§ 17:1964 — Board of directors; creation; membership; terms; powers, duties, and functions;

§1964. Board of directors; creation; membership; terms; powers, duties, and functions;
voting; compensation
A. There is hereby created a board of directors for the school, sometimes hereinafter
referred to as the "board". The board shall be composed of twenty-four members as follows:
(1) The president of the state board or his designee.
(2) The state superintendent or his designee.
(3) The commissioner of higher education or his designee.
(4) The assistant superintendent of special education for the department or his
designee.
(5) The assistant superintendent for academic programs for the department or his
designee.
(6) The dean of education of Northwestern State University of Louisiana at
Natchitoches.
(7) Two members of the House Committee on Education who shall be appointed by
the chairman of that committee.
(8) Two members of the Senate who shall be appointed by the chairman of the
Senate Committee on Education.
(9) The president of the Louisiana Superintendent's Association.
(10) The president of the Louisiana Association for the Gifted and Talented.
(11) One teacher who shall be a member of the faculty of the school and who shall
be elected by the members of such faculty.
(12) Eight persons who shall be appointed by the governor. Each appointment by
the governor shall be submitted to the Senate for confirmation.
(13) The section chief for gifted and talented services within the office of special
education services of the department.
(14) One teacher who shall be appointed by the state superintendent from the state
at large and confirmed by the Senate.
(15) The president of the Jimmy D. Long, Sr. Louisiana School for Math, Science,
and the Arts Alumni Association or his designee.
B. The terms of the members of the board shall be for four years and shall run
concurrently with the terms of all statewide elected officials. The terms of the initial
members shall commence with their appointment and shall end when their successors take
office on the second Monday of March, 1984, however, members may succeed themselves.
C. The board is hereby authorized to:
(1) Accept donations, bequests, or other forms of financial assistance for educational
purposes from any public or private person or agency and comply with rules and regulations
governing grants from the federal government or from any other person or agency, which are
not in contravention of the constitution and laws.
(2) Purchase land and equipment and make improvements to facilities necessary for
the use of the school, in accordance with applicable law.
(3) Lease land or other property belonging to it or to the school, subject to approval
of the commissioner of administration and in accordance with law.
(4) Sell or exchange land or other real property not needed for school purposes, but
only when specifically authorized by law and then only in accordance with the procedures
provided in R.S. 41:892 for the sale of unused school lands. The sale shall be authorized by
resolution adopted by the board, and the act of sale shall be signed by the president of the
board or such other person to whom the signing may be delegated by the board in the
authorizing resolution.
(5) Adopt, amend, or repeal rules, regulations, and policies necessary or proper for
the conduct of the business of the board.
(6) Award certificates and issue diplomas for successful completion of programs of
study. All such certificates and diplomas shall be in addition to a regular high school
diploma which shall be issued by the state board in accordance with the provisions of R.S.
17:6(11) to any student who successfully completes the program of study adopted by the
board.
(7) Enter into contracts and agreements which have been recommended by the
director, in accordance with applicable law, and to the extent that funds are specifically
appropriated therefor, with other public agencies with respect to cooperative enterprises and
undertakings related to or associated with an educational purpose or program affecting
education in the school. This shall not preclude the board from entering into other such
contracts and agreements that it may deem necessary to carry out its duties and functions.
(8) Perform such other functions as are necessary to the supervision and control of
those phases of education under its supervision and control.
(9) The board shall delegate to the director such of its powers and duties as it deems
appropriate to aid the director in the efficient administration of his responsibility for the
implementation of the policies of the board.
D. In addition to the authorities granted herein and any powers, duties, and
responsibilities vested by any other applicable laws, the board shall:
(1) Adopt rules, regulations, and policies necessary for the efficient operation of the
school.
(2) Establish criteria to be used in determining eligibility of applicants for
enrollment.
(3) Determine subjects and extracurricular activities to be offered. Such subjects
shall initially be subject to approval by the state board, and thereafter, changes in the subjects
shall be subject to approval by the state board.
(4) Select a director who shall be the chief administrative officer of the school and
who shall administer the rules, regulations, and policies adopted by the board pursuant
hereto. The director shall also be the chief administrative officer of the board and shall be
responsible for all the administrative functions, duties, and needs of the board. Until such
time as the board selects a director, the state superintendent of education shall serve as the
chief administrative officer of the board and shall be responsible for the duties of the director
as they relate to the board. The state superintendent of education shall relinquish such
administrative duties to the director when such director officially assumes his duties with the
board.
(5)(a) Determine faculty and staff positions necessary for the efficient operation of
the school and select personnel for such positions.
(b) Establish a salary schedule by which to determine the salaries to be paid to
teachers and other school employees in accordance with R.S. 17:418. The cost of the salaries
shall be paid from funds subject to appropriation by the legislature.
(6) Prepare and adopt an annual budget necessary for the continued operation of the
school.
(7) Pay the expenses of the board and its members and the salaries and expenses,
including but not necessarily restricted to facilities, equipment, and supplies of the faculty
and staff of the school out of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the
operating and administrative expenses of the board and the school.
(8) Exercise budgetary responsibility and allocate for expenditure by the school and
programs under its jurisdiction all monies appropriated or otherwise made available for
purposes of the board and of such school and programs.
(9) Prescribe and select for use in the school free textbooks and other materials of
instruction for children enrolled in the school and programs under its jurisdiction for which
the legislature provides funds.
(10) Prepare and adopt or approve programs of study and rules, bylaws, and
regulations for the discipline of students and for the government of the school and programs
under its jurisdiction, which shall not be inconsistent with law and which shall be enforced
by the staff and faculty of the school. Such programs of study shall initially be subject to
approval by the state board, and thereafter, any changes in such programs of study shall be
subject to approval by the state board.
(11) Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, prescribe the
qualifications and provide for the certification of teachers. Such qualifications shall initially
be subject to approval by the state board, and thereafter, any changes in such qualifications
shall be subject to approval by the state board.
(12) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, especially R.S. 17:441
et seq., adopt rules and regulations under which faculty members may become permanent
employees of the school.
(13) Develop and adopt a formula or system under which students shall be admitted.
Such formula or system shall be sufficient to insure that at least one qualified applicant for
admission from within the geographical boundaries of each city and parish school system
shall be admitted to the school each year. If no qualified applicant from a city or parish
public school system applies for admission, then the slot(s) available to that school system
shall be lost to that system for that school year and shall be reallocated by the board to
provide for the admission of qualified applicants from other public systems.
(14) Adopt rules and regulations to provide for the evaluation of any applicant who
has not been evaluated but who meets all other criteria for participation in the program.
(15)(a) Impose room, board, and other fees for all full-time students, with the
provision that any student who is incapable of paying such fees due to economic hardship
shall be exempt from or subject to reduction of the requirements of this Paragraph.
(b) Effective June 1, 2000, and in accordance with the provisions of Article VII,
Section 2.1(A) of the Constitution of Louisiana, the board may increase the amount of any
or all of the following fees imposed for students attending the school up to the following
maximum amounts:
(i) For room and board for the regular school year, one thousand dollars per year.
(ii) For security deposit, one hundred fifty dollars per year.
(iii) For computer use, twenty-five dollars per year.
(iv) For science laboratory for juniors and seniors, twenty-five dollars per year.
(c) Additionally, the board may impose a new room and board fee for students
attending the school during a summer session, and such fee shall not exceed four hundred
dollars per student per summer session.
(16) Establish criteria to be used in determining those students who shall be exempt
from the requirements of Paragraph (15) of this Subsection.
(17) Develop and adopt a policy providing for sabbatical leave for certified
employees in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 17:1170 et seq.
E. Ten members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business, and all official action of the board shall require the favorable vote of a majority of
those members present and voting. All members of the board, including ex officio members,
shall be voting members.
F. Members of the board shall be compensated for all actual vouchered expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties and functions as required by this Chapter. Such
expenses shall be paid by the Division of Administration from funds appropriated therefor
by the legislature and upon the warrant of the board.
G. The board of directors shall serve as the local educational agency for the school.

Legislative History

Acts 1981, No. 932, §1, eff. Sept. 1, 1982; Acts 1982, No. 151, §1, eff. July 12, 1982; Acts 1985, No. 89, §1; Acts 1986, No. 292, §1; Acts 1999, No. 698, §1; Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 19, §1, eff. June 1, 2000; Acts 2004, No. 503, §1, eff. June 25, 2004; Acts 2008, No. 362, §1; Acts 2015, No. 389, §1, eff. July 1, 2015; Acts 2017, No. 374, §2, eff. June 23, 2017; Acts 2024, No. 97, §1, eff. May 21, 2024; Acts 2025, No. 167, §1.