ECS
From the ECS State Policy Database
2012 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 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--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
+ 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
CASigned into law 06/2012P-12From section 56 of bill summary: Reduces by various amounts appropriations made for supplemental school counseling, special education, partnership academies, instructional support to help pupils pass the high school exit examination, English language tutoring to limited-English-proficient pupils, incentive grants to support the hiring of more K-8 physical education teachers, the Arts and Music Block Grant, certificated staff mentoring, and community colleges. Makes available for reappropriation the unencumbered balances of specified appropriations made in prior fiscal years for various educational purposes and would reappropriate $220,137,000 to the state department of education for apportionment for special education programs. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_1001-1050/sb_1016_bill_20120627_chaptered.pdf
Title: S.B. 1016 - Appropriations and Reappropriations
Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov

COSigned into law 05/2012P-12The state board of education must require schools and charter schools to assist students and their parents/gardians to develop and maintain the student's Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) no later than the beginning of 9th grade. The board may require schools to help students develop ICAPs in earlier grades. Schools must assist students to use the plan effectively to direct course selection and performance expectations in at least grades 9-12; assist students with meeting their career goals; and enable students to demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness at a level that allows them to progress toward their postsecondary goals without the need for remediation.The same requirements apply to institute charter schools.
http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2012a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/CD3C8673214EEF8C872579CD00625FE2?Open&file=1345_enr.pdf
Title: H.B. 1345 (sections 12 and 15)
Source: http://www.leg.state.co.us

GASigned into law 05/2012P-12
Community College
Section 1: Delays until fall 2013 requirement that the state board of the Technical College System of Georgia require its institutions to accept for purposes of admissions any core curriculum coursework completed in high school.
Section 2: Directs the state board to prescribe a minimum course of study in career education for grades K-12, to include but not be limited to career awareness, career exploration, and career-oriented learning experiences.
Section 3: Extends until July 2013 date by which department of education must develop, and state board must approve, state models and curriculum framework for specified CTE programs of study.
Pages 1-2 of 4: http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20112012/127601.pdf
Title: H.B. 713 - Career Education, CTE
Source: www.legis.ga.gov

OKSigned into law 05/2012P-12To strengthen districts' ability to give their students the best opportunity for academic and personal success, requires, subject to the availability of funds, the Office of Juvenile Affairs, together with the Oklahoma Association of Youth Services, to identify an evidence-based counseling curriculum. Subject to the availability of funds, the Office of Juvenile Affairs, through designated youth services agencies, is to make the identified evidence-based counseling available to students in school districts. Defines "evidence-based" as a program or practice that has had multiple-site randomized controlled trials across heterogeneous populations demonstrating that the program or practice is effective for the population.
http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2011-12bills/HB/HB2641_ENR.RTF
Title: H.B. 2641
Source: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/

FLSigned into law 04/2012P-12Permits required course in career planning to be taken in grade 6. Requires that such course (1) result in a personalized academic and career plan for the student, (2) emphasize technology or the application of technology in career fields, (3) and, beginning in 2014-15 school year, include information from the department of economic opportunity's economic security report. Repeals provisions of required middle grades career planning course that related to (1) career exploration using Florida CHOICES or comparable program, and (2) educational planning using FACTS.org. Requires required personalized academic and career plan to inform students of career-themed course opportunities. Deletes a required parent meeting.
Bill text (pages 11-14 of 71): http://myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h7059er.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=7059&Session=2012
Final bill analysis: http://myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=h7059z.KINS.DOCX&DocumentType=Analysis&BillNumber=7059&Session=2012
Title: H.B. 7059 - Academic and Career Planning in Middle Grades
Source: myfloridahouse.gov

TNSigned into law 04/2012P-12
Postsec.
Requires interest inventories to be administered to high school juniors and college sophomores to assist students in career decisions.
http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Bill/SB2591.pdf
Title: S.B. 2591
Source: http://www.capitol.tn.gov

UTSigned into law 03/2012P-12From bill summary: Defines a student education/occupation plan (SEOP) as a plan to be initiated early in the student's secondary school education to guide a student in course selection and prepare a student for postsecondary options. (Statute already directs local baords to to provide for the effective implementation of a personalized student education plan (SEP) or student education/occupation plan (SEOP) for each student at the school site, and requires policies to include guidelines and expectations for specified components.) http://le.utah.gov/~2012/bills/hbillenr/hb0389.pdf
Title: H.B. 389
Source: le.utah.gov

+ Student Supports--Mentoring/Tutoring
+ Student Supports--Remediation
+ Student Surveys
+ Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities
+ 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