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State education presenters outline 2025 legislative changes affecting PD, discipline, nutrition and pre‑K rules
Summary
LDOE staff summarized multiple 2025 legislative acts at the July 24 Superintendent Advisory Council meeting, including expanded numeracy professional development, seclusion/restraint training requirements, new child‑nutrition ingredient and procurement rules effective 2028–29, and pre‑K minimum standards (Charlie’s Law).
Department presenters used the council’s July 24 meeting to outline a package of policy adjustments tied to the 2025 legislative session and to flag actions districts must take ahead of the school year.
Ashley Townsend (policy presenter) reviewed several bulletins that the department will revise. She said Louisiana’s statewide move to a 10‑point grading scale requires districts to ensure grades reported for TOPS core curriculum align to the scale and pointed council members to support documents in their packets. In Bulletin 746, the department will expand the numeracy professional‑development requirement to include K–3 math educators (previously grades 4–8); employees hired after Aug. 1, 2027, in K–3 math must complete the training within two years of hire, and the requirement will be incorporated in teacher‑preparation programs.
Townsend and others summarized discipline law changes (Act 384/HB684), which revise how seclusion and restraint are handled for students with exceptionalities, require certain crisis‑intervention training for staff who will perform restraint, and add reporting obligations. The department said it must collect counts of students suspended or expelled for specified offenses under revised statute 17:4.16(b)–(c) and will provide guidance on how districts should collect and submit that information.
Child Nutrition Executive Director Stephanie Luke briefed members on Act 463, which will take effect in the 2028–29 school year. Luke said the law prohibits specified ingredients from meals served at school and pushes for procurement from Louisiana suppliers "to the maximum extent practicable." She encouraged local food‑service directors to coordinate with the department on procurement decisions.
Other items covered: revisions to Bulletin 741 on diploma requirements, changes to Bulletin 119 to allow contracting with transportation network companies subject to technical and driver qualifications, vocational/CTE fee provisions tied to Act 449, and pre‑K posting requirements under "Charlie’s Law" (15 minimum standards and a complaint line). The department also flagged an operational change: starting Aug. 1 districts will be able to grant EdLink permissions for DCFS central‑registry child‑abuse checks and should prepare to report annual compliance on mandatory reporter training by Sept. 30.
Presenters emphasized support resources: a curated active‑note packet, recorded overviews, an upcoming menu of services for literacy and numeracy teams (available Aug. 1), and training modules available at no cost. They urged superintendents to share updates with their teams and to contact department staff with questions.
The council received the presentation and voted to endorse the department’s rollout approach; members asked for advance communications and step‑by‑step guidance for local implementation.
