§24.13. Numeracy professional development; purpose; requirements; reporting; funding
A. As used in this Section:
(1) "Approved professional development course" means a numeracy skills instruction
course to be presented during the educator's work day, but not during the statutorily
guaranteed planning period, designed for the professional development of educators that
includes information on instructing students regarding the vertical alignment of mathematical
concepts and the blending of concepts, procedures, strategies, problem-solving, and
disposition.
(2) "Teacher" means each kindergarten through eighth grade public school teacher
who teaches mathematics.
B. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law to the contrary, the state Department
of Education shall:
(1) Not later than March 1, 2024, develop a list of approved professional
development courses.
(2)(a) Not later than August 1, 2025, require each fourth through eighth grade teacher
to successfully complete at least one approved professional development course and provide
documentation to the teacher's employing school. A teacher who provides documentation
of a successfully completed approved professional development course within five years
prior to August 1, 2025, shall be considered in compliance with the provisions of this
Subparagraph. Courses completed more than five years prior to August 1, 2025, shall not
be used to fulfill the requirements of this Subparagraph.
(b) Not later than August 1, 2027, require each kindergarten through third grade
teacher to successfully complete at least one approved professional development course and
provide documentation to the teacher's employing school. A teacher who provides
documentation of a successfully completed approved professional development course within
five years prior to August 1, 2027, shall be considered in compliance with the provisions of
this Subparagraph. Courses completed more than five years prior to August 1, 2027, shall
not be used to fulfill the requirements of this Subparagraph.
(3)(a) Require any fourth through eighth grade teacher hired after July 31, 2025, to
provide documentation to the employing school of successful completion of an approved
professional development course within two years of the date of employment.
(b) Require any kindergarten through third grade teacher hired after July 31, 2027,
to provide documentation to the employing school of successful completion of an approved
professional development course within two years of the date of employment.
(4)(a) On May 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, require each city, parish, or other
local public school board to report to the department the number and percentage of teachers
who have successfully completed an approved professional development course.
(b) The data required by Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph shall be included in the
department's school progress profiles required by R.S. 17:3911 and 3912.
C. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shall adopt rules in
accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to implement the provisions of this
Section.
D. The implementation of the provisions of this Section shall be subject to the
designation and allocation of funds by the state Department of Education. Federal and state
funds may be used to implement the provisions of this Section if numeracy-related
expenditures are allowable under relevant funding guidelines.
E.(1) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to extend the hours in the teacher's
work day nor the hours to be worked in a year.
(2) A public school governing authority may offer a stipend for completion of
numeracy professional development outside of a teacher's normal work day or a combination
of a stipend and job-embedded training time.
Acts 2023, No. 260, §1, eff. June 12, 2023; Acts 2025, No. 353, §1; Acts 2025, No.
366, §2.