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
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COAdopted 10/2008P-12
Postsec.
Community College
Addresses the administration of the Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Assessments Pilot Program. Beginning in the 2008-09 academic year, directs the department to implement a pilot program for the purpose of evaluating standards and collecting data regarding student performance on postsecondary and workforce planning, preparation, and readiness assessments from assessment vendors and local education providers that volunteer to participate in the pilot program.

http://www.sos.state.co.us/CCR/NumericalSubDocList.do?deptID=4&deptName=300%20Department%20of%20Education&agencyID=109&agencyName=301%20Colorado%20State%20Board%20of%20Education&ccrDocID=3001&ccrDocName=1%20CCR%20301-77%20RULES%20FOR%20THE%20ADMINISTRATION%20OF%20THE%20POSTSECONDARY%20AND%20WORKFORCE%20READINESS%20ASSESSMENTS%20PILOT%20PROGRAM
Title: 1 CCR 301-77
Source: http://www.sos.state.co.us/

UTSigned into law 10/2008P-12Allows the State Board of Education to exempt a school district or charter school from testing requirements under the Utah Performance Assessment System for Students (U-PASS) if the school district or charter school pilots an assessment system that incorporates online classroom-based assessment that utilizes adaptive testing in all grades, online writing assessment in grades 4-12, and assessments administered in grades 8, 10, and 11 to determine readiness for postsecondary education. Authorizes the state board to provide such exemptions to up to three rural districts, up to two urban districts, and up to five charter schools.

Provides that a district or charter school that receives such an exemption is subject to an accountability plan and high school graduation standards based on the piloted assessment system, and that are developed and adopted by the state board of education.

Directs the state board, by the November 2009 meeting of the interim education committee, to develop recommendations on the state's assessment system.

Provides that a student in a district or charter school that is exempt from administering the 10th grade basic skills competency test is subject to high school graduation standards adopted by the state board.
Title: S.B. 2002A
Source: www.lexis.com

CASigned into law 09/2008P-12
Community College
Expresses legislative intent that the Early Assessment Program (EAP) be expanded to include state community colleges. Authorizes community college districts to use the State Standards Test (CST) and augmented CST to provide diagnostic advice to prospective community college students participating in the EAP. Requires that the individual results of the CST and augmented CST be released to California State University to provide such advice and for placement of prospective students participating in the EAP. Chapter 473
http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm
Title: S.B. 946
Source: http://www.assembly.ca.gov

ILSigned into law 07/2008P-12
Postsec.
Requires the student assistance commission to conduct a study detailing in 2008 and 2009 the number of students designated State Scholars, the number of State Scholars who applied to state universities, and the number of State Scholars who were denied admittance into the state universities to which they applied. Directs the commission, by January 1, 2010, to submit to the general assembly a report containing the findings of this study and the commission's recommendations on how to make state universities more accessible to State Scholars. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/95/HB/PDF/09500HB4567lv.pdf
Title: H.B. 4567
Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation

IASigned into law 05/2008P-12Concerns state and local measures for preparing a student for a career or for postsecondary education, including a mandated statewide core curriculum for school districts and accredited nonpublic schools and a state designated career information and decision making system. Prohibits requiring districts or private schools to adopt any specific textbook, series, particular methodology or other products from a specific vendor. Requires the state department to identify and make available end-of-course and other model assessments. Requires convening of a task to review the national assessment of educational progress (NAEP) standards and assessments used by other states and to consider best practices by content area groups such as the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. Requires a department study of potential expansion of the core curriculum potentially to include fine arts, applied arts, humanities and world languages. Establishes requirement for teaching of financial literacy.
http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?category=billinfo&service=billbook&GA=82&hbill=SF2216
Title: S.F. 2216 - Generally
Source: http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us

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

NMSigned into law 02/2008P-12
Postsec.
Community College
Relates to public schools; changes the statewide college and workplace readiness assessments; allows the eleventh grade standards-based assessments to serve as the assessment required for graduation; provides that financial literacy shall be offered as an elective course; addresses graduation requirements, student graduation plans and exit exams.
http://www.sos.state.nm.us/2008/SBill460.pdf
Title: S.B. 460
Source: http://legis.state.nm.us/LCS/default.asp

+ High School--Dropout Rates/Graduation Rates
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