ECS
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
+ 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
OKAdopted 07/2008P-12Proposes new rules for the Science and Mathematics Advanced Recruiting Technique (SMART) Program outline components important to implementation of the program. Provides identification criteria for the persons who will receive the one-time recruitment fund and application requirements for public school districts to identify qualified personnel.
Title: OAC 210:20-24-1, -2
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

COSigned into law 05/2008P-12Creates the Teach Colorado Scholarship Program to provide scholarships to a limited number of undergraduate students who are simultaneously pursuing teaching licenses and undergraduate degrees in high need areas and who commit to teaching in state public schools following graduation for a period equal to the number of years the student received scholarship benefits; provides that high need areas may include math, science, special education, english language acquisition and world languages.
http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2008a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/D5466CE82D879ED4872573680059F86F?open&file=133_enr.pdf
Title: S.B. 133
Source: http://www.leg.state.co.us/

KYSigned into law 04/2008P-12Creates a certification incentive fund to provide grants for eligible recipients to conduct summer institutes. Specifies that the priority for the institutes in the 2008-2009 through 2011-2012 school years is the certification of teachers in high school mathematics, chemistry, integrated science, and physics, and middle school mathematics and earth science under option 7 of the alternative certification program, certification of a person in a field other than education to teach in elementary, middle or secondary programs. Provides that grant recipients may be nonprofit organizations, institutions, and agencies, including postsecondary education institutions, school districts, education cooperatives, and consortia of school districts. Requires the education professional standards board to determine priority for specific institutes at the end of the 2011-2012 school year.

Requires each individual completing a summer institute to have additional hours of formal instruction or assistance during the first year of teaching to reach the minimum number of clock hours. Provides that an alternative teacher certification candidate participating in the institute must not be required to participate in the teacher internship program until the second year of teaching. Requires the candidate to be assigned a teacher mentor by the grant recipient the first year of teaching, with payment of the teacher mentor coming from the summer institute grant.

Provides forgiveable loans to individuals accepted into an institute. Provides the loan will be forgiven if the participant teaches in a Kentucky public or certified nonpublic school for one year within the three years following the awarding of the loan. Also provides a stipend, equal to the loan award amount, for each individual who completes a summer institute. Provides that grant recipients and school districts may offer financial incentives to potential participants and individuals who complete an institute from fund sources other than the grant funds.

Provides that teachers' professional growth fund may be used to provide teachers with professional development that may lead to additional certification endorsements or renewal of certification. Adds that the professional development programs for which teachers may receive support from the fund must provide teacher participants with the opportunity to obtain certificate endorsements or extensions in critical shortage areas, with priority given to math and science through 2016, and in core content areas to their existing certifications through the TC-HQ process, established by the education professional standards board to meet the requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act. Specifies that beginning June 1, 2010, through the 2015-2016 school year, priority for the use of funds from the teachers' professional growth fund must be for the purpose of increasing the number of certified math and science teachers. http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/08RS/SB64/bill.doc
Title: S.B. 64
Source: www.lrc.ky.gov

UTSigned into law 03/2008P-12Defines "qualifying educational background." Beginning in fiscal year 2008-2009, provides an annual salary supplement of $4,100 for a full-time teacher and a partial salary supplement for a part-time teacher who teaches one or more courses of a secondary school level mathematics course, integrated science in grade 7 or 8, chemistry or physics, and who holds the appropriate endorsement for the assigned course, has a qualifying educational background, and is either a new employee or received a satisfactory rating or above on the teacher's most recent evaluation. Directs the Department of Human Resource Management to create an on-line application system for a teacher to apply to receive a salary supplement through the Teacher Salary Supplement Program, determine teacher eligibility and certify a list of eligible teachers and the amount of their salary supplement to the Division of Finance.

Creates the Teacher Salary Supplement Restricted Account within the Uniform School Fund. Provides that the account will be funded from legislative appropriations and must be used to to fund teacher salary supplements for school districts and charter schools.
Pages 28- of 43: http://le.utah.gov/~2008/bills/sbillenr/sb0002.pdf
Title: S.B. 2 - Sections 19 and 20
Source: le.utah.gov

UTSigned into law 03/2008P-12Establishes the Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR) Centers Program to provide a financial incentive for charter schools and school districts to adopt programs that result in a more efficient use of human resources and capital facilities.

Enumerates the potential benefits of the program:
(1) Increased compensation for math and science teachers by providing opportunities for an expanded contract year which will enhance school districts' and charter schools' ability to attract and retain talented and highly qualified math and science teachers
(2) Increased capacity of school buildings by using buildings more hours of the day or more days of the year, resulting in reduced capital facilities costs
(3) Decreased class sizes created by expanding the number of instructional opportunities in a year
(4) Opportunities for earlier high school graduation
(5) Improved student college preparation
(6) Increased opportunities to offer additional remedial and advanced courses in math and science
(7) Opportunities to coordinate high school and post-secondary math and science education
(8) The creation or improvement of science, technology, engineering, and math centers (STEM Centers).

Directs the State Board of Education to solicit proposals from the State Charter School Board and from districts, and to award competitive grants from monies appropriated for the USTAR Centers Program to pay for costs related to the adoption and implementation of the program. Specifies criteria the state board must consider when selecting grant recipients.

Provides that a school district or charter school must use at least 95% of grant monies received to provide full year teacher contracts, part-time teacher contract extensions, or combinations of both, for math and science teachers. Up to 5% of grant monies may be used to fund math and science field trips, textbooks, and supplies. Provides that Participation in the USTAR Centers Program must be voluntary for individual teachers and for a charter school or school district.

Directs the state board to make an annual report during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 interims to the Public Education Appropriations Subcommittee describing the program's impact on students and its effectiveness at achieving the benefits enumerated in legislation.
Pages 33-35 of 43: http://le.utah.gov/~2008/bills/sbillenr/sb0002.pdf
Title: S.B. 2 - Section 22
Source: le.utah.gov

VASigned into law 03/2008P-12Expands the Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program to include those teacher candidates pursuing an endorsement in career and technical education. This bill is a recommendation
from the Joint Subcommittee to Study Science, Math, and Technology Education in the Commonwealth at the Elementary, Secondary, and Undergraduate Levels.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?081+ful+CHAP0141
Title: S.B. 169
Source: http://leg1.state.va.us

+ 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