---

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 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 CA Signed into law 09/2012 P-12 Inglewood Unified School District Takeover and Emergency Loan S.B. 533 From bill summary: Expresses legislative intent to provide emergency apportionment assistance to the Inglewood Unified School District. Requires the state superintendent to assume all the rights, duties, and powers of the governing board of the Inglewood Unifi... More... CA Signed into law 09/2012 P-12 Indirect Cost Rates A.B. 2435 From bill summary: Requires, until January 1, 2016, the department of education, and any other state agency that administers a grant or allocation of federal funds to a district, to allow an indirect cost rate that is not less than the indirect cost rate estab... More... CA Signed into law 09/2012 P-12 Districts Receiving Emergency Apportionments A.B. 2279 Amends conditions under which a trustee and necessary staff appointed to a district receiving an emergency apportionment must serve (a trustee must be appointed to a district by the superintendent of public instruction if the district board requests an emergen... More... CA Signed into law 09/2012 P-12 State Superintendent Reassuming Rights, Duties, Powers of Insolvent District A.B. 2662 - State Superintendent Reassuming Rights, Duties, Powers of Insolvent District From bill summary: Authorizes the superintendent of public instruction to reassume the rights, duties, and powers of a district receiving an emergency apportionment during the period of the trustee's appointment and when specified improvement plans are violate... More... CA Signed into law 09/2012 P-12 Authority of a County Superintendent to Change a District's Fiscal Certification A.B. 2662 - Authority of a County Superintendent to Change a District's Fiscal Certification From bill summary: Permits a county superintendent of schools to change a district's certification (that it can meet its financial obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year and for the subsequent fiscal year) from qualified to negative if it is determin... More... IL Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 Local Tax Rates for Recently Consolidated Districts S.B. 3252 Allows greater flexibility for recently consolidated districts when setting their local tax rate in the four years after consolidation. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/97/PDF/097-1022.pdf... More... NJ Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 Aid to Districts with High Enrollment Growth S 1792 Provides supplemental appropriation of $4.141 million from Property Tax Relief Fund to the Department of Education for aid to school districts with significant enrollment growth. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2012/Bills/AL12/37_.PDF... More... CA Signed into law 07/2012 P-12 Evaluation of Appointed Administrator for Emergency Apportionment District A.B. 2278 From bill summary: Authorizes the governing board of a qualifying district, after one complete fiscal year has elapsed following the district's acceptance of an emergency apportionment, to conduct an annual advisory evaluation of the administrator appointed by... More... PA Signed into law 07/2012 P-12 Financially Distressed School Districts H.B. 1307 - Multiple Provisions This section adds new article VI-A converning school district financial recovery in all school districts other than Philadelphia. Requires the state department to develop and implement an early warning system plus guidelines to compile and analyze information ... More... NH Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Emergency Expenditures S.B. 373 Authorizes a school district to retain funds for emergency expenditures or to reduce the tax rate. Makes changes to the definition and enrollment requirements for regional vocational education centers in the Manchester school district and provides that the Man... More... OH Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 District Expenditure Reporting S.B. 316 - District Expenditure Reporting Amends provisions related to department development of standards for determining each district, community school, and STEM school's annual operating expenditures for classroom instructional purposes and for nonclassroom purposes. Requires the department to ali... More... PA Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Authority to Reopen Budgets H.B. 1901 - Section 616 Gives districts the authority to reopen their budget due to changes in federal or state allocations. http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=DOC&sessYr=2011&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=B&billNbr=1901&pn=3885... More... PA Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Authority of a Commonwealth Partnership School District H.B. 1901 - Sec. 1704-B Section 1704-B continues provisions of the Empowerment Act that were scheduled to expire June 30, 2012. A Commonwealth Partnership School District is authorized to: 1) cancel or renegotiate any contract, other than collective bargaining agreements, for the pur... More... RI Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 District Budgets, Accounting H.B. 7323A Budget Bill. Includes amendments that require districts to use a uniform system of accounting that includes a standardized budget process to ensure districts can annually assess investment priorities and incorporate long range planning. Require that, upon comp... More... AL Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Classroom Supplies S.B. 257 Provides each K-12 public classroom teacher $300 annually from the Education Trust Fund. Defines "classroom supplies." Authorizes the state superintendent of education to promulgate rules regarding implementation of these provisions, including a simple and min... More... AL Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Exemptions from Competitive Bidding Requirements Expanded H.B. 504 Expands exemptions from competitive bidding requirements by local boards of education to include exemptions from additional cooperative purchasing programs. ... More... NE Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Local Budget Certifications and Bonding L.B. 633 Allows for refunding bonds at the district level and sets parameters. Adjusts dates by which districts must certify budgets and the state legislature must certify state aid (to May 1 for FY 2012-13, then to March 1 of subsequent years. http://nebraskalegislatu... More... TN Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 District Funding S.B. 3044 Provides school districts may pursue and receive federal or private grants for educational purposes. Finds that local school boards must approve the expenditure if the grant requires matching funds. http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Bill/SB3044.pdf... More... TX Adopted 05/2012 P-12 Financial Exigency 19 TAC 109.2001 Defines "financial exigency." As required by 2011 S.B. 8, establishes minimum standards concerning school district financial conditions that must exist for declaration of a financial exigency by the district board of trustees. Requires the board to notify the ... More... VT Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Incentives for Mergers of Supervisory Unions and District Mergers S.B. 113 - Mergers Section Provides fiscal incentives for supervisory unions that decide to merge and for regional districts and district mergers. http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/2012/Acts/ACT156.pdf... More... FL Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Financial Emergencies S.B. 368 From bill summary: Requires the Auditor General to notify each member of the governing body of a district board, charter school, or charter technical career center of certain fund balance deficits. Removes a condition under which local governmental entities, c... More... FL Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Postsec. Audits (Including of School Districts and Postsecondary Institutions) H.B. 5201 - Audits (Including of School Districts and Postsecondary Institutions) Directs the Auditor General to notify the legislative auditing committee of any financial or operational audit report that indicates that a state university or Florida College System institution has failed to take full corrective action in response to a recomm... More... IA Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 A bill for an act relating to mandatory reporting of school employee misconduct to the board of educational examiners. H.F. 2383 Requires local boards, local or regional superintendents, directors of accredited nonpublic schools, etc. to report any disciplinary action for school employee misconduct to the board of educational examiners. Conduct to be reported includes the following: (a)... More... MD Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Finance - Maintenance of Effort S.B. 848 Requires a county to apply to the board for a waiver from the Maintenance of Effort requirement if it cannot be funded and establishes penalties if a waiver is not applied for. http://mlis.state.md.us/2012rs/chapters_noln/Ch_6_sb0848T.pdf... More... MN Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Shared Time Aid H.F. 2949 Provides that the resident district of a a shared time pupil taking classes in a charter school must grant the charter school permission to claim the pupil for state aid purposes.Requires state aid be paid to the charter school, and if the resident district ag... More... MN Vetoed 04/2012 P-12 Omnibus K-12 bill H.F. 2083 Increases the school district aid payment shift percentage from 64.3 to 70.2 in fiscal year 2012 and adjusts appropriation accordingly. http://wdoc.house.leg.state.mn.us/leg/LS87/HF2083.3.pdf... More... MS Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Extends Repealer on Requirement that Districts with File Budget Cuts Plan H.B. 909 Extends the repealer from July 1, 2012, to July 1, 2015, on the provision requiring school districts with a low ending balance of school maintenance funds to submit plans of cost reductions to the state department of education. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us... More... TN Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 School Personnel S.B. 2982 Provides that an LEA may, at its discretion, choose to hire a building manager in lieu of an assistant principal. http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Bill/SB2982.pdf... More... AZ Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Fiscal Crisis Team H.B. 2270 Allows State Board of Education (SBE) to appoint a fiscal crisis team, in addition to a receiver, for a school district that the SBE determines is insolvent or has grossly mismanaged its finances. http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/50leg/2r/bills/hb2270h.pdf... More... IL Adopted 03/2012 P-12 Equal Funding for All Chicago Students H.R. 843 Urges the administration of the Chicago Public School District to allocate equal funding for each student, regardless of where that student attends school. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/97/HR/PDF/09700HR0843lv.pdf... More... IN Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Adoption of Budget for Reorganized School. H.B. 1058 Permits two or more school corporations to publish notices, hold public hearings, and take final action for the adoption of property tax levies, property tax rates, and a budget for the reorganized school corporation after the voters approve a plan of reorgani... More... NY Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Portion of State Funding Contingent on Adoption of Teacher and Principal Evaluation Process A.B. 9057 - Portion of State Funding Contingent on Adoption of Teacher and Principal Evaluation Process Part A, Section 1: Requires a school district, to be eligible for an apportionment of general support for public schools from the funds appropriated for the 2012-13 school year in excess of the amount apportioned to the district in the base year, to submit doc... More... UT Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 One-Time Appropriation for Classroom Supplies S.B. 2 Section 4: Directs the state board to provide teachers in districts, the Utah Schools for the Deaf and the Blind, and charter schools with a one-time appropriation for classroom supplies. Varies the amount teachers must receive, depending on grade level taught... More... VA Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Expenditures and Reports on Instructional Spending H.B. 250 Requires each local school board to report annually to the Board of Education the percentage of its annual operating budget allocated to instructional costs. The Board of Education shall include this information in the annual School Performance Report Card for... More... WA Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 School District Financial Insolvency. H.B. 2617 Requires the superintendent of public instruction to convene a financial oversight committee to review the financial condition of a financially insolvent school district.http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202012/2617-S.SL... More... MI Signed into law 02/2012 P-12 School Aid H.B. 5194 Amends code to provide that the pledge of state aid by a school district or ISD for the payment of notes is valid and binding from the time when the pledge is made. Further provides that a school district or ISD operating under an emergency financial manager p... More... NM Signed into law 02/2012 P-12 School District Financial Flexiblity S.B. 209 The legislature finds that districts need flexibility to meet state fiscal solvency requirements. For the 2012-2013 school year, the secretary may waive requirements of the Public School Code and rules promulgated in accordance with that code pertaining to ind... More... AR Adopted 01/2012 P-12 Expenditure Requirements by Arkansas School Districts AR ADC 005.04.6-1.00 to AR ADC 005.04.6-8.00 Repeals rules and regulations governing expenditure requirements by Arkansas school districts for teacher salaries, special education, vocational education, alternative education, and gifted and talented programs. http://170.94.37.152/REGS/005.04.11-004F-12809... More... RI Signed into law 01/2012 P-12 Budget Commission to Certify Payments to Districts H.B. 7052 and S.B. 2016 Authorizes Budget Commission established under Title 45 of the Rhode Island General Laws to certify to the Rhode Island Department of Revenue the need to advance payments of the state's basic education program. http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/billtext12/housetex... More... 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 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