A. Any school employee having reasonable cause to believe that a student possesses a controlled dangerous substance or an alcoholic beverage on a school campus shall report such fact to the principal of the school.

• 1. If a Substance Abuse Prevention Education (SAPE) team exists within the school, the principal shall forward the report to the chairperson of the team.
• 2. If the report has been given to the team directly or if the report has been forwarded to the team by the principal, the team shall discuss the circumstances of the report with the student reported without disclosing the name of the reporting person and shall meet with the parents of the student reported.
• 3. The team shall report to the principal of the school and make recommendations for treatment, counseling, or other appropriate action.

B. Any school employee having factual knowledge that a student has manufactured, distributed, or possessed with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance shall report such fact to the principal of the school who, upon finding that there is reasonable cause to believe that the student has manufactured, distributed, or possessed with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, shall report such information to the appropriate law enforcement agency.

C. Any person who makes a report in good faith, pursuant to substance abuse, shall have immunity from civil liability that otherwise might be incurred. Such immunity shall extend to testimony in any judicial proceeding resulting from such report. NOTE: See § 1127.

B. Any student who has been expelled from any public or nonpublic school within or outside the state of Louisiana for one of the reasons listed below shall produce documentation that he or she and his/her parent or legal guardian have enrolled in and participated in an appropriate rehabilitation or counseling program related to the reason(s) for the expulsion prior to being admitted or readmitted on a probationary basis to any public school in the state, unless such requirement is waived by the LEA:

1. possessing on school property or on a school bus a firearm, knife, or other dangerous weapon, or instrumentality customarily used or intended for probable use as a dangerous weapon; or
2. possessing with intent to distribute, or distributing, selling, giving, or loaning while on school property or on a school bus any controlled dangerous substance governed by the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law.

A. The legislature finds that the use and abuse of alcohol, drugs, and other substances among the children of school age in this state is a problem of serious concern and destructive societal impact and that the incidence of alcohol, drug, and substance abuse among the young is high. Substance abuse leads to serious consequences and impairs one’s ability to perform normally and productively in his educational and social environment. The legislature also finds that dependence on alcohol, drug, or other substances is an illness that can be prevented, identified, and treated. The legislature further finds that substantial alleviation of these problems may result from the development and implementation of comprehensive education programs and counseling in the public school systems of this state, combined with an enhanced law enforcement effort in the area of schools. B. The purpose of this Part is to create a comprehensive program of alcohol, drug, and substance abuse prevention and education, which brings together the education system and the criminal justice system to educate, prevent, and punish such abuses, culminating in a drug free zone in and around the public schools in the state. The existence of such zones should enhance the whole community by bringing a clear-minded student into an environment more conducive to learning.

A. The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the state superintendent of education shall establish and maintain within the bureau of student services of the state Department of Education a separate program section which shall be designated as the section on drug free schools and communities. The board shall adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to establish, operate, and maintain a state-wide alcohol, drug, and substance abuse education program for the benefit of students attending the schools of this state. The program may be extended to benefit adult citizens through adult education programs. The program shall be administered through the schools. B. There shall be a section administrator of the section on drug free schools and communities who shall be appointed by the superintendent. The section administrator shall administer and be responsible for the affairs of the section on drug free schools and communities and the state-wide alcohol, drug, and substance abuse education program. C. (1) There shall be addictive disorders professionals in every school system who regularly visit every secondary school and elementary school at a maximum of four schools to one counselor, for the purpose of counseling students who have been identified as having an alcohol, drug, or substance abuse problem. The duties of each counselor shall be coordinated by the section on drug-free schools and communities and each employing parish or city school system. (2) Qualifications for addictive disorders professionals shall be determined, implemented, and enforced by the Department of Health and Hospitals, office of behavioral health.

A. Each city and parish school board shall establish and maintain in every school such grade appropriate programs of alcohol, drug, and substance abuse prevention, education, information, and counseling as are developed by the section on drug free schools and communities, and approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for inclusion in the school program as required in Subsection B of this Section. B. (1) The state superintendent of education, with the approval of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, shall develop, furnish to local school boards, and coordinate the implementation of the programs required by this Section. Such programs shall be included in the school program such that every student in grades kindergarten through nine is involved for a minimum of sixteen contact hours every school year and every student in grades ten through twelve is involved for a minimum of eight contact hours every school year. The required minimum contact hours shall be incorporated into a comprehensive school health program. Each city and parish school system shall enact policies and procedures for implementation of such programs in accordance with guidelines promulgated by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. (2) In addition, the section on drug free schools and communities shall develop and make available to each school system development programs for teachers and other staff. Such programs shall include procedures for identifying students who exhibit signs of misuse or abuse of such substances and for referral for counseling or treatment, as an alternative to other disciplinary procedures and sanctions provided by law, or in other cases where such referral would be appropriate. C. The state superintendent of education and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education through the section on drug free schools and communities shall continually study the existing programs, resources, and needs of school districts, and shall utilize this data and local school personnel in the development of a state plan and minimum Standard for alcohol, drug and substance abuse prevention and education programs required in Subsection A of this Section. D. Any minor who is a student enrolled in any public or private elementary, secondary, vocational-technical, training, special school or institution in Louisiana who is identified as having a substance abuse problem or who is involved in the production, manufacture, possession, distribution, or dispension of any controlled dangerous substance shall be required to participate in the school drug counseling program as provided in this Section in addition to any other penalties as provided by law. However, nothing herein shall prevent the student from participating in any other drug counseling program in lieu of the one in his school, provided such program is approved by the school system.

(3) (a) Any student arrested for possession of, or intentional distribution of, or possession with intent to distribute any illegal narcotic, drug, or other controlled substance on school property shall be referred by the school principal or his designee, within five days after such arrest, for testing or screening by a qualified medical professional for evidence of abuse of alcohol, illegal narcotics, drugs, or other controlled dangerous substances. (b) If evidence of abuse is found, the student shall be referred to an alcohol and drug abuse treatment professional chosen by the student’s parent or tutor. If the student is found by the professional to be in need of treatment, and if the student agrees to cooperate in the recommended treatment, as certified in writing by the medical professional, such documentation may be used to initiate reopening the student’s case. The school board shall take into consideration the student’s agreement to receive treatment as a positive factor in the final decision relative to any final disciplinary action.

(3) Rules and regulations pursuant to Paragraph (2) of this Subsection shall include all of the following: (a) Such services shall be provided to the school governing authority at the actual costs incurred by the provider, not to exceed for each student the pro rata share of the combined state and local per pupil amount of the minimum foundation program for such governing authority. (b) In an effort to support the on-time graduation of students who are suspended, expelled, or at high risk for dropping out or entry into the juvenile justice system, academic, behavioral, and mental health interventions must be provided. Interventions offered shall include but not be limited to the following: (i) Academic interventions and supports: (aa) Targeted academic interventions focused on assessed needs in math and reading using an evidence-based and research-supported curriculum. (bb) Use of validated monthly assessments to monitor individual student academic progress. (cc) Implementation of research-supported instructional strategies such as differentiated instruction, experiential education, project-based learning, and computer-assisted instruction to support assessed needs and content mastery. (dd) Opportunities to participate in credit recovery to support progression towards on-time graduation. (ee) On-site access to at least one career or vocational certification option. (ii) Behavioral interventions and supports: (aa) Positive behavioral supports with a high ratio of positive reinforcement over punishment. (bb) Behavioral shaping steps aligned to assessed behavioral needs and goals. (cc) Mentoring and frequent behavioral feedback focused on individualized shaping steps for students enrolled. (dd) Successive approximations and reinforcements to develop more complex social behaviors. (iii) Mental health interventions and supports: (aa) Evidence-based cognitive behavioral interventions to address, anger, impulsivity, and aggression. (bb) Interventions to address past childhood traumas, including forms of abuse and neglect, being a victim of or a witness to violence, and involvement in natural disasters. (cc) Interventions to address substance use and to prevent substance abuse. (dd) Interventions to build life skills and social skills in order to increase employability and success in the community.