ECS
From the ECS State Policy Database
2005 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 2005. 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--Computer Based
+ Assessment--End-of-Course
+ Assessment--Formative/Interim
+ Assessment--High Stakes/Competency
+ 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
+ Career/Technical Education
+ Career/Technical Education--Career Academies/Apprenticeship
+ Cheating
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Charter Districts
+ 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--Tax Credits
+ Choice of Schools--Vouchers
+ Civic Education
+ Civic Education--Character Education
+ Civic Education--Pledge of Allegiance
+ Class Size
+ Curriculum
+ Curriculum--Arts Education
+ Curriculum--Censorship
+ Curriculum--Core Curriculum
+ Curriculum--Drivers Education
+ Curriculum--Environmental Education
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+ Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language
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+ Curriculum--International Education
+ Curriculum--Language Arts
+ Curriculum--Mathematics
+ Curriculum--Multicultural
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+ Curriculum--Sex Education
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+ Data-Driven Improvement
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+ Education Research
+ Equity
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+ Finance--District
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+ Finance--Federal
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+ Finance--Litigation
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+ Finance--Lotteries
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+ Finance--Student Fees
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+ Finance--Taxes/Revenues--Alternative Revenues
+ Governance
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+ Governance--Ethics/Conflict of Interest
+ Governance--School Boards
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+ Governance--Site-Based Management
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+ Health
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+ Health--Suicide Prevention
+ High School
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+ High School--Early Colleges/Middle Colleges
+ 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--Single-Sex Education
+ Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools
+ Leadership
+ Leadership--District Superintendent
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership
+ 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--Tenure
+ Middle School
+ Minority/Diversity Issues
+ Minority/Diversity Issues--American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian
+ 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 Child Care
+ P-3 Early Intervention (0-3)
+ P-3 Ensuring Quality
+ P-3 Evaluation/Economic Benefits
+ P-3 Family Involvement
+ P-3 Finance
+ P-3 Grades 1-3
+ P-3 Kindergarten--Full-Day Kindergarten
+ P-3 Preschool
+ P-3 Teaching Quality/Professional Development
+ Parent/Family
+ Parent/Family--Parent Rights
+ Partnerships--University/School
+ 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
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+ Postsecondary Faculty--Teaching Assistants
+ Postsecondary Finance
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+ Postsecondary Online Instruction
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+ Postsecondary Students--Disabled
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+ Private Schools
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+ Reading/Literacy
+ Religion
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+ Rural
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+ School Safety
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+ School Safety--No Child Left Behind--Safe Schools
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+ Standards
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+ STEM
+ Student Achievement
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+ Students
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+ Teaching Quality
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Alternative
+ 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
DESigned into law 07/2005P-12Adds a new section that reads: "(r)  For purposes of the State educator mentoring program, a retired educator engaged in mentoring activities shall be entitled to the same stipends as otherwise provided for non-retired educator mentors.  Such retired educators shall be considered a casual employee under § 5502(3) of Title 29 for purposes of pensions.
http://www.legis.state.de.us/LIS/lis143.nsf/vwLegislation/SB+163/$file/legis.html?open
Title: S.B. 163
Source: http://www.legis.state.de.us

AZIssued 06/2005P-12Creates and defines membership of the Governor's Committee for Teacher Quality and Support, the purpose of which is to: (1) develop teacher training delivery system to addresss the lack of uniform access to quality induction, mentoring and ongoing professional development; (2) identify opportunities and obstacles in teacher preparation programs to recruit highly qualified students; (3) identify pay gaps and systems concerns that lead to pay disparities across counties and districts for the same performance and experience; (4) identify possible governance issues and solutions related to teacher quality and support; and (5) facilitate a survey of the state's certified teachers and identify working condition impediments. Committee is to report preliminary recommendations for action or additional study by December 1, 2005, and every September 1st thereafter.
http://www.governor.state.az.us/press/June05/060805~2005-11~EO.pdf
Title: Executive Order 2005-11
Source: http://www.governor.state.az.us

HISigned into law 06/2005P-12
Postsec.
Section 1: Establishes need for improvement in teacher recruitment, compensation, support and peer mentoring.

Section 2: Creates a new section establishing the Hawaii teacher cadet program fund, originally a department initiative, as a separate fund of the Hawaii Alliance for Future Teachers, a nonprofit organization. Authorizes the alliance to expend funds to establish partnerships with organizations or private vendors to encourage high school students with teaching potential to consider teaching as a career. Establishes and sets responsibilities for the Hawaii teacher cadet program advisory board.

Section 3: Requires the University of Hawaii to review its admission policies for the college of education.

Section 4: Requires the University of Hawaii to review its college of education's admission standards and consider allowing
incoming freshman to declare education as their major and enable them to graduate within four years.

Section 5: Requires the University of Hawaii to increase the full time equivalent teacher education faculty positions by 5 additional full-time equivalent positions each year until fiscal year 2014-2015, to allow the number of participants who complete the program to increase by one hundred per cent over the year 2004 total.

Section 6: Establishes need to eliminate specified barriers to interest in and entry of the teaching profession.

Section 7-8: Mandates that the department establish policies, procedures, technology, and accountability measures to ensure that newly hired employees receive timely and accurate wages. Establishes an alternate option if the department is unable to pay the total wages due a newly hired employee. Requires the department to establish rules by December 31, 2005 to implement these changes.

Section 9: Requires the department to provide each newly hired teacher with the new teacher orientation handbook to serve as a reference guide and provide the new employees with information on:
(1) Professional development and incentive programs;
(2) License requirements; and
(3) Other useful information to assist new teachers with their familiarity of the department's organization and educational system.

Section 10: Requires the department to establish a standardized statewide teacher induction program for every newly hired teacher. Requires the program to ensure that the new teacher to mentor ratio does not exceed 15:1 and that all mentors are specially skilled and trained to work effectively with newly hired teachers as determined by the department.

Section 11: Establishes legislative intent to improve student achievement by adopting policies that promote teacher quality.

Section 12: Requires the state board to adopt policies to:
(1) Develop a plan for licensing more individuals with practical experience for teaching in vocational/technical programs;
(2) Develop a plan to accept teachers from any state as long as they have completed state-approved teacher education programs and pass relevant Hawaii teacher examinations or their equivalent;
(3) Clarify the requirements, on a state-by-state basis, for out-of-state licensed teachers to obtain a license in Hawaii;
(4) Develop a plan to facilitate licensing for those who intend to teach in Hawaii immersion programs, the island of Niihau, or any other extraordinory situation as defined by the superindent or the superintendent's designee; and
(5) Pursue full teacher license reciprocity with the mid-Atlantic states, California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Washington.

Section 13: Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to submit to the legislature a report of its progress and recommendations regarding its licensing standards and development of its policies before the 2006 regular session.

Section 14: Requires the Hawaii Teacher Standards Board to review alternative licensing requirements to replace the PRAXIS examination requirement. Requires the review of alternative requirements to include to the consideration of requiring a minimum amount of years of teaching experience to replace the PRAXIS examination requirement.

Section 15: Authorizes the conversion of Hawaii teacher standards board's nine temporary positions to nine permanent full-time equivalent positions.

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/hb844_cd1_.htm
Title: H.B. 844
Source: www.capitol.hawaii.gov

OKSigned into law 05/2005P-12Revises mentor teacher selection process. A mentor teacher is to be selected by the principal from a list of qualified teacher volunteers who have submitted their names for that purpose. After compilation of the list, the principal must provide opportunity for input from the bargaining agent, where one exists. Membership or nonmembership in a professional teacher organization may not be considered as a factor in selecting a mentor teacher. No teacher may serve as a mentor teacher for more than one resident teacher at a time. When possible, a mentor teacher shall have successfully completed a mentor teacher professional development institute and be assigned to the same school site and have similar certification as the resident teacher. http://www.sos.state.ok.us/documents/Legislation/50th/2005/1R/HB/1235.pdf
Title: H.B. 1235
Source: http://www.sos.state.ok.us

IDSigned into law 04/2005P-12Enhanced mentoring during the first two years of teaching, deleted the requirements for mentoring and urged the State Board of Education to create a task force to develop a test program modeling teacher mentoring and encouraging participation and cooperation from the Department of Education. (H 315, HCR 20)
Title: H.B. 315
Source: Sine Die Report

KYSigned into law 03/2005P-12
Postsec.
Community College
Defines terms, including "mathematics coach," "mathematics diagnostic assessment," "mathematics intervention program," "mathematics leader," "mathematics mentor," and "numeracy." Establishes the Committee for Mathematics Achievement to develop a multi-faceted strategic plan to improve student achievement in mathematics at all levels of schooling, prekindergarten through postsecondary and adult. Specifies that at a minimum, the plan must address:

(a) Challenging curriculum that is aligned prekindergarten through postsecondary, including consensus among high school teachers and postsecondary education faculty about expectations, curriculum, and assessment;
(b) Attitudes and beliefs of teachers about mathematics;
(c) Teachers' knowledge of mathematics;
(d) Diagnostic assessment, intervention services, and instructional strategies;
(e) Shortages of teachers of mathematics, including incentives to attract strong candidates to mathematics teaching;
(f) Statewide institutes that prepare cadres of mathematics leaders in local school districts, which may include highly skilled retired mathematics teachers, to serve as coaches and mentors in districts and schools;
(g) Cohesive continuing education options for experienced mathematics classroom teachers;
(h) Closing the student achievement gap among various student subpopulations;
(i) Curriculum expectations and assessments of students among the various school levels, prekindergarten, primary, elementary, middle, and high school;
(j) Content standards for adult education centers providing mathematics curricula;
(k) Introductory postsecondary education mathematics courses that are appropriate to the wide array of academic programs and majors;
(l) Research to analyze further the issues of transition from high school or GED programs to postsecondary education mathematics; and
(m) The early mathematics testing program under KRS 158.803.
Other factors may be included in the strategic plan as deemed appropriate by the committee to improve mathematics achievement of Kentucky students.

Requires the committee to (a) Design a statewide professional development program that includes summer mathematics institutes at colleges and universities, follow-up, and school-based support services, beginning no later than June 1, 2006, to prepare teams of teachers as coaches and mentors of mathematics at all school levels to improve student achievement. Specifies areas the design must address. (b) Require schools and districts approved to have participants in the mathematics leader institutes to provide specified assurances to support institute participants and students who need modified instructional and intervention services in math.

Establishes committee membership, terms, chairmanship, attachmetn to Kentucky Department of Education, and responsibilities. Specifies that the committee must:
(a) Present a draft strategic plan addressing the requirements in subsection (1) of this section and other issues that arose during the work of the committee to the Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee no later than August 2005;
(b) Present the strategic plan for improving mathematics achievement to the Interim Joint Committee on Education by July 15, 2006, which shall include any recommendations that require legislative action; and
(c) Provide a final written report of committee activities to the Interim Joint Committee on Education and the Legislative Research Commission by December 1, 2006.

Also specifies that the committee will have ongoing responsibility for providing advice and guidance to policymakers in the development of statewide policies and in the identification and allocation of resources to improve mathematics achievement. In carrying out this responsibility, the committee must periodically review the strategic plan and make modifications as deemed appropriate and report those to the Interim Joint Committee on Education.
Mandates that the committee collaborate with the Center for Mathematics to ensure that there is ongoing identification of research-based intervention programs for K-12 students who have fallen behind in mathematics, rigorous mathematics curricula that prepare students for the next level of schooling, research-based professional development models that prepare teachers in mathematics and pedagogy, and strategies for closing the gap between high school or GED and postsecondary mathematics preparation.

Declares an emergency.

http://lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/05RS/HB93.htm
Fiscal note: http://lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/05RS/HB93/FN.doc
Title: H.B. 93 (Section 2)
Source: lrc.ky.gov

KYSigned into law 03/2005P-12
Postsec.
Creates the Center for Mathematics to make available professional development for teachers in reliable, research-based diagnostic assessment and intervention strategies, coaching and mentoring models, and other programs in mathematics. Specifies the duties of the center. Requires the Council on Postsecondary Education to select a location for the center no later than January 1, 2006.

Declares an emergency.

http://lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/05RS/HB93.htm
Fiscal note: http://lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/05RS/HB93/FN.doc
Title: H.B. 93 (Section 4)
Source: lrc.ky.gov

KYSigned into law 03/2005P-12Mandates that the Kentucky Department of Education provide assistance to schools and teachers, including publicizing professional development opportunities, methods of measuring effective professional development, the availability of high quality instructional materials, and developmentally appropriate screening and diagnostic assessments of student competency in mathematics and reading. Also requires the department to provide access to samples of units of study, annotated student work, diagnostic instruments, and research findings, and give guidance on parental engagement.

Also requires that the department conduct an annual review of the state grant programs it manages and make recommendations, when needed, to the Interim Joint Committee on Education for changes to statutory requirements that are necessary to gain a greater return on investment.

Requires the department to provide administrative support and oversight to programs to train classroom coaches and mentors to help teachers with reading and mathematics instruction. Declares an emergency.

http://lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/05RS/HB93.htm
Fiscal note: http://lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/05RS/HB93/FN.doc
Title: H.B. 93 (Section 1, paragraph 4)
Source: lrc.ky.gov

KYSigned into law 03/2005P-12(8) School councils at all school levels are encouraged to identify and allocate resources to qualified teachers to become coaches or mentors in mathematics or coaches or mentors in reading with a focus on improving student achievement in their respective schools.

(9) Local school boards and superintendents shall provide local resources, whenever possible, to supplement or match state and federal resources to support teachers, school administrators, and school councils in helping students achieve proficiency in reading and mathematics.

(10) Local school superintendents shall provide leadership and resources to the principals of all schools to facilitate curriculum alignment, communications, and technical support among schools to ensure that students are academically prepared to move to the next level of schooling.

Declares an emergency.

http://lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/05RS/HB93.htm
Fiscal note: http://lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/05RS/HB93/FN.doc
Title: H.B. 93 (Section 1, paragraphs 8-10)
Source: lrc.ky.gov

KYSigned into law 03/2005P-12Allows a one-year certificate to be granted an individual bearing all other qualifications except the assessments and selected as an assistant principal in a district where the superintendent certifies to the Education Professional Standards Board that there is a limited number of applicants to meet the requirements. Exempts a person employed in Kentucky as a principal or assistant principal who was certified in another state and practiced in that state for two or more years from taking the state principal certification assessment.

Bars a student from participating in the teacher internship program until the student has successfully completed the assessments required by the education professional standards board.

Allows a candidate for alternative certification to serve his or her internship in a nonpublic school.

Provides that a teacher who is fully certified in Kentucky and who is seeking an additional certification is not required to repeat the Kentucky teacher internship program.

Extends for one year (to June 30, 2007) the pilot teacher internship program for beginning teachers established under KRS 161.1222.

Full text of enacted bill: http://lrc.ky.gov/RECORD/05RS/HB183/bill.doc
Title: H.B. 183
Source: lrc.ky.gov

+ 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--Reduction in Force
+ Teaching Quality--Teacher Attitudes
+ Teaching Quality--Teacher Rights
+ Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract
+ Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining
+ Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining--Strikes
+ Technology
+ Technology--Computer Skills
+ Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware
+ Technology--Equitable Access
+ Technology--Funding Issues
+ Technology--Internet Safety
+ Textbooks and Open Source