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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 PA Signed into law 11/2011 P-12 Postsec. Thresholds for Contracts Put Out for Bid S.B. 296 Increases the maximum amount of a contract before it must be put out for bids. Under current law, a district must seek written or phone price quotes from at least three contractors or suppliers for contracts over $4,000 but not more than $10,000. This increase... More... CA Signed into law 10/2011 P-12 Hearing Before Adoption of Local Budget A.B. 189 - Hearing Before Adoption of Local Budget From bill summary: Requires a public hearing to be held prior to and independent of a meeting where the governing board of a school district or county office of education adopts a budget. Also requires the governing board to identify the program or programs to... More... IL Signed into law 08/2011 P-12 Fiscal Efficiency and Shared Services S.B. 2134 Encourages each regional superintendent of schools to offer districts the opportunity to share in joint educational or operational programs, and to urge school districts to participate in such programs when the school district determines that such participatio... More... IL Signed into law 08/2011 P-12 Financial Oversight Panels S.B. 2149 Requires that if an Annual Financial Report resulting from a mandated audit reflects a deficit, the district must, within 30 days after acceptance of such audit report, submit a deficit reduction plan. Makes legislative findings relative to the need for fina... More... CA Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Allocation of Federal Funds to Districts A.B. 169 Clarifies that for purposes of state board allocation of federal funds to districts, "districts" are defined to include school districts, county offices of education, and other educational agencies or entities deemed eligible pursuant to state and federal law.... More... TX Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 District Furloughs S.B. 8 - District Furloughs Authorizes a district board of trustees to implement a furlough program and reduce the number of days of service otherwise required by law by not more than 6 days of service during a school year if the commissioner certifies that the district will be provided ... More... TX Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 District Financial Exigency S.B. 8 - District Financial Exigency From bill summary: Authorizes a school district board of trustees to adopt a resolution declaring a financial exigency for the district, limited to the fiscal year during which the declaration is made unless the board adopts a resolution declaring a continuati... More... FL Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Postsec. Budget Review/Gift Ban for School Board Members H.B. 1255 - Sec. 6, 29 Removes the requirement that the commissioner of education review the budgets for school districts and Florida College System institutions. Removes the requirement that the state department of education approve school board budgets. Requires school districts t... More... FL Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Posting of District Budget on School Website S.B. 224 Requires the budget of each school district (and other city and county entities) to be posted on the district's website. http://laws.flrules.org/files/Ch_2011-144.pdf... More... NC Veto overridden: legislature has overridden governor's veto 06/2011 P-12 School Calendar Pilot Program H.B. 200 - School Calendar Pilot Program Directs the state board to establish a school calendar pilot program in the Wilkes County Schools, the Montgomery County Schools, and the Stanly County Schools, to determine whether and to what extent a local school administrative unit can save money by consol... More... NH Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Authorization for Special Board Meetings to Discuss Changes in Funding H.B. 650 Authorizes a school district to call a special meeting to address changes in the amount of education funding to be received from the state. The authorization is repealed effective July 1, 2012. http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0650.html... More... NV Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Finance A.B. 579 Ensures sufficient funding for K-12 public education for the 2011-2013 biennium; apportioning the State Distributive School Account in the State General Fund for the 2011-2013 biennium; authorizing certain expenditures; making appropriations for purposes relat... More... OH Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 School District Solvency Assistance Fund H.B. 153 - School District Solvency Assistance Fund Provides an exception to the provision that districts must reimburse the school district solvency assistance fund no later than the end of the second fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the solvency assistance payment was made. Permits the fund to b... More... OH Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Local Property Tax or Income Tax Levy H.B. 153 - Local Property Tax or Income Tax Levy Establishes the procedure for a district to levy a property tax or income tax. Pages 752-757 of 1000: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText129/129_HB_153_EN_part3.pdf... More... PA Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Multiple Sections - School Budgets H.B. 1352 Section 615 gives school districts the authority to reopen their budget fue to changes in federal and state allocations. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/BI/FN/2011/0/HB1352P2227.pdf... More... TN Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Students Served in Residential Mental Health S.B. 1707 Requires a local board of education to allocate funding in an amount equal to the per pupil state and local funds received by the LEA to state licensed residential mental health facilities on a prorated daily basis for the student's length of stay, provided ce... More... FL Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Postsec. Uniform Reporting Requirements S.B. 1292 Requires, beginning October 1, 2011, the Chief Financial Officer to conduct workshops with state agencies, local governments, educational entities, and entities of higher education to gather information pertaining to uniform reporting requirements. Requires th... More... FL Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Postsec. Transparency Requirements S.B. 2096 Requires charter schools and charter technical career centers to post their financial information on the Transparency Florida website. Requires the Auditor General to annually submit to the Legislature a list of any school districts, charter schools, charter t... More... KS Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Uniform Reporting System S.B. 21 Enacts the uniform reporting system for receipts and expenditures for school districts. Requires the state board of education to develop and maintain the system. The system would include budgetary and proprietary accounts; allow districts to record any informa... More... MT Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Revenues, Shared Services, Reporting S.B. 329 Excerpts from the fiscal note: SB 329, as amended, increases the basic and per-ANB entitlements for K-12 public schools by 1.1% in FY 2012 and by 0.63% in FY 2013. The bill eliminates the 0.76% growth factor on school block grants after FY 2011 and retains oil... More... OK Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Federal Grant Money Can Be Disbursed to Cooperative S.B. 275 The measure allows federal grant money applied for on behalf of a school district to be disbursed directly to an interlocal cooperative with the consent of the school districts in the cooperative. http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/cf/2011-12%20ENR/SB/SB275%20E... More... OK Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Cap on District Expenditures on Administration S.B. 664 Changes the cap on school district expenditures. School districts with more than 1,500 average daily attendance must not spend more than 5% of total expenditures on administration. Districts with more than 500 but less than 1,500 average daily attendance are c... More... OK Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Public School Classroom Support Revolving Fund H.B. 1852 The measure creates the Public School Classroom Support Revolving Fund to be used for grants to public classroom teachers. The State Board of Education will award the grants and establish the criteria for and application process for the grants. Teachers must u... More... OK Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 School Consolidation Assistance Fund H.B. 2115 Allows expenditure from School Consolidation Assistance Fund to school districts that have entered into a mutual contract for a superintendent; establishes amount of assistance, including maximum. Total assistance paid over three years from the School Consoli... More... ID Signed into law 04/2011 P-12 Students Come First S.B. 1184 The Students Come First legislation relates to public school modernization and reform. The legislature has a duty to ensure that state's schools are on firm financial ground. To ensure the state can educate more students at a higher level with limited resource... More... ND Signed into law 04/2011 P-12 Authority to Withhold School District State Aid H.B. 1428 Requires the superintendent of public instruction to develop detailed procedures for school districts (and others) to follow if there is any risk of defaulting on a fiscal oblication. Adds districts as entities that are bound by notification procedures establi... More... OK Signed into law 04/2011 P-12 H.B. 1372 Modifies definition of administrative services for expenditure limits. In defining "administrative services," staff for the superintendent were included. This amendment adds the staff of any elementary superintendent or any assistant superintendent to the admi... More... WA Signed into law 04/2011 P-12 Fiscal Impact H.B. 1703 Requires the office of the superintendent of public instruction to prepare school district fiscal notes on proposed legislation that increases or decreases school district revenues or expenditures in a manner that uniquely affects school districts. http://ap... More... WA Signed into law 04/2011 P-12 Fiscal bankruptcy H.B. 1431 Section 1: Relates to addressing financial insolvency of school districts; and creating new sections. Superintendent of public instruction is to convene educational service districts to analyze options and make recommendations for a clear legal framework and p... More... MI Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Supervision of Lowest-achieving Schools S.B. 157 Provides that if a school included on the list of lowest-achieving 5% of public schools was operated by a district in which an emergency manager was in place under the Local Government and School District Fiscal Accountability Act, the Superintendent of Public... More... MI Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Local Government and School District Fiscal Accountability Act H.B. 4214 Repeals the "Local Government Fiscal Responsibility Act", and creates the "Local Government and School District Fiscal Accountability Act", which similarly would provide for the review, management, and control of the financial and other operations of a local g... More... OH Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Financial Reporting and Certain Standards for Operation of K-12 Programs H.B. 30 - Financial Reporting and Certain Standards for Operation of K-12 Programs Permits the state superintendent to issue waivers from certain financial reporting standards for districts and educational service centers, and certain state board standards for the operation of K-12 programs defined in divisions (B)(2) and (D) of Section 3301... More... SD Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Capital Outlay S.B. 111 Extend for two years the period of time in which school districts may expend capital outlay funds for certain transportation, insurance, energy, and utility costs. http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2011/Bills/SB111ENR.pdf... More... TX Adopted 01/2011 P-12 Financial Accountability Rating System 19 TAC 109.1002, 1003, 1004, 1005 From the January 28, 2011 Texas Register: The sections establish provisions that detail the ratings, types of ratings, criteria, reporting and sanctions for the financial accountability rating system. Amendments update the School Financial Integrity Rating Sys... More... 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 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