Tagged: John White

Plans to create a statewide program that would give college tuition grants to Louisiana students who graduate early from high school have been scrapped.

The scholarship program was approved by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education last year in the state's education financing formula, with expectations it would begin in the 2013-14 school year.

Public school counselors say their education role would be radically diminished or even eliminated under a plan by state Superintendent of Education John White to give local districts more flexibility.

Under current rules, high schools are supposed to have one counselor for every 450 students.

White's proposal would eliminate that requirement.

The Advocate reports a committee of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education will take up the issue on Tuesday.

An Oct. 15 date has been set for arguments in a lawsuit by teacher unions and local school boards challenging the constitutionality of Gov. Bobby Jindal's statewide voucher program.

Judge Tim Kelley chose the hearing date Tuesday in a meeting with lawyers for both sides in the case.

Attorneys for two statewide teacher unions and dozens of local school boards say the voucher program that will use tax dollars to send children to private schools and other new education funding plans are unconstitutional.