---

From the ECS State Policy Database 2007 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 2007. 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 21st Century Skills Accountability Accountability--Accreditation Accountability--Measures/Indicators Accountability--Reporting Results Accountability--Rewards Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions--No Pass No Drive Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions--No Pass No Play 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--NAEP (NAEP Results and NAEP Organization) 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--Charter Districts Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Closings 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 Class Size Counseling/Guidance Curriculum Curriculum--Arts Education Curriculum--Censorship Curriculum--Core Curriculum Curriculum--Drivers Education Curriculum--Environmental Education Curriculum--Excusal Curriculum--Family Living Education Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed. Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language Curriculum--Geography Education Curriculum--Health/Nutrition 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 Desegregation Economic/Workforce Development Education Research Equity Federal Finance CA Signed into law 09/2007 Community College Postsec. community college A.B. 668 Enacts the Community College Student Federal and State Financial Aid Opportunity Act. Expresses various findings and declarations of the Legislature relating to the use of the Pell Grant program by students of Community Colleges. Requires the Community College... More... WV Signed into law 09/2007 Postsec. Community College Higher Education Policy Commission S.B. 2005B Relates to higher education generally; authorizes conveyance of property, the Higher Education Policy Commission, election of officers, meetings, salary increases, community colleges and technical college education. http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/... More... CA To governor 08/2007 P-12 Appropriation S.B. 80 Provides funding for education under the State Budget Act for the 2007-2008 fiscal year. http://www.senate.ca.gov/... More... MA Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Regional School Budget Process H.B. 586 Relates to streamlining the regional school budget process, capital outlay expenses and a city or town's apportioned share for expenditures.... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 Postsec. Community College Fiscal Efficiencies H.B. 749 Implements fiscal efficiencies within the university system and state government as recommended by the University of North Carolina President's Advisory Committee on Efficiency and Effectiveness (PACE). http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTM... More... NJ Adopted 07/2007 P-12 SCHOOL FACILITIES PROJECTS NJAC 19:32-1 thru -4 Amends rules establishing a grant program to fund the State share of the final eligible costs of school facilities projects undertaken by school districts whose district aid percentage is less than 55% and which elect not to have the Corporation construct the ... More... AZ Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Charter school finance H.B. 2790 Relates to fingerprinting of applicants for a new or renewed teaching certificate in a school district or charter school; relates to calculating equalization assistance for charter schools; establishes the American Competitiveness Project Fund to provide techn... More... NC Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Resolution of Disputes H.B. 1519 Modifies the law pertaining to the resolution of disputes between the state board of education and the board of county commissioners regarding school funding. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H1519v0.html... More... NH Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Adequate Education H.B. 927 Sets forth the substantive educational content of an adequate education, requires the establishment of criteria to identify schools with greater educational challenges for the provision of additional education aid and establishes a joint legislative oversight ... More... NV Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 District Budget Reporting, Grant Fund for Licensed Education Personnel A.B. 1A Revises provisions governing the inclusion of certain information in the biennial budget request for the state distributive school account for submission to the department of administration based upon the annual budgets submitted by the school districts. Creat... More... NV Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Basic Support Guarantee A.B. 563 Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to recalculate the basic support guarantee for Fiscal Year 2008-09 based upon a salary increase of 4.375 percent rather than 4 percent if the projected revenues from the local school support tax exceed a certai... More... NV Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Review of School Districts Based on Financial Management Principles A.B. 244 Revises provisions governing the review of school districts based upon financial management principles. Revises provisions governing the preliminary report of the review and requires the consultant to submit the preliminary report to the superintendent of the ... More... NV Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Financial Administration A.B. 615 If a municipality proposes to issue or incur general obligation bonds, the proposal must be submitted to the electors at an election. Provides that such a question may authorize the transfer of any excess revenue generated to the fund for capital projects of t... More... OK Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 School Funding Formula Task Force S.B. 925 Creates to continue until December 31, 2007, the School Funding Formula Task Force. The task force is to review the statutorily created formula for funding the public schools of this state and make recommendations regarding the following: 1. Modernization of... More... TX Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 School Finance- Guaranteed Yield H.B. 828 Relates to the guaranteed yield of school district enrichment taxes to fund the maintenance and operations of public schools. http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/pdf/HB00828F.pdf... More... MN Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 School Finance Reform Task Force H.F. 2245 [School Finance] Establishes the school finance reform task force. Task force goals include: (1) creating a standard and index to ensure that the formula remains adequate over time; (2) simplifying the remaining school formulas; (3) analyzing categorical funding formulas, incl... More... MT Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Kindergarten Average Number Belonging Funding S.B. 2A (Kindergarten) Provides full-time Average Number Belonging funding for school districts that enroll students in full-time kindergarten. Provides start-up funding for districts transitioning from half-day to full-day programs. A kindergarten program must meet the state minimu... More... NE Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Elections to Exceed Property Tax Limit L.B. 289 Changes procedure relating to elections to exceed the property tax levy limit. Specifies that the method of voting at the meeting will protect the secrecy of the ballot. http://uniweb.legislature.ne.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Slip/LB289.pdf... More... NE Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 School Breakfast Funding L.A. 73 Relates to school breakfast funding. Changes the basis for the state reimbursement of the school breakfast program from the current year to the second preceding year. The current reimbursement amount of $.05 per school breakfast served is retained. Current law... More... NE Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Educational Service Units and Early Childhood Education Grants L.B. 603 Relates to educational service units and school funding, incuding distance education. Changes provisions relating to: election of board members for educational service units; distance education, unit boundaries and board membership; and the Early Childhood Edu... More... WA Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Investment of Permanent Common School Fund H.B. 2396 The legislature declares its intent to clarify the law authorizing investment of the Permanent Common School Fund in equities when the investment is in the best interest of the state and the Permanent Common School Fund. The legislative findings and declaratio... More... AZ Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Postsec. Finance, tuition/fees H.B. 2079 Relates to the income tax review schedule; deletes certain sections for review; provides for 2012 review of sections regarding charitable organizations, school tuition organizations, public school fees and contributions and donation of school sites. (Chapter N... More... AZ Signed into law 04/2007 Community College Postsec. Community College Finance H.B. 2193 Concerns provisional community college districts and aid; provides for continuation. (Chapter No. 13) Removes wording eliminating the districts as of July 1, 2009 ... More... AZ Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Charter schools, background checks H.B. 2041 Relates to charter schools, fingerprinting and a civil penalty if a charter school fails to comply with fingerprinting requirements. New provision provides that penalties shall be assessed by reducing the amount of state aid that the charter school would other... More... MT Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Elections Regarding School Funding S.B. 225 Authorizes that in years when the legislature meets in regular session or in a special session that affects school funding, the trustees may order the election on a date other than the regular school election day in order for the electors to consider a proposi... More... MT Issued 04/2007 P-12 Interim Study of Taxation and School Funding S.J.R. 31 Requests that the legislative council designate an appropriate interim or statutory committee, or direct sufficient staff resources to: (1) (a) examine future demographics of property taxpayers, school age children, retirees and other factors relating to the v... More... NM Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Home School Student Activities Program Unit S.B. 1098 Establishes a home school student activities program unit. http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/07%20Regular/final/SB1098.pdf... More... NM Vetoed 04/2007 P-12 Public School Cash Balance Credits S.B. 159 Relates to school finance, makes cash balance credits proportional to the size of the excess cash balance. http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/07%20Regular/final/SB0159.pdf... More... NM Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Allowable Limit on Cash Balances H.B. 59 Raises the allowable limit on cash balances a school district may keep. Changes the basis for calculating excess cash balances by referring to the "unrestricted, unreserved cash balance and emergency reserve" rather than the "allowable limit". http://legis.sta... More... AL Signed into law 03/2007 P-12 Finance S.J.R. 3A Reallocates to the State Executive Commission on Community Services Grants an appropriation from the Education Trust Fund to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Community Services Grants.... More... AL Signed into law 03/2007 P-12 Tornado Damage Repair H.B. 141 Makes a supplemental appropriation from the Education Trust Fund in the State Treasury to the State Department of Education, for Enterprise High School to cover repairs to facilities damaged in tornado. (Act 2007-133) http://alisdb.legislature.state.al.us/acas... More... ID Signed into law 03/2007 P-12 Public School Permanent Endowment Fund S.B. 1098 Amends existing law to require that property from an estate with no heirs or other claimants be paid to the Public School Permanent Endowment Fund; provides for distribution of funds received as unclaimed dividends and interest paid by Idaho corporations to th... More... WV Signed into law 03/2007 P-12 Public School Finance S.B. 541 Relates to public school finances; requires local share to be calculated assuming properties are being assessed at sixty percent of market value; increases the limit on revenue generated by the regular school board levy; amends "growth county" definition and c... More... WY Vetoed 03/2007 P-12 Federal Mineral Royalties Deposits H.B. 278 Requires federal mineral royalties above $200 million to be deposited to the common school account within the permanent land fund after the required deposit into another account has been made. http://legisweb.state.wy.us/2007/Enroll/HB0278.pdf ... More... VA Signed into law 02/2007 P-12 Selection of Joint School Fiscal Agent H.B. 2371 Authorizes the participating school boards of a joint school, including academic year Governor's Schools operated by two or more school divisions, to select the fiscal agent for the joint school from among the treasurers of the participating localities; requir... More... WY Signed into law 02/2007 P-12 Extended Day & Summer School Programs, Distance Learning/Virtual University & Finance - Alternative Education Updates H.B. 115 Requires the state superintendent of public instruction to review at-risk program strategies funded under the block grant model, specifically including alternative schools and imposes a moratorium on new alternative schools recognized under the model during th... More... NE Signed into law 01/2007 P-12 Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act L.B. 21 Relates to the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act. Changes provisions relating to cost growth factor. http://uniweb.legislature.ne.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Final/LB21.pdf... More... Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost Finance--Aid to Private Schools Finance--Bonds Finance--District Finance--Equity Finance--Facilities Finance--Funding Formulas Finance--Local Foundations/Funds Finance--Lotteries 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--Mandates 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--Constructivism Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling Instructional Approaches--Official English Instructional Approaches--Problem Based Learning Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools International Baccalaureate International Benchmarking 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 Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Tenure Mentoring/Tutoring Middle School Minority/Diversity Issues Minority/Diversity Issues--African American 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--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 Content Standards and Assessment P-3 Early Intervention (0-3) P-3 Ensuring Quality P-3 Evaluation/Economic Benefits P-3 Family Involvement P-3 Finance P-3 Governance P-3 Grades 1-3 P-3 Health and Mental Health P-3 Kindergarten 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 Postsecondary Faculty--Intellectual Property Postsecondary Finance Postsecondary Finance--Efficiency/Performance-Based Funding 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 Students--Disabled Postsecondary Students--Foster Youth Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional Postsecondary Students--Military Postsecondary Students--Minority Postsecondary Success--Completion Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation Postsecondary Success--Retention/Persistence Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation Private Schools Privatization Public Involvement Reading/Literacy Religion Religion--Prayer/Meditation Remediation (K-12) Rural Scheduling/School Calendar 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--District Size 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 Social/Emotional Learning and Non-Cognitive Skills 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 Special Populations--Migrant Education Special Populations--Military Standards State Longitudinal Data Systems State Policymaking State Policymaking--Ballot Questions State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions STEM Student Achievement Student Achievement--Closing the Achievement Gap Students Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities Students--Mobility 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--Recruitment and Retention--High-Needs Subjects Teaching Quality--Reduction in Force Teaching Quality--Teacher Rights Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining Teaching Quality--Working Conditions 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 Urban