Louisiana BESE fast-tracks new Pre-K regulations
BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana education leaders are shaking up the rules for pre-kindergarten programs across the state.
Annette Samec, chief academic officer for the Lafayette Parish School System, reads Green Eggs and Ham to Pre-K students as they celebrate Read Across America and Dr. Seuss' birthday at Truman Early Childhood Education Center on March 2, 2017, in Lafayette, La. (Photo by Leslie Westbrook, The Acadiana Advocate)
BATON ROUGE, La. - Louisiana education leaders are shaking up the rules for pre-kindergarten programs across the state.
The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, known as BESE, met in a special session Thursday to approve emergency changes affecting hundreds of schools. The board voted to fast-track these new regulations following the recent legislative session.
Under the provisions of Act 587, non-public Pre-K programs are no longer required to hold a traditional daycare license. These programs will instead follow new minimum state standards.
A key component of the change requires schools to notify parents that these programs are operated by schools and are not licensed daycares.
The new rules take effect immediately under the emergency declaration.