uniform 20‑year analysis when a Legislative Auditor report was completed in 2021 and annual accountability reporting continues.

Senators also disputed whether the compilation requirement remains in current law. Romer and others noted annual charter reporting continues and authorizers perform renewal reviews; Buie and backers said the original act explicitly required a final compilation and that the compilation was never produced. Sen. Jay Buie said the state has spent “about $10,000,000,000” over the two decades and that citizens deserve a final accounting; he urged the committee to require the Department of Education to prepare a report.

After extended debate, Sen. Hodges moved to defer SR 92. The committee recorded the motion approved (yeas 4, nays 1) and deferred the resolution.

Committee members said they would continue the conversation about scope and cost and that the department could provide an estimate if requested. The committee did not adopt an alternate scope or deadline during the meeting.

The resolution’s deferral leaves unresolved whether the Department of Education will produce the comprehensive compilation the original act described; supporters said the statute intended such a compilation, while the department and some senators said significant staff time and missing historic data make a full 20‑year synthesis difficult.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Education May 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Education Committee members on Wednesday debated SR 92, calling for a final compilation report on Louisiana’s 20‑year Charter School Demonstration Program; the panel deferred the resolution after members raised staffing, data and cost concerns.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature LA, Louisiana","taxId",78558,"location","Louisiana","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222483,"Senators back bill to require hazing education for college organizations after recent deaths and incidents",749,2947000,3696000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3593287-64c5dae106525459b9b653ad8338e0b2&start=2947&end=3696","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3593287-64c5dae106525459b9b653ad8338e0b2/thumbnail_2947000.jpg","/articles/6222483/Louisiana/Senators-back-bill-to-require-hazing-education-for-college-organizations-after-recent-deaths-and-incidents","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222483-b3e9b9792fa5076f72a7102e954d3280/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137064&Signature=euOiffhMtQUzK7I1fP9AY7dGmPsCJjA13Su-4NyQWVwh3wnCjeCH6DbiwyR5SCZUt-yQ0ix2YOiYSMPncyxq6DSd233U9Sz5MEL5NpsCa3Tw2x~DYqItJGV0ANaZ~jHvfbXAxyLuvO13jyzlFOEj4mkPmWJb0IHirRkHNfuXRm43m0tsHJhLS0TZPk7QeB-PgabNW0YPxcs3xlUb7WnBTC4Nz2ZxSKxr5cMadERY1dgTdgbxfO3~rWbKevOmMH59cploLHWPYhPegCNzC2cuG9vQUJB-TksacdwLmLmrhYKGUwhENJ5q7z0St9QsspA0M8QXJ1VvI2tJ7WNIbJnHBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee unanimously moved HB 279 forward after testimony describing recent fatal and nonfatal hazing incidents at Louisiana universities.

Representative Boyd, the bill’s sponsor, said the measure would require colleges to provide education to students and student organizations about hazing, with noncompliance by organizations triggering suspension. Boyd cited recent incidents — including the death of a student and discipline at Tulane and Loyola — as drivers for the legislation and said many students and families do not understand what constitutes hazing.

Multiple witnesses described personal experiences. Dakota Espinosa, who identified as a student in LSU’s College of Music and Dramatic Arts, gave a detailed account alleging alcohol and drug coercion, forced performances, exposure to pornography and other abusive practices while a minor and during band activities. Espinosa said LSU staff disclosed his identity to other students after reports and that he suffered trauma that required ongoing daily care he previously did not need.

Committee members and advocates said education can reduce harm and empower students to refuse hazing behaviors. Several senators praised the bill; Sen. Jackson Andrews moved the bill favorable and the committee reported HB 279 favorable.

The bill’s sponsor said institutions would be able to deliver education online or in person, and that noncompliant organizations would face suspension; the committee did not adopt additional funding for enforcement during the hearing.
","The committee approved HB 279, which would require postsecondary institutions to provide anti‑hazing education to students and organizations and to suspend organizations that do not comply. Testimony included a detailed victim statement from an LSU student describing alleged hazing and institutional response.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6222487,"Committee advances bill to require training, limits and cameras in special‑education classrooms",1755,7200000,8955000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3593287-64c5dae106525459b9b653ad8338e0b2&start=7200&end=8955","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3593287-64c5dae106525459b9b653ad8338e0b2/thumbnail_7200000.jpg","/articles/6222487/Louisiana/Committee-advances-bill-to-require-training-limits-and-cameras-in-specialeducation-classrooms","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6222487-9748496934076d91b3bb287ab323ec38/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137064&Signature=W1NRV5H5omemZWOPy4M9vRjZA0bkXUyy36NPNDlmW7AULn3GM-BLOVWU0mRM-pGpcSRKXXsJhFtUM5~Kcqtb-hWudeKbfqO4v5QjcqaK5z7SP9~LFZy-gq1QLXCXxzcAA-eBjKzsM4RYOrgREAaSCkQZoGPcMY1TZCGNyarFqIAaBbUZltP8IOHqqi39hZ8gzIEUZxyDqHpkZhxys-ZpQJPvClHe-JfAGnemRZQPW02DwGtbOivOd9oLyznXiRUd~16pyM4uoPK0Vcd2xNxxw30UkucBrRUreAdlEQX9haSfwcv2YWtWzAgAsWdXToXP~AH3AKturXxmdyr-tkhDng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Education Committee voted to report HB 684 favorably after extended testimony and negotiations that reshaped the bill. The measure, as amended, narrows permitted physical‑restraint practices, requires crisis intervention training for certain school staff, strengthens incident reporting and requires local education agencies to install cameras in special‑education classrooms using previously allocated camera funds.

Representative Lance Mack, the bill’s author, described the measure as “improv[ing] the educational experience for our children with disabilities” by adding transparency and by requiring crisis intervention training and classroom cameras. Ashley McReynolds of The Arc of Louisiana and other advocates urged the committee to limit seclusion and restraint, to require staff training and to adopt strong reporting and review requirements. McReynolds said the bill’s posture reflected compromise and that the measure would “make classrooms across Louisiana safer, not just for our students with disabilities, but also teachers and other school employees.”

Multiple students and family members testified about traumatic experiences. A 19‑year‑old who identified himself as a student with autism described repeated restraint and confinement to a “seclusion” room that he said felt like physical harm and left lasting trauma. His sister and mother joined testimony describing similar experiences. Testimony emphasized that unexpected touch and restraint can trigger a “fight or flight” reflex in many students with sensory disorders and that seclusion and restraint can escalate rather than de‑escalate those episodes.

The Department of Education and disability‑advocacy groups worked with the bill’s author to alter the original language. The adopted amendments: remove mechanical restraint; require development of a crisis‑intervention training module (to be available for select staff and created with IDEA funds); lower the time threshold for an incident to be considered a physical restraint from five minutes to three; require IEP teams to reconvene after multiple incidents; clarify who may use restraint in emergencies; require administrators or special‑education directors to review classroom camera footage following incidents in rooms equipped with cameras; and strengthen parental notification and reporting timelines.

Representatives of charter schools, the Department of Education and disability advocates said they had worked for weeks to reach consensus language. The committee adopted the author’s technical amendments and additional amendment 24‑46 and then reported HB 684 favorable.

Supporters hailed the package as a practical, negotiated reform that increases oversight and training while opponents raised questions about implementation details and ensuring a clear standard for when restraint is permitted. The bill now moves to the Senate floor.","Lawmakers advanced HB 684, a measure that narrows use of mechanical restraints, adds crisis‑intervention training to teacher preparation, tightens reporting and requires cameras in special‑education classrooms using previously allocated funds. Parents, disability advocates and affected students testified about trauma from seclusion and restraint.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate panel defers request for final report on 20-year charter demonstration program

Senators back bill to require hazing education for college organizations after recent deaths and incidents

Committee advances bill to require training, limits and cameras in special‑education classrooms