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From the ECS State Policy Database 2004 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 2004. 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--School Improvement Adult Basic Education Assessment Assessment--Accommodations Assessment--Computer Based Assessment--End-of-Course Assessment--Formative/Interim Assessment--High Stakes/Competency Assessment--NAEP (NAEP Results and NAEP Organization) Assessment--Performance Based/Portfolio Assessment--Value Added 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--Charter Districts 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--Excusal Curriculum--Family Living Education Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed. Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education Curriculum--International Education Curriculum--Language Arts Curriculum--Language Arts--Writing/Spelling Curriculum--Mathematics Curriculum--Multicultural Curriculum--Physical Education Curriculum--Science Curriculum--Sex Education Curriculum--Social Studies/History Data-Driven Improvement Demographics--Enrollments Desegregation Economic/Workforce Development Education Research Equity Finance Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost Finance--Aid to Private Schools Finance--Bonds Finance--District Finance--Equity Finance--Facilities Finance--Funding Formulas Finance--Local Foundations/Funds Finance--Lotteries 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--Nutrition Health--School Based Clinics or School Nurses Health--Suicide Prevention Health--Teen Pregnancy High School High School--Advanced Placement High School--Dual/Concurrent Enrollment High School--Exit Exams High School--GED (General Education Development) High School--Graduation Requirements High School--International Baccalaureate Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling Instructional Approaches--Problem Based Learning Instructional Approaches--Tracking/Ability Grouping 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 Middle School 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--Reauthorization Issues/Waivers 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 Brain Development P-3 Child Care P-3 Content Standards and Assessment 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--Teaching Assistants Postsecondary Faculty--Tenure Postsecondary Finance Postsecondary Governance and Structures Postsecondary Institutions--Community/Technical Colleges Postsecondary Institutions--For-Profit/Proprietary Postsecondary Institutions--Private/Independent Postsecondary Online Instruction Postsecondary Participation--Access Postsecondary Participation--Admissions Requirements Postsecondary Participation--Affirmative Action Postsecondary Students--Disabled Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation Private Schools Promotion/Retention Public Involvement Reading/Literacy Religion Rural Scheduling/School Calendar Scheduling/School Calendar--Extended Day Programs Scheduling/School Calendar--Summer School Scheduling/School Calendar--Year Scheduling/School Calendar--Year Round School Safety School Safety--Bullying Prevention/Conflict Resolution School Safety--Code of Conduct School Safety--Expulsion/Suspension School Safety--No Child Left Behind--Safe Schools School Safety--Sexual Harassment and Assault 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 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--Homeless Education Special Populations--Military Standards Standards--Implementation State Comparisons/Statistics State Longitudinal Data Systems State Policymaking State Policymaking--Ballot Questions State Policymaking--Constitutional Clauses State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions Student Achievement 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 NJ Signed into law 12/2004 P-12 Highest Benefit Year for Retirement S.B. 839 Concerns the retirement allowance of the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund and the Public Employees' Retirement System veterans members who... More... AL Signed into law 11/2004 P-12 Public Education Employees Flexible Benefits H.B. 5 Allows public education employees to participate in a flexible employees benefits program and creates the Public Education Flexible Employee... More... DE Rule Adoption 11/2004 P-12 Compensation of District Personnel Under Proposals 14 DAC, 742 Amends regulations relating to compensating of district personnel under specific project proposals by adding a reference to charter schools ... More... NY Signed into law 11/2004 P-12 New York State Teachers Retirement System S.B. 6387 Permits the New York state teachers retirement system to re-establish a window period in order to pay an actuarially equivalent one time lum... More... NY Vetoed 11/2004 P-12 State Teachers Retirement System Legislation S.B. 7037 Relates to the effective date of bills affecting benefits provided by the New York state teachers' retirement system; assures that any legis... More... MA *****Returned to HOUSE with GOVERNOR'S recommendation of amendments. For message see H 5111. 10/2004 P-12 School Nurse Creditable Service H.B. 4677 Relates to creditable service for service rendered as a school nurse; provides that specified years of membership service as a school nurse ... More... CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 Teachers' Retirement: Post-Retirement Earnings A.B. 2554 Relates to retired teachers' post-retirement earnings. Limits the period of an earnings exemption for service performed in a emergency situa... More... CA Vetoed 09/2004 P-12 School Employees A.B. 1918 Allows a school employee, in a school district that is not subject to the disability compensation laws, to use up to 6 weeks of the 5-month ... More... CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 State Teachers Retirement A.B. 2233 Specifies that provisions of the Teachers' Retirement Law applicable to a spouse, surviving spouse or former spouse also apply to a register... More... CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 State Teachers' Retirement A.B. 1852 Authorizes any member of the Defined Benefit Program of the State Teacher's Retirement Plan granted additional credit for service or service... More... CA Vetoed 09/2004 P-12 Postsec. Teachers A.B. 242 Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and, where appropriate, the State Department of Education, to incorporate into licensure re... More... IL Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 Education Reform and Accountability Act of 2004 S.B. 3000 Under the School Employee Benefit Act, provides the prescription drug benefit program shall be maintained on an ongoing, affordable basis, a... More... AL Issued 08/2004 P-12 Postsec. Community College Governor's Commission on Education Spending Executive Order No. 02-2003 The governor issued Executive Order No. 02-2003 on January 30, 2003, creating the Governor's Commission of Education Spending. The Commissio... More... CA Signed into law 08/2004 P-12 Charter School Employees' Retirement S.B. 1603 Provides if a charter school chooses to participate in the Public Employees' Retirement System, its qualified classified employees shall be ... More... DE Signed into law 08/2004 P-12 Military Leave of Absence SS2 for S.B. 296 Protects state employees and school district employees who take military leave pursuant to federal mobilizations, by ensuring that the state... More... MS Rule Adoption 08/2004 P-12 Employment Contracts State Board Policy GBDA Amends rules concerning employment contracts. Increases the number of days from 25 to 45 that a teacher may not be under contract of employm... More... DE Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 Donated Leave Program S.B. 269 Clarifies the qualification requirements for school district donated sick leave programs; allows employees to receive donated leave for thes... More... LA Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 School Employee Injuries S.B. 51 Relates to school employee injuries. Specifies that sick leave with pay for any secretary, paraprofessional employee, school aide, teacher ... More... LA Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 State Special School Teachers Leave H.B. 763 Amends an earlier law that captures the savings from the abolition of extended sick leave for teachers. Uses the savings to increase teache... More... MO Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 Kansas City Public School Retirement System S.B. 1242 Amends provisions relating to the Kansas City public school retirement system; allows the board of trustees of the retirement system to use ... More... MO Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 Kansas City Public School Retirement System H.B. 1502 Revises the provisions of existing law relating to the Kansas City Public School Retirement System. Revises the definition of "break in ser... More... DE Rule Adoption 06/2004 P-12 Professional Standards Board: Knowledge, Skills And Responsibility Based Supplements 14 DAC 1501 Amends regulation by adding requirements for reauthorization, replication, and re-qualification of clusters and sets forth procedures for pa... More... LA Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Training for Members of Boards of Trustees of State Retirement Systems H.B. 373 Defines "actuarial science". Provides for educational training for members of the boards of trustees of the state and statewide retirement ... More... LA Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Retirement Systems H.B. 1200 Requires each state and statewide public retirement system to submit its proposed annual operating budget to the Joint Legislative Committee... More... LA Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Counselors Guidance H.B. 493 Includes guidance counselors holding appropriate ancillary certificates issued by the state department of education in definitions of person... More... OK Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Minimum Salary Schedule S.B. 1272 Relates to schools; relates to minimum salary schedule for teachers; increases minimum salaries; adds additional year steps to the minimum s... More... AZ Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Reduction of Salaries or School Personnel H.B. 2102 Concerns limitation on reduction of salaries or personnel in schools; requires notice of general salary reduction prior to the fiscal year i... More... GA Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Teacher Recruitment and Retirement H.B. 366 Amends retirement allowances, disability benefits, and spouses' benefits under the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia to allow a teacher ... More... MD Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Teachers' Pension System S.B. 397 Allows former members who meet specified criteria to receive service credit in the Teachers' Pension System for military service; requires t... More... MI Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Dependent Definition H.B. 4244 Revises definition of "dependent" for public school employee retirement. http://www.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2003-2004/publicact/p... More... MN Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Retirement S.F. 806 Relates to retirement; modifies provisions in the teachers retirement association and first class city teacher plans; provides for complianc... More... MS Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 School Nurses and Counselors Salary Supplements S.B. 2302 Provides that a licensed nurse who has met the requirements and acquired a certificate form the National Board of Certification of School Nu... More... TN Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Review of Teacher Salaries H.B. 3510 Establishes a method for equalizing the salaries of public school teachers in the state. Under present law, the state commissioner, with the... More... AL Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 School Teachers' Hours H.B. 544 Public school teachers authorized to contract with local boards of education to work less than full time under certain conditions, provision... More... CO Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 Teacher Criminal Prosecution S.B. 152 Prohibits the payment of a teacher following the initiation of a prosecution for an offense that would result in the loss of licensure. http... More... KY Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 Completion of Contract/Accrual of Service Credit During Emergency Days S.B. 28 Requires school districts that missed school days due to emergencies, including weather-related emergencies, to consider certified and class... More... KY Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 Certified Employees Called To Active Military H.B. 551 Create a new section of KRS Chapter 161 to identify benefits for certified staff called to active duty, permit a board of education to provi... More... ME Rule Adoption 04/2004 P-12 Returning to Employment 94-411-410 Clarifies rules regarding retirees returning to employment after retirement with the same employer. Establishes a waiver that must be execut... More... MS Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 Teachers Contract Salary H.B. 635 Relates to teachers; revises contract day requirements for salary experience increments. Increases the number of days from 25 to 45 that a ... More... MS Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 Teachers Retirement System H.B. 1727 Relates to benefit payments to retirants under the former Teachers' Retirement System.... More... OK Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 Flexible Benefits and H.B. 2662 Requires the state to pay 100% of teacher health benefits. Requires districts to use the total dollar amount the district was required to pa... More... CO Signed into law 03/2004 P-12 Education Administrators H.B. 1092 Teachers who have served in an administrative capacities may be assigned to another available position for which they are qualified at the s... More... VA Signed into law 03/2004 P-12 Computers H.B. 508 Allows licensed teachers employed in a full-time teaching capacity in public schools or in state educational facilities to purchase personal... More... WA Signed into law 03/2004 P-12 Retirement Minimum Monthly Benefit H.B. 2538 Establishes a one thousand dollar minimum monthly benefit for public employees retirement system plan 1 members and teachers retirement syst... More... AR Signed into law 02/2004 P-12 Minimum Teacher Salaries H.B. 1047 Amends the minimum teacher salaries. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003s2/public/HB1047.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 01/2004 P-12 Public School Funding Act of 2003 S.B. 42 Relates to the Public School Funding Act of 2003; provides equitable funding to public schools; provides a system for monitoring public scho... More... DE Rule Adoption 01/2004 P-12 Professional Growth Salary Increments 14 DAC 1507 Provides procedures for implementation of movement by educators on the salary schedule set forth in 14 Del.C., Section 1305. Addresses movem... More... 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 Technology Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware Technology--Equitable Access Technology--Funding Issues Technology--Teacher/Faculty Training Textbooks and Open Source Urban