ECS
From the ECS State Policy Database
2010 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 2010. 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
+ 21st Century Skills
+ Accountability
+ Accountability--Accreditation
+ Accountability--Measures/Indicators
+ Accountability--Reporting Results
+ Accountability--Rewards
+ Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions
+ Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions--Takeovers
+ Accountability--School Improvement
+ Adult Basic Education
+ Assessment
+ Assessment--Accommodations
+ Assessment--College Entrance Exams
+ Assessment--Computer Based
+ Assessment--Formative/Interim
+ 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
+ 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--Choice/Open Enrollment
+ Choice of Schools--Magnet or Specialized Schools
+ Choice of Schools--Tax Credits
+ Choice of Schools--Vouchers
+ Civic Education
+ Civic Education--Character Education
+ Civic Education--Civic Knowledge and Literacy
+ Civic Education--Pledge of Allegiance
+ Class Size
+ Counseling/Guidance
+ Curriculum
+ Curriculum--Alignment
+ Curriculum--Arts Education
+ Curriculum--Censorship
+ Curriculum--Drivers Education
+ Curriculum--Excusal
+ Curriculum--Family Living Education
+ Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed.
+ Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language
+ Curriculum--Geography Education
+ Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education
+ Curriculum--Language Arts
+ Curriculum--Language Arts--Writing/Spelling
+ Curriculum--Mathematics
+ Curriculum--Physical Education
+ Curriculum--Science
+ Curriculum--Sex Education
+ Curriculum--Social Studies/History
+ Demographics--Enrollments
+ Economic/Workforce Development
+ Equity
+ Federal
+ Finance
+ Finance--Bonds
+ Finance--District
+ Finance--Facilities
+ Finance--Federal
+ Finance--Funding Formulas
+ Finance--Local Foundations/Funds
+ Finance--Lotteries
+ Finance--Private Giving
+ Finance--Resource Efficiency
- Finance--State Budgets/Expenditures
CASigned into law 10/2010P-12Deferring Payments to Districts
A.B. 1624
Allows the state to defer up to $3.2 billion in payments to school districts until additional funding can be found. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_1601-1650/ab_1624_bill_20101008_chaptered.pdf...

More...
MISigned into law 09/2010P-12Online Education Programs Required Report
S.B. 1154 - Sec. 903
Requires the state department of education to work with districts that operate as a school of excellence cyber school and districts that operate an alternative education program with a seat-time waiver to provide a report to the legislature and the state budge...

More...
TXAdopted 06/2010P-12Adult Basic and Secondary Education
19 TAC 89.21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35
Primarily from Texas Register:
Amends provisions to accommodate the 2009 General Appropriations Act (SB 1), which requires that a new funding formula be allocated based on need for persons beyond the age of compulsory attendance who have not received a high s...

More...
GASigned into law 05/2010P-12Waivers to Reduce School Expenditures
H.B. 908
From bill summary: Temporarily waives certain expenditure controls relating to funds earned for direct instructional costs, media center costs, staff and professional development costs, and additional days of instruction. Temporarily provides for system averag...

More...
HISigned into law 05/2010P-12Restoring Instructional Days for 2010-11 School Year
S.B. 2124
Appropriates Hawaii hurricane relief fund moneys to make funds available to restore instructional days for the 2010-11 school year if an agreement or agreements to restore instructional days are negotiated pursuant to the collective bargaining process. http://...

More...
VTEligible for GOVERNOR'S desk. 05/2010P-12Implementing Results of "Challenges for Change"
H.B. 792
Proposes to implement results of the earlier "Challenges for Change" legislation. Education-related provisions (beginning page 141) include the following: In order to achieve a two-percent reduction in education spending statewide, directs the commissioner of ...

More...
ALSigned into law 04/2010P-12Bonds to Support Public Education
H.B. 743
The state of Alabama issued $66.5 million in bonds dedicated toward public education. These bonds were paid for through dedicated state excise tax revenue. Details about this borrowing program must be provided to the chairs of the house education appropriation...

More...
MDSigned into law 04/2010P-12Waiver of Maintenance of Effort Penalty for Public Ed.
H.B. 223
Waives the fiscal 2010 county maintenance of effort (MOE) penalty for public education; Directs the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee to study the appropriate calculation of the penalty for failing to meet the MOE requ...

More...
MSSigned into law 04/2010P-12Plans for District Budget Cuts
H.B. 1170
Requires the school board of a school district having a certain ending fund balance in the 2010, 2011 and 2012 fiscal years to submit a plan for budget cuts to the State Department of Education; authorizes the State Board of Education to adopt rules and regula...

More...
MSSigned into law 03/2010P-12School District Emergency Bridge Loan Act
H.B. 1349
Creates the School District Emergency Bridge Loan Act to assist districts that suffer revenue losses due to the economic downturn. Provides that a district that receives a loan shall pledge to repayment any part of the homestead exemption annual tax loss reimb...

More...
NMSigned into law 03/2010P-12School District Budget Flexibility
S.B. 97
Provides flexibility to school districts to meet state fiscal solvency requirements; provides that the Secretary of Education may waive requirements of the Public School Code and rules promulgated in accordance with that code pertaining to individual class loa...

More...
OHSigned into law 03/2010P-12Distinction between Online AP Courses and Clearinghouse of Distance Learning Courses
S.B. 155 - Section 6
Amends 371.50.90 of Am. Sub. H.B. 1 of the 128th General Assembly (enacted July 2009). Clarifies that from an appropriation item in 2009 H.B. 1, eTech Ohio must use up to $1 million in FY 2010 to maintain the clearinghouse of distance learning courses called f...

More...
UTSigned into law 03/2010P-12
Postsec.
Money-Saving Measures
H.B. 166
Section 1: Directs the state board, by December 31, 2010, to review mandates provided for in administrative rule, to determine whether some could be waived to remove funding pressures on public schools temporarily.

Sections 2-4: Eliminates the requirement to...

More...
UTSigned into law 03/2010P-12Programs Funded At or Below $10,000 in a District
H.B. 149 - Section 3
Adds Section 53A-17a-105.5. Defines "qualifying program" as (1) the at-risk flow through program; (2) the homeless and disadvantaged minority students program [both created in 53A-17a-121]; (3) the gifted and talented program; (4) the advanced placement progra...

More...
IASigned into law 01/2010P-12Delay in Allowable Growth, School Foundation Program
S.B. 2045
Delays establishing the state percent of growth, also known as allowable growth, for the budget year beginning July 1, 2011, from the 2010 Legislative Session to the 2011 Legislative Session for the state school foundation program.
http://coolice.legis.state.i...

More...
+ Finance--Student Fees
+ Finance--Taxes/Revenues
+ Finance--Taxes/Revenues--Alternative Revenues
+ Governance
+ Governance--Deregulation/Waivers/Home Rule
+ Governance--Ethics/Conflict of Interest
+ Governance--Mandates
+ 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
+ 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--Grading Practices
+ Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling
+ 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--Induction Programs and Mentoring
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Preparation
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Preparation--Alternative
+ Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Tenure
+ Middle School
+ Minority/Diversity Issues
+ Minority/Diversity Issues--American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian
+ Minority/Diversity Issues--Hispanic
+ No Child Left Behind--Adequate Yearly Progress
+ No Child Left Behind--Assessment
+ No Child Left Behind--Consequences for Schools
+ No Child Left Behind--Finance
+ No Child Left Behind--Reauthorization Issues/Waivers
+ No Child Left Behind--Report Cards
+ No Child Left Behind--School Support
+ No Child Left Behind--Special Populations
+ 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 Family Involvement
+ P-3 Finance
+ P-3 Governance
+ P-3 Grades 1-3
+ P-3 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 Affordability--Tuition/Fees--Undocumented Immigrants
+ Postsecondary Faculty--Compensation
+ Postsecondary Faculty--Tenure
+ Postsecondary Finance
+ Postsecondary Finance--Efficiency/Performance-Based Funding
+ Postsecondary Finance--Facilities
+ Postsecondary Finance--Revenue and Expenditures
+ Postsecondary Governance and Structures
+ Postsecondary Governance and Structures--Administrative/Leadership Issues
+ Postsecondary Governance and Structures--State Executives/State Agencies
+ Postsecondary Institutions
+ 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 Students--Adults
+ Postsecondary Students--Disabled
+ Postsecondary Students--Foster Youth
+ Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional
+ Postsecondary Students--International
+ Postsecondary Students--Military
+ Postsecondary Students--Minority
+ Postsecondary Success
+ Postsecondary Success--Completion
+ Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation
+ Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation
+ Private Schools
+ Privatization
+ Promotion/Retention
+ Public Involvement
+ Reading/Literacy
+ Religion
+ 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
+ Scheduling/School Calendar--Year Round
+ School Climate/Culture
+ 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--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--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--Migrant Education
+ Special Populations--Military
+ Standards
+ Standards--Common Core State Standards
+ State Longitudinal Data Systems
+ State Policymaking
+ State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions
+ STEM
+ Student Achievement
+ Student Achievement--Closing the Achievement Gap
+ Student Surveys
+ Students
+ Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities
+ Students--Employment
+ Students--K-12 Exchange Students
+ 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--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
+ Teaching Quality--Working Conditions
+ Technology
+ Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware
+ Technology--Equitable Access
+ Technology--Funding Issues
+ Technology--Research/Evaluation
+ Textbooks and Open Source
+ Whole-School Reform Models