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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 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--Credit Recovery 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 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--Preparation Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Professional Development Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Tenure 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 Postsecondary Success--Completion--Completion Rates (Statistics) 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) 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 DE Signed into law 08/2012 pre-K-12 Court Costs for the Denial of Services for Students with Special Needs H.B. 365 Allows parents and guardians who successfully challenge the denial of services to their children with special needs to recover the costs of ... More... DE Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 Identification of Students needing Special Education Services S.B. 207 Clarifies state law provisions regarding the IDEA provision giving school districts the duty to locate, identify, and evaluate all children ... More... IL Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 Service Animals H.B. 3826 Amends provisions related to service animals. Replaces certain references to "guide dog" with "service animal." Includes miniature horse in ... More... IL Adopted 08/2012 P-12 "Medical Review" for Special Education Students 23 IL ADC 226.840 From Illinois Register: Authorizes certified school nurses (CSN), physicians, registered nurses with bachelor's degrees, and advanced practi... More... NY Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 District Committee on Special Education A.B. 7216 Adds provision that an additional parent (other than the parent of the student in question) attend a meeting of a district-level committee o... More... NY Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 Electronic IEPs A.B. 7823 Authorizes teacher and service provider access to a student's individualized education program (IEP) electronically. If any policy provides ... More... NY Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 BOCES Contracts with Out-of-State Districts A.B. 10205 Permits boards of cooperative educational services (BOCES) to enter into contracts of up to two years with out-of-state districts for specia... More... NJ Signed into law 07/2012 P-12 Transportation Requirements for Disabled Students S 618 Requires school buses transporting certain disabled persons to use flashing lights and establishes penalties for drivers who fail to yield. ... More... CT Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Educational Availability for Foster Youth S.B. 293 Requires that a permanency plan of a child in the care and custody of the Commissioner of Children and Families include information regardin... More... CT Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Reporting on Restraint and Seclusion on a Child H.B. 5347 Requires each local and regional board of education, institution and facility that provides special education for a child to (1) record each... More... CT Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Employment Training for Students with Autism S.B. 41 Directs the Office of Workforce Competitiveness, in collaboration with the Department of Education and the Board of Regents for Higher Educa... More... CT Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) H.B. 5353 Requires additional opportunities for meetings and the exchange of information between school district officials and parents of students in,... More... MI Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Autism Council Ex Order - 2012-11 Creates the Autism Council as an advisory body within the Michigan Department of Community Health. Determines membership, operations, and re... More... NH Signed into law 06/2012 pre-K-12 Special Education Rules H.B. 1360 Requires the state board of education and the commissioner of the department of education to submit reports detailing any proposed or adopte... More... NH Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Special Education Services in Charter Schools S.B. 300 Establishes a procedure for the provision of special education and related services to a child with a disability who is enrolled in a charte... More... OH Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Autism Scholarship and Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Programs S.B. 316 - Autism Scholarship and Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship Programs Each time a child's district completes evaluation for a child with a disability or undertakes the development, review, or revision of the ch... More... OH Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Eye Examination for a Student Identified with Disabilities S.B. 316 - Eye Examination for a Student Identified with Disabilities Directs the department of education to annually (1) Notify each district and community school of the requirements under section 3323.19 (req... More... RI Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Membership of the Interagency Transition Council within the Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education) H.B. 7739 Adds a representative of community-based providers of services to adults with disabilities and a representative of community-based providers... More... AZ Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Arizona Empowerment Scholarship H.B. 2622 Requires that a parent or guardian sign a contract to participate in an Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account if he/she does not plan to e... More... GA Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Textbooks and Assistive Technology Devices S.B. 289 - Textbooks and Assistive Technology Devices Clarifies that hardbound and softbound textbooks remain the property of the local unit purchasing or acquiring them, while assistive technol... More... GA Vetoed 05/2012 P-12 Scholarship Program for Special Needs Students H.B. 181 Specifies the language school systems must use to notify parents of a child's potential eligibility for a Georgia Special Needs Scholarship.... More... LA Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 School Choice Pilot Program for Students with Disabilities H.B. 911 Creates a permanent program out of the two-year School Choice Pilot Program for Certain Students with Exceptionalities. The program is desig... More... ME SIGNED 05/2012 P-12 An Act To Define Cost Responsibility for Transporting Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Students to the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf, (LD 1839) S.P. 637 This bill clarifies that the school administrative unit is responsible for the costs of transporting students who are placed in an education... More... MS Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Screening and Scholarships for Students with Dyslexia H.B. 1031 Establishes the Mississippi Dyslexia Therapy Scholarship For Students With Dyslexia program. Outlines student eligibility requirements for r... More... MS Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Authorize Recording of IEP meetings H.B. 1405 Authorizes a parent of an exceptional child to record individualized education program (IEP) meetings with audio or visual recording at the ... More... OK Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Dyslexia Teacher Training Pilot S.B. 1565 New section of law. Establishes a dyslexia teacher training pilot to train higher education faculty to teach multisensory structure reading ... More... OK Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Special Education Task Force and Scholarships for Students with Disabilities H.B. 3090 Creates the Rethinking Special Education Competency and Transition Task Force. The task force will focus on improved educational services an... More... DE Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Driver Certification for Students With IEPs H.B. 264 Allows students with individualized education plans until the age of 21 to complete their driver education certification. http://legis.delaw... More... KY Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Alternative High School Diploma for Students with Disabilities S.B. 43 Directs the state board to promulgate administrative regulations for an alternative high school diploma for students with disabilities compl... More... KY Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 K-3 Response to Intervention System in Reading, Writing, Math and Behavior H.B. 69 - K-3 Response to Intervention System in Reading, Writing, Math and Behavior Defines "aphasia", "dyscalculia", "dysgraphia", "dyslexia", "phonemic awareness" and "scientifically based research". Directs the state boar... More... KY Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Definition of "Specific Learning Disability" H.B. 69 - Definition of "Specific Learning Disability" Amends definition of "specific learning disability" to bring into conformity with federal definition (i.e., specify that it may include cond... More... MS Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Blind Persons' Literacy Rights and Education Act H.B. 960 Revises certain provisions of the blind persons' literacy rights and education act, provides that blind and visually impaired students shoul... More... OK Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Notice of Services Available to Students with Auditory or Visual Impairments S.B. 1119 Requries each school district to provide each parent, guardian or legal custodian of a student with an auditory or visual impairment with wr... More... OR Administrative Rules 04/2012 P-12 Special Education Responsibilities for Students in Charter Schools OAR 581-015-2005, 2010, 2040, 2075, 2080 Shifts student special education responsibilities from resident school district to the district in which the charter school is located if st... More... TN Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Special Ed Diplomas S.B. 2900 Requires a special education diploma be awarded to students who have satisfactorily completed an IEP, but who have not passed the proficienc... More... VA Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Behavioral Management for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders H.B. 325 Requires each school board to ensure that aides assigned to work with a teacher who has primary oversight of students with autism spectrum d... More... VA Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Disability Commission; Establishes an Education and Employment Work Group H.B. 79 Provides that the Virginia Disability Commission establish work groups to assist the Commission in carrying out its powers and duties. Such ... More... AR Adopted 03/2012 P-12 Financial Incentives for Certified Speech-Language Pathologists AR ADC 005.16.16-1.00 to AR ADC 005.16.16-6.00 Provides guidelines to ensure the availability and retention of certified speech-language pathologists by providing additional compensation ... More... IN Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education Services. H.B. 1367 Establishes the center for deaf and hard of hearing education (center) to ensure that children who are deaf or hard of hearing acquire optim... More... NY Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Class Sizes for Students with Disabilities in Middle and High Schools A.B. 9057 - Class Sizes for Students with Disabilities in Middle and High Schools Part A, Section 12: Extends through 2012-13 school year provision authorizing the board of education of a city school district with a popula... More... NY Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 BOCES Contracts to Provide Special Education Services A.B. 9057 - BOCES Contracts to Provide Special Education Services Part K, Section 1: Authorizes a board of cooperative educational services (BOCES) to enter into contracts with the commissioner of the offic... More... VA Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Assistive Technology Devices; Transfer of by School Division H.B. 382 Provides that a school division may transfer assistive technology devices purchased by the division for a child with a disability to a diffe... More... WV Adopted 03/2012 P-12 Education of Students with Exceptionalities and IDEA Compliance WV ADC s 126-16-1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Policies and procedures for local education agency in providing full education opportunities under the IDEA. http://apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/cs... More... WY Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Reading Assessment--Dyslexia S.F. 52 Requires assessment and early intervention for dyslexia and other reading difficulties in K-3. Directs districts to report number of student... More... IL Signed into law 01/2012 P-12 Family Costs at Illinois School for the Deaf and Illinois School for the Visually Impaired S.B. 274 Removes language requiring the department of human services to complete a financial analysis on each student attending the Illinois School f... More... 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 Supports--Counseling/Guidance Student Supports--Mentoring/Tutoring Student Supports--Remediation 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