ECS
From the ECS State Policy Database
2009 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 2009. 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--Accreditation
+ Accountability--Measures/Indicators
+ Accountability--Reporting Results
+ Accountability--Rewards
+ 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--College Entrance Exams
+ Assessment--Computer Based
+ Assessment--End-of-Course
+ Assessment--Formative/Interim
+ Assessment--NAEP (NAEP Results and NAEP Organization)
+ Assessment--Performance Based/Portfolio
+ Assessment--Value Added
+ At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)
+ At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Alternative Education
+ At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Drugs/Alcohol
+ Attendance
+ Attendance--Compulsory
+ Attendance--Statutory Ages (Upper and Lower)
+ Attendance--Truancy
+ Background Checks
+ Bilingual/ESL
+ Business Involvement
+ Career/Technical Education
+ Career/Technical Education--Career Academies/Apprenticeship
+ Cheating
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Closings
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Cyber Charters
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Finance
+ Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Research
+ Choice of Schools--Choice/Open Enrollment
+ Choice of Schools--Magnet or Specialized Schools
+ Choice of Schools--Vouchers
+ Civic Education
+ Civic Education--Character Education
+ Civic Education--Pledge of Allegiance
+ Class Size
+ Counseling/Guidance
+ Curriculum
+ Curriculum--Arts Education
+ Curriculum--Core Curriculum
+ Curriculum--Drivers Education
+ Curriculum--Environmental Education
+ Curriculum--Family Living Education
+ Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed.
+ Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language
+ Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education
+ Curriculum--Home Economics
+ Curriculum--International Education
+ Curriculum--Language Arts
+ Curriculum--Language Arts--Writing/Spelling
+ Curriculum--Mathematics
+ Curriculum--Physical Education
+ Curriculum--Science
+ Curriculum--Sex Education
+ Curriculum--Social Studies/History
+ Demographics--Condition of Children/Adults
+ Desegregation
+ Economic/Workforce Development
+ Education Research
+ Equity
+ Federal
+ Finance
+ Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost
+ Finance--Bonds
+ Finance--District
+ Finance--Equity
+ Finance--Facilities
+ Finance--Federal
+ Finance--Funding Formulas
+ Finance--Litigation
+ 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--Early Colleges/Middle Colleges
+ High School--Exit Exams
+ High School--GED (General Education Development)
+ High School--Graduation Requirements
+ Instructional Approaches
+ Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices
+ Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling
+ Instructional Approaches--Problem Based Learning
+ Instructional Approaches--Single-Sex Education
+ Instructional Approaches--Time/Time on Task
+ Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools
+ International Baccalaureate
+ International Benchmarking
+ Leadership
+ Leadership--District Superintendent
+ Leadership--District Superintendent--Compensation and Diversified Pay
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership
+ 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
+ Minority/Diversity Issues--Hispanic
+ 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--Report Cards
+ No Child Left Behind--School Support
+ 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 Content Standards and Assessment
+ P-3 Early Intervention (0-3)
+ P-3 Ensuring Quality
+ P-3 Evaluation/Economic Benefits
+ P-3 Finance
+ P-3 Governance
+ P-3 Grades 1-3
+ P-3 Kindergarten--Full Day Kindergarten
+ P-3 Preschool
+ P-3 Teaching Quality/Professional Development
- Parent/Family
CAVetoed 10/2009P-12Bringing Interpreter to School Meetings
A.B. 1510
Authorizes parents or guardians of English learners to bring an oral language interpreter to all conferences, meetings or proceedings held at a district building or schoolsite or sponsored by the district or school, except when prohibited by state or federal l...

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NYSigned into law 08/2009P-12New York City Board
A.B. 8903 - New York City Board Powers and Duties
Substantially amends powers and duties of New York City board, authorizing the board to:
(1) Approve all regulations proposed by the chancellor or city board
(2) Approve the educational facilities capital plan, following any applicable hearings conducted by t...

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NYSigned into law 08/2009P-12Community Superintendents
A.B. 8903 - Community Superintendents
Amends provisions regarding community superintendents in New York City. Clarifies that a community superintendent's delegation of powers or duties is at the community superintendent's sole discretion. Adds that (1) screening committees to appoint supervisory s...

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NYSigned into law 08/2009P-12Parent Association/Parent-Teacher Association Meetings
A.B. 8903 - Parent Association/Parent-Teacher Association Meetings
Existing provision permits the use of school facilities for holding civic meetings. New provision specifies that civic meetings include meetings of parent associations and parent-teacher associations. http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A08903&sh=t...

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MOSigned into law 07/2009P-12
Postsec.
Parental Involvement
S.B. 291--Volunteer and Parents Incentive Program
Creates the Volunteer and Parents Incentive Program to be implemented and administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Under the program, the Department will provide a reimbursement to parents or volunteers who donate time at certain s...

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OHSigned into law 07/2009P-12Financial Reporting and Minimum Standards
H.B. 1 - Section 3301.07
Partially from the DOE summary of H.B. 1:Modifies the current requirement for the state board to develop a standard for reporting financial information to the public. Requires districts and educational service center boards to report revenues and expenditures ...

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OHSigned into law 07/2009P-12Parental Notification Procedures for Responding to Threats and Emergencies
H.B. 1 - Section 3313.536
From DOE summary of H.B. 1: Requires school districts, community schools, STEM schools and chartered nonpublic schools to inform, prior to opening day each school year, each enrolled student and the student's parent of the parental notification procedures in t...

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OHSigned into law 07/2009P-12Family and Civic Engagement Teams, Business Advisory Councils
H.B. 1 - Section 3313.82, 3313.821, 3313.822
Renumbers to 3313.82 existing provision requiring local boards and educational service center boards to appoint a business advisory council. Creates new section 3313.821 requiring local boards, and permitting boards of community schools and STEM schools, to ap...

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OHSigned into law 07/2009P-12Best Practices for Improving Parental Involvement
H.B. 1 - Section 265.80.40
Directs the state board, by January 29, 2010, to develop a list of best practices for improving parental involvement that public and nonpublic schools may use to increase parental participation. Directs the department of education to make the list available on...

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LAVetoed 06/2009P-12Tax Credit for Parental Involvement Time
S.B. 194
Provides for a tax credit against the corporate income tax and the corporation franchise tax for employers who allow parental involvement in schools during working hours.
http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=666542...

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COSigned into law 05/2009P-12Parent Involvement Council in Education Department
S.B. 90
Creates the state advisory council for parent involvement in education in the department of education. Specifies the council membership. Directs the council to advise public education entities concerning best practices and strategies, aligned with national sta...

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COSigned into law 05/2009P-12Parental Leave for School Activities
H.B. 1057
Allows an employee of a qualified employer to take unpaid leave to attend parent-teacher conferences; limits the unpaid leave; permits the employer to require specified increments of leave; requires written verification from the school; relates to children in ...

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MNSigned into law 05/2009P-12Access to Student Records
H.F. 2
Allows a child's parent or guardian to designate a "significant individual" to participate in a school conference involving that child. Requires the parent or guardian to give prior written consent to allow the individual to participate in the conference and h...

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NVSigned into law 05/2009P-12Parent Involvement
A.B. 243
Requires employers with a certain number of employees to grant to an employee who is a parent, guardian or custodian of a child enrolled in a public school a specified number of hours of leave from their place of employment, to be taken in specified increments...

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NYSigned into law 05/2009P-12Public Schools Emergency Alert Act
A.B. 1245
Enacts the public schools emergency alert act. Requires the New York City Schools chancellor to implement an emergency alert notification system to convey to parents timely information concerning emergency incidents or occurrences, as defined by such chancello...

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TNSigned into law 05/2009P-12Parental Involvement Standards
S.B. 293
Requires the Department of Education (DOE) to develop standards for parental involvement in K-12 public schools and include a report on local education agency (LEA) compliance at the district and school levels in the DOE Tennessee Education Report Card beginni...

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ARSigned into law 04/2009P-12Improving Parents' Access to Public School Data
S.B. 943
Improves student achievement and closes achievement gaps among student subgroups by providing public access to comprehensive school improvement plans; improves parental involvement and communication with parents; increases transparency and accountability of pu...

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IDVetoed 04/2009P-12Parent Involvement
H.B. 245
Enacts the Parents as Teachers Family Support Act; awards grants to local agencies to provide home visits for eligible families, parent group meetings, developmental and health screenings and referrals to community resources with the goal of enhanced school re...

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ARSigned into law 03/2009P-12Parental Involvement
H.B. 1272
Requires each school's parental involvement plan to provide instruction to parents on how to incorporate developmentally appropriate learning activities in the home environment, including:
(a) Role play and demonstration by trained volunteers;
(b) The use of a...

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VASigned into law 02/2009P-12Dissemination of Information on Family Life Education
H.B. 1980
Requires school divisions to include a detailed statement in the summary already required by law to be issued to parents and guardians to assist them in understanding the family life education program implemented in the school division, if the curriculum of th...

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+ Parent/Family--Parent Rights
+ Partnerships--University/School
+ Postsecondary
+ Postsecondary Accountability
+ Postsecondary Accountability--Accreditation
+ Postsecondary Accountability--Diploma Mills
+ Postsecondary Affordability--Financial Aid
+ Postsecondary Affordability--Textbooks
+ Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees
+ Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees--Prepd/College Savings Plans
+ Postsecondary Faculty
+ Postsecondary Faculty--Compensation
+ Postsecondary Faculty--Intellectual Property
+ Postsecondary Faculty--Teaching Assistants
+ Postsecondary Finance
+ Postsecondary Finance--Efficiency/Performance-Based Funding
+ Postsecondary Finance--Facilities
+ Postsecondary Governance and Structures
+ Postsecondary Institutions--Community/Technical Colleges
+ Postsecondary Institutions--For-Profit/Proprietary
+ Postsecondary Institutions--Private/Independent
+ Postsecondary Online Instruction
+ Postsecondary Participation
+ Postsecondary Participation--Access
+ Postsecondary Participation--Admissions Requirements
+ Postsecondary Participation--Affirmative Action
+ Postsecondary Participation--Outreach
+ Postsecondary Students
+ Postsecondary Students--Foster Youth
+ Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional
+ Postsecondary Students--Military
+ Postsecondary Students--Minority
+ Postsecondary Success--Completion
+ Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation
+ Postsecondary Success--Retention/Persistence
+ Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation
+ Private Schools
+ Privatization
+ Promising Practices
+ Promotion/Retention
+ Public Involvement
+ Reading/Literacy
+ Reading/Literacy--Adult Literacy
+ Religion
+ Religion--Prayer/Meditation
+ 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--School Size
+ School/District Structure/Operations--Shared Services
+ School/District Structure/Operations--Transportation
+ Service-Learning
+ Special Education
+ 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--Immigrant Education
+ Special Populations--Military
+ Standards
+ State Longitudinal Data Systems
+ State Policymaking
+ State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions
+ STEM
+ Student Achievement
+ Student Achievement--Closing the Achievement Gap
+ Students
+ Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities
+ Students--Employment
+ Students--Mobility
+ Students--Records/Rights
+ Teaching Quality
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Alternative
+ Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Assignment
+ 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 Attitudes
+ Teaching Quality--Teacher Rights
+ Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract
+ Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining
+ Teaching Quality--Working Conditions
+ Technology
+ Technology--Computer Skills
+ Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware
+ Technology--Equitable Access
+ Technology--Funding Issues
+ Technology--Teacher/Faculty Training
+ Textbooks and Open Source
+ Urban
+ Urban--Governance