ECS
From the ECS State Policy Database
2011 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 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
+ 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
+ High School--International Baccalaureate
+ Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices
+ Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling
+ Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools
+ 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
+ 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--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
+ 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
CASigned into law 10/2011P-12
Postsec.
Creates definition of "gender expression" in the Education Code. Adds that a public education is to be offered to all, regardless of gender identity and gender expression; prohibits discrimination in public schools and charter schools based on gender identity or gender expression in any program or activity conducted by an educational institution that receives, or benefits from, state financial assistance or enrolls pupils who
receive state student financial aid. Adds that gender identity and gender expression includes a perception that the person has any of those characteristics or that the person is associated with a person who has, or is perceived to have, any of those characteristics. Adds gender identity and gender expression to characteristics that supplemental resources to combat bias should be available in the public schools. Also prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender expression and gender identity in the Government Code. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0851-0900/ab_887_bill_20111009_chaptered.pdf
Title: A.B. 887
Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov

CASigned into law 10/2011Postsec.From bill summary: Requests the Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California, and the governing board of each community college district to adopt and publish policies on harassment, intimidation and bullying to be included within the rules of student conduct governing their respective segments of public postsecondary education. Expresses the intent of the legislature that rules and
regulations governing student conduct be published, at a minimum, on the each public postsecondary educational campus's Web site and as part of any printed material covering those rules and regulations within the respective public postsecondary education systems. Revises the definition of gender to include "gender expression" for purposes of the Equity in Higher Education Act. Requests the Trustees of the California State University, the Regents of the University of California, and the governing board of each community college district to designate an employee at each of their respective campuses as a point of contact to address the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender faculty, staff and students. Requests each segment to collect aggregate demographic information regarding sexual orientation and gender identity of staff and students within other aggregate demographic data collected, and requires annual transmittal of any report to the legislature, and posting of the information on each respective institution's Web site.

Encourage the Legislative Analyst to conduct an assessment of the campuses of each of the segments of public postsecondary education to develop recommendations to improve the quality of life on those campuses for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender faculty, staff and students, and to publish a summary of those recommendations on its Web site. Makes various conforming changes to existing nondiscrimination laws affecting postsecondary educational institutions and programs, and requirements related to reporting hate violence, to additionally include sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression within the scope of those programs and requirements. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0601-0650/ab_620_bill_20111008_chaptered.pdf
Title: A.B. 620
Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov

MOSigned into law 10/2011P-12Modifies S.B. 54. SCS/SB 1 c[ ][ ] This act modifies provisions relating to communications between school district employees and students.Current law requires each school district to promulgate a written policy on teacher-student and employee-student communication by January 1, 2012, which would include restrictions on teachers' use of work-related internet sites and nonwork-related internet sites, as described in the act. This act modifies the components that must be included in each school district's policy. It repeals the existing components and requirements and instead requires each district to promulgate a written policy concerning employee-student communication by March 1, 2012. The policy must include, but not be limited to, the use of electronic media and other mechanisms to prevent improper communications between staff members and students. This act repeals the prohibition on a teacher establishing, maintaining, or using a work-related internet site unless it is available to school administrators and the child's legal custodian, physical custodian or legal guardian. This act also repeals the prohibition on a teacher establishing, maintaining, or using a nonwork-related internet site which allows exclusive access with a current or former student. This act also repeals the definitions of: exclusive access, former student, work-related internet site, and nonwork-related internet site.
http://www.senate.mo.gov/11info/BTS_Web/Bill.aspx?SessionType=S1&BillID=4696921
Title: S.B. 1
Source: http://www.senate.mo.gov

CASigned into law 09/2011P-12Expresses legislative intent that public schools have access to supplemental resources to combat bias on the basis of gender identity and gender expression. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_0551-0600/sb_559_bill_20110906_chaptered.pdf
Title: S.B. 559
Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov

TXSigned into law 06/2011P-12Requires a superintendent or director of a school district to complete an investigation of an educator based on reasonable cause to believe the educator may have engaged in abuse or an unlawful act with a student or minor, despite the educator's resignation from district employment before completion of the investigation.

Provides that if a district or open enrollment charter school employee is employed under a probationary, continuing or term contract and the district or charter school receives notice that the employee's certificate has been revoked, or if the district or charter school becomes aware that such a person has been convicted of or received deferred adjudication for a felony offense, and the district has not receive notice that the person's license has been revoked, the district or school must suspend the person without pay, provide the person with written notice that the person's contract is void, and terminate the person's employment as soon as practicable. Provides that such action is not subject to appeal, and that notice and hearing requirements do not apply to the action.

Provides that a certified employee of a public or private K-12 school commits an offense if the employee engages in sexual contact, sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse with a person the employee knows is enrolled in a school in the same district the employee works in, or a student participant in an educational activity sponsored by a district or a public or private K-12 school, if the employee provides education services to these participants. Provides circumstances that are an affirmative defense to prosecution.
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/82R/billtext/pdf/HB01610F.pdf#navpanes=0
Title: H.B. 1610
Source: www.capitol.state.tx.us

MSSigned into law 03/2011P-12Adds to grounds for revocation or suspension of a teacher or administrative license: (g) The license holder has engaged in unethical conduct relating to an educator/student relationship as identified by the State Board of Education in its rules; (h) The license holder has fondled a student, had any type of sexual involvement with a student; or (i) The license holder has failed to report sexual involvement of a school employee with a student. Provides a legal duty for school superintendents to report incidences of sexual involvement of school employees with a student, and provides criminal penalties for failure to report.
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2011/pdf/HB/0600-0699/HB0641SG.pdf
Title: H.B. 641
Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us

VASigned into law 03/2011P-12Provides that any family life education curriculum offered by a local school division shall require the Standards of Learning objectives related to dating violence and the characteristics of abusive relationships to be taught at least once during middle school and at least twice during high school.
http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?111+ful+SB906ER+pdf
Title: S.B. 906
Source: http://lis.virginia.gov

+ 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--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 Supports
+ Student Supports--Counseling/Guidance
+ Student Supports--Mentoring/Tutoring
+ Student Supports--Remediation
+ 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