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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 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 NJ Signed into law 12/2006 P-12 Gang Violence Instruction A.B. 1650; S.B. 1749 Requires boards of education to offer elementary school students instruction in gang violence prevention. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/bills/BillView.asp... More... NY Adopted 12/2006 P-12 Standards for Behavioral Interventions Title 8 NYCRR sections 19.5, 200.1, 200.4, 200.7 and 200.22 Establishes standards for behavioral interventions, including aprohibition on the use of aversive behavioral interventions; to provide for achild- specific exception to the prohibition on the use of aversiveinterventions; and to establish standards for program... More... OH Signed into law 12/2006 P-12 Harassment, Bullying H.B. 276 -- Sections on Harassment Requires the state board of education to develop a model policy to prohibit harassment, intimidation, or bullying in order to assist school districts in developing their own policies under section 3313.666 of the Revised Code. The board is required to issue th... More... OH Signed into law 12/2006 P-12 Building Floor Plans Posted with Attorney General H.B. 79 -- Floor Plan Section From fiscal notes: Sub. H.B. 422 of the 126th General Assembly required that the Attorney General post a copy of the blueprint for each school building on the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway.  The bill, instead, requires that the Attorney General post a floor pla... More... OR Adopted 11/2006 P-12 Physical Restraint and Seclusion OAR 581-021-0061, -0061 Requires public schools to develop policies and procedures on the useof physical restraint and seclusion in schools. Requires schools to developbehavior support plans with specific content requirements and with parentparticipation. ... More... CA Vetoed 09/2006 P-12 Anti-discrimination and Anti-harassment Policies A.B. 606 Requires the State Department of Education to develop a model antidiscrimination and antiharassment policy that prohibits such conduct based on specified characteristics, including, but not limited to, actual or perceived gender identity and sexual orientation... More... CA Vetoed 09/2006 P-12 Survey of Student Drug, Alcohol Use and Bullying A.B. 2510 Amends existing law that requires the Attorney General to conduct a biennial survey of drug and alcohol use among pupils enrolled in grades 7, 9, and 11 to provide the survey shall also assess pupils' experiences with harassment and bullying. Requires the Atto... More... IL Adopted 08/2006 P-12 School Emergency and Crisis Response Plans 29 IAC 1510.10, .20, .30 Establishes rules regarding the School Safety Drill Act. Mandates the conduct of school evacuation drills, bus evacuation drills, and severe weather and shelter-in place drills in public and nonpublic schools and also strongly encourages the conduct of law enf... More... MI Signed into law 08/2006 P-12 Postsec. Community College Fire, Tornado Safety & Emergency Drills Requirements S.B. 1108 Requires state supported schools, colleges, and universities and the owner, or owner's representative, of all school dormitories to have a fire drill each month and ensure unrestricted emergency egress during school hours and when the school is open to the pub... More... NJ Signed into law 08/2006 P-12 Pamphlet for students about pedophile crimes S.B. 2595 Requires the Attorney General to prepare a pamphlet to educate children about pedophile crimes and how to reduce their chances of becoming victims of such crimes. The pamphlet would be developed in consultation with the New Jersey School Boards Association, th... More... NY Signed into law 07/2006 P-12 Possession of Rifles, Shotguns and Firearms on a School Bus A.B. 9272 Prohibits the possession, knowingly or unknowingly, of rifles, shotguns and firearms on a school bus without the written authorization of the educational institution.... More... CT Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 School Bullying Policies H.B. 5563 Concerns bullying policies in schools requires school notices be provided to parents and guardians with minimal cost to local and regional school districts. Public Act No. 115 http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/ACT/Pa/pdf/2006PA-00115-R00HB-05563-PA.pdf... More... DE Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 School Crossing Zones H.B. 486 Relates to school crossing zones; clarifies that the special 20 mph speed limit for schools applies throughout the area marked by 20 mph regulatory signs and not just in a crossing.... More... FL Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Weapons at School Events and on School Property H.B. 1291 Relates to weapons; revises definition of weapon; revises and clarifies provisions regarding prohibited exhibition and possession of weapons and firearms at school-sponsored events or on school property; clarifies provisions regarding prohibited trespass on sc... More... LA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Assault on a School Teacher H.B. 1260 Provides that the crime of assault on a school teacher includes making statements threatening physical harm to a school teacher and requires certain disciplinary actions to be taken when a public elementary or secondary school student is accused of violating t... More... MS Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Prohibits Sex Offenders Living Within 1,500 Feet of School. S.B. 2527 Prohibits registered sex offenders from living within 1,500 feet of a school or day care center. http://index.ls.state.ms.us/isysnative/UzpcRG9jdW1lbnRzXDIwMDZccGRmXHNiXDI1MDAtMjU5OVxzYjI1MjdzZy5wZGY=/sb2527sg.pdf#xml=http://10.240.72.35/isysquery/irl6501/4/hi... More... NJ Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Assault on Teachers A.B. 2556 Upgrades simple assault against school teachers and school employees to aggravated assault, includes public or nonpublic elementary and secondary schools. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A3000/2556_I1.HTM... More... NY Adopted 06/2006 P-12 Uniform Violent and Disruptive Incident Reporting Title 8 NYCRR section 100.2(gg) Provides a ranking, standard for reporting, and more concise definition of reportable offenses as required by the uniform violent and school districts, BOCES, charter schools, and country vocational education andextension boards. Establishes the use of a schoo... More... SC Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 School Safety and Bullying H.B. 3573 Enacts the Safe Schools Act to prevent school harassment, intimidation, or bullying, to instruct local school districts to adopt a policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation, or bullying that includes certain things, and to develop a training process. http://... More... AZ Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 School Crossing Violations H.B. 2615 Relates to school crossings; doubles the assessment for a person found to be responsible for a civil traffic violation in a school crossing during school hours. http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/47leg/2r/bills/hb2615h.pdf... More... OH Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 McGruff House Program H.B. 374 Abolishes the current Block Parent Program administered by the state board of education and replaces it with the McGruff House Program, administered by the Division of Criminal Justice Services. Creates the offense of "unauthorized use of a McGruff House symbo... More... TN Signed into law 05/2006 Postsec. Student Safety Courses at Higher Education Institutions S.B. 3112; H.B. 3250 Requires students attending state-supported postsecondary institutions to take a course on hate crimes, sexual harassment, sexual battery, and date rape; requires state- supported postsecondary institutions to renew financial aid for an additional year to athl... More... TN Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Sexual Violence Awareness Program S.B. 595; H.B. 0374 Concerns Education, Curriculum; requires local education agencies to implement sexual violence awareness and prevention education for high school students. http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/BILL/SB0595.pdf... More... VT Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Hazing, Harassment, Bullying, Suicide, or Substance Abuse Prevention Training H.B. 867 - Section 27 Requires schools to annually submit the names of organizations and individuals who have provided effective hazing, harassment, bullying, suicide, or substance abuse prevention training for staff or students, or both.  Directs the commissioner to consult with t... More... AL Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Discharging a Firearm H.B. 125 Declares that a person who shoots or discharges a firearm into an occupied school bus or school building is guilty of a Class B felony and a person who shoots or discharges a firearm into an unoccupied school bus or school building is guilty of a Class C felon... More... CO Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 School Safety Reports S.B. 55 Concerns reports of assaults in schools; adds third degree assaults, vehicular assaults, and disorderly conduct involving fighting to the types of assaults and fights that school districts must include in their reports of criminal assaults to the department of... More... GA Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 School Visitors and Campus Law Enforcement Records H.B. 1302 Adds that a person who does not check in at the designated location as a visitor to a school during school operating hours is guilty of a misdemeanor. Provides that law enforcement records created, received, or maintained by campus policemen (K-12 or postseco... More... KS Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 School Crossing Guards S.B. 344 Creates new sections related to school crossing guards. http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2006/344.pdf... More... KY Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Lockdown Procedures H.B. 206 Requires lockdown procedures to be established for school buildings; requires students, staff, and parents to be made aware of lockdown procedures; requires lockdown guidelines to be posted in schools; requires a lockdown emergency practice to be held once dur... More... KY Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Behavior Which Constitutes a Threat H.B. 688 Relates to expelled or suspended students. Defines "behavior which constitutes a threat" (and as such, allows a board to place a student in a state-funded agency program) as including assault, battery or abuse of others; the threat of force; being under the in... More... MD Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Task Force on School Safety S.B. 146 Establishes a Task Force on School Safety; provides for the membership and staffing of the Task Force; authorizes the Task Force to establish subcommittees; provides that the members of the Task Force may not receive compensation but are entitled to a specifie... More... MD Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Positive Behavior Programs in Elementary Schools H.B. 1495 Alters the standard by which a county board of education and the Board of School Commissioners of Baltimore City shall require specified elementary schools to implement a positive behavioral interventions and support program or a specified alternative program.... More... VA Signed into law 04/2006 Postsec. Accountability for Safety and Security H.B. 346 Adds campus safety and security to the state goals that public institutions of higher education participating in the Restructured Higher Education Financial and Administrative Operation Act must commit to the Governor and General Assembly to meet. http://leg1.... More... VA Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Expulsion for Possessing Firearm H.B. 1516 Requires a school board to expel from school for at least one year a student who possesses a firearm on school property or at a school-sponsored activity. Language changed from "brought a firearm" to "possessed a firearm." http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp5... More... VA Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Bus Driver/Aide Protection H.B. 70 Relates to assault and battery; adds school bus drivers and a bus driver aide to the protected class of persons. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?061+ful+CHAP0829... More... VA Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Reasonable Force S.B. 26 Adds teacher aides, school bus drivers, and school bus aides to the list of school personnel provided a limited exception to charges of simple assault or assault and battery while acting in the course and scope of their official capacity when using: (i) incide... More... VA Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Brandishing a Machete H.B. 588 Makes it illegal to brandish a machete in a threatening matter with intent to intimidate. Provides that a person who violates this section is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor or, if the violation occurs upon any public, private, or religious elementary, middle... More... WI Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Sexual Assault S.B. 349 Expands penalities for sexual assault on a child from instructional staff position to staff person or a person who works or volunteers with children. http://www.legis.state.wi.us/2005/data/acts/05Act274.pdf... More... ID Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Threat on School Grounds H.B. 630 Adds to existing law to provide that a person who willfully threatens to commit a violent act on school grounds by use of a firearm or other deadly or dangerous weapon is guilty of a misdemeanor; and to define terms. http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/H0630.html... More... IN Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Possessing a Knife on School Property H.B. 1093 Makes possessing a knife on school property or on a school bus a Class B misdemeanor; makes the offense a Class A misdemeanor if the offender has a previous unrelated conviction and a Class D felony if the offense results in bodily injury or serious bodily inj... More... UT Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Urges Use of Prevention Dimensions Curriculum H.C.R. 3 Strongly urges education in the public education system to utilize Prevention Dimensions, the state's Safe and Drug Free School curriculum to education students regarding substance abuse; strongly urges the citizens of the state to increase their awareness of ... More... UT Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Bullying S.C.R. 1 Encourages concerned parents, individuals, and organizations to review and assist in the adoption of policies prohibiting bullying, harassment, and intimidation in public schools; requests the establishment of a definition for bullying and a system for reporti... More... VA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Notification to School of Missing Children H.B. 1482 Enhances current procedures for notation in school records of missing children and local law-enforcement cooperation with the schools by mandating that, (i) within 24 hours of the missing child report, local law enforcement must notify the principal of the sch... More... VA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Student Records Sharing H.B. 1279 Amends the requirement that principals or their designees receive notification from local law enforcement authorities when students in their school commit certain crimes to require that such notification be given, whether the student is released to the custody... More... VA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Disclosure of Criminal Convictions or Delinquincy S.B. 656, H.B. 95 Requires a parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of a child of school age to provide to a public school information concerning certain criminal convictions or delinquency adjudications. When the registration results from foster care placem... More... WA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Sex Offender and Kidnapping Offender Notification S.B. 6580 Relates to sex offender and kidnapping offender notification and information sharing in schools; Requires the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene a work group to develop a model policy for schools to follow when they receive notificat... More... WA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Protection from Sexual Predators S.B. 6775 Declares an intent to give public and private entities that provide services to children the tools necessary to prevent convicted child sex offenders from contacting children when those children are within the legal boundaries of the covered public and private... More... NM Signed into law 02/2006 P-12 Penalties for Drug-Free Zone Offenses H.B. 179 Relates to controlled substances; revises the criminal offense of trafficking controlled substances to include the distribution and sale of methamphetamine, its salts and isomers; expands the definition of a drug-free zone to include private and parochial scho... More... SD Signed into law 02/2006 P-12 Safety Zones S.B. 149 Creates community safety zones; prohibits residing or loitering in community safety zones which lies within five hundred feet from grounds of any school, public park, public playground or public pool by sex offenders. http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2006/bil... More... VA Signed into law 02/2006 P-12 Emergency Response Plan S.B. 75 Requires each school to implement a "medical emergency response plan" as part of their school crisis and emergency management plan. The Department of Education (DOE) must provide assistance in the development of the plan by referring to the scientific statemen... More... VA Signed into law 02/2006 P-12 Disclosure of Delinquency H.B. 95 Requires a parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of a child of school age to provide to a public school, upon registration of a student, information concerning certain criminal convictions or delinquency adjudications; provides that the re... More... VA Signed into law 02/2006 Postsec. Community College Safety Promotion H.B. 910 Directs the governing boards of educational institutions to establish programs, in cooperation with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia and the Office of the Attorney General, to promote the awareness and prevention of sexual crimes committed up... More... MD Adopted 01/2006 P-12 Positive Behavioral Interventions COMAR 13A.08.06.02 Proposes to amend rules requiring each county board of education and the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners to require an elementary school that has a suspension rate that exceeds 18% of the elementary school'senrollment to implement a positive behav... More... 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