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From the ECS State Policy Database 2003 State Policies / Activities

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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 Counseling/Guidance 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 CA Signed into law 10/2003 P-12 School Site Acquisition S.B. 763 Authorizes the governing board of a school district to acquire a site for a school building if the petition requesting the acquisition is approved by a majority of the members of the governing board of the acquiring school district and filed with the county su... More... NM Rule Adoption 10/2003 P-12 Standards for Excellance/Procedural Requirements NMAC 6.30.2.3, 6.30.2.10 Establishes rules adding a new subsection D reflecting the statutory authority to establish mandatory training of local school board members. Includes training requirements for local school board members. NEW MEXICO REG 3856 (SN)... More... CA Signed into law 09/2003 P-12 School District Governing Boards: Contracts S.B. 65 Prohibits the governing board of a school district from entering into or renewing any contract for the sale of carbonated beverages or non-nutritious beverages and certain non-nutritious food within the school district unless the board provides written notice ... More... IL Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 School Code Waivers S.B. 206 Amends provisions of the School Code relating to waivers and modifications of School Code mandates. Requires the local public hearing on a district's waiver or modification application to be held on a day other than a regular school board meeting day, requires... More... NY Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 School District Board Office Members S.B. 293 Allows certain high school students to serve as ex officio members of school district boards provided that the voters of such district have favorably approved such proposal; requires that such student member would not have a vote, would not be allowed to atten... More... IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 School Board Election Eligibility H.B. 338 Provides that in order to be eligible for election to a school board (or in Chicago to be eligible for appointment), a person must not be a child sex offender. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=338&GAID=3&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=669&Ses... More... IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Disaster Relief Organizations and School Boards S.B. 877 Requires a school board to cooperate with disaster relief organizations, including the Red Cross, with regard to civil defense shelters. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=877&GAID=3&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=3729&SessionID=3... More... NY Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Community District Education Council S.B. 5688 Establishes the community district education council within the New York city community school district system; establishes a community council for each community district; establishes a city board on special education. Defines community council as the commun... More... OK Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Board Meetings by Videoconference H.B. 1030 Relates to schools; relates to teleconferences by public bodies; updates statutory references; authorizes a board of education of a technology center school to hold meetings by videoconferencing; requires each member be visible by certain means; provides certa... More... RI Became law without governor's signature 07/2003 P-12 Professional Development for Boards H.B. 5350 Adds to the list of professional development issues for school committees: student achievement, strategic planning, educational standards, student assessment, school accountability, data interpretation and analysis, collaboration building, advocacy. Requires... More... FL Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Postsec. Community College School Board Member Employment S.B. 958 Revises options for participants in the Community College Optional Retirement Program; revises certain limitations on positions for which district school boards may employ members after specified period of retirement; revises payroll contribution rates for def... More... LA Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 School Board Members May Not Coerce Decisions H.B. 1905 Prohibits a school board member from acting in an individual capacity without the authorization of the school board to use his authority of office to directly or indirectly compel or coerce personnel decisions or employee decisions, including the promotion, di... More... MO Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Anti-Nepotism Policy S.B. 686 (§ 162.261) States that no seven-director, urban, or metropolitan school district board of education may hire a spouse of any member of such board for a vacant or newly created position unless the position has been advertised pursuant to board policy and the superintenden... More... MO Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Eligible School Board Candidates S.B. 686 (§ 162.601) Eliminates text that barred an employee of the St. Louis school district or relative of a St. Louis school district employee from running for school board. http://www.senate.state.mo.us/03info/billtext/tat/sb686.htm... More... AL Rule Adoption 05/2003 P-12 School Boards' Chief School Finance Officers AAC 290-2-5 Establishes rules regarding requirements for local boards of education to have a qualified, highly- trained individual to supervise the financial operations of the local board of education. ALABAMA REG 6101 (SN) http://www.alabamaadministrativecode.state.al.us... More... AZ Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 School District Board Elections S.B. 1149 Relates to school district governing board elections; provides that if only one person or no person files a nominating petition for an election to fill a district office, the board of supervisors may appoint a person to fill the position. http://www.azleg.stat... More... GA Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Electronic and Communication Devices S.B. 29 Authorizes each local board of education to establish a policy to either permit or prohibit the possession of electronic communication devices by students in school. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/fulltext/sb29.htm... More... IA Adopted 05/2003 P-12 Attendance Center Closure and Grade Realignment 281 IAC 19.1, 19.2, 19.3 Promulgates administrative rules regarding attendance centers. Specifies that local board of a school district has discretion as to the number of attendance centers to be operated within the district, and that any determination to close an attendance center mu... More... IA Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Length of School Board Officers' Terms H.B. 549 (omnibus bill) Deletes language barring local board secretary or treasurer from serving term of more than one year from date of appointment. (Secretary or treasurer are appointed by board from outside membership of the board, and may be a non-teacher employee of the board). ... More... IA Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Eligibility, Election and Vacancy Filling to Area Education Agency Boards of Directors H.B. 549 (omnibus bill) Clarifies subsection specifying how members of area education agency boards of directors are to be elected, who is eligible to be elected, and how vacancies to the board are to be filled. Creates new section specifying procedures to follow in the event that no... More... OK Recalled from GOVERNOR. *****Returned to HOUSE. 05/2003 P-12 Conflicts of Interest H.B. 1575 Amends provisions concerned with conflicts of interest. A member of a board of county commissioners, city council, board of trustees of any town, district board of any school district in this state, or of any board of any local subdivision of this state is no... More... TX Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 School Board Deliberations H.B. 1226 Does not require a school board to conduct an open meeting to deliberate a matter regarding a public school student if personally identifiable information about the student will necessarily be revealed by the deliberation. http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/cgi-b... More... AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Repeal Arkansas Code H.B. 2709 Repeals Arkansas code section 6-13-614 to remove confusion regarding the number of members that are required for local school boards. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2709.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Annual School Elections S.B. 701 Provides for absentee voting for annual school elections. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/SB701.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Local School Boards Of Education H.B. 1539 Prohibits local school boards of education from entering into personal, professional, or other service contracts on behalf of the school district for a time period greater than one year without prior written approval of the State Board of Education. http://www... More... AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Academic Standards H.B. 2775 Requires the Department of Education to define and publish academic standards and expected outcomes for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12; requires academic standards and expected outcomes be adopted and implemented by local school boards. http://w... More... AZ Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 School Board Contract and Certificate Actions H.B. 2051 Deletes requirement for school districts to have prior approval of Board of Education in order to contract with each other; adds Board to provisions dealing with appealable agency actions insofar as the actions are related to certificate issuance, renewal or t... More... CO Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 School District's Bond Redemption Fund S.B. 237 Requires a school district board of education to select a third party trustee to administer the school district's bond redemption fund, unless the county treasurer maintains the accounts and funds of the school district or the school district has given notice ... More... CO Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Sale of School District Property S.B. 158 Concerns the sale of property of a school district related to fiscal shortfall. http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/olls/sl2003a/sl_166.htm... More... ID Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Bids by School Boards H.B. 270 Increases the minimum expenditure for which the board of trustees of a school district must advertise for bids; permits the board of school trustees to proceed under its own direction under certain conditions. http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/H0270.html... More... KS Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Johnson County Advisory Boards S.B. 82 Makes it optional rather than mandatory for each member district of Johnson County to have a five-member advisory board. Modifies membership and election provisions. Specifies that the board of education may adopt a resolution exempting the school district fro... More... ME Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Reduction of Board Members Following School District Reapportionment H.P. 412 States that if an approved reapportionment plan requires a reduction in the number of directors (board members) to be elected in a municipality, the reduction should preferably be achieved through the voluntary resignation of one or more of the directors. If ... More... AR Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 School Districts S.B. 764 Clarifies the signatures required for disbursements by school districts.http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/SB764.pdf... More... MT Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 School Board Meeting Dates H.B. 366 While trustees of a first-class elementary district must still meet at least once a month, strikes language requiring trustees of other district boards to hold regular meetings "during the months of April, August, October, and January." Replaces this with requ... More... ND Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 School Board Salary H.B. 1259 Allows districts to compensate school board members and removes the cap of $1,000 annually.... More... ND Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 School Board Nepotism Statute S.B. 2372 Relates to a cross-reference to a school board nepotism statute; relates to the employment of teachers related to school board members.... More... NM Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 Duties of Local Boards H.B. 212 (Omnibus Bill) Amends 22-5-4 (Section 21). Revises the duties of local boards. Deletes the provisions to delegate administrative and supervisory functions to the superintendent of schools, to approve or disapprove employment, termination or discharge of employees and to fi... More... NY Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 School Board Member Terms of Office A.B. 3517 Repeals the law that extended the terms of office for community school board members. http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A03517&sh=t... More... NY Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 Law Provisions and Community School Board Members A.B. 3517 Repeals the law and other laws relating to extending the term of office of community school board members.... More... SD Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 Elected Officials Called to Active Duty S.B. 57 Provides for the temporary replacement of certain elected officials of counties, municipalities, school districts, or special purpose districts called for active duty in the armed forces. http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2003/bills/SB57enr.pdf... More... VA Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 School Board Salaries H.B. 2437 A local school board representing a county may establish a salary increase prior to July 1 of any year in which members are to be elected or appointed, or, if such school board is elected or appointed for staggered terms, prior to July 1 of any year in which a... More... 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--Early Colleges/Middle Colleges 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 Mentoring/Tutoring 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 Involvement Purposes of Public Education Reading/Literacy Religion Remediation (K-12) 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 Student Achievement--Closing the Achievement Gap 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