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From the ECS State Policy Database 2011 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 2011. 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--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 At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention) At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Alternative Education At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Drugs/Alcohol Attendance Attendance--Compulsory 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--Charter Schools--Research Choice of Schools--Choice/Open Enrollment Choice of Schools--Innovation Schools Choice of Schools--Magnet or Specialized Schools Choice of Schools--Tax Credits Choice of Schools--Vouchers Choice of Schools--Vouchers--Privately Funded Civic Education Civic Education--Character Education Civic Education--Civic Knowledge and Literacy Civic Education--Pledge of Allegiance Class Size Counseling/Guidance Curriculum Curriculum--Arts Education Curriculum--Drivers Education Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed. Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education Curriculum--Language Arts Curriculum--Mathematics Curriculum--Physical Education Curriculum--Science Curriculum--Sex Education Curriculum--Social Studies/History Data-Driven Improvement Demographics--Enrollments Desegregation Economic/Workforce Development Equity Federal Finance Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost Finance--Aid to Private Schools Finance--Bonds Finance--District Finance--Facilities Finance--Federal Finance--Funding Formulas Finance--Local Foundations/Funds Finance--Lotteries Finance--Performance Funding Finance--Private Giving 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--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 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--Professional Development Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Tenure Mentoring/Tutoring Middle School Minority/Diversity Issues Minority/Diversity Issues--African American Minority/Diversity Issues--American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian No Child Left Behind--Adequate Yearly Progress No Child Left Behind--Assessment No Child Left Behind--Consequences for Schools 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 Ensuring Quality P-3 Finance P-3 Governance P-3 Grades 1-3 P-3 Health and Mental Health P-3 Kindergarten P-3 Kindergarten--Full-Day Kindergarten P-3 Preschool P-3 Special Ed./Inclusion P-3 Teaching Quality/Professional Development Parent/Family Postsecondary Postsecondary Accountability Postsecondary Accountability--Accreditation Postsecondary Accountability--Student Learning Postsecondary Affordability 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 Postsecondary Faculty--Compensation Postsecondary Faculty--Intellectual Property 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--Four-Year Baccalaureate Postsecondary Institutions--HBCUs/Minority-Serving Institutions Postsecondary Institutions--Private/Independent Postsecondary Online Instruction Postsecondary Participation--Access Postsecondary Participation--Admissions Requirements Postsecondary Participation--Affirmative Action Postsecondary Participation--Enrollments (Statistics) Postsecondary Students Postsecondary Students--Adults Postsecondary Students--Disabled Postsecondary Students--Foster Youth Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional Postsecondary Students--International Postsecondary Students--Low-Income Postsecondary Students--Military Postsecondary Students--Minority Postsecondary Success 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 OH Signed into law 12/2011 P-12 Dyslexia Early Screening and Intervention Pilot H.B. 96 Specifies dyslexia as a specific learning disability. Directs the superintendent of public instruction to establish a pilot project, to operate for three school years in three districts, to provide early screening and intervention services for children with ri... More... OH Signed into law 12/2011 P-12 Dyslexia Training for K-4 Teachers H.B. 157 - Dyslexia Training for K-4 Teachers Defines "dyslexia" and "dyslexia specialist". Permits the governing board of any educational service center to engage the services of a dyslexia specialist to provide training for teachers of grades K-4 on the indicators of dyslexia and the instruction that ch... More... MN Adopted Rules 11/2011 P-12 Rules Governing English Language Arts Academic Standards MN ADC 3501.0640, 0645, 0650, 0655 Revised English Language Arts standards to set consistent expectations across the state. The revised standards include statutory requirements related to college and career readiness, technology information literacy, and contributions of Minnesota American Indi... More... CA Signed into law 09/2011 P-12 Governor's Reading Award Program S.B. 942 - Governor's Reading Award Program Repeals the Governor's Reading Award Program, a grant program for school districts that maintain any of grades K-8. Repeals the requirement that the secretary contract for the public involvement campaign to inform Californians that promoting reading in the pub... More... CT Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Closing the Achievement Gap/Early Literacy S.B. 929 Sec. 1 - Establishes a task force to address the academic achievement gaps in Connecticut by considering effective approaches to closing the achievement gaps in elementary, middle and high schools. Requires the task force to submit a master plan to the General... More... IL Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Promotion of Minimum Reading Opportunities Daily H.B. 2397 Directs each school board to promote at least 60 minutes of minimum reading opportunities daily for students in grades K-3 whose reading level is one grade level or lower than their current grade level according to current learning standards and the school dis... More... IN Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Licensing Requirements Related to Reading S.B. 1 - Proficiencies for Teaching Reading To be licensed as an elementary teacher, individuals must be able to demonstrate comprehensive scientifically based reading instruction skills, including: (a) phonemic awareness; (b) phonics instruction; (c) fluency; (d) vocabulary; and (e) comprehension (the ... More... MN Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Reading Proficiently by Grade 3 H.F. 26 (1) Restates the literacy goal so that the legislature seeks to have every child reading at or above grade level no later than the end of grade 3. (2) Adds identification requirements for students who are not reading at grade level. (3) Requires reading assess... More... MN Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Reading Corps Specifications H.F. 26 Expands the state's Reading Corps program to include comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction to children age three to grade three. Requires the commission to submit a biennial report that records and evaluates program data to determine the effi... More... NC Veto overridden: legislature has overridden governor's veto 06/2011 P-12 Third Grade Literacy Recommendations H.B. 200 - Third Grade Literacy Recommendations Articulates legislative priority that high school graduates enter the workforce or higher education fully prepared. To implement this priority, directs the joint education oversight committee to study and report to the 2012 regular session with a comprehensive... More... TN Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Reading Proficiency S.B. 1776 Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, a student in the third grade may not be promoted to the next grade level unless the student has shown a basic understanding of curriculum and ability to perform the skills required in the subject of reading as demonstr... More... WI Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Assessing and Improving Literacy Section A.B. 40 (Act 32) - Budget Bill Provided over $600,000 for costs to develop and implement a program to assess and improve literacy in elementary school children (section 9101 (2)). A task force created by the governor by executive order and charged with developing detailed recommendations fo... More... OK Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Reading Proficiency and Support S.B. 346 Starting with students entering first grade in the 2011-2012 school year, the program of reading instruction must include provisions of the READ Initiative adopted by the school district, as instructed in the measure. If a reading deficiency is not remedied by... More... OK Signed into law 04/2011 P-12 Elements of Reading Instruction H.B. 1269 Requires all teachers of reading in the public schools in kindergarten through third grade to incorporate into instruction the five elements of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. http://webserve... More... MS Vetoed 03/2011 P-12 Repeal of Reading Sufficiency Components H.B. 642 To repeal components for the state department of education reading sufficiency program of instruction. (Identical to S.B. 2531, which was signed into law.) http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2011/pdf/HB/0600-0699/HB0642SG.pdf... More... NM Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Teaching Reading and Elementary Licensure Exam H.B. 74 Requires the knowledge of the science of teaching reading to be part of the teacher assessment examination for elementary licensure. http://www.nmlegis.gov/Sessions/11%20Regular/final/HB0074.pdf... More... UT Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Notification of Student Reading Below Grade Level S.B. 38 Clarifies that a district or charter school must assess the reading level of a student in 1st, 2nd or 3rd grade at the midpoint of a school year using multiple assessments and, by February 15, notify the parent if a student is reading below grade level. http:/... More... UT Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Allowable Expenditures of K-3 Reading Improvement Program Funds S.B. 63 Identifies allowable expenditures of K-3 Reading Improvement Program funds, including, among other uses, focused reading remediations through before- and after-school programs and summer programs, or reading software. Directs the state board to annually report... More... UT Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 K-3 Reading Improvement Program H.B. 302 Directs the state board of education to approve a benchmark assessment for districts and charter schools to assess the reading proficiency of 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders at the beginning, middle and end of the school year, and report the assessment results to a s... More... VA Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Standards of Quality H.B. 1792/S.B. 1270 Codifies in the Standards of Quality the flexibility to use funds provided in the appropriation act and provided to local school divisions for certain staffing standards related to instructional staff in mathematics, limited English proficiency, reading, techn... More... Reading/Literacy--Adult 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 Safety--Uniforms/Dress Codes School/District Structure/Operations School/District Structure/Operations--District Consolidation/Deconsolidation School/District Structure/Operations--District Size 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--Staffing Ratios 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--Immigrant 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 Surveys Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities Students--Employment Students--Incentives 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--Unions/Collective Bargaining--Strikes Technology Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware Technology--Equitable Access Technology--Funding Issues Technology--Teacher/Faculty Training Textbooks and Open Source Urban--Change/Improvements