§3403. Minimum requirements for teacher certification; authorization for supplemental compensation

            A. Montessori teachers having the requirements set forth in this Subsection shall be certified by the appropriate Montessori organization as follows:

            (1) A "Class C" teacher shall have a certification from either the American Montessori Society, the Association Montessori Internationale, the St. Nicholas Training Course of London, the International Montessori Council, the Southwestern Montessori Training Center, or the Montessori World Educational Institute or any other Montessori training course from a program accredited by the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education or jointly approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Louisiana Montessori Association.

            (2) A "Class B" teacher shall meet the certification requirements of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection plus have at least one year of teaching experience in a Montessori school.

            (3) A "Class A" teacher shall meet the certification qualifications of Paragraph (2) of this Subsection plus have a baccalaureate degree.

            B. A teacher who teaches a junior class shall have Montessori certification for the age levels which he teaches and a baccalaureate degree.

            C. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any person teaching in a Montessori school who receives a salary paid by the government of France may receive additional compensation paid by the employing school out of funds available to the school for such purpose whether such funds are part of its normal operating budget or are provided by its parent organization or any local, state, or federal educational organization or foundation. The school may compensate the person up to the amount of the difference in salary paid such person by the government of France and the average salary of a teacher in a public school in Louisiana with comparable qualifications and experience.

            Acts 1976, No. 290, §1; Acts 1982, No. 400, §1, eff. July 20, 1982; Acts 2000, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 56, §1, eff. April 17, 2000; Acts 2024, No. 186, §1.