House Bill No. [insert bill number] proposes a change to the methodology used by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) for counting students in relation to the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) formula. The bill mandates that BESE develop and implement a methodology based on average daily attendance to establish the base student count for state funding. Average daily attendance is defined as the total number of days students attend school during the academic year divided by the number of school days in session.

Additionally, the bill requires BESE to adopt rules for the implementation of this new methodology. This change aims to provide a more accurate reflection of student attendance and, consequently, funding allocation for public elementary and secondary education in Louisiana. The bill adds a new section, R.S. 17:7(2)(b), to the existing law, which outlines these requirements.