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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 Postsecondary Success Postsecondary Success--Completion CA Signed into law 09/2012 Postsec. Regaining Institutional Eligibility for Cal Grant Awards S.B. 1028 - Regaining Institutional Eligibility for Cal Grant Awards From bill summary: Requires that an otherwise qualifying institution that becomes ineligible for initial and renewal Cal Grant awards due either to (1) a 3-year cohort default rate at or above 15.5% or (2) a graduation rate of 30% or less for students taking 1... 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... CA Signed into law 06/2012 Postsec. Cal Grant Institutional Eligibility + Cohort Default Rates and On-Time Completion Rates S.B. 1016 - Cal Grant Institutional Eligibility + Cohort Default Rates and On-Time Completion Rates From section 46 of bill summary: Existing provisions provide that, effective with the 2012-13 academic year, for students at the institution to be eligible for initial and renewal Cal Grant awards, the institution's 3-year cohort default rate must be below 30%... More... CO Signed into law 06/2012 Postsec. Improvements In College Completion H.B. 1155 Allows the Colorado commission on higher education to take into account the rigor of a student's high school courses in establishing academic admission standards for state institutions of higher education. Directs the commission to ensure the remedial educatio... More... LA Signed into law 06/2012 Postsec. Number of Hours Required for a Baccalaureate Degree S.B. 103 Limits the maximum number of semester hours required to earn a baccalaureate degree to 120 (previous provision left this number to the discretion of the board of regents); continues provision that exceptions may be granted with board of regents' approval. Adds... 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... CO Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Postsec. The Skills For Jobs Act H.B. 1061 To the extent possible, requires state agencies to produce an annual report regarding state workforce need projections and college credential production. The report also should indicated anticipated credentials that high school vocational programs, apprentices... More... CO Signed into law 04/2012 Postsec. Higher Ed Associate Degree Transfer Students S.B. 45 The bill requires a 4-year state institution of higher education to notify a 2-year institution when a student who transferred from the 2-year institution accumulates 60 credits. The 2-year institution shall conduct a degree audit to determine whether the stud... More... FL Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Postsec. Degree Completion Pilot Program H.B. 5201 - Degree Completion Pilot Program From final bill analysis: Establishes a Degree Completion Pilot Program to recruit, recover, and retain adult learners and assist them in completing degrees aligned to high-wage, high-skill, and workforce needs. Bill text (pages 33-36 of 72): http://myfloridah... 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... 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... CO Signed into law 03/2012 Postsec. Higher Ed Prior Learning Assessments H.B. 1072 Requires the commission on higher education and postsecondary institutions to develop criteria for awarding credit for students' prior learning though work experience, military service, community involvement or independent study and to define a process to asse... 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... NY Signed into law 03/2012 Postsec. Postsecondary Success Study A.B. 9057 - Postsecondary Success Study Part N: Directs the state university board of trustees and the city university board of trustees to jointly conduct a study on postsecondary remediation, which must consider a variety of factors, including strategies and programs proven effective in addressing... More... OR Signed into law 03/2012 Postsec. Higher Education Coordinating Commission S.B. 1538 Expands duties of Higher Education Coordinating Commission to include the development and recommendation of policies to ensure or improve access to higher education by underserved populations, recommend and encourage student success and completion initiatives,... 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... WA Partial Veto 03/2012 Postsec. Creating the Office of Student Achievement Council H.B. 2483 Creates the Student Achievement Council to provide the focus and propose the goals and strategies for increasing educational attainment including improving student transitions from secondary to postsecondary education and training and between and among postsec... More... 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