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
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- High School--College Readiness
CAVetoed 09/2010Community College
Postsec.
Requires the board of governors of the California Community Colleges to establish a pilot project that seeks to create a centrally delivered system of student assessment to be used as one of multiple measures for community college placement and advisement. Provides that the pilot must include creation of:
(1) A single assessment instrument in English, math and English as a second language ("the California Community Colleges Common Assessment")
(2) A secure, centrally housed data warehouse to collect (a) all available assessment scores generated by assessed students at all participating community colleges, and (b) all available K–12 assessment data and transcript information for students at all participating community colleges. Requires that use of this data be limited to placing and advising community college students to enhance their success with and completion of their postsecondary education objectives.
(3) A Web portal accessible to community college personnel and students and that provides: (a) An assessment profile, generated for each student upon request, that includes all assessment information in the data warehouse, for purposes of counseling, matriculation and course placement; (b) A pretest application that emulates the structure of the centrally delivered student assessment that students can practice on and familiarize themselves with before taking future assessments; (c) An advisement tool that provides students with information on historical success rates of remedial courses for students at various levels of academic remediation.

Requires the board to convene an advisory committee for the pilot project and report on specified progress by February 28, 2011. Requires that the report include estimated costs for full implementation of the centralized delivery and warehousing of assessment instruments, as well as the technical feasibility of expanding the pilot project, legislative changes needed, and the best model for providing ongoing funding for the pilot project. Requires the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, in developing the California Community Colleges Common Assessment, to use the existing test item banks created by the California State University and the K-12 system as part of the state's college readiness assessment. Requires the office of the chancellor of the California Community Colleges to work with the California State
University to align and leverage the state's college readiness assessment to facilitate the implementation of the California Community Colleges Common Assessment.
Bill text: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_2651-2700/ab_2682_bill_20100908_enrolled.pdf
Governor's veto message: http://dl5.activatedirect.com/fs/distribution:letterFile/yvcee9xanplikz_files/z5yw8s8x3up0x3?&_c=d|yvcee9xanplikz|z5yxksmilkmaj8&_ce=1289861485.234b57d44a3ea07ba24a86f8c3de5d17
Title: A.B. 2682
Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov

NCIssued 09/2010P-12Creates the Governor's Education Transformation Commission. Charges the commission with:
(A) (1) Making recommendations on the strategic direction of all aspects of the Race to the Top (RttT) to support the implementation of the Career and College - Ready, Set, Go! Initiative (CC-RSG) (which focuses on the governor's goal of every student's graduating ready for a career, college or technical training); (2) Communication and marketing for the RttT and CC-RSG in local communities and across the state; (3) Ensuring continuous alignment between the governor's CC-RSG initiative and other state transformational plans; and (4) the revision of existing state policies, rules or regulations that may inhibit the state from achieving the targets outlined in the CC-RSG.

(B) Participating with the RTTT coordinators and partners to develop and implement programs.

(C) Advising the governor regarding other issues, changes or modifications needed to help the governor reach her goal that every student will graduate ready for a career, college or technical training.

Provides the executive order remains in effect until September 27, 2014, unless rescinded earlier. http://www.governor.state.nc.us/NewsItems/UploadedFiles/91987489-2f25-4cfe-a2a0-96cf33935c64.pdf
Title: E.O. 65
Source: www.governor.state.nc.us

AKAdopted 08/2010P-12Amends the Alaska Administrative Code, 4 AAC 06. 715(b), regarding Work Ready/College Ready transitional skills curriculum and benchmark assessments. Provides that in each school year that the state obtains the license to allow districts to administer the WorkKeys curriculum and assessments, a district may provide students in grade 6 and 8 with the opportunity to take, or require those students to take, the WorkKeys assessments in (1) applied mathematics; (2) reading for information; and (3) locating information.
Title: 4 AAC 06.715
Source:

ILSigned into law 07/2010P-12
Community College
On July 1, 2010, subject to appropriation, directs the state community college board to extend the College and Career Readiness Pilot Program for an additional 3 years and to include an additional 7 sites (or as
many as are allowed by available funding), as evidenced by the effectiveness of the current program. Provides that if funds are not appropriated for the program in any of these 3 additional years, the community college board must extend the program for an additional year. Two of the existing goals of the program are to (1) diagnose college readiness by developing a system to align ACT scores to specific community college courses in developmental and freshman curricula, and (2) provide resources and academic support to high school students to enrich the senior year through remedial or advanced coursework, and other interventions. Adds new provisions requiring that college placement exams also be aligned to developmental and freshman community college courses/curricula, and calling for enrichment of the junior year of high school (in addition to the senior year). Provides that the 1st year of the extended program begins with the high school classes of 2011 and 2012, the 2nd year with the high school classes of 2012 and 2013, and the 3rd year with the high school classes of 2013 and 2014 (or with later classes if funds are not appropriated for the program in a given fiscal year.)

Removes as a criterion for program participation a community college's willingness to submit developmental and introductory courses to ACT for analysis of college placement. Removes a provision directing the state board to work with ACT to analyze up to 10 courses at each participating community college to determine student placement and college readiness. Specifies that the "college readiness team" at each site must include, among other roleplayers, the chief academic officer, the chief student services officer, an institutional researcher, faculty, and counselors or advisers from the community college and high school. Clarifies that one means of evaluating program effectiveness is a comparison of college entrance exams or college placement scores, or both, within each group of students. Repeals provision directing the state community college board to work with participating community colleges and high schools to establish operational processes and a budget for college and career readiness pilot programs, including employment of a college and career readiness coordinator at each community college site. Directs the state community college board to report its findings and recommendations to the senate and house by December 31, 2013. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/96/PDF/096-1300.pdf
Title: S.B. 3705
Source: www.ilga.gov

AZSigned into law 05/2010P-12Creates the Grand Canyon Diploma (GCD) offered to students who demonstrate readiness for college level mathematics and English according to standards prescribed by an interstate compact on board examination systems and who has passing grades on a set of required core courses. Allows school districts and charter schools to choose to offer a GCD beginning in the 2012-13 school year. States that the GCD may be awarded at the end of grade 10 or during or at the end of grades eleven or twelve to students who meet the criteria. Specifies that students who elect to pursue the GCD must participate in a board examination system that consists of internationally benchmarked instructional programs of study chosen by an interstate compact on board examination systems. Students who earn a GCD must have multiple pathways available to them and may: (1) Enroll the following fall semester in a community college under the jurisdiction of a community college district in Arizona; (2) remain in high school and enroll in additional advanced preparation board examination programs designed to prepare those students for admission to high quality postsecondary instutitons that offer baccalaureate degree programs and requires these board examination programs to be selected from a list approved by an interstate compact for board examination systems; (3) enroll in a full-time career and technical education program offered on a community college campus, a high school campus, a joint technological education district campus or any combination of these campuses; and (4) return to a traditional academic program without completing the next level of board examination systems curriculum. Specifies that students who pursue but do not earn a GCD at the end of grade ten or eleven must receive a customized program of assistance during the next school year that addresses areas in which the student demonstrated deficiencies in the approved board examinations and allows these students to retake the board examinations at the next available examination administration or choose to return to a traditional academic program without completing the board examination system curriculum. Requires the State Board of Charter Schools to modify previously approved curriculum requirements for charter schools that wish to participate in the board examination system. Allows school district governing board or charter school governing body to contract with the private organization approved by the State Board of Education to provide approved board examination systems for the school or charter school. Requires the State Board of Education to select and enter into a five-year agreement with a private organization to operate and administer the board examination system prescribed in this act and sets out the requirements on the selected private organization including the development of the GCD as a high school diploma to be approved and adopted by the State Board of Education. Makes requirements of the board examination system. Requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this act. Requires the Arizona Department of Education, pursuant to rules adopted by the State Board of Education, to develop a system to track the academic progress of pupils who participate in the board examination system. Chapter 333
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/hb2731s.pdf
Title: H.B. 2731
Source: http://www.azleg.gov

AZSigned into law 05/2010P-12
Postsec.
Exempts private schools approved by the department of education's division of special education prescribed in the pupil's individualized education program from rules adopted by the state board of education prior to 11/24/09.
Changes the office of the county school superintendent from a local education service agency to a local education agency.
Removes requirement that district open enrollment policies be filed with the department of education and requires district policies for open enrollment to be posted on the district's website and available to the public upon request.
Reduces the amount of time pupils in grades seven and eight must be enrolled in an instructional program from 1068 hours to at least 1000 hours beginning in fiscal year 2010-2011.
Requires the board of regents, in consultation with the community college districts in Arizona, to develop and implement common equivalencies for specific levels of achievement on advanced placement examinations and international baccalaureate examinations offered in the state's high schools in order to award commensurate postsecondary academic credits at community colleges and public universities in the state.
Repeals the College and Career Readiness Task Force enacted last year. Chapter 332
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/hb2725s.pdf
Title: H.B. 2725--Multiple Provisions
Source: http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/hb2725s.pdf

COSigned into law 05/2010P-12
Postsec.
Community College
Amends several provisions of the Preschool to Postsecondary Education Alignment Act to specifically incorporate visual arts and performing arts education into the standards, assessments, and postsecondary and workforce readiness program that the state board of education and local education providers adopt.
http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2010a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/177FD55E4CCFB7F6872576B00057D6E7?open&file=1273_enr.pdf
Title: H.B. 1273
Source: http://www.leg.state.co.us

GASigned into law 05/2010P-12Provides that student performance at the advanced proficiency/honors level on any tests required for high school graduation must be recognized as (1) meeting postsecondary entrance test requirements and (2) qualifying students to enroll in credit-bearing postsecondary courses in accordance with policies established by the state board of education, Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and the state board of technical and adult education. Requires that secondary and postsecondary credit be awarded upon successful completion of any articulated or dual enrollment course in accordance with policies established by these three entities.

Beginning with the 2010-11 school year, requires that students in grades 6-8 be provided counseling, advisement, career awareness, career interest inventories and information to help them assess their academic skills and career interests. Requires students, before the end of grade 8, to develop an individual graduation plan. Requires that high school students annually be provided guidance that will enable them to successfully complete their individual graduation plans, preparing them for a seamless transition to postsecondary study, further training or employment. Requires that an individual graduation plan contain specified components, e.g., that it include experience-based, career-oriented learning experiences such as internships, apprenticeships, mentoring, co-op eduation and service-learning, and include opportunities for postsecondary studies (for example, dual enrollment). Clarifies that an individual graduation plan may be changed at any time during a student's high school career with approval from the student and student's parent, with guidance from the student's school counselor or teacher advisor.
http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/pdf/hb400.pdf
Title: H.B. 400 - New Section 20-2-327
Source: www.legis.state.ga.us

+ High School--Dropout Rates/Graduation Rates
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+ P-16 or P-20
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