ECS
From the ECS State Policy Database
2006 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 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--Legal Issues
+ 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
+ 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--Condition of Children/Adults
+ 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
CORejected by voters 11/2006P-12(REFERENDUM J; HB 06-1283) Creates the State Public School Expenditures Accountability Act. If approved, would amend state statutes to require districts to spend at least 65% of their operational expenditures on classroom instruction beginning in the 2007-08 school year. Districts spending less than 65% would be required to increase spending on the specified items by two percentage points each year until the threshold is met. Districts would be authorized to request a one-year waiver from the spending requirement. The legislature would be authorized to sanction any school district that failing to comply with the spending requirement. Districts would be required to adopt an annual budget report, in a standard format, for public inspection, and would be allowed to hold elections to exempt them from these requirements.

Requires school districts to adopt an annual budget report, in a standard format, for public inspection, and to spend a percentage of operational budgets on direct classroom expenditures; concerns capital construction, charter school transfers, mill levies, local bonds and bond redemption funds; allows a district to hold an election to determine voter preference to exempt the district from requirements.
Title: Referendum J
Source:

RISigned into law 07/2006P-12Directs the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, working with the Department of Administration, to establish a statewide purchasing system for products and services pertaining to public schools, which would include telecommunications, wireless services, general insurance products and services, and school transportation for children with special needs. Public Law No. 298
http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText06/HouseText06/H6853.pdf
http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/BillText/BillText06/HouseText06/H6853A.pdf
Title: H.B. 6853; S.B. 2531
Source: Rhode Island Legislature

CORejected by voters 06/2006P-12Proposes a constitutional amendment to require that in each state fiscal year a school district spend at least 65% of its operational expenditures on classroom instruction.

Creates the State Public School Expenditures Accountability Act; requires school districts to adopt an annual budget report, in a standard format, for public inspection, and to spend a percentage of operational budgets on direct classroom expenditures; concerns capital construction, charter school transfers, mill levies, local bonds and bond redemption funds; allows a district to hold an election to determine voter preference to exempt the district from requirements.

http://www.leg.state.co.us/lcs/0506initrefr.nsf/89fb842d0401c52087256cbc00650696/d35caec1adcb56ae8725713e0058cb10/$FILE/ATTSVQLD/Amendment%2039.pdf

H.B. 1283
http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics2006a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/627AF3E860CE5FE1872570DE007CBF64?Open&file=1283_rer.pdf
Title: Amendment 39 (H.B. 1283)
Source: CO Secretary of State

FLSigned into law 05/2006P-12Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year: (a) Each district school board must designate a classroom teacher to serve as the teacher representative to speak on behalf of the district's teachers regarding paperwork and data collection reduction. (b) Each district school board must provide the school community with an efficient method to communicate with the classroom teacher designee regarding possible paperwork and data collection burdens and potential solutions. The teacher designee must annually report his or her findings and potential solutions to the school board. (d) Each district school board must submit its findings and potential solutions to the State Board of Education by September 1 of each year. (e) The State Board of Education must prepare a report of the statewide paperwork and data collection findings and potential solutions and submit the report to the Governor, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by October 1 of each year.

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h7087er.doc&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=7087&Session=2006
Title: H.B. 7087 (Section 11)
Source: Florida Legislature

ILAdopted 05/2006P-12Authorizes the Education Purchasing Program. Designates the state board as the state education purchasing entity. States criteria on which certification of education purchasing contracts and/or statewide education master contracts will be based. Pages 566-576 of 705: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/index/register/register_volume30_issue18.pdf
Title: 44 IAC 1110.10 thru .60
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

TXSigned into law 05/2006P-12Requires the commissioner, in consultation with the comptroller, to develop and implement a financial accountability
rating system for school districts in this state that: (1) distinguishes among school districts based on levels of financial performance; and
(2) includes procedures to: (A) provide additional transparency to public education finance; and (B) enable the commissioner and school district administrators to provide meaningful financial oversight and improvement.

The commissioner shall annually establish and publish the proposed expenditures for each school district as determined by the
commissioner based on an evaluation of information relating to the best practices of campuses and districts. The commissioner shall consider unique characteristics of the district, including the district's size. The proposed expenditures must include amounts for: (1) instructional expenditures; (2) central administrative expenditures; (3) district operations; and (4) any other category designated by the commissioner.

If the board of trustees of a school district intends to exceed the proposed expenditures established by the commissioner, the board must adopt and publish a resolution that includes an explanation justifying the board's actions.

http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/data/docmodel/793/billtext/pdf/HB00001F.PDF
Title: H.B. 1 C (Sections 2.05; 2.09)
Source: Texas Legislature

VTSigned into law 05/2006P-12Directs the commissioner of education to work with education administrators to study the actual costs of providing services to elementary and secondary pupils and, on or before January 30, 2007, to make a recommendation to the general assembly regarding weighting of these pupils.

Directs the commissioner of education to study the effect of the provisions of 32 V.S.A. § 5401(12) and (13), relating to excess spending in school districts and district spending adjustment, on various types of school districts such as those that provide for the education of a significant portion or all of their students through paying tuition and those that have a small number of students.  As part of the study, requires the commissioner to consider the effect of removing the portion of secondary technical education tuition which is in excess of the district's equalized per pupil spending from the calculation of excess spending, and the effect of removing interest payments made on funds borrowed in anticipation of capital construction aid from the calculation of district spending adjustment.  Requires the commissioner to report the results of the study to the general assembly by January 30, 2007.

Directs the commissioner of education to study alternatives for computing education spending, including alternative methods for counting the average daily membership and to report the results of the study to the general assembly by January 30, 2007.

Directs the commissioner of education to work with Vermont educators and the state board to study the quality of Vermont public schools and independent schools which receive public funds and to study and analyze methods to reduce costs and to deliver the results of the analysis and recommendations for legislative action to the senate and house committees on education by January 30, 2007.

Directs the commissioner of education to report to the senate and house committees on education by January 30, 2007 regarding recommendations, if any, for amendments to Title 16 provisions addressing school district auditing requirements, including the frequency and scope.  In developing the recommendations, requires the commissioner to confer with the state auditor of accounts and with representatives of the Vermont association of school business officials, the Vermont superintendents association, and the Vermont school boards association. http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2006/acts/ACT182.HTM
Title: H.B. 867 - Section 20 (a) through (f)
Source: www.leg.state.vt.us

INSigned into law 03/2006P-12Section 3: Authorizes school corporations (districts) individually, in collaboration with other school corporations, and through the educational services centers to take action to reduce noninstructional expenditures and allocate the resulting savings to student instruction and learning. Such actions may include the following:
(1) Pooling of resources with other school corporations for various forms of insurance, whether by pooling risks for coverage or for the purchase of coverage, or by the creation of or participation in insurance programs,
(2) Aggregating natural gas purchases, and
(3) Consolidating purchases with other school corporations or units of government of the following:
(A) School buses and other vehicles and vehicle fleets.
(B) Fuel, maintenance, or other services for vehicles or vehicle fleets.
(C) Food services.
(D) Facilities management services.
(E) Transportation management services.
(F) Textbooks, technology, and other school materials and supplies.
(G) Any other purchases a school corporation may require. Purchases may be made by contiguous school corporations, as part of regional consolidated purchasing arrangements, or from consolidated sources under multistate cooperative bidding arrangements.

Authorizes a school corporation to use shared services arrangements with other school corporations and units of government, including:
(1) the use of shared administrative services overseeing transportation, food service, facilities, or other operations;
(2) the use of shared administrative services to manage finance, payroll, human resources, information technology, purchasing, or other administrative services; and
(3) the use of shared resources to provide instruction, supplemental services, extracurricular activities, or other student services.

Authorizes a school corporation to collaborate with contiguous school corporations to explore the use of cooperatives among school corporations, commonly managed school corporations, or the consolidation of school corporations to provide effective and efficient management of the school corporations or functions of the
school corporations.

Directs Educational service centers to support and facilitate actions by school corporations, including by the use of an educational service center's existing cooperative agreements. Requires the educational service centers to annually report to the state board the results of the efforts of the educational service centers during the preceding school year.

Directs the state board to explore methods, including statewide purchases, to reduce the expense to school corporations for the purchase of textbooks, technology, and school buses and other vehicles. Directs the state board to survey the school corporations annually to determine actions taken by the school corporations to allocate resources to student instruction and learning.

Directs the state board to analyze each school corporation's expenses for the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 school years to determine how much each school corporation spent, from whatever source, directly or indirectly, on (1) Student academic achievement expenditures; (2) Student instructional support expenditures; (3) Overhead and operational expenditures; and (4) Nonoperational expenditures. Requires the state board to determine the types of expenses that are included in each category. Requires the state board, not later than June 30, 2007, to report the results of the analysis to the state superintendent, the governor, and the general assembly.

Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, and using the 2005-2006 school year as a baseline:

(1) Directs the office of management and budget to analyze and report to the state board, the governor, and the general assembly concerning the progress or lack of progress of each school corporation, all school corporations in each educational service center's area, and in the state as a whole in improving the ratio of student instructional expenditure to all other expenditures for the previous school year;
(2) Directs the state board to publicly recognize each school corporation and educational service center that has an improved ratio of student instructional expenditures to all other expenditures during the previous school year;
(3) Directs the office of management and budget and the division of finance of the department to be available to consult with and provide technical assistance to each school corporation that did not have an improved ratio of student instructional expenditures to all other expenditures during the previous school year; and
(4) Directs each school corporation to report specific data to the public in the school corporation's annual performance report.

Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, requires each governing body to establish goals for expenditures in the following categories: (1) Student academic achievement expenditures; (2) Student instructional support expenditures; (3) Overhead and operational expenditures; and (4) Nonoperational expenditures that will increase the school corporation's allocation of taxpayer resources directly to student instruction and learning, in light of the unique circumstances present in the school corporation. Directs the state board to recognize and reward the school corporations that have met their goals.
http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2006/PDF/HE/HE1006.1.pdf
Title: H.B. 1006 - Section 3
Source: www.in.gov

+ 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
+ High School--International Baccalaureate
+ Instructional Approaches
+ Instructional Approaches--Constructivism
+ Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling
+ Instructional Approaches--Problem Based Learning
+ 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--Recruitment and Retention
+ 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)
+ 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
+ Student Achievement--State Trends
+ Student Supports--Counseling/Guidance
+ Student Supports--Mentoring/Tutoring
+ Student Supports--Remediation
+ 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