La. Admin. Code tit. 28 § CXV-2304

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section CXV-2304 - Science Education

A. BESE shall, upon request of an LEA, allow and assist teachers and school administrators to create and foster an environment that promotes critical thinking skills, logical analysis, and open and objective discussion of concepts, laws, principles, and scientific theories.

1. Such assistance shall include support and guidance for teachers regarding effective ways to understand, analyze, critique, and objectively review concepts, laws, principles, and scientific theories.

2. Any LEA may request such assistance by contacting the LDE.

B. Teachers shall teach the state-approved science standards, and the standard textbook supplied by the LEA.

1. The teacher may then use supplemental textbooks and other instructional materials as permitted by the LEA unless otherwise prohibited by BESE.

C. Classroom instruction and materials shall not promote any religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or non-religion.

D. BESE shall determine which supplemental materials shall be prohibited from use in science classes in public schools according the procedure below.

1. Any Louisiana citizen may challenge materials used by an LEA by submitting a complaint to the LDE for consideration by BESE. The complaint should contain the reasons for the challenge and cite evidence to substantiate the challenge.

2. The LDE will notify the LEA using the supplementary material that the complaint has been filed.

3. The LDE will conduct a meeting allowing the complainant, the LEA, and any interested parties adequate time to present their arguments and information and to offer rebuttals.

4. The LDE will make a recommendation to BESE based on the following criteria.

a. The supplemental materials must be grade-level appropriate.

b. The information contained in the supplemental materials must be scientifically sound and supported by empirical evidence.

c. The materials shall not promote any religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or non-religion.

E. The following procedure shall be followed for complaints filed about supplemental materials used in a science classroom.

1. Any Louisiana citizen may challenge materials used by an LEA by submitting a complaint to the LDE for consideration by BESE. The complaint should contain the reasons for the challenge and cite evidence to substantiate the challenge. The complaint should be sent to the director of curriculum standards.

2. The LDE will notify the LEA using the supplementary material that the complaint has been filed and will provide the LEA with a copy of the complaint. The LDE will request from the LEA a copy of the supplementary materials in question.

3. The LDE shall have the opportunity to appoint two reviewers of the materials. The challenger, the LEA, and the publisher (if any) shall each have the opportunity to appoint one reviewer of the materials. The LDE will provide the reviewers with copies of the supplementary materials and the complaint. The reviewers should be experts who are capable of determining if the materials are grade-level appropriate, if the materials are scientifically sound and supported by empirical evidence, and if the materials do not promote any religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or non-religion.

4. The LDE will determine a time and location for a meeting. The LDE will notify the LEA, the complainant, and the reviewers of the date, time, and location. The LEA and the complainant may bring others with them to the meeting.

5. At the meeting, the LEA and the complainant and/or the representatives of each side will explain their positions. The reviewers may ask questions. All reviewers will complete a form indicating that the materials do or do not violate each of the following provisions and include explanations for their recommendations.

a. The supplementary materials are grade-level appropriate.

b. The information contained in the supplementary materials are scientifically sound and supported by empirical evidence.

c. The materials shall not promote any religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or non-religion.

6. The LDE will forward the reports of the reviewers to BESE. The LDE may elect to make its own recommendation. The LDE will notify the challenger, the LEA, and the publisher of the date and time when the recommendations will be presented to BESE for consideration.

La. Admin. Code tit. 28, § CXV-2304

Promulgated by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, LR 35:1476 (August 2009), amended LR 36:483 (March 2010), LR 39:2213 (August 2013).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 17:285.1.