ECS
From the ECS State Policy Database
2001 State Policies / Activities

Education Commission of the States • 700 Broadway, Suite 810 • Denver, CO 80203-3442 • 303.299.3600 • fax 303.296.8332 • www.ecs.org

The following summary includes policies enacted in 2001. This database is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Most entries are legislative, although rules/regulations and executive orders that make substantive changes are included. Every effort is made to collect the latest available version of policies; in some instances, recent changes might not be reflected. For expediency purposes minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) and format. To view the documents, click on the blue triangle next to the topic of interest. To view all, press the button located at the top labeled "Expand All."

Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date].

State Status/Date Level Summary
+ Accountability
+ Accountability--Accreditation
+ Accountability--Measures/Indicators
+ Accountability--Reporting Results
+ Accountability--Rewards
+ Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions
+ Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions--No Pass No Drive
+ Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions--Takeovers
+ Accountability--School Improvement
+ Adult Basic Education
+ Assessment
+ Assessment--Accommodations
+ Assessment--End-of-Course
+ Assessment--Formative/Interim
+ Assessment--High Stakes/Competency
+ Assessment--Legal Issues
+ At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)
+ At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Alternative Education
+ At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Drugs/Alcohol
+ Attendance
+ Attendance--Compulsory
+ Background Checks
+ Bilingual/ESL
+ Career/Technical Education
+ Cheating
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Closings
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Finance
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Research
+ Choice of Schools--Choice/Open Enrollment
+ Civic Education
+ Civic Education--Character Education
+ Civic Education--Pledge of Allegiance
+ Class Size
+ Curriculum
+ Curriculum--Arts Education
+ Curriculum--Drivers Education
+ Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed.
+ Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language
+ Curriculum--Geography Education
+ Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education
+ Curriculum--Language Arts--Writing/Spelling
+ Curriculum--Mathematics
+ Curriculum--Multicultural
+ Curriculum--Physical Education
+ Curriculum--Science
+ Curriculum--Sex Education
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+ Data-Driven Improvement
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+ Equity
+ Federal
+ Finance
+ Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost
+ Finance--District
+ Finance--Equity
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+ Finance--Funding Formulas
+ Finance--Litigation
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+ Finance--Private Giving
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+ Finance--Student Fees
+ Finance--Taxes/Revenues
+ Finance--Taxes/Revenues--Alternative Revenues
+ Governance
+ Governance--Deregulation/Waivers/Home Rule
+ Governance--Ethics/Conflict of Interest
+ Governance--School Boards
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+ Governance--State Boards/Chiefs/Agencies
+ Health
+ Health--Child Abuse
+ Health--School Based Clinics or School Nurses
+ Health--Suicide Prevention
+ High School
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+ Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices
+ Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling
+ Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools
+ Leadership
+ Leadership--District Superintendent
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+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Compensation and Diversified Pay
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Evaluation and Effectiveness
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Preparation
+ Middle School
+ Minority/Diversity Issues
+ Minority/Diversity Issues--American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian
+ No Child Left Behind--Adequate Yearly Progress
+ No Child Left Behind--Assessment
+ No Child Left Behind--Choice/Transfer
+ No Child Left Behind--Consequences for Schools
+ No Child Left Behind--Report Cards
+ No Child Left Behind--School Support
+ No Child Left Behind--Supplemental Services
+ Online Learning--Digital/Blended Learning
+ Online Learning--Virtual Schools/Courses
+ P-16 or P-20
+ P-3
+ P-3 Child Care
+ P-3 Early Intervention (0-3)
+ P-3 Ensuring Quality
+ P-3 Family Involvement
+ P-3 Finance
+ P-3 Governance
+ P-3 Grades 1-3
+ P-3 Kindergarten
+ P-3 Kindergarten--Full-Day Kindergarten
+ P-3 Preschool
+ P-3 Teaching Quality/Professional Development
+ Parent/Family
+ Parent/Family--Parent Rights
+ Postsecondary
+ Postsecondary Accountability
+ Postsecondary Accountability--Accreditation
+ Postsecondary Affordability--Financial Aid
+ Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees
+ Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees--Prepd/College Savings Plans
+ Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees--Undocumented Immigrants
+ Postsecondary Faculty
+ Postsecondary Faculty--Compensation
+ Postsecondary Faculty--Tenure
+ Postsecondary Finance
+ Postsecondary Governance and Structures
+ Postsecondary Governance and Structures--Administrative/Leadership Issues
+ Postsecondary Institutions--Community/Technical Colleges
+ Postsecondary Institutions--For-Profit/Proprietary
+ Postsecondary Online Instruction
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+ Postsecondary Students--Disabled
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+ Private Schools
+ Privatization
+ Promotion/Retention
+ Public Involvement
+ Reading/Literacy
+ Religion
+ Religion--Prayer/Meditation
+ Rural
+ Scheduling/School Calendar
+ Scheduling/School Calendar--Day/Class Length
+ Scheduling/School Calendar--Extended Day Programs
+ Scheduling/School Calendar--Summer School
+ Scheduling/School Calendar--Year
+ School Safety
+ School Safety--Bullying Prevention/Conflict Resolution
+ School Safety--Corporal Punishment
+ School Safety--Expulsion/Suspension
+ School Safety--Sexual Harassment and Assault
+ School Safety--Special Education
+ School Safety--Uniforms/Dress Codes
+ School/District Structure/Operations
+ School/District Structure/Operations--District Consolidation/Deconsolidation
+ School/District Structure/Operations--Facilities
+ School/District Structure/Operations--Food Service
+ School/District Structure/Operations--Libraries
+ School/District Structure/Operations--Personnel (Non-Teaching)
+ School/District Structure/Operations--School Size
+ School/District Structure/Operations--Shared Services
+ School/District Structure/Operations--Transportation
+ Special Education
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+ Standards
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+ State Longitudinal Data Systems
+ State Policymaking
+ Student Achievement
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+ Student Supports--Counseling/Guidance
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+ Student Supports--Remediation
+ Students
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+ Students--Records/Rights
+ Teaching Quality
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Alternative
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Assignment
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Highly Qualified Teachers
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Natl. Bd. for Prof. Teach. Stds.
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Special Education
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--State Prof. Standards Bds.
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Substitute Teachers
+ Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay
+ Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay--Pay-for-Performance
- Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay--Retirement/Benefits
RIBecame law without GOVERNOR'S signature 07/2001P-12Allows retired teachers to substitute as teachers in State and public schools for not more than 90 days in any one school year without a reduction of retirement benefits.
Title: H.B. 5209, S.B. 207
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

LASigned into law 06/2001P-12Repeals all "reemployment of retiree" laws and replaces them with one law allowing full salary and full benefits after the lapse of a 12-month waiting period and allows substitutes to return immediately for limited service.
Title: H.B. 914
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

SCSigned into law 06/2001P-12Relates to the exemption from the earnings limitation for retired certified teachers employed in geographic or critical academic need areas; provides that beginning June 1, 2001, any retired certified school district employee who is not a certified teacher may return to such certified employment in a school or school district which is in a critical geographic need area.
Title: H.B. 3175
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

TXSigned into law 06/2001P-12Relates to the creation, operation, and funding of a statewide group benefits program for employees and retirees of school districts. Establishes the School Employee Health Insurance Plan, to be administered by the Teacher Retirement System. Pass-through financial assistance in the amount of $1000 per employee will be allocated for use in purchasing additional employee coverage or dependent coverage, to begin a medical savings account or as compensation. All school districts will receive $75 per month per covered employee to offset health insurance costs.
Title: H.B. 3343
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

TXSigned into law 06/2001P-12Relates to credit in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas for certain out-of-state service.
Title: S.B. 477
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

AZSigned into law 05/2001Postsec.
Community College
Relates to community college employee retirement; includes provisions for corrections officers, elected officials, and public safety personnel.
Title: S.B. 1295
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

HISigned into law 05/2001P-12, Provides that department of education may rehire retired teachers in teacher shortage areas, with prior approval of superintendent and pursuant to collective bargaining.
Title: H.B. 1668
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

NESigned into law 05/2001P-12Section 16 changes the definition of general fund operating expenditures for purposes of the state aid formula (TEEOSA). The bill provides that general fund operating expenditures will not include retirement incentive plans and staff development assistance. The exclusion of these items from general fund operating expenditures will reduce formula "need". The State Department of Education indicates that the amount of retirement incentive plans and staff development assistance is not a significant amount on a statewide
basis, so the exclusion of these items will result in a minimal decrease in state aid paid to schools.
Section 20 provides that net option funding will be the net number of option students in each grade range times the statewide average cost grouping cost per student multiplied by the weighting factor for the corresponding grade range. Current law provides that net option funding will be net number of option students in each grade range times the lesser of the statewide average cost grouping cost
per student or the local system cost grouping cost per student multiplied by the weighting factor for the corresponding grade range. This change will shift a minimal amount of state aid between school districts. The change means that schools in the standard cost grouping that receive net option funding will receive a higher amount of net option funding since the aid will be based on the statewide average cost grouping cost rather than the local system cost grouping cost. The increase in net option aid will reduce the amount available through the formula as income tax rebate. Since net option funding and income tax rebates are considered to be resources for purposes of determining the overall amount of state aid received, the change will only have a minimal impact on state aid provided to districts that are not receiving equalization aid. [Summary from Fiscal Note.)
Title: L.B. 797--Two Components
Source: Nebraska Legislative Web Site

ARSigned into law 04/2001P-12Increases the amount of private school service which can be purchased in the teacher retirement system.
Title: H.B. 1077
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

INSigned into law 04/2001P-12Provides a cost of living adjustment (COLA) in 2001 to members of the Public Employees Retirement Fund (PERF) and members of the Indiana State Teachers Retirement Fund (TRF) who retired or were disabled before 7/2/99; provides a COLA in 2002 to members of PERF or TRF who retired or were disabled before 7/2/00; provides a supplemental 13th check benefit to retired teachers and certain retired public employees on 11/1/01, and on 11/1/02; provides additional COLA.
Title: H.B. 1815
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

MDSigned into law 04/2001P-12Relates to the Employees' and Teachers' Retirement System; alters the method of calculating specified members' average final compensation; defines break in service; establishes a method of calculating the average final compensation of specified part-time employees.
Title: S.B. 389
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

MTSigned into law 04/2001P-12
Postsec.
Revises the defined contribution plan provisions under the public employees retirement system; limits liability; revises the allocation of current contributions to an education fund; revises how family law orders and execution of withholding and support obligation orders may be applied; clarifies plan choice provisions for university employees.
Title: H.B. 116
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

MTSigned into law 03/2001P-12Relates to the teachers' retirement system; relates to member eligibility for benefits, purchasing of service, tax deferred contributions, and administrative expenditures; concerns assets held in trust; revises the calculation of postretirement earnings; clarifies the procedure for designation of beneficiaries and payment of death benefits.
Title: H.B. 97
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

VASigned into law 02/2001P-12Provides that the monthly retirement allowance payable to any teacher who has at least 25 years of creditable service as a teacher and is at least 65 years old, or at least 30 years of creditable service as a teacher, shall not be less than $ 800.
Title: S.B. 945
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

+ Teaching Quality--Evaluation and Effectiveness
+ Teaching Quality--Induction Programs and Mentoring
+ Teaching Quality--Preparation
+ Teaching Quality--Professional Development
+ Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention
+ Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention--At-Risk Schools
+ Teaching Quality--Reduction in Force
+ Teaching Quality--Teacher Rights
+ Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract
+ Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining
+ Technology
+ Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware
+ Technology--Equitable Access
+ Technology--Funding Issues
+ Technology--Teacher/Faculty Training
+ Textbooks and Open Source
+ Urban