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Policy committee adopts state-mandated revisions on bullying, expulsions, child-abuse reporting and mental-health screening (Act 504)
Summary
The policy committee approved revisions required by recent Louisiana laws: changes to bullying/hazing language, a reduction in mandatory expulsion terms for certain offenses, updates to school-resource-officer reporting, and a new process to offer voluntary mental-health assessments for students in grades 3–12 per Act 504. Board members raised questions about costs and parent notification.
The policy committee on Sept. 8 voted to adopt several state-required updates to district policies. Committee staff explained the changes are driven by recent Louisiana legislation and include: removing a training requirement from the bullying/hazing policy in compliance with the legislature; revising the expulsion policy to reflect new state statute changes that reduce mandatory expulsions from four semesters to two for grades 6–12 and add reporting requirements to the Louisiana Department of Education; and amending child-abuse reporting language to clarify school-resource-officer notification and assignment of investigations.
The committee also discussed and adopted a new section implementing Act 504 (House Bill 485), which requires public schools to make available, at no cost to the school board, a licensed behavioral-health assessment for students in grades 3–12 when authorized by a parent or guardian. Policy staff said the district will notify parents via paper and digital communications, offer a consent/opt-out process, and maintain a list of acceptable providers. Board members expressed concern about how the state-defined "no cost to the school board" requirement will be implemented in practice and whether the district will be expected to absorb hidden costs such as travel or provider fees; policy staff said those details are currently governed by the state guidance and will be clarified by state agencies.
The committee approved the policy changes by voice vote. Members asked staff to post provider lists and an informational flyer for parents and to return with implementation procedures if the state clarifies reimbursement or provider arrangements.
