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From the ECS State Policy Database 2009 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 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 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 CA Signed into law 10/2009 P-12 Harvey Milk Day S.B. 572 Provides that the Governor proclaims May 22 of each year as Harvey Milk Day and would designate that date as having special significance in public schools and educational institutions and would encourage those entities to conduct suitable commemorative exercis... More... WA Rule Adoption 09/2009 P-12 Learning Improvement WAC 392-140-950, -956, -961, -962 Reduces the number of state-funded learning improvement days from two to one for the 2009-10 school year and thereafter. Makes housekeeping changes by adding program 34, middle school career and technical education - state, to the programs where funding for le... More... IL Signed into law 08/2009 P-12 Holidays, Inservice and Parent-Teacher Conference Days S.B. 1956 Amends provisions concerning average daily attendance under the state aid formula. Makes changes with respect to days that are used for an in-service training program for teachers and parent-teacher conferences. Authorizes a school board to hold school or sche... More... IL Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Postsec. Moment of Silence on Veterans' Day H.B. 972 Provides that if a public school, university, or community college holds any type of event at the institution on November 11, Veterans' Day, the governing board of the school or institution must require a moment of silence at that event to recognize Veterans' ... More... OH Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 School Funding Advisory Council H.B. 1 - Section 3306.29, 3306.291 and 3306.292 Section 3306.29: Establishes the Ohio school funding advisory council. Directs the council, by December 1, 2010 and every other year thereafter, to provide recommendations to the state board, the general assembly and the public for revisions to the adequacy co... More... MO Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 School term S.B. 291- School Flex Program Attendance Allows a school term for students participating in a school flex program as established in section 160.539 to consist of a combination of actual pupil attendance and attendance at college or technical career education or approved employment aligned with the s... More... MO Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Minimum Length of School Days/Year S.B. 291 - School Calendar Defines "school term" as a minimum of 174 school days for schools with a 5-day school week or a minimum of 142 school days, as that term 35 is defined in section 160.041, for schools with a four-day school week. 160.041 defines the "minimum school day" as thre... More... TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Flexible School Day Program Courses H.B. 1297 Relates to optional flexible school day program courses offered by school districts to enable students to earn course credit under certain circumstances. Eliminates requirement that flexible school day program courses be limited to students in grades 9-12. All... More... GA Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Authorization of Four-Day School Week H.B. 193 Allows districts to provide the equivalent of a 180-day school year. Provides that beginning in the 2010-11 school year, schools may be closed on November 11 to allow students and staff to participate in Veterans Day programs. Revises reference to means of cal... More... ME Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Annual School Calendar S.B. 86 Directs the Department of Education to provide by rule for a school calendar that is based upon a minimum annual number of hours that is equivalent to the current 180-day school calendar, or for an equivalent amount of hours annually in accordance with rules a... More... MO Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Inclement Weather Days H.B. 682 Modifies the number of school days to be made up due to inclement weather. http://www.house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills091/bills/hb682.htm... More... ND Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Instructional Days H.B. 1400 - Calendar Section For 2009-10, requries 180 days in the calendar, with 173 days used for instruction. Three must be used for holidays; up to two must be used for parent-teacher conferences or compensatory time for conferences held outside school day; and two days must be used f... More... OK Adopted 05/2009 P-12 Component of the Six-Year Plan OAC 210:15-8-3 Requires all schools to complete the self-examination on their use of school time and assess the amount of time spent on quality instructional time. OKLAHOMA 15352... More... TN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Waivers for Makeup Days S.B. 899 Provides that in the event of a natural disaster or serious outbreak of illness affective or endangering students or staff during a school year, the Commissioner of Education may waive for such school year the requirement for 180 days of classroom instruction,... More... AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Make Up Days S.B. 814 Relates to inclusion of five make-up days for days lost due to exceptional or emergency circumstances in each school district's academic calendar, parent- teacher conferences, employment contracts of certified school personnel, borrowing and bond issuance, Sma... More... NM Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Clarifies Length of School Day H.B. 691 Clarifies the school year and length of school day. Kindergarten, for half-day programs, two and one-half hours per day or, for full-day programs, five and one-half hours per day. Grades one through six, five and one-half hours per day; and grades seven throug... More... OK Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Length of the School Year H.B. 1864 Changes length of the school year from 180 days to 1,080 hours each school year. Limits professional activities to no more than 30 hours each school year. If authorized, parent-teacher conferences may count as instructional time. Authorizes districts to establ... More... AR Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 Common Spring Break Within Districts S.B. 226 Establishes a common spring break for all state public schools in each school district. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Bills/SB226.pdf... More... AR To governor 03/2009 P-12 Veteran's Day H.C.R. 1017 Encourages Schools to raise awareness of the sacrifices that veterans have made for our country by having a school assembly to commemorate veterans day around the time of the veterans day holiday. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Bills/HCR1017.pdf... More... KY Adopted 01/2009 P-12 Approval of Innovative Alternative School Calendars 702 KAR 7:130 Specifies that the commissioner of education will approve a district's request for approval of an innovative alternative school calendar provided it meets criteria established in rules and is designed to improve teaching and learning in the district. http://ww... More... 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