---

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--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 AL Approved by voters 11/2006 P-12 Minimum 10 Mills Property Tax Statewide Amendment Number Two Proposes an amendment to the state constitution to require at least 10 mills of property tax are levied for every school district in the state. http://www.sos.state.al.us/downloads/dl3.cfm?trgturl=election/2006/general/statecert-constitutionalamendments-2006-0... More... ID Rejected by voters 11/2006 P-12 Sales Tax and Local Public Schools Investment Fund Proposition 1 Relates to K-12 public school funding. Adds 1% sales tax rate, revenue stream for this component of K-12 local public school funding; creates the Local Public Schools Investment Fund which must be used for supporting students in the classroom and improving lo... More... ID Approved by voters 11/2006 P-12 Property Tax Ballot Initiative Advisory Vote Submits an advisory vote to the electors regarding whether the state keep the property tax relief adopted in August 2006, reducing property taxes by approximately $260 million, and protecting funding for public schools by keeping the sales tax at 6%. http://ww... More... OH Rejected by Voters. 11/2006 Postsec. Revenues to partially fund college scholarships V. 3 (STATE ISSUE 3; Initiative Petition) Proposes a Constitutional amendment to permit up to 31,500 slot machines at seven horse racing tracks and at two Cleveland non-track locations; permits expanded gaming in Cuyahoga County if approved by the county's voters; ... More... SD Unofficially approved by Voters. 11/2006 P-12 Revenue for "Education Enhancement" V. 5 (INITIATED MEASURE 2) Increases the tax on cigarettes and tobacco products; dedicates revenue for tobacco prevention and cessation program, for property tax reduction, for education enhancement and for health care; makes an appropriation.... More... UT Adopted 11/2006 P-12 Funding for Reading Improvement Programs R277-422 Allows a school district to budget an increased amount of ad valorem property tax revenue in addition to revenue from new growth without the required advertising (notice) requirements based on the date of voted leeway approval for Reading Improvement Programs... More... WY Approved by voters 11/2006 P-12 Postsec. Limits Property Tax Revenue Redistribution to School Districts V. 2 Proposes an amendment (amendment B) to the Constitution to repeal the current limitation on the amount of property tax revenues that may be redistributed by the state through the School Foundation Program Account from school districts with greater property tax... More... PA Vetoed 10/2006 P-12 Local Ability to Levy Tax S.B. 157 Amends the Local Tax Enabling Act of 1965. Authorizes political subdivisions and school districts, including independent school districts, to levy taxes on persons, transactions, occupations and personal property. Provides for exemptions from the head tax and... More... MI Signed into law 09/2006 P-12 Forest Property School District Tax Exemption S.B. 912 Provides a local school district property tax exemption for a qualified forest property; requires a filed affidavit or certificate; allows an appeal for review of summer taxes or, if there is not a summer levy of school taxes, with the December board of review... More... MI Signed into law 09/2006 P-12 Forest Property School District Operating Mill Levy Exemption S.B. 914 Exempts qualified forest property from school district operating mills levied for school operating purposes. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2005-2006/publicact/pdf/2006-PA-0380.pdf... More... ID Signed into law 08/2006 P-12 Property Tax Relief Act H.B. 1A Creates the Property Tax Relief Act. Eliminates the education maintenance and operation levy on real property, which will reduce property taxes by $260 million, and replaces that amount with a raise in the sales tax, which will generate $ 210 million annually,... More... HI Became law without governor's signature 07/2006 P-12 School Impact Fee Working Group S.B. 2708 Requires the school impact fee working group to submit supplemental findings and recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no less than 20 days before the convening of the 2007 session. Makes an appropriation for the operation of ... More... NJ Signed into law 07/2006 P-12 Postsec. Community College Revenue For School Facilities Projects Debt A.B. 4705 Raises the cigarette tax rate 17 1/2 cents per pack and changes tobacco products wholesale sales tax on moist snuff to a weight-based tax; provides for a portion of the cigarette tax and tobacco products wholesale sales tax revenues to be appropriated annually... More... NY Signed into law 07/2006 P-12 Private Schools Eligible for Tax Abatements A.B. 11797 Includes private elementary or secondary school as eligible premises for purposes of tax abatements in New York city.... More... IA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Sharing Property Taxes H.B. 2764 Authorizes a school district to share its portion of incremental property taxes with a contiguous school district. http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=billinfo&Service=Billbook&menu=false&hbill=HF2764... More... IA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Property Taxation Interim Study Committee H.B. 2792 - Section 48 Requests the legislative council to establish an equity in property taxation interim study committee to review the provisions of chapter 257 and develop one or more proposals that will equalize property tax rates applicable pursuant to the basic school foundat... More... IA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 District Financial Reports S.B. 2272 - Section 14-15 Directs each local board to annually develop, maintain, and distribute a financial report. Provides that the objective of the financial report shall be to facilitate public access to a variety of information and statistics relating to the education funding re... More... LA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Parishwide School District of the Parish of Cameron S.B. 32 Recognizes that the parish of Cameron has suffered wide-spread devastation and crippling disruption from the effects of Hurricane Rita prohibiting normal recovery and restoration. Creates the Parishwide School District of the Parish of Cameron. Provides that... More... PA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 School Funding and Taxes H.B. 39A Provides for taxation by school districts, the state funds formula, tax relief in first class cities, school district choice, voter participation and other school district options. Makes an appropriation. Prohibits prior authorized taxation. Provides for insta... More... TX Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 School Finance Reform H.B. 1C Relates to public school finance, property tax relief, public school accountability and programs. Requires school districts to reduce their M&O tax rates in 2006 to 88.67 percent of their 2005 M&O tax rate. School districts would receive "hold harmless" fundin... More... VT Became law without GOVERNOR'S signature. 05/2006 P-12 Education Finance Simplification H.B. 880 Relates to education finance simplification; entitles a homestead owner to an additional property tax adjustment amount equal to one percent of the amount of income tax refund which the claimant elects to allocate to payment of homestead property tax; establis... More... AL Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Sales Tax Exemption H.B. 564 Exempts any athletic event conducted by a public or nonpublic primary or secondary school under the auspices of the Alabama High School Athletic Association from 4% sales tax. The tax amount which would have been collected pursuant to this subdivision will con... More... AZ Vetoed 04/2006 P-12 Maximum Tax Rate for School Districts S.B. 1206 Establishes a maximum tax rate that school districts can impose on taxpayers. Prohibits school boardsto fix, levy or assess a primary property tax rate that is higher than the current year's rate if the district meets the following criteria: 1. The total prima... More... ID Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Exemption from Property Tax H.B. 778 Allows a partial exemption from property tax if property is used for nonprofit school or educational purposes. http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/H0778.html#engr... More... VA Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Sales Tax Exemptions for School supplies S.B. 571 Provides a sales and use tax exemption, beginning in 2006, for certain school-related items purchased during a specific three-day period during August each year. The exempt items are (i) school supplies, where the selling price of each item is $20 or less, and... More... UT Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Creates an Education Fund H.B. 294 Creates an Education Fund to receive all revenues from taxes on intangible property or from a tax on income; and makes technical corrections. http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2006/bills/hbillenr/hb0294.pdf... More... VA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 H.B. 532 Provides a sales and use tax exemption, beginning in 2006, for certain school supplies, clothing and footwear purchased during a three-day period each year beginning on the first Friday in August. The exempt items are: each school supply item with a selling pr... More... WA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Temporary Increase in Levy Base H.B. 2812 The temporary increase in the levy base authorized by the 2004 Legislature for calendar years 2005 through 2007 is continued for 2008 and thereafter. The temporary increase in the levy base was to account for the difference between the state funds that school ... More... NH Signed into law 02/2006 P-12 Formula for funding public education H.B. 100 Repeals the education property tax effective March 31, 2005; distributes state education assistance in the form of state education grants, which are determined on a municipality-by-municipality basis under a formula that calculates a municipality's need for as... More... WI Signed into law 01/2006 P-12 Drug Crime Revenue for School Fund A.B. 40 (Act No. 91) Relates to the forfeiture of money derived from a drug crime; provides that forfeiture expenses includes all expenses of the proceedings for forfeiture and sale, including expenses of seizure, maintenance of custody, advertising, court costs, investigation cos... More... 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 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