ECS
From the ECS State Policy Database
2003 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 2003. 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--NAEP (NAEP Results and NAEP Organization)
+ At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)
+ At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Alternative Education
+ At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Drugs/Alcohol
+ Attendance
+ Attendance--Compulsory
+ Attendance--Statutory Ages (Upper and Lower)
+ Attendance--Truancy
+ Background Checks
+ Bilingual/ESL
+ Business Involvement
+ Career/Technical Education
+ Career/Technical Education--Career Academies/Apprenticeship
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Closings
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Cyber Charters
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Finance
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Research
+ Choice of Schools--Choice/Open Enrollment
+ Choice of Schools--Magnet or Specialized Schools
+ Choice of Schools--Vouchers
+ Civic Education
+ Civic Education--Character Education
+ Civic Education--Pledge of Allegiance
+ Class Size
+ Curriculum
+ Curriculum--Alignment
+ Curriculum--Arts Education
+ Curriculum--Drivers Education
+ Curriculum--Environmental Education
+ Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed.
+ Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language
+ Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education
+ Curriculum--International Education
+ Curriculum--Language Arts--Writing/Spelling
+ Curriculum--Mathematics
+ Curriculum--Multicultural
+ Curriculum--Physical Education
+ Curriculum--Science
+ Curriculum--Sex Education
+ Curriculum--Social Studies/History
+ Demographics
+ Demographics--Enrollments
+ Desegregation
+ Economic/Workforce Development
+ Equity
+ Federal
+ Finance
+ Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost
+ Finance--Bonds
+ Finance--District
+ Finance--Equity
+ Finance--Facilities
+ Finance--Federal
+ Finance--Funding Formulas
+ Finance--Litigation
+ Finance--Local Foundations/Funds
+ Finance--Lotteries
+ Finance--Performance Funding
+ Finance--Private Giving
+ Finance--Resource Efficiency
+ Finance--State Budgets/Expenditures
+ 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
+ Governance--School Boards--Training
+ Governance--Site-Based Management
+ Governance--State Boards/Chiefs/Agencies
+ Health
+ Health--Child Abuse
+ Health--School Based Clinics or School Nurses
+ Health--Suicide Prevention
+ Health--Teen Pregnancy
+ High School
+ High School--Advanced Placement
+ High School--College Readiness
+ High School--Dual/Concurrent Enrollment
+ High School--Exit Exams
+ High School--GED (General Education Development)
+ High School--Graduation Requirements
+ Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices
+ Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling
+ Instructional Approaches--Homework/Study Skills
+ Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools
+ Leadership
+ Leadership--District Superintendent
+ Leadership--District Superintendent--Compensation and Diversified Pay
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Certification and Licensure
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Compensation and Diversified Pay
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Evaluation and Effectiveness
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Preparation
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Recruitment and Retention
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Tenure
+ Minority/Diversity Issues
+ Minority/Diversity Issues--African American
+ Minority/Diversity Issues--American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian
+ Minority/Diversity Issues--Hispanic
+ No Child Left Behind
+ 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--Finance
+ No Child Left Behind--Parent Involvement
+ 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 Accountability--Diploma Mills
+ 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--Intellectual Property
+ Postsecondary Faculty--Tenure
+ Postsecondary Finance
+ Postsecondary Governance and Structures
+ Postsecondary Institutions--Community/Technical Colleges
+ Postsecondary Institutions--For-Profit/Proprietary
+ Postsecondary Online Instruction
+ Postsecondary Participation--Access
+ Postsecondary Participation--Admissions Requirements
+ Postsecondary Students--Disabled
+ Postsecondary Success--Completion
+ Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation
+ Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation
+ Private Schools
+ Privatization
+ Promotion/Retention
+ Public Attitudes
+ Public Involvement
+ Reading/Literacy
+ Religion
+ Scheduling/School Calendar
+ Scheduling/School Calendar--Day/Class Length
+ Scheduling/School Calendar--Extended Day Programs
+ Scheduling/School Calendar--Summer School
+ Scheduling/School Calendar--Week
+ Scheduling/School Calendar--Year
+ School Safety
+ School Safety--Bullying Prevention/Conflict Resolution
+ School Safety--Expulsion/Suspension
+ School Safety--No Child Left Behind--Safe Schools
+ School Safety--Sexual Harassment and Assault
+ School Safety--Special Education
+ 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--Shared Services
+ School/District Structure/Operations--Transportation
+ Service-Learning
+ Special Education
+ Special Education--Federal Law/Regulations
+ Special Education--Finance
+ Special Education--Inclusion (Mainstreaming)
+ Special Education--Placement
+ Special Education--Transition
+ Special Populations--Corrections Education
+ Special Populations--Gifted and Talented
+ Special Populations--Homeless Education
+ Special Populations--Immigrant Education
+ Standards
+ Standards--Implementation
+ State Longitudinal Data Systems
+ State Policymaking
+ State Policymaking--Ballot Questions
+ State Policymaking--Politics
+ State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions
- Student Achievement
ILAmendatory veto by Governor - Bill Dead 11/2003P-12Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to implement and administer a student achievement improvement grant program to provide 2- year grants to school districts on the academic watch list and other school districts that have the lowest achieving students. Requires a school district to establish an accountability program in order to receive a grant. Requires a grant to be automatically renewed when achievement goals are met. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=3&GA=93&DocTypeId=SB&DocNum=207
Title: S.B. 207
Source: Illinois Legislative Web site

CAVetoed 10/2003P-12Removes the funding limitation of a school district or charter school for supplemental instruction to a pupil who is at risk of retention in the same grade. Revises the funding limitation for supplemental instruction for a pupil who is deficient in mathematics, reading or written expression. This bill would become effective only if AB 52 is enacted and becomes effective on or before January 1, 2004. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0001-0050/sb_19_bill_20030911_enrolled.html


Title: S.B. 19
Source: California Legislative Web site

CASigned into law 09/2003P-12Repeals the Golden State Examination Program that measures advanced pupil achievement on academically rigorous content standards adopted by the state board of education. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_1251-1300/ab_1266_bill_20030929_chaptered.html
Title: A.B. 1266 § 21
Source: California Legislative Web site

DESigned into law 07/2003P-12Allows the use of indicators other than assessments prior to mandatory summer school; permits other indicators to be used to determine if a student has demonstrated proficient performance relative to the state content standards prior to summer school; provides other indicators cannot be used to waiver participation in summer school on more than two occasions.
http://www.legis.state.de.us/Legislature.nsf/fsLIS?openframeset&Frame=Main&Src=/LIS/LIS142.NSF/Home!Openform
Title: S.B. 141
Source: Delaware Legislative Web site

ARRule Adoption 06/2003P-12Requires the development of a single Arkansas comprehensive testing, assessment and accountability program (ACTAAP); ensures all public school students have an equal opportunity to demonstrate grade-level academic proficiency; improves student learning and classroom instruction, and supports high academic standards for all students; requires intervention for students not performing at grade-level; establishes a program for schools districts in academic distress. http://arkedu.state.ar.us/pdf/ade%20188%20actaap.pdf
Title: ADE 188
Source: Arkansas State Web site

COSigned into law 06/2003P-12Concerns closing achievement gap; creates a program to assist schools that have received an unsatisfactory rating or have a significant achievement gap; establishes a commission to propose actions to close the achievement gap. http://www.leg.state.co.us/2003a/inetcbill.nsf/fsbillcont/F2377ACD76563BFA87256C7500641173?Open&file=254_enr.pdf
Title: S.B. 254
Source: Colorado Legislative Web site

CTSigned into law 06/2003P-12Requires the State Prevention Council to determine long-term goals, strategies and outcome measures to promote the health and well being of children and families including; early intervention strategies, an increase in healthy pregnant women and newborns, a decrease in child neglect and abuse, an increase in school-ready children, an increase in children who succeed in school, a decrease in children who are unsupervised after school and a decrease in juvenile suicide and crime. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/act/Pa/2003PA-00145-R00SB-00886-PA.htm
Title: S.B. 886
Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site

NCSigned into law 06/2003P-12
Postsec.
Creates the Innovative Education Initiatives Act to develop cooperative efforts between secondary schools and institutions of higher education to reduce dropout rates, increase high school and college graduation rates and decrease the need for higher education remedial programs; creates the cooperative innovative high school programs; permits public and private colleges and private businesses or organizations to participate; provides for funding. The General Assembly strongly endorses the Governor's goal of making North Carolina's system of
education first in America by 2010. With that as the goal, the Education Cabinet shall set as a priority cooperative efforts between secondary schools and institutions of higher education so as to reduce the high school dropout rate, increase high school and college graduation rates, decrease the need for remediation in institutions of higher education, and raise certificate, associate, and bachelor degree completion rates.
The Cabinet shall identify and support efforts that achieve the following purposes: (1) Support cooperative innovative high school programs; (2) Improve high school completion rates and reduce high school dropout rates; (3) Close the achievement gap; (4) Create redesigned middle schools or high schools; (5) Provide flexible, customized programs of learning for high school students who would benefit from accelerated, higher level coursework or early graduation; (6) Establish high quality alternative learning programs; (7) Establish a virtual high school; (8) Implement other innovative education initiatives designed to advance the state's system of education. Requires the Education Cabinet to identify federal, state, and local funds that may be used to support these initiatives. In addition, the Cabinet is strongly encouraged to
pursue private funds that could be used to support these initiatives. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/html2003/bills/AllVersions/Senate/S656vc.html
Title: S.B. 656
Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/

IASigned into law 05/2003P-12Changes repeal date from 2003 to 2004 on chapter establishing statewide early intervention block grant program. Components of this program include K-3 class size reduction and K-3 diagnostic reading assessments. Chapter requires districts to annually report to the department their current class sizes for grades K-3. Chapter also requires districts to annually report to public the percentage of fourth-graders who are proficient in reading, and encourages districts to report to public on K-3 student reading proficiency. http://www.legis.state.ia.us/cgi-bin/Legislation/File_only.pl?FILE=/usr/ns-home/docs/GA/80GA/Legislation/HF/00500/HF00549/030508.html
Title: H.B. 549 (omnibus bill)
Source: www.legis.state.ia.us

ARSigned into law 04/2003P-12Appropriates funds for commission on closing the academic achievement gap and parental involvement. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2067.pdf
Title: H.B. 2067
Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site

ARSigned into law 04/2003P-12Creates the committee on closing the academic achievement gap in Arkansas. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2657.pdf
Title: H.B. 2657
Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site

ARSigned into law 04/2003P-12Amends laws pertaining to achievement testing of home-schooled students. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2879.pdf
Title: H.B. 2879
Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site

COSigned into law 04/2003P-12Concerns requirements related to student transfers; districts should consider adopting policies that give transfer enrollment priority to a student with unsatisfactory proficiency ratings attending a school rated unsatisfactory. http://www.leg.state.co.us/2003a/pubhome.nsf
Title: H.B. 1087
Source: State legislative web site

+ Student Achievement--Closing the Achievement Gap
+ Student Supports--Counseling/Guidance
+ Student Supports--Mentoring/Tutoring
+ Student Supports--Remediation
+ Students
+ Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities
+ Students--Employment
+ Students--Mobility
+ 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
+ Teaching Quality--Evaluation and Effectiveness
+ Teaching Quality--Induction Programs and Mentoring
+ Teaching Quality--Paraprofessionals
+ Teaching Quality--Preparation
+ Teaching Quality--Professional Development
+ Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention
+ Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention--At-Risk Schools
+ Teaching Quality--Teacher Rights
+ Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract
+ Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining
+ Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining--Strikes
+ Technology
+ Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware
+ Technology--Equitable Access
+ Technology--Funding Issues
+ Technology--Internet Safety
+ Textbooks and Open Source
+ Urban--Governance