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
+ 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
CASigned into law 09/2011P-12From bill summary: Existing law requires the commission on teacher credentialing to adopt and implement an accreditation framework, setting forth commission policies on the accreditation of educator preparation in California, and to modify the framework in accordance to specified provisions. Existing law requires the system for accreditation of educator preparation to replace the prior system of program approval established in 1970. Existing law also requires the commission, with the Committee on Accreditation, to select an external evaluator to conduct an evaluation of accreditation policies.

This bill deletes provisions relating to replacement of the prior system of program approval, provisions relating to the modification of the framework, and provisions requiring selection of an external evaluator. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_941_bill_20110926_chaptered.pdf
Title: S.B. 941 - Accreditation of Educator Preparation
Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov

CTSigned into law 07/2011Postsec.Requires the Office of Workforce Competitiveness, every two years, to identify and report on the sectors or subsectors in which workforce shortages exist, the workforce skills needed in those sectors or subsectors, and which career pathways should be established. Requires the Department of Education to electronically distribute information on teacher shortage areas for at least the previous five-year period. Provides that this information must be distributed annually, by March 1, to the president of every higher education institution in Connecticut that offers teacher preparation programs. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00133-R00HB-06485-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6485
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov

CTSigned into law 07/2011P-12Includes genocide education in the materials provided by the Department of Education to school districts for student curriculum and educator in-service training. Classifies American sign language as a foreign language for purposes of the prescribed education curriculum. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00136-R00HB-06499-PA.pdf
Title: H.B. 6499 - Sec. 1 and 2
Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov

TXSigned into law 07/2011P-12From bill summary: Requires a candidate for certification as a teacher of record, before a district may employ the candidate, to complete at least 15 hours of field-based experience in which the candidate is actively engaged in instructional or educational activities under supervision at a public school campus or private school accredited, recognized, or approved, as applicable, for this purpose by the Texas Education Agency. Makes this requirement applicable only to an initial certification issued on or after September 1, 2012. Requires the state board for educator certification (SBEC) to propose rules relating to field-based experience requirements. Requires the commissioner by rule to adopt procedures and standards for recognizing a private school.
Bill text (pages 2-4): http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/821/billtext/pdf/SB00008F.pdf#navpanes=0
Bill summary: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/BillSummary.aspx?LegSess=821&Bill=SB8
Title: S.B. 8 - Teacher Candidates and Field-Based Experience
Source: www.legis.state.tx.us

OHSigned into law 06/2011P-12
Postsec.
By December 31, 2012 and annually thereafter, requires the chancellor of the board of regents to report aggregate academic growth data, using the value-added progress dimension, for students assigned to graduates of state-approved teacher preparation programs who teach English language arts or mathematics in any of grades 4-8 in a public school in Ohio. Directs the chancellor to aggregate the data by graduating class for each approved teacher preparation program, except that if a particular class has 10 or fewer graduates, the chancellor must report the data for a group of classes over a three-year period. Prohibits the report from identifying any individual graduate. Directs the department of education to share any data necessary for the report with the chancellor. Page 436 of 1000: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText129/129_HB_153_EN_part2.pdf
Title: H.B. 153 - Teacher Preparation Program Graduates' Performance
Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us

COSigned into law 05/2011Postsec.Revises statutes related to teacher preparation and evaluation and expands several sections to include principals. Some areas of revision include: screening potential teaching candidates' academic preparation as well as dispositions that would be appropriate for educators; number of hours of field experience required; and higher education commission policies to monitor and improve effectiveness of preparation programs and their graduates. Spells out data that the department of education is required to collect from higher education institutions regarding educator preparation programs. Indicates new policies and procedures for the commission to evaluate and possibly discontinue educator preparation programs.
http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2011a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/62D9FB44048D63E5872578640052A500?Open&file=245_enr.pdf
Title: S.B. 245
Source: http://www.leg.state.co.us

FLSigned into law 05/2011P-12
Postsec.
Repeals provisions relating to programs that were never implemented or are no longer funded. The programs are: Digital Divide Council and the associated Pilot Project for Discounted Computers and Internet Access for Low-Income Students; the Institute on Urban Policy and Commerce; the Community and Faith-based Organizations Initiative; the Community and Library Technology Access Partnership; the Community computer access grant program; Adult Literacy Centers; the Florida Literacy Corps; Preteacher and Teacher Education Pilot programs, the Teacher Education Pilot Programs for High-Achieving Students; the Merit Award Program; the Critical Teacher Shortage Program, which includes: the Florida Teacher Scholarship and Forgivable Loan Program, the Critical Teacher Shortage Tuition Reimbursement Program, and the Critical Teacher Shortage Student Loan Forgiveness Program.

The legislation also repeals professional service contracts for instructional staff and the requirement for students who took Algebra I in the middle grades from 2007-2008 through 2009-2010 to take the Algebra I end-of-course assessment in the 2010-2011 school year.

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h7087er.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=7087&Session=2011
Title: H.B. 7087
Source: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov

MESigned into law 05/2011P-12Directs the state Board of Education and the Department of Education (DOE) to conduct a study to ensure that teachers and paraprofessionals who work with children with autism spectrum disorders are appropriately and adequately prepared. Requires the DOE to convene a work group with broad stakeholder representation. Provides that the purpose of the work group is to analyze the qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals who work with children with autism spectrum disorders and to make recommendations that will assist the department in ensuring that the teachers and paraprofessionals are appropriately and adequately prepared. Requires the work group to submit its recommendations to the state Board of Education and the DOE by November 1, 2011 and the State Board of Education and the DOE to submit a report, including the findings and recommendations from the work group, to the legislature by December 7, 2011. Authorizes the legislature to introduce legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 125th Legislature. http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/bills_125th/chapters/RESOLVE47.asp
Title: H.R. 546
Source: http://www.mainelegislature.org

+ 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