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
NHSigned into law 07/2011P-12Allows for the adjustment in the method of calculating the partial payment of taxes related to an increase or decrease in local education taxes resulting from a change to the town's or city's adequate education grant or excess tax amount. The change applies to both semi-annual and quarterly collection of taxes.
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0622.html
Title: H.B. 622
Source: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/

OHSigned into law 06/2011P-12Establishes 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
Title: H.B. 153 - Local Property Tax or Income Tax Levy
Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us

COSigned into law 05/2011P-12Creates a voluntary contribution designation benefiting the Public Education Fund to appear on the state individual tax return forms. Allows taxpayers to designate a contribution to the fund.
http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2011a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/3311C7596869A9FD87257808008009AC?Open&file=109_enr.pdf
Title: S.B. 109
Source: http://www.leg.state.co

KSSigned into law 05/2011P-12Continues the statewide tax levy for funding public schools.
Title: H.B. 2015
Source: http://www.kslegislature.org

MTSigned into law 05/2011P-12Excerpts 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 and natural gas production taxes at the state level for school districts whose tax allocation exceeds 150% of the district's maximum or adopted general fund budget. SB 329 will create increased revenue in the state general fund of $11.3 million in FY 2012 and $1.1 million in FY 2013. Section 3 of the bill allows school districts to enter into multidistrict agreements to perform any services, activities, and undertakings of the participating districts. This section also authorizes each participating district to transfer funds into the interlocal cooperative fund from the general fund or any other budgeted fund of the district. Under SB 329, there is no limit on the amount that can be transferred from budgeted funds other than the school district general fund which is limited to the amount of the district's direct state aid (DSA).

Section 5(2), requires the OPI to develop publicly available district educational profiles that include include school district contact information, state criterion-referenced testing results, programs and course offerings, student enrollment and demographic information by grade level, and graduation rates. Section 5(3) requires each school district to annually report to the OPI the number and type of employee positions; compensation paid to each employee; the certification held by the employee and required by the position, student-teacher ratios by grade; the amount spent by the district for operation and maintenance and for debt service; district expenditures per pupil; the total budget for all funds; the total number of students enrolled and average daily attendance; the total amount spent by the district on extracurricular activities and the number of students who participated; and the number of students who entered 9th grade but did not graduate. Requires each district to post on its website copies of collective bargaining agreements and the district costs associated with employee union representation, collective bargaining, union grievance procedures, and litigation resulting from union employee grievances. Requires oil and natural gas production taxes allocated to a district to be distributed to the district in accordance with section 7 of SB 329. Effective July 1, 2012, establishes a state school oil and natural gas impact account to help counties and school districts that are not receiving oil and natural gas production taxes, but are impacted by oil and natural gas production, defray costs associated with increased school enrollments, teacher shortages, and infrastructure. The balance in the account may not exceed $7.5 million. Any amount in excess of $7.5 million must be deposited in the state general fund.
Fiscal note: http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2011/FNPDF/SB0329.pdf
Full text: http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2011/billpdf/SB0329.pdf
Title: S.B. 329
Source: http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2011

NDSigned into law 05/2011P-12Revises the funding formula: weighting factors related to English Language Learners, special education and isolated schools. Adds a middle school factor with a sunset clause. Makes baseline funding adjustments. Modifies the calculation of the statewide average inputed taxable per pupil amount. Excludes Ed Jobs Funds from the caluclation of unobligated fund balance. Increases the amount of money and interest rate discount that can be borrowed for school construction loans. Addresses rapid enrollment by appropriating $5 million from the oil and gas impact grant fund to any district with a 7% and at least 25 student increase over the previous fall enrollment count. Continues the requirement to use 70% of new funding for increasing teacher compensation or hiring additional staff. Creates a special interim legislative committee to study education and taxation issues.
http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/62-2011/documents/11-0208-12000.pdf
Title: S.B. 2150 - Multiple Provisions
Source: http://www.legis.nd.gov

AZSigned into law 04/2011P-12Increases the amount of local override funding that school districts would receive in FY 2012 and FY 2013 relative to current law by basing their override funding on what their Revenue Control Limit (RCL) would be if the per pupil "base level" was increased for inflation and the former Kindergarten Group B weight was still in effect. Override funding is based on a percentage of a district's RCL and a district's RCL is affected by its "base level" and Group B weight funding.
http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/50leg/1r/bills/sb1263h.pdf
Title: S.B. 1263--Overrides
Source: http://www.azleg.gov

+ 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
+ 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