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From the ECS State Policy Database 2006 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 2006. 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 Business Involvement Career/Technical Education Career/Technical Education--Career Academies/Apprenticeship Cheating 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--Tax Credits 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--Core Curriculum Curriculum--Drivers Education Curriculum--Environmental Education Curriculum--Family Living Education Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed. Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language Curriculum--Geography Education Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education Curriculum--International Education Curriculum--Language Arts Curriculum--Language Arts--Writing/Spelling Curriculum--Mathematics Curriculum--Physical Education Curriculum--Science Curriculum--Sex Education Curriculum--Social Studies/History Data-Driven Improvement Demographics--Enrollments Economic/Workforce Development Education Research Equity Federal Finance Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost Finance--Bonds Finance--District Finance--Equity Finance--Facilities Finance--Federal Finance--Funding Formulas 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--Site-Based Management Governance--State Boards/Chiefs/Agencies Health Health--Child Abuse Health--Mental Health Health--Nutrition 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--Dropout Rates/Graduation Rates 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 Instructional Approaches--Constructivism Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling Instructional Approaches--Problem Based Learning Instructional Approaches--Single-Sex Education Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools International Baccalaureate 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--Recruitment and Retention Mentoring/Tutoring Middle School Minority/Diversity Issues 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--Reauthorization Issues/Waivers No Child Left Behind--Report Cards No Child Left Behind--School Support No Child Left Behind--Special Populations 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 Finance P-3 Governance P-3 Grades 1-3 NC Signed into law 07/2006 P-12 Vision Screening H.B. 2699 Requires vision screening for children entering kindergarten. http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2005/Bills/House/HTML/H2699v5.html... More... ND Adopted 07/2006 P-12 Kindergarten or First Grade Early Entrance NDAC 67-26 Repeals rules pertaining to kindergarten or first grade early entrance. http://www.legis.nd.gov/information/acdata/pdf/67-26.pdf... More... NY Vetoed 07/2006 P-12 Dental Health Certificates A.B. 6640 Requires every child enrolling in pre-kindergarten, kindergarten or first grade in a public elementary school to present a dental health certificate. Dental health certificates must contain a report of a comprehensive dental examination performed on such child... More... IA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Community Empowerment Initiative H.B. 2769 Increases membership on the community empowerment state board. Requires family support services in the community empowerment initiative to include home visitation. Creates a community empowerment gifts and grants account in the Iowa empowerment fund. Makes an... More... CO Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Compulsory Attendance Age and Hour Requirements S.B. 73 Concerns the age specifications relating to compulsory school attendance. Every child who has attained the age of seven years and is under the age of seventeen years (changed from 16), except as provided by this section, must attend public school for at least ... More... MN Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Kindergarten Readiness Assessment H.B. 4162 Authorizes the commissioner of education to implement a kindergarten readiness assessment representative of incoming kindergartners. The assessment must be based on the department of education kindergarten readiness assessment at kindergarten entrance study. h... More... DE Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Full-day Kindergarten S.B. 251 Requires school districts by the start of the 2008- 2009 school year, to offer any kindergarten-eligible child the option of attending full-day kindergarten if the child's parent or guardian chooses; provides that if a parent wants to send his or her child for... More... CO Vetoed 03/2006 P-12 Full-day Kindergarten Funds and Policies H.B. 1005 Authorizes of additional school district revenues to fund costs associated with full-day kindergarten programs. Districts that receive voter approval for additional revenue must: use evidence-based research demonstrating the types of programs and methods appro... More... KY Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Advancing Kindergarten-Age Students to First Grade S.B. 35 Clarifies that a school district may advance a child through the primary program if he or she is at least five but less than six years old; allows the child to be classified as other than a kindergarten student for purposes of funding if the student is determi... More... MD Issued 03/2006 P-12 Amends Membership of the Advisory Council for Children 01.01.2006-03 (Executive Order) Amends amend Executive Order 01.01.2005.34, which established the Advisory Council for Children; the Governor's Office for Children as a separate agency within the Executive Department to provide a coordinated, comprehensive, interagency approach to the develo... More... NM Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Kindergarten Plus Pilot Project H.B. 43 Extends the Kindergarten Plus Pilot Project; expands eligibility to add other school districts with high- poverty schools; makes an appropriation; provides that teachers and educational assistants are to be paid at the same rate and under the same terms; provi... More... SD Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Requires Kindergarten Attendance H.B. 1175 Requires all children to attend kindergarten; establishes a minimum length of time for kindergarten programs; provides that any child under a specified age is eligible for admittance to a nursery school. http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2006/bills/HB1175enr.p... More... UT Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Kindergarten Readiness Assessment Timing H.B. 226 This bill modifies the recommended time to provide the assessment of reading and numeric skills given to potential kindergarten students. The assessment should take place in the spring prior to the kindergarten year, but no later than June 15th prior to the sc... More... CT Issued 02/2006 P-12 Governor's Early Childhood Research and Policy Council EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 13 Establishes the Governor's Early Childhood Research and Policy Council and defines membership and duties. The Council will: (1) Advise the Early Childhood Education Cabinet on research findings, policy solutions and strategic financing opportunities related to... More... MD Issued 02/2006 P-12 Maryland Child Care Subsidy Coordinating Council EXECUTIVE ORDER 01.01.2006.02 Establishes the Maryland Child Care Subsidy Coordinating Council, defines membership and duties. Purposes of council includes increasing access by low-income families receiving child care subsidies to quality early care and education programs, thereby increasi... More... P-3 Kindergarten--Full-Day Kindergarten P-3 Preschool P-3 Teaching Quality/Professional Development Parent/Family Parent/Family--Parent Rights Parent/Family--Research 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 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 Participation--Outreach Postsecondary Students--Disabled Postsecondary Students--Foster Youth Postsecondary Students--Military Postsecondary Students--Minority Postsecondary Success--Completion Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation Private Schools Promising Practices Promotion/Retention Reading/Literacy Religion Religion--Scientific Creationism (Evolution) Remediation (K-12) 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--Code of Conduct School Safety--Disaster/Emergency Preparedness School Safety--Expulsion/Suspension School Safety--No Child Left Behind--Safe Schools 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 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--Foster Care Special Populations--Gifted and Talented Special Populations--Homeless Education Standards State Longitudinal Data Systems State Policymaking State Policymaking--Ballot Questions State Policymaking--Politics State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions STEM Student Achievement Student Achievement--Closing the Achievement Gap Students Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities 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 Technology Technology--Computer Skills Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware Technology--Equitable Access Technology--Funding Issues Technology--Internet Safety Technology--Teacher/Faculty Training Textbooks and Open Source