---

From the ECS State Policy Database 2008 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 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 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 High School--International Baccalaureate Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling Instructional Approaches--Single-Sex Education Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools 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 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 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 UT Adopted 11/2008 Postsec. Community College Regents' Scholarship R765-603 Creates rule establishing scholarship criteria, procedures for administration, and defines parameters for the use of scholarship funds. http... More... OH Adopted 10/2008 Postsec. Choose Ohio First Scholarship Program OAC 3333-1-61, -61.1 thru -61.5 The Ohio innovation partnership, consisting of the choose Ohio first scholarship and the Ohio Research scholars program, aims to strengthen ... More... LA Adopted 09/2008 P-12 Postsec. Community College Early Start Program Scholarships and Grants LAC 28:IV. Establishes emergency rules relating to scholarship and grant programs. Allows eligible nonpublic high school and home school students to pa... More... MI Signed into law 09/2008 Postsec. Community College Higher Education Loan Authority H.B. 6205 Authorizes establishment of special reserve funds by the Higher Education Loan Authority; provides for a minimum balance for the special res... More... NY Vetoed 09/2008 Postsec. Eligibility for Tuition Assistance Awards S.B. 1574 Relates to calculation of income for purposes of eligibility for tuition assistance program awards. Allows for adjustments to income and app... More... NY Vetoed 09/2008 Postsec. Community College Volunteer Recruitment Service Scholarships S.B. 3673 Provides that volunteer organizations may submit up to three applications to the Higher Education Services Corporation for voluntary recruit... More... CO Rejected by voters 08/2008 Postsec. Community College Funds for College Scholarships and Other Purposes Amendment 58 Eliminates a credit against the severance tax on oil and gas for property taxes paid by oil and gas producers and interest owners; reduces t... More... IL Signed into law 08/2008 Postsec. Community College Police Association License Plates H.B. 5607 Provides for the issuance of Police Association License Plates. Provides that certain amounts of the license plate issuance and renewal fees... More... IL Signed into law 08/2008 P-12 Postsec. Community College State Treasurer Financial Education and Savings Not-For-Profit Corporation S.B. 2098 Authorizes the state treasurer to create the State Treasurer Financial Education and Savings Not-For-Profit Corporation to promote financial... More... IL Signed into law 08/2008 Postsec. Community College Postsecondary Grant Assistance S.B. 1908 Relates to the Monetary Award grant assistance program. Provides that the maximum grant amount must not exceed specified amounts for the 200... More... LA Signed into law 07/2008 Postsec. Community College TOPS-Tech Award H.B. 1278 Amends provisions of law related to the Tuition Opportunity Program for Students Tech Award (TOPS-Tech Award). Effective with the 2009-2010 ... More... LA Signed into law 07/2008 Postsec. Community College TOPS Eligibility H.B. 1075 Renames "Tuition Opportunity Program for Students" (TOPS) scholarship program as "Taylor Opportunity Program for Students." Provides that qu... More... HI Signed into law 06/2008 Postsec. Community College Higher Education Board Allowances for Former Foster Youth H.B. 1356 (Governor's Package Bill) Expands the definition of former foster youth; clarifies provisions relating to Higher Education Board Allowances ... More... OK Signed into law 06/2008 Postsec. Task Force on Oklahoma's Promise S.B. 1038 Creates the Task Force on Oklahoma's Promise – the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), to study the family income limitations f... More... OK Signed into law 06/2008 Postsec. Higher Learning Access Act H.B. 2446 Bill modifies the eligibility requirement to establish financial need in order to receive an Oklahoma's Promise (OHLAP) scholarship for stud... More... TN Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Postsec. Financial Assistance H.B. 653 Makes changes to eligibility requirements for HOPE scholarships; enacts the "Helping Heroes Act of 2008" to provide scholarships for veteran... More... GA Signed into law 05/2008 Postsec. HOPE Scholarship Eligibility H.B. 152 Relates to Helping Outstanding Pupils Educationally (HOPE) scholarships and grants. Provides that otherwise qualified students who either re... More... GA Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Postsec. Community College HOPE Scholarship Eligibility S.B. 492 Revises provision relating to the determination of resident status of students for tuition or fees. Adds public or private schools located i... More... GA Signed into law 05/2008 Postsec. Student Loans S.B. 169 Creates new sections 20-3-395 ff. related to student loans. Authorizes the Georgia Student Finance Authority to provide direct, low-interest... More... IA Signed into law 05/2008 Postsec. Student Financial Aid H.F. 2690 Relates to student loans; includes the protection of students and parents from certain lenders and institutions of higher education with con... More... MO Signed into law 05/2008 Postsec. student loans S.B. 967 Allows Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority to originate federally guaranteed student loans; provides that the authority's origination o... More... AR On 11/04/2008 Ballot. 04/2008 Postsec. Community College Lottery Funds for College Scholarships Amendment 3 Proposes an amendment to the State Constitution; authorizes the General Assembly to establish, operate, and regulate State lotteries to fund... More... AZ Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Postsec. Scholarship program H.B. 2736 Relates to the Early Graduation Scholarship Program. A. Requires each school district or charter school providing instruction in grades ni... More... CO Signed into law 04/2008 Postsec. Community College Tuition Assistance for National Guard H.B. 1252 Allows a member of the Colorado National Guard to receive tuition assistance when enrolled at a private institution of higher education in a... More... IL Signed into law 04/2008 Postsec. Community College State Scholars and Merit Recognition Scholarship S.B. 437 Amends the Higher Education Student Assistance Act. Provides that each State Scholar who enrolls in an institution of higher learning shall ... More... KS Signed into law 04/2008 Community College ROTC Scholarships to Community College Students S.B. 437 Authorizes the selection committee at each ROTC institution to award ROTC scholarships to qualifying students enrolled at a community colleg... More... KY Signed into law 04/2008 Postsec. Community College Tuition Grants and In-State Tuition for Nonresidents H.B. 694 Includes in the list of schools in which a student can enroll and receive a tuition grant an approved out-of-state postsecondary education i... More... KY Signed into law 04/2008 Postsec. Community College KEES Eligibility S.B. 75 Relates to Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) eligibility. Defines on track to graduate as having completed the proportion o... More... KY Signed into law 04/2008 Postsec. Community College Scholarship Eligibility for Students on Active Duty S.B. 2 - Section 24 Requires the higher education assistance authority to extend the expiration of a student's eight academic terms and five-year eligibility fo... More... MD Signed into law 04/2008 Postsec. Community College Public Service Career Assistance H.B. 1287 Establishes the Parren J. Mitchell Public Service Scholarship in the Workforce Shortage Student Assistance grants program; requires the Stat... More... ME Signed into law 04/2008 Postsec. Community College Securing Student Loans S.B. 918A Allows the Finance Authority of Maine to issue student loan bonds for the origination or purchase of federally guaranteed student loans secu... More... MI Signed into law 04/2008 Postsec. Community College State Scholarship Program Funding S.B. 1157 Provides the State Higher Education Assistance Authority may use the money from the State Guaranty Agency's Operating Fund for the State com... More... NE Signed into law 04/2008 Postsec. Community College Completion of Studies for National Guard L.B. 746 Provides that if a member of the State National Guard enrolled in any state-supported university, college, or community college or any indep... More... IN Signed into law 03/2008 Postsec. Tuition for Recent Military Veterans H.B. 1249 Indiana residents who entered active duty military service after 9/10/2001, who received the Purple Heart decoration and who satisfy other c... More... UT Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 Postsec. Community College Regents' Scholarship Program S.B. 180 Establishes the Regents' Scholarship Program to award merit scholarships to students who complete a rigorous core course of study in high sc... More... UT Signed into law 03/2008 Postsec. Graduate Tuition Waiver for Purple Heart Recipients H.B. 271 Beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, provides a graduate tuition waiver of up to $10,000 at a state institution of higher education for P... More... VA Signed into law 03/2008 Postsec. Awards Cannot Exceed Annual Costs H.B. 1529 Clarifies that the Brown v. Board of Education Scholarship Awards Committee may reduce the scholarship award to any student to ensure that, ... More... VA Signed into law 03/2008 Postsec. Disclosure of Lending Practices S.B. 510 Directs the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), with the advice and input of the governing boards of each public institu... More... WY Signed into law 03/2008 Postsec. Hathaway Scholarship Foreign Language Requirements S.B. 71 The bill expands the foreign language requirements of the Hathaway scholarship program by adding American sign language to the list of appro... More... WY Signed into law 03/2008 Postsec. Hathaway Scholarship Program S.B. 21 Allows for the reinstatement of lost scholarships upon completion of a showing of satisfactory academic progress, a cumulative grade point a... More... SC Signed into law 02/2008 Postsec. Broadens Eligibility Requirements H.B. 3379 Provides that a resident attending an out-of-state high school is eligible to receive a Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or a Life Scholarship; ... More... SD Signed into law 02/2008 Postsec. Tuition/fees H.B. 1274 Revises the General Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2008; increases amounts to be transferred to the opportunity scholarships. http://leg... More... 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--Completion Rates (Statistics) Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation Private Schools Privatization Promotion/Retention Public Involvement 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--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 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 Student Supports--Counseling/Guidance Student Supports--Mentoring/Tutoring Student Supports--Remediation 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 Whole Child