Title 17. Education

Chapter 1. General School Law

Part III. Public Schools and School Children

Subpart A. General Provisions

17:154     Curriculum; length of school periods

A. (1) The branches of spelling, reading, writing, drawing, arithmetic, geography, grammar, United States history, and health, including alcohol, tobacco, drug, and substance abuse prevention and education, shall be taught in every elementary school. In addition to these, such other branches shall be taught as the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, or the provisions of the state constitution, may require. 

(2) Every secondary school shall provide instruction in alcohol, tobacco, drug, and substance abuse prevention and education. 

(3) Any instruction relative to alcohol, tobacco, drug, and substance abuse prevention and education provided pursuant to Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Subsection shall include the information that mixing opioids and alcohol can cause accidental death and information on the health risks associated with vapor products as defined in R.S. 26:901. 

B. Except as provided in R.S. 17:154.1(A), the minimum daily session, exclusive of all recesses, of every public school shall be three hundred sixty minutes; however, this shall not be construed so as to prevent half-day sessions where the school accommodations are insufficient for all the pupils of the district in a whole-day session. Nor shall it interfere with any arrangement made for the conduct of kindergarten schools; however, in the parish of Orleans the school board may fix the hours of the daily session of the public schools, provided that the minimum number of instructional minutes as required by R.S. 17:154.1(A) is met. 

Amended by Acts 1991, No. 380, § 1; Acts 1998, 1st Ex.Sess., No. 160, § 1, eff. July 1, 1998; Acts 2018, No. 694, § 1; Acts 2021, No. 230, § 1.