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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 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 MI Signed into law 12/2011 P-12 Bipartisan Workgroup to Recommend Measures to Improve Educational Quality in Public Schools S.B. 618 Requires a bipartisan workgroup to be convened and recommend measures to improve educational quality in all public schools. The group must focus on student growth and submit its recommendations by March 30, 2012. Sec. 1277b http://www.legislature.mi.gov/docum... More... MN Issued 11/2011 P-12 Task Force on the Prevention of School Bullying E.O. 11-33 Establishes the Governor's Task Force on the Prevention of School Bullying to examine the state of bullying, harassment and intimidation in the state, including existing laws and regulations, and to advise the governor's office and the legislature on effective... More... NJ Issued 10/2011 P-12 Steering Committee E.O. 78 Creates a State Strategic Plan Steering Committee ("Steering Committee") to work closely with the SPC and OPA to ensure that relevant State departments and agencies incorporate the goals, objectives, and values of a new SPCadopted State Plan into Department St... More... DE Issued 09/2011 P-12 Establishes School Libraries Council Executive Order 30 Establishes a School Libraries Council for the purpose of improving and extending school library services to all Delaware public and charter school students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, to support curriculum reform efforts related to school lib... 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... CT Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Secondary School Reform Act Delay/Teacher Evaluations/Tenure/Student Governance Councils/6th Grade Student Success Plan H.B. 6498 Secondary School Reform Act - Delays by two years the implementation of the secondary school reform requirements enacted in 2010 that: (1) Increase the minimum number of credits required to graduate from high school; (2) Require school districts to offer stude... More... MI Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Teacher and Administrator Evaluation/Governor's Council on Educator Effectiveness H.B. 4627 From Legislative Staff Summary - Specifies provisions that must apply to personnel decisions concerning teachers when a school district or intermediate school district (ISD) conducts a staffing or program reduction or otherwise makes a personnel determination ... More... MO Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Supervisory Authority E.O. 11-22 WHEREAS, Section 105.454(5), RSMO, reqires the Governor to designate those members of hisstaff who have supervisory authority over each department, division or agency of the state government. NEW, THEREFORE, I, JEREMIAH W. NIXON, governor of the state of Miss... More... TX Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 School Finance System Study S.B. 1 - School Finance System Study Requires the establishment of a joint legislative interim committee to conduct a comprehensive study of the public school finance system. Directs the committee to make recommendations to the legislature no later than January 15, 2013, regarding changes to the ... More... IL Adopted 06/2011 P-12 Recess in Schools Task Force H.J.R. 4 Extends the date by which the Recess in Schools Task Force must submit its final report to December 31, 2011. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/97/HJR/PDF/09700HJ0004lv.pdf... More... MI Signed into law 06/2011 Postsec. Community College Development Courses/Performance Indicators H.B. 4325 - Postsecondary Provisions From Legislative Staff Summary: Creates a committee to develop a common set of scores using the ACT assessment to determine placement in developmental courses. Requires the senate and house appropriations subcommittees on community colleges to review the esti... More... NC Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Establishes the Arts Education Commission H.B. 758 Establishes The Arts Education Commission in the General Assembly to: (1) Review, prioritize, and recommend implementation strategies for the recommendations of the Comprehensive Arts Education Plan for K-12; (2) Recommend the content and process to establish ... More... NC Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Study Length of School Year H.B. 765 Establishes a Blue Ribbon Task Force to study the length of the school year, cost of implementation, current cost of remediation, effects current calendar has of math and science scores. Provides that a report is due to the General Assembly by December 31, 201... More... NC Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Reorganization and Consolidation of Legislative Oversight Committees H.B. 595 Eliminates the Legislative Study Commission on Children and Youth and transfers all duties to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. Modifies Education Oversight Committee study duties from "shall" to "may" and broadens the scope of the Committee... More... NC Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Reduction of State Government S.B. 593 Reduces the number of boards and commissions. Repeals: The Taskforce of School Based Management; The Taskforce on the Coordination of Children's Services; The Blue Ribbon Taskforce on State Health Plan for Teachers; The N.C. Teacher Academy Board of Trustees; ... 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... NH Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Tax Credits S.B. 67 Establishes a committee to study the implementation of an education tax credit plan in New Hampshire. Three members each from the senate and house of representatives will study authorizing business tax credits, authorizing the establishment of tax-exempt schol... More... NV Signed into law 06/2011 Postsec. Study of Funding Higher Education S.B. 374 This bill creates the Committee to Study the Funding of Higher Education. Establishes the composition of the committee. Directs the committee to study specified issues, including: (1) Compare the method of funding higher education in Nevada with the methods us... More... SC Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 South Carolina Dyslexia Task Force S.J.R. 241 Creates the South Carolina Dyslexia Task Force to study and evaluate practices for diagnosing, treating, and educating children with dyslexia and to examine how current statutes and regulations affect these students. Provides for the compostition of the tast f... More... CO Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Postsec. Community College Task Force on Student Academic Success S.B. 111 Creates the Task Force on Student Academic Success. The overall charge of the task force is to identify the junctures at which grade-level performance are critical to student progress and to ensuring they are college and career ready upon graduation. More spec... More... CO Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 School Discipline and Zero Tolerance Policies S.B. 133 Creates a task force to study school discipline practices and zero tolerance policies and the use of law enforcement and other juvenile justice sanctions for school behavior. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2011a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/4573402A707373F187257... More... GA Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 State Education Finance Study Commission H.B. 192 - State Education Finance Study Commission Establishes the State Education Finance Study Commission to evaluate the Quality Basic Education (QBE) Formula and education funding for public schools in Georgia. Provides for composition, compensation, duties and powers, and support staff of the commission. ... More... IL Adopted 05/2011 P-12 School Success Task Force H.J.R. 7 Extends the School Success Task Force established during the 96th General Assembly. Directs the task force to submit a report by December 31, 2011. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/97/HJR/PDF/09700HJ0007lv.pdf... More... MD Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Study the Creation of a Maryland Center for School Safety H.B. 79 Establishes a task force to study the creation of a Maryland Center for School Safety. Provides for the membership, chair, and staffing of the task force. Requires the task force to study and make recommendations regarding specified matters, including the foll... More... MD Signed into law 05/2011 Postsec. Study Creation of a Regional Higher Education Center in Northeastern Maryland H.B. 1156 Establishes a task force to study the creation of a Regional Higher Education Center in Northeastern Maryland; Provides for the membership, chair, and staffing of the task force. Requires the task force to study and make recommendations regarding the higher ed... More... MD Signed into law 05/2011 Postsec. Establishes Southern Maryland Higher Education Council H.B. 1347 Establishes a Southern Maryland Higher Education Council to develop a strategy for improving access to higher education for the residents of southern Maryland. Provides that an interim report with a short-term strategy is due by December 1, 2011, and a final r... More... MD Signed into law 05/2011 Postsec. Task Force on Funding a Green Technology, Life Science, & Health Information Technology Loan Assistance Repayment Program H.B. 758 Establishes the Task Force on Funding a Green Technology, Life Science, and Health Information Technology Loan Assistance Repayment Program. Requires the Task Force to conduct a study and make recommendations on or before December 31, 2011, for a program that ... More... MD Signed into law 05/2011 Postsec. Task Force to Study the Impact of Adjunct Faculty on Graduation Rates at Historically Black Institutions S.B. 347 Creates the Task Force to Study the Impact of Adjunct Faculty on Graduation Rates at Historically Black Institutions in the State. Requires the task force to make specified findings and recommendations, and report to the governor and specified committees by Ja... More... MD Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Task Force to Study High School Dropout Rates of Persons in the Criminal Justice System S.B. 755 Establishes the Task Force to Study High School Dropout Rates of Persons in the Criminal Justice System. Requires the task force to study high school dropout statistics of specified persons in the criminal justice system, obtain specified data, and make recomm... More... MD Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Clarifies Requirements Under the Open Meetings Act S.B. 644 Establishes a Joint Committee on Transparency and Open Government within the General Assembly to provide continuing legislative oversight regarding transparency and open government, and to recommend initiatives that increase citizen access to government resour... More... NJ Issued 04/2011 P-12 Education Transformation Task Force E.O. 58 Establishes the New Jersey Education Transformation Task Force. Charges the task force with reviewing all current administrative regulations that affect public education, and evaluating them to determine the degree to which they increase the quality of instruc... More... VA Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Postsec. Community College Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children H.B. 1976 Adds a fifth citizen member to the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children and specifies that such member must be a representative from a military installation in Virginia. Such representative is to be appoin... More... IL Signed into law 02/2011 P-12 Preventing Sexual Abuse of Children S.B. 2843 Creates the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children in the department of Children and Family Services. Includes the state superintendent or his/her designee, representatives of two statewide professional teachers' organizations, and a represen... More... IL Signed into law 01/2011 P-12 Postsec. Cooperation with Task Force on Private Student Loans S.B. 647 2010 legislation has created the Task Force on Private Student Loans (see http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/96/PDF/096-0880.pdf). This provision establishes the legislative expectation that institutions of higher learning comply with reasonable reques... More... NJ Issued 01/2011 Postsec. Community College University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Advisory Committee E.O. 51 Establishes the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Advisory Committee. The Committee shall consist of up to five (5) members to be appointed by the Governor. These members shall include individuals from both inside and outside government who ha... More... 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