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From the ECS State Policy Database 2012 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 2012. 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 Drive 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--High Stakes/Competency At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention) At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Alternative Education Attendance Attendance--Compulsory Attendance--Statutory Ages (Upper and Lower) Attendance--Truancy Background Checks Bilingual/ESL Career/Technical Education Career/Technical Education--Career Academies/Apprenticeship Cheating Choice of Schools Choice of Schools--Charter Schools 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--Magnet or Specialized Schools Choice of Schools--Tax Credits Choice of Schools--Vouchers Civic Education Civic Education--Character Education Civic Education--Curriculum/Standards Civic Education--Pledge of Allegiance Class Size Counseling/Guidance Curriculum Curriculum--Arts Education Curriculum--Drivers Education Curriculum--Excusal Curriculum--Family Living Education Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed. Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education Curriculum--Language Arts Curriculum--Mathematics Curriculum--Multicultural Curriculum--Physical Education Curriculum--Science Curriculum--Sex Education Curriculum--Social Studies/History Data-Driven Improvement Economic/Workforce Development Equity Finance Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost Finance--Bonds Finance--District Finance--Equity Finance--Facilities Finance--Federal Finance--Funding Formulas Finance--Local Foundations/Funds Finance--Lotteries 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--Regional Entities Governance--School Boards Governance--School Boards--Training Governance--Site-Based Management Governance--State Boards/Chiefs/Agencies Health Health--Child Abuse 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 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--Preparation Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Professional Development Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Tenure Mentoring/Tutoring Middle School Minority/Diversity Issues Minority/Diversity Issues--American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian No Child Left Behind No Child Left Behind--Choice/Transfer No Child Left Behind--Consequences for Schools No Child Left Behind--Reauthorization Issues/Waivers 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 Data Systems P-3 Early Intervention (0-3) P-3 Ensuring Quality P-3 Family Involvement 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 Teaching Quality/Professional Development Parent/Family Parent/Family--Parent Rights Partnerships--University/School Postsecondary Postsecondary Accountability Postsecondary Accountability--Accreditation Postsecondary Accountability--Licensing/Program Review and Approval 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--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--Private/Independent Postsecondary Online Instruction Postsecondary Participation Postsecondary Participation--Access Postsecondary Participation--Enrollments (Statistics) Postsecondary Participation--Outreach Postsecondary Students Postsecondary Students--Adults Postsecondary Students--Disabled Postsecondary Students--Foster Youth Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional Postsecondary Students--Military CA Signed into law 09/2012 Postsec. Priority Registration for Veterans A.B. 2133 From bill summary: Enacts the Combat to College Act of 2012, which authorizes a qualifying student to use the 4 academic years during which the California Community Colleges and the California State University are required, and the University of California is ... More... CA Signed into law 09/2012 Community College Academic Credit for Prior Military Experience A.B. 2462 Directs the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, using common course descriptors and pertinent recommendations of the American Council on Education, to determine by July 1, 2015, the courses for which credit should be awarded for prior military ex... More... CA Signed into law 09/2012 Postsec. Student Residency Requirements for Veterans. A.B. 2478 From bill summary: Makes students who were stationed in California for more than one year as active duty military for more than one year immediately prior to being discharged from the military exempt from paying nonresident tuition. Revises that provision for ... More... CA Signed into law 09/2012 P-12 Credit for Veterans' Military Experience A.C.R. 159 Encourages the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California to consider and adopt the American Council on Education credit recommendations to give veterans due credit for their military experience. http://www... More... NV Adopted 07/2012 Postsec. Establishing the Governor's Interagency Council on Veterans Affairs Executive Order #2012-15 Establishes the Governor's Interagency Council on Veterans Affairs to help identify and prioritize the needs of Nevada veterans. The Council is to produce a report for the governor on how to improve services to veterans. http://gov.nv.gov/news/item/4294973661/... More... LA Signed into law 06/2012 Postsec. Resident Tuition for Certain Veterans H.B. 435 Provides that, with the exception of tuition charged to a veteran under the federal Yellow Ribbon Program, a student who has served in the U.S. armed forces and physically resides in Louisiana for the duration of his enrollment in a state public institution of... More... AL Signed into law 05/2012 Postsec. National Guard Classified as Residents for Purposes of In-State Tuition H.B. 97 Classifies certain members of the Alabama National Guard as residents eligible for in-state tuition rates.... More... LA Signed into law 05/2012 Postsec. State Scholarship Program Eligibility for Students in Armed Forces H.B. 945 Revises eligibility provisions for students who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces relative to the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students. Provides for initial award eligibility and continuing eligibility for certain students who reenlist in the United States Ar... More... MA Signed into law 05/2012 Postsec. Academic Credit for Military Students S.B. 2254 Requires public institution of higher education to develop a set of policies and procedures governing the evaluation of a student's military occupation, military training, coursework and experience, to determine whether academic credit shall be awarded by the ... More... OK Signed into law 05/2012 Postsec. occupations; creating post-military service occupation, education and credentialing act. effective date. S.B. 1863 Creates the Post-Military Service Occupation, Education and Credentialing Act. Authorizes the public and private institutions of higher education and the career and technology centers to utilize the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experiences in the Arm... More... SC Signed into law 05/2012 Postsec. Military Student Absence - Make-up Work H.B. 3558 Requires all state institutions of higher education to allow students to complete assignments or take make-up examinations when an absence is caused by attending or participating in military service, duty, training, or disaster relief efforts. http://www.scsta... More... AK Signed into law 04/2012 Postsec. Military Training/Postsecondary Credit H.B. 282 Directs the department or applicable board to accept military education, training, and service credit for some or all of the qualifications otherwise required of an applicant for a license or certificate issued or to accept academic credit towards a degree or ... More... FL Signed into law 04/2012 Postsec. Postsecondary Course Registration for Veterans H.B. 45 Requires each Florida College System institution and state university that offers priority course registration for a segment of the student population, or upon implementation of priority course registration for a segment of the student population, to provide p... More... FL Signed into law 04/2012 Postsec. College Credit for Military Training and Education Courses H.B. 347 Requires the board of governors and the state board of education to adopt regulations & rules, respectively, that enable U.S. Armed Forces servicemembers to earn college credit at public postsecondary institutions for college-level training and education acqui... More... FL Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Postsec. Veterans S.B. 922 Establishes August 7th of each year as "Purple Heart Day," and encourages schools to commemorate Purple Heart Day and honor those wounded or killed while serving in any branch of the U.S. Armed Services. Requires each Florida College System institution and sta... More... HI Signed into law 04/2012 Postsec. College-Credit Equivalency Program H.B. 2639 Amends the University of Hawaii college-credit equivalency program to provide for the awarding of credit for service in the U.S. armed forces. Requires the program to develop a learning assessment or other criteria to determine college-level learning gained du... More... MN Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Early Graduation Military Service Award Program H.F. 2949 Clarifies eligibility for the early graduation military service award program. Establishes a deadline for submission of application and request for payment for early graduation military service award. Clarifies that once the original amount of the award has be... More... PA Signed into law 04/2012 Community College State Military College Legislative Appointment Initiative Program Act S.B. 560 Establishes State Military College Legislative Appointment Initiative Program. Allows each member of the Assembly to establish a state military college selection committee. Sets minimum qualifications for applicant selection. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOC... More... TN Signed into law 04/2012 Postsec. Postsecondary - Veterans H.B. 2961 Provides that a combat veteran shall be allowed to register for classes prior to the general student population at any public institution of higher education. Stipulates early registration shall occur using the same procedure used by student athletes, disabled... More... ID Signed into law 03/2012 Postsec. Scholarships for Spouse and Child of Military Member H.B. 386 SCHOLARSHIPS - Amends existing law relating to scholarships to revise provisions relating to eligibility of a scholarship of a spouse or child, to establish provisions relating to eligibility for a scholarship for a child of a military member, to establish pro... More... ID Signed into law 03/2012 Postsec. Academic Credit for Military Training S.B. 1299 Helps separating service members who leave the military with documented training and experience that can prepare them for civilian employment; but this documentation is not always used by state entities to qualify them for licenses required for their occupatio... More... IN Signed into law 03/2012 Postsec. Credit for Military Education and Training. H.B. 1116 Requires a state educational institution to adopt a policy to award educational credit to an individual who is enrolled in a state educational institution and successfully completes courses that: (1) are part of the individual's military service; (2) meet the ... More... VA Signed into law 03/2012 Postsec. Higher Education; Course Credit for Military Experience H.B. 195 Requires the governing boards of each public institution of higher education, in accordance with guidelines developed by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, to implement policies that award academic credit to students for educational experience... More... VA Signed into law 03/2012 Postsec. Higher Education; Scheduling Active Duty Military H.B. 548 Requires public institutions of higher education, in accordance with guidelines developed by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, to implement policies that recognize the scheduling difficulties and obligations of active duty military personnel.... More... SD Signed into law 02/2012 Postsec. Veteran Residency Requirements S.B. 80 Exempts veterans from the twelve-month residency requirement for the purposes of tuition and fees. http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2012/Bills/SB80ENR.pdf... More... TX Adopted 02/2012 Postsec. Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program 19 TAC 21.2244 Amends eligibility requirements for the Texas Armed Services Scholarship Program to clarify that students who have completed the equivalent of four years of ROTC training are eligible, if the institution awards ROTC credit for prior service in any branch of sp... More... TX Adopted 02/2012 Postsec. Exemption Program for Veterans and Their Dependents (The Hazlewood Act) 19 TAC 21.2099, 2100, 2102, 2107, 2108 Amends provisions of the Exemption Program for Veterans and their Dependents (The Hazlewood Act). From February 24, 2012 Texas Register (page 50 http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0224/0224adop.pdf): Clarifies that eligible veterans residing out of... More... Postsecondary Success Postsecondary Success--Completion Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation Postsecondary Success--Retention/Persistence Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation Private Schools Privatization--Education Management Agencies (EMOs) Proficiency-Based Approaches Promotion/Retention Purposes of Public Education Reading/Literacy Religion Religion--Prayer/Meditation Religion--Scientific Creationism (Evolution) 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--Year School Safety School Safety--Bullying Prevention/Conflict Resolution 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--Facilities School/District Structure/Operations--Food Service School/District Structure/Operations--Org. (K-3/K-8 etc.) School/District Structure/Operations--Personnel (Non-Teaching) School/District Structure/Operations--Shared Services 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--Migrant Education Special Populations--Military Standards Standards--Common Core State Standards State Longitudinal Data Systems State Policymaking State Policymaking--Ballot Questions State Policymaking--Constitutional Clauses State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions STEM Student Achievement Student Achievement--Closing the Achievement Gap Student Surveys Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities Students--Employment Students--K-12 Exchange Students 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 Contracts (Not Tenure) Teaching Quality--Teacher Rights Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining Technology Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware Technology--Equitable Access Technology--Funding Issues Technology--Internet Safety Technology--Teacher/Faculty Training Textbooks and Open Source Urban