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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 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 MI Signed into law 12/2008 P-12 High School Merit Exam H.B. 6412 Revises the administration and requirements of the state merit examination; provides that pupils in grade 12 may take the exam if they did n... More... LA Adopted 10/2008 P-12 Pre-GED/Skills Option Program LAC 28:CXV.2907 Amends rules relating to the PreGED and Skills Option Programs and spells out requirements for districts. http://doa.louisiana.gov/osr/lac/2... More... FL Adopted 09/2008 P-12 GED Testing Fees FAC 6A-6.021 Amends rule to review the General Educational Development (GED) testing fees to recommend an increase in the testing fees so that the Depart... More... MA Signed into law 08/2008 P-12 Dropout Prevention S.B. 2766 Improves dropout prevention and reporting of graduation rates; requires providing public school districts with a standardized format for the... More... OK Adopted 07/2008 P-12 Postsec. Annual Student College Remediation Reports OAC 210:35-25-4 Proposes rules to require that a high school representative annually provide for review and discussion a report for each site regarding firs... More... CT Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 High School Foreign Language Credit H.B. 5820 Concerns high school credit for private world language courses; provides that students may earn up to two credits toward high school graduat... More... LA Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 High School Redesign Commission H.B. 721 Adds a member of the Nonpublic School Commission to the High School Redesign Commission. http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocumen... More... NJ Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 State-Issues High School Diplomas S.B. 1910 Provides Department of Education statutory authority to provide persons 16 years of age or older who are no longer enrolled in school a Stat... More... SC Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Enrollment of Military Families' Kids H.B. 4320 Provides that a student whose parent or legal guardian has been called to active duty more than a specified number of miles outside of his r... 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 placem... More... NJ Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Postsec. Alicia's Law S.B. 442 Enacts Alicia's Law, permits a student whose high school special education program requires instruction beyond four years to participate wit... 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... MD Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Information on GED and Obtaining High School Diploma H.B. 953; S.B. 264 Requires representatives of local boards of education to provide information concerning alternative education programs and GED program requi... More... MS Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 High School Redesign H.B. 975 Relates to high school Redesign Pilot Program. Authorizes the State Board of Education to phase in additional sites in the pilot program to ... More... AZ Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 Charter school, high schools H.B. 2563 Allows a charter school or school district to determine whether credits earned by a pupil formerly enrolled in a separate charter school or ... More... WA Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 High School Diplomas for Veterans H.B. 1283 Adds that school districts may issue high school diplomas to veterans of military service in Vietnam and deletes the requirement for veteran... More... 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 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