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Committee clears bill to align TOPS ACT requirement for home-study students
Summary
House Bill 378 would eliminate the higher ACT score requirement for some home-study students to qualify for the TOPS scholarship program; the committee reported the bill favorably after the sponsor said it removes a double standard.
The Senate Committee on Education reported House Bill 378 favorably after Representative Wilder said the bill would end a higher ACT threshold for certain home-study students seeking the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS) award.
Representative Wilder told the committee that "currently, for participation in the TOPS award, home school students are required to score 2 points higher than public or private school students. This bill aims to eliminate that double standard for some of our most determined college bound students." He added, "The ACT is a national assessment, and a student is a student. So a 20 is a 20." The sponsor said the bill has support from the Department of Education, the governor's office and the Louisiana Family Forum and that it passed the House on the floor 89 to 6.
Committee members were informed of emails in opposition and a signed petition from the Louisiana Homeschool Network; the sponsor agreed to share information with those groups as the bill moves forward. Senator Jackson Andrews moved to report the bill favorably and there were no objections; the committee reported HB378 favorably by voice.
The bill, as introduced, amends Title 17 (the education code) to provide alternative eligibility requirements for students who complete approved home study programs by lowering the higher ACT score now applied to those students for initial TOPS qualification. The transcript does not show the committee adopting additional amendments during the hearing.
