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From the ECS State Policy Database 2008 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 2008. 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--Measures/Indicators Accountability--Reporting Results 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 At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention) At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Alternative Education At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Drugs/Alcohol Attendance Attendance--Truancy Background Checks Bilingual/ESL Business Involvement Career/Technical Education Career/Technical Education--Career Academies/Apprenticeship Choice of Schools--Charter Schools Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Finance Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Research Choice of Schools--Choice/Open Enrollment Choice of Schools--Innovation Schools 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--Drivers Education Curriculum--Environmental Education Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed. Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education Curriculum--International Education Curriculum--Language Arts Curriculum--Mathematics Curriculum--Multicultural Curriculum--Physical Education Curriculum--Science Curriculum--Sex Education Curriculum--Social Studies/History Demographics--Condition of Children/Adults Demographics--Enrollments Desegregation Economic/Workforce Development Education Research Equity Federal Finance Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost Finance--Aid to Private Schools Finance--Bonds Finance--District Finance--Equity Finance--Facilities Finance--Federal Finance--Funding Formulas Finance--Local Foundations/Funds Finance--Lotteries 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--School Boards--Training 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--Exit Exams High School--GED (General Education Development) High School--Graduation Requirements Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling Instructional Approaches--Single-Sex Education Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools International Baccalaureate Leadership Leadership--District Superintendent 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 Mentoring/Tutoring Middle School Minority/Diversity Issues 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--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 GA Adopted 12/2008 P-12 Bright From the Start GAC 591-2-1-.01 to ,07 Establishes rules implementing the pre-K Bright From The Start grant program. ... More... KY Issued 12/2008 P-12 Commission on Philanthropy E.O. 2008-1273 Establishes the state Commission on Philanthropy to explore new opportunities for creative solutions to the state's systemic challenges. Provides for an initial focus on early childhood education and child health.... More... WI Issued 10/2008 P-12 Governor's State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care Executive Order 269 (Executive Order No. 269) Creates the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care to conduct a periodic statewide needs assessment concerning the quality and availability of early childhood education and development programs and services for c... More... CA Signed into law 09/2008 P-12 Child care A.B. 2759 Recasts provisions of existing law as the State Preschool Program. Deletes campus child care and development programs and child abuse protection and prevention services from the definition of child care and development programs. Establishes minimum hours per d... More... CA Vetoed 09/2008 P-12 Finance A.B. 1028 Revises various provisions of the Child Care and Development Services Act relating to the reimbursement and auditing of child care and development providers. Requires a child care contractor receiving additional funding to separately account for all sources an... More... CA Vetoed 09/2008 P-12 Child care A.B. 2467 Amends the Child Care and Development Services Act which establishes various full and part-time programs for a comprehensive, coordinated and cost- effective system of developmental services for children up to a certain age. Permits certain other information, ... More... CA Signed into law 09/2008 P-12 Early learning S.B. 1629 Establishes the Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee which would be required to develop the policy and implementation plan for an Early Learning Quality Improvement System. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to apply to t... More... CO Adopted 09/2008 P-12 Early Access to Education for Students w/ Disabilities 1 CCR 301-8 Addresses early access to educational services for children with disabilities who are less than six years of age. http://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/NumericalSubDocList.do?deptID=4&deptName=300%20Department%20of%20Education&agencyID=109&agencyName=301%20Colorado... More... MN Issued 09/2008 P-12 Council on Early Childhood Education and Care Executive Order 08-14 Creates the Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care. http://www.governor.state.mn.us/priorities/governorsorders/executiveorders/PROD009141.html... More... PA Issued 09/2008 P-12 Early Learning Council and Early Learning Investment Commission Executive Orders 17 and 18 Two executive orders established the Governor's Early Learning Council and the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission. http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=2999&PageID=431162&mode=2&contentid=http://pubcontent.state.pa.us/p... More... IL Signed into law 08/2008 P-12 Postsec. Community College Commission on Children and Youth H.B. 4456 Creates the Commission on Children and Youth Act. Provides for membership, appointments, goals, recommendations, and reports. Provides that the Early Learning Council must have primary responsibility for development of a five-year strategic plan for children a... More... IL Signed into law 08/2008 P-12 Commission on the Elimination of Poverty H.B. 4369 Creates the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty to develop a poverty elimination strategic plan to reduce extreme poverty in Illinois by 50% or more by 2015. In developing the overall strategic plan, and in working toward the goal of reducing extreme pove... More... HI Veto overridden: legislature has overridden governor's veto 07/2008 P-12 Early Learning System S.B. 2878 Establishing an early learning system to be known as keiki first steps, to ensure a spectrum of high-quality early learning opportunities statewide for children birth-kindergarten entry, with priority given to underserved or at-risk children. Provides the earl... More... LA Signed into law 07/2008 P-12 Universal Early Childhood Program S.B. 286 Provides for phased in universal access to the Cecil J. Picard LA 4 Early Childhood Program and for participation by non-school system providers of early childhood education; relates to tuition and free or reduced-price meals for qualified children. http://www... More... MA Signed into law 07/2008 P-12 Clarification of Provisions H.B. 4706 Clarifies provisions relating to early education and care. http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/185/ht04pdf/ht04706.pdf... More... NH Signed into law 07/2008 P-12 Commission to Study the Feasibility of Creating a Preschool Incentive Fund Program H.B. 1299 Establishes a commission to study the feasibility of creating a preschool incentive fund program; provides that the committee shall determine priorities for the dissemination of such resources, survey and confirm local school districts' interest in using funds... More... AK Adopted 06/2008 P-12 Early learning guidelines 4 AAC 06.712(b) Aligns the developmental profile indicators in state regulation with the Alaska Early Learning Guidelines for Kindergarten and grade one. ALASKA 3627 http://touchngo.com/lglcntr/akstats/AAC/Title04.htm... More... AZ Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Full-day Kindergarten H.B. 2211 Counts kindergarten students as full-time students for the purpose of determining minimum adequacy facility requirements that are used to determine new construction needs. Remove language requiring a school district to provide the necessary capital monies to i... More... DE Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Delaware Stars for Early Success S.B. 222 Directs the Department of Education to develop and give oversight to Delaware Stars for Early Success a quality rating and improvement system to benefit young children and their families served by early care and education programs. http://legis.delaware.gov/LI... More... FL Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Success in Early Learning Act H.B. 879 Relates to the Success in Early Learning Act; authorizes the use of telecommunication methods in conducting early learning coalition board meetings; transfers requirements for the establishment of a statewide child care resource and referral network by the Dep... More... IL Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Preschool for All Children Funds H.B. 4705 Allows for the continuation of the distribution of funds by the state board of education to achieve a goal of Preschool for All Children by extending sunset date from June 2008 to June 2010. Moves current language with respect to a report concerning the distri... More... AK Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Early childhood S.B. 285 Relates to the power and duties of the Department of Education and Early Development for improving instructional practices in school districts; requires the department to establish regulatory criteria under which the department may intervene in a district to i... More... CO Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Early Childhood Special Education H.B. 1366 Recodifies existing statutory provisions related to early intervention services for infants and toddlers with significant developmental delays or disabilities; recodifies the coordination system of payment for early intervention services for infants and toddle... More... GA Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Definition of Day-Care Center H.B. 1169 Revises the definition of a day-care center to exclude certain private schools that provide K-12 education. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/pdf/hb1169.pdf... More... IA Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Appropriations H.F. 2679 Selected provisions: • Creates the Senior Year Plus Program to increase access of high school students to college credit and advanced placement coursework. (Page 40, Line 23 through Page 64, Line 10) • Requires postsecondary institutions providing Senior Year ... More... MN Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Granting Variance For Early Childhood Education S.B. 2796 Modifies teaching employment for early childhood education programs. Provides a school board must employ necessary licensed teachers for its early childhood family education programs. Provides the Board of Teaching, at its discretion, may grant an applicant a ... More... MN Vetoed 05/2008 P-12 Omnibus prek-12 Education Finance Bill H.B. 6 Relates to school district development screening aide, teacher and administrator licensure, district teacher compensation aide, district debt service equalization aid, non-resident student enrollment, an advisory council on early childhood education and care, ... More... MN Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care H.B. 1812 Defines membership, duties and administration of the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care. [Sec. 13] https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/getbill.php?number=HF1812&session=ls85&version=list&session_number=0&session_year=2007... More... KY Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Family Resource and Youth Services Centers S.B. 192 Provides that family resource and youth services centers must provide services to enhance a student's ability to succeed in school. Provides that the most economically disadvantaged students and families must receive priority status for receiving services. Pro... More... TN Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 Report on Employment Rights for Pre-K Teachers H.J.R. 811 Directs the Office of Education Research and Accountability (OEA) to survey each LEA that conducts a pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) program to determine if employment rights and benefits available to K- 12 teachers also accrue to Pre-K teachers. The report will be c... More... UT Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 State Supplemental Funding for Head Start H.B. 330 Appropriates $100,000 to the state board of education for fiscal year 2008-2009 to provide grants to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies to provide school readiness services to economically disadvantaged children and families in accorda... More... UT Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 UPSTART Program S.B. 2 - Sections 3-9 Establishes UPSTART, a pilot project that uses a home-based educational technology program to develop the school readiness skills of children age 4-5 who have not entered kindergarten. Provides that UPSTART is created to evaluate the effectiveness of giving pr... More... WA Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 Washington Head Start Program H.B. 3168 The department of early learning (DEL) is directed to develop a proposal for the implementation of a statewide Washington head start program. The proposal should align the the state early childhood education and assistance program with federal head start progr... More... WA Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 Postsec. Institutional Child Care Grant Program H.B. 2582 The Higher Education Coordinating Board (HEBC) and the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) must award Institutional Child Care grants (to postsecondary institutions for child care services) on a competitive or matchiing basis. The HEBC adm... More... WY Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 Educational Development Scholarships H.B. 102 The bill amends the payback requirements for educational development scholarships given to assist the owners or staff of child caring facilities to attain certificates or degrees in early childhood development or a related field.... More... P-3 Child Care 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 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 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--Foster Youth Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional Postsecondary Students--Military Postsecondary Students--Minority Postsecondary Success--Completion Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation Private Schools Privatization Promotion/Retention Public Involvement 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--Week Scheduling/School Calendar--Year School Safety School Safety--Bullying Prevention/Conflict Resolution School Safety--Code of Conduct School Safety--Corporal Punishment 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/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--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--Placement Special Education--Transition Special Populations--Corrections Education Special Populations--Foster Care Special Populations--Gifted and Talented Special Populations--Homeless Education Special Populations--Military Standards State Comparisons/Statistics 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--Incentives Students--Mobility Students--Records/Rights Teaching Quality Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Alternative 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 Technology Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware Technology--Funding Issues Technology--Internet Safety Technology--Teacher/Faculty Training Textbooks and Open Source Urban Urban--Governance