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LDOE outlines Act 91 updates to Course Choice program, emphasizes parent permission and funding priorities
Summary
Department of Education staff briefed the advisory council on Act 91 (2024) changes to the Course Choice program, including explicit parental permission requirements, enrollment priorities for funding, and guidance on approved course providers.
The Louisiana Department of Education presented updates to the Course Choice program tied to Act 91 of the 2024 legislative session and asked the Superintendent Advisory Council to receive the presentation.
Dr. Singleton briefed the council that the updated bulletin (effective July 1, 2025) implements several policy changes required by Act 91. Those changes include a requirement that schools obtain written permission from parents or guardians before enrolling students in Course Choice, explicit obligations for school systems to inform and guide parents about provider and course selection, and a clarified funding prioritization for which enrollments a district should fund first.
The funding priorities Dr. Singleton described put top priority on seniors who need TOCS/TOCS‑aligned coursework required to graduate, students needing coursework to complete an associate degree or a Fast Forward pathway, access to TOPS‑aligned credit, students at certain priority schools, and credit recovery and career‑technical coursework tied to the state focus list.
Dr. Singleton said the department has updated its website and resources, will publish a press release and host webinars and sessions at upcoming conferences for districts and parents, and has added clarifying materials for local pupil progression plans.
Council members asked how the policy resolves conflicts when parents request providers or courses the school deems academically inappropriate. Department staff said schools can deny enrollments that are misaligned with a student’s Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) or that do not meet prerequisites; enrollment must be into approved course providers. The department advised school counselors and system leaders to use three lenses — course alignment to the IGP, academic appropriateness (prerequisites), and funding prioritization — when discussing parental choices.
The council moved to receive the presentation; the motion was seconded and recorded as received by voice vote. Department staff said a press release would follow and district resource materials would be posted to the LDOE website.
Ending Districts were encouraged to review their locally adopted pupil progression plans to ensure they reflect the updated funding priorities and to reach out to the department’s Course Choice help resources for implementation questions.
