Committee moves overhaul to nonpublic pre‑K rules after heated testimony over child‑safety and school costs

The House Education Committee reported House Bill 11‑12 as amended after a lengthy hearing that sharply divided private‑school leaders and licensed early‑childhood providers.

Sponsor Representative Chenier/Chenover (speaker 31) said the bill restores prior practice for BESE‑approved nonpublic schools and alleviates compliance costs that followed last year’s Act 409 implementation. "This bill is about nonpublic schools," the sponsor said. "Parents choose these schools and expect a different governance posture than licensed childcare centers."

Private‑school administrators and advocacy groups urged passage, saying Act 409 imposed costly, duplicative licensing requirements that threatened programs and increased tuition. Steven Engleton (speaker 35), head of The Dunham School, told the committee his school estimated compliance costs in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and said HB 11‑12 would limit DOE oversight to complaint‑driven reviews for BESE‑approved programs.

Opponents warned HB 11‑12 would reduce proactive protections for very young children. Cindy Bishop (speaker 38) of the Child Care Association of Louisiana said the bill would create different standards for the same child depending on setting and urged the committee to restore a higher camp‑age minimum. "If we're serving the same children, everyone should be held to the same health and safety standards irrespective of where that care and education is being delivered," she said.

Major Roger Williams (speaker 27) described his daughter’s assault and credited Charlie's Law (Act 409) with initiating improved reporting and oversight. He told lawmakers that since August 2025 the state had collected data showing over 223 reported child‑on‑child assaults in school settings, 76 of them among 3‑ to 5‑year‑olds, and warned that reducing oversight would leave vulnerable children at risk.

Private‑school witnesses — including Tom Costanza (speaker 36) of the Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops and other school leaders — emphasized that BESE accreditation and internal policies provide day‑to‑day protections and that additional licensing requirements had produced immediate operational and financial strain. Costanza said HB 11‑12 corrects a conflict that otherwise would prevent some schools from operating summer camps for 3‑year‑olds.

The committee adopted amendments clarifying BESE's existing role, refining the complaint process, and preserving revocation authority if a school jeopardizes student health and safety. After debate and stacked testimony from providers and parents on both sides, the panel reported HB 11‑12 with amendments for further consideration on the floor.