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--Charter Districts
+ 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
+ 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
+ High School--International Baccalaureate
+ 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 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
+ 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--Completion--Completion Rates (Statistics)
+ 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
+ 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
+ Student Supports--Counseling/Guidance
+ Student Supports--Mentoring/Tutoring
+ Student Supports--Remediation
+ 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
ILSigned into law 08/2009P-12
Postsec.
Consolidates the "Future Teacher Corps Program" and the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching's "Golden Apple Scholars Program". Provides that the consolidated program will be known as the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program, and will be managed by the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Requires the transfer of funds from the Future Teacher Corps Program to the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching. Provides that the eligibility requirements apply only to Illinois Future Teacher Corps scholarships. Provides for the apportionment of special license plate revenues.
Title: H.B. 3999
Source:

ILSigned into law 08/2009P-12Provides that for purposes of the Grow Your Own Teacher Act to prepare highly skilled, committed teachers to teach in hard-to-staff schools, "hard-to-staff schools" includes schools in the Department of Juvenile Justice School District. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/HB/PDF/09600HB4117lv.pdf
Title: H.B. 4117
Source: www.ilga.gov

ILSigned into law 08/2009P-12Amends the Grow Your Own Teacher Education Act. Eliminates provision that a goal of the program is to achieve an average teacher retention period of 7 years. Defines "cohort". Amends definition of "hard-to-staff school". Adds bilingual education as a hard to staff teaching position. Clarifies that paraeducators for purposes of the program serve in schools that meet the definition of a hard-to-staff school. Clarifies that for purposes of this program, "parent and community leader" includes an individual who has or had a child enrolled in a hard-to-staff school and who has a history of active involvement in the school. Allows a regional office of education to be a member of a consortium receiving a Grow Your Own Teacher grant.

Clarifies that a candidate for participation in the Grow Your Own Teacher program must not have attended college right after high school or must have experienced an interruption in his/her college education, and does not hold a bachelor's degree. Amends criteria state board must establish in reviewing grant proposals. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/HB/PDF/09600HB0392lv.pdf
Title: H.B. 392
Source: www.ilga.gov

OHSigned into law 07/2009P-12**No funds allocated in the current budget for this center, according to the DOE's H.B. 1 summary document http://www.education.ohio.gov/GD/DocumentManagement/DocumentDownload.aspx?DocumentID=71635**

Authorizes the state superintendent to create the center for creativity and innovation in the department of education. Provides that, if created, the center must help schools in districts, educational service centers, community schools and STEM schools with any of the following:
(1) Designing and implementing strategies and systems that enable schools to become professional learning communities, including:
(a) Mentoring and coaching teachers and support staff
(b) Enabling school principals to focus on supporting instruction and engaging teachers and support staff as part of the instructional leadership team so that teachers and staff may share the responsibility for making and implementing school decisions
(c) Adopting new models for restructuring the learning day or year, such as including teacher planning and collaboration time as part of the school day
(d) Creating smaller schools or smaller units within larger schools to facilitate teacher collaboration to improve and advance the professional practice of teaching and to enhance instruction that yields enhanced student achievement.
(2) Using strategies in collaboration with the teach Ohio program to promote, recruit and enhance the teaching profession, including:
(a) Designing and implementing "grow your own" recruitment and retention strategies to support individuals in becoming licensed teachers, to retain highly qualified teachers, to assist experienced teachers in obtaining licensure in subject areas for which there is need, to assist teachers in earning senior professional educator and lead professional educator licenses, and to assist teachers to grow and develop in the profession
(b) Enhanced conditions for new teachers
(c) Incentives to attract qualified math, science or special education teachers
(d) Developing and implementing a partnership with teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities to help attract teachers qualified to teach in shortage areas
(e) Implementing a program to increase the cultural competency of both new and veteran teachers.
(3) Identifying state policies that impede the adoption of innovative practices and making recommendations to the superintendent of public instruction for the repeal, revision, or waiver of those provisions
(4) Identifying promising programs and practices based on high quality education research and developing models for their early adoption, including research and practices in arts education and creativity
(5) Other duties as assigned by the superintendent of public instruction.

If created, directs the center to promote collaboration between districts and community schools to enhance the academic programs of both and to broaden the application of successful and innovative academic practices developed by community schools. In doing so, directs the center to (1) Study and serve as a clearinghouse of best practices and innovative programming developed and utilized by community schools that could be adopted by school districts; and (2) Identify circumstances in which students could benefit from collaboration between the complementary programs of school districts and community schools.
Pages 1044-1045 of 3120: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_HB_1_EN_N.pdf
Title: H.B. 1 - Section 3301.82
Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us

OHSigned into law 07/2009P-12Section 3333.39: Directs the chancellor of the board of regents and the state superintendent to establish and administer the teach Ohio program to encourage residents to consider teaching as a career. Requires that the program include all of the following:
(1) A statewide program administered by a nonprofit corporation that has been in existence for at least 15 years with demonstrated results in encouraging economically disadvantaged high school students to enter the teaching profession
(2) The teaching fellows program
(3) The Ohio teacher residency program
(4) Alternative licensure procedures established under section 3319.26.
(5) Any other program as identified by the chancellor and superintendent.

Section 3333.391: Defines a "qualifying school" as a hard-to-staff school or a school with a performance rating of "academic watch" or "academic emergency" at the time the recipient is hired by the district. If the chancellor of the Ohio board of regents determines that sufficient funds are available from general revenue fund appropriations made to the board of regents or to the chancellor, permits the chancellor and the state superintendent to jointly develop a plan for the Ohio teaching fellows program to promote and encourage high school seniors to enter and remain in the teaching profession. Provides the chancellor is to administer the program, which will provide undergraduate scholarships for up to four years to students who commit to teaching in a qualifying school for at least four years after graduating from a teacher training program from a postsecondary institution in the state. Directs the chancellor to develop a competitive process for awarding teaching fellows scholarships; requires that the process give additional consideration to anyone who has participated in the teach Ohio program; anyone who plans to teach special needs students; or anyone who plans to teach in science, technology, engineering or math.

Section 3333.392: Establishes provisions for repayment of the scholarship amount or termination of the scholarship under certain conditions.
Pages 1454- of 3120: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_HB_1_EN_N.pdf
Title: H.B. 1 - Section 3333.39, 3333.391 and 3333.392
Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us

DESigned into law 04/2009Postsec.
Community College
Enables the implementation of the Teach For America program and teacher residency programs on a state- wide basis by modifying the entry requirements for the Teach For America program and training requirements for Teach For America corps members.
http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis145.nsf/vwLegislation/HB+102/$file/legis.html?open
Title: H.B. 102
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

GASigned into law 04/2009P-12Eliminates provision that a teacher must be granted two days of approved paid leave to prepare the portfolio of student work required for national certification. Replaces with provision that effective July 2009, only a teacher teaching full-time in a high-needs school is eligible for two days' paid leave to prepare the national board portfolio. Makes subject to legislative appropriation the state payment of a portion of the national certification program participation fee prior to national board certification for teachers who have completed the screening process and submitted an application and initial payment to the National Board. Adds that salary increases for teachers who enrolled in the process to obtain National Board certification on or before March 1, 2009 (and who subsequently earn certification) are subject to legislative appropriation. Provides that, effective July 1, salary increases for National Board-certified teachers will be available only to those teachers who were enrolled in the process to receive National Board certification or who were receiving salary increases as of March 1, 2009, both subject to legisative appropriation. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/pdf/hb243.pdf
Title: H.B. 243
Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet

+ 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