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From the ECS State Policy Database 2013 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 2013. 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 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--Common Core/National Tests Assessment--End-of-Course At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention) At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Alternative Education At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Drugs/Alcohol Attendance Attendance--Compulsory Attendance--Statutory Ages (Upper and Lower) Attendance--Truancy Background Checks Bilingual/ESL Brain Research Business Involvement Career/Technical Education Career/Technical Education--Career Academies/Apprenticeship Cheating Choice of Schools Choice of Schools--Charter Schools Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Charter Districts Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Closings Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Cyber Charters Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Finance Choice of Schools--Choice/Open Enrollment Choice of Schools--Innovation Schools Choice of Schools--Magnet or Specialized Schools Choice of Schools--Tax Credits Choice of Schools--Vouchers Choice of Schools--Vouchers--Privately Funded Civic Education Civic Education--Character Education Civic Education--Curriculum/Standards Class Size Counseling/Guidance Curriculum Curriculum--Arts Education Curriculum--Computer Science Curriculum--Drivers Education Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed. Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education Curriculum--Language Arts--Writing/Spelling Curriculum--Mathematics Curriculum--Physical Education Curriculum--Science Curriculum--Sex Education Curriculum--Social Studies/History Data-Driven Improvement Demographics--Enrollments Economic/Workforce Development Economic/Workforce Development--Value of an Education Education Research Equity Federal Finance Finance--Bonds Finance--District Finance--Facilities Finance--Funding Formulas Finance--Lotteries Finance--Performance Funding 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--Regional Entities Governance--School Boards Governance--School Boards--Training Governance--Site-Based Management Governance--State Boards/Chiefs/Agencies Health Health--Child Abuse Health--Mental Health Health--Nutrition Health--School Based Clinics or School Nurses Health--Suicide Prevention Health--Teen Pregnancy 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 CA Signed into law 09/2013 P-12 High School Graduation Requirements for Pupils in Foster Care A.B. 216 From bill summary: Revises provisions regarding certain exemptions of students in foster care from high school graduation requirements. Requires a district to exempt a pupil in foster care who transfers between schools any time after the completion of the pupi... More... CA Vetoed 08/2013 P-12 Career Technical Education Certificates S.B. 540 From legislative counsel's digest: Authorizes a district or county office of education to award a pupil a career technical education certificate if the pupil meets specified requirements, including satisfactory completion of the equivalent of 4 semester-long c... More... AZ Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 Social Studies Standards/Financial Literacy S.B. 1449 Requires the academic standards in social studies prescribed by state board of education to include personal finance. Clarifies that state board cannot establish a required separate personal finance course as a graduation requirement. Allows a school board or ... More... IL To governor 06/2013 P-12 State Seal of Biliteracy S.B. 1221 Defines "foreign language" to include modern languages, Latin, American Sign Language, Native American languages. Establishes State Seal of Biliteracy program to recognize public high school graduates who have attained a high level of proficiency in one or mor... More... ME Became law without governor's signature 06/2013 P-12 Course Options for Meeting Arts Graduation Requirements H.R. 138 Requires the Department of Education to amend its rules to provide that high school graduation requirements in the area of visual and performing arts may be met by completion of a credit in dance, music, theater, forensics or visual arts. The department is to ... More... MT Adopted Rules 06/2013 P-12 Accreditation Standards ARM 10.55.701, 704, 708, 804, 906 Modifies course and other requirements necessary for accreditation. http://www.mtrules.org/gateway/RuleNo.asp?RN=10%2E55%2E906 ... More... NV Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 Alternative High School Diplomas A.B. 288 Removes references to the General Education Development [GED] test. Requires the state board of education to select a high school equivalency assessment. Provides for the recognition of this future assessment in state statute. Eliminates the high school profic... More... RI Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 CPR and Defibrillator UseTraining for Students H.B. 5376, S.B. 318 Provides minimum guidelines for CPR training and requires an overview of automated external defibrillator (AED) use. At a minimum, training is to include psychomotor skill-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and an overview of automated externa... More... TX Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 Advanced CTE and Applied STEM Courses in Graduation Requirements H.B. 2201 Permits students to fulfill the 3rd and 4th math and science credits for the recommended and advanced high school programs by completing an advanced career and technical course (previously, students coupld substitute only a math course taken after taking Algeb... More... TX Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 Graduation Requirements and Diploma Endorsements H.B. 5 - Graduation Requirements and Diploma Endorsements From fiscal analysis: Eliminates the Minimum, Recommended, and Advanced high school graduation programs, and creates the Foundation High School Program. Creates endorsements on a student's diploma and transcript if the student completes certain courses. Endors... More... TX Signed into law 06/2013 P-12 Three-Year Diploma Option H.B. 1122 - Three-Year Diploma Option Authorizes the Dallas Independent School District to develop and implement a pilot program to offer a three-year high school diploma plan. Requires the program to include partnerships between the district and public junior colleges, public technical institutes... More... IN Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 Postsec. College Readiness H.B. 1005 Requires school counselor to meet with students who do not achieve passing score on graduation exam to explore available remediation options to meet requirements necessary for a graduation waiver. Requires a secondary school's continuous school improvement and... More... IN Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 Exit Exams; Graduation Waivers H.B. 1005 Removes alternative pathway provisions for students who failed the graduation exam. Existing law allowed students to receive a graduation waiver if they completed remediation, maintained 95% attendance, a certain GPA. New law requires schools and districts to ... More... MD Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 High School Diploma by Examination S.B. 58 Repeals the minimum three-month state residency requirement for individuals who are seeking to obtain a high school diploma by examination in Maryland. http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/Chapters_noln/CH_439_sb0058t.pdf... More... MD Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 High School Graduation Requirements S.B. 740 Directs the state board to establish high school curriculum and graduation requirements for all public schools to include: beginning with the 2015-2016 school year, no later than grade 11, all students must be assessed for college readiness in English language... More... MN Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 High School Graduation Requirements H.F. 630 Provides that students must demonstrate satisfactory completion of the credit requirements set by their district AND their understanding of academic standards on a nationally normed college entrance exam. Requires one of the three required Carnegie units for m... More... MN Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 Assessment H.F. 630 Finds that students who have not yet demonstrated proficiency on the Minnesota comprehensive assessments, the graduation-required assessments for diploma, or the basic skills testing requirements prior to high school graduation may satisfy state high school gr... More... NV Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 Credit for Experiential Learning in High School S.B. 305 Authorizes high schools to award credit to high school pupils who satisfy certain qualifications to complete a public or private internship. Requires districts and charter school boards to define fields, trades, or occupations in which a pupil may compete an i... More... OR Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 Documented History of Student Health for Purpose of High School Completion H.B. 2193 Amends existing law and adds a new section regarding extended diplomas to include having a documented history of an inability to maintain grade level achievement due to significant learning and instructional barriers, a medical condition that creates a barrier... More... TN Signed into law 05/2013 P-12 Occupational Diploma S.B. 886 Requires state board of education to create an occupational high school diploma for students with disabilities. Directs board to set appropriate standards, benchmarks for attendance, academic achievement, and job readiness skills. Waives high school assessment... More... AR Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 CPR Training H.B. 2224 Requires students to be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation as a condition of high school graduation, beginning in the 2014-2015 academic year. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2013/2013R/Bills/HB2224.pdf... More... FL Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Accelerated High School Graduation Options S.B. 1076 - Accelerated High School Graduation Options Repeals Section 1003.429, which established two 18-credit accelerated high school graduation options as alternatives to the standard 24-credit high school diploma: a 3-year standard college preparatory program, and a 3-year career preparatory program. Amends p... More... MT Adopted 04/2013 P-12 Financial Literacy H.J.R. 14 Urges the state board to require successful completion of a financial literacy course prior to high school graduation. http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2013/billpdf/HJ0014.pdf... More... NM Vetoed 04/2013 P-12 Teacher Language Proficiency and Council H.B. 541 Partially from bill analysis: Creates the bilingual education advisory council and allows for the establishment of a statewide seal of bilingual proficiency and for all schools to provide students graduating high school with the opportunity to demonstrate prof... More... NM Vetoed 04/2013 P-12 Certain School Tests as Competence H.B. 513 Denies a New Mexico diploma of excellence if the student has not demonstrated competence in the subject areas of math, reading and language arts, writing, science, and social studies, based on the district-developed, department-approved end-of-course examinati... More... OK Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Competencies H.B. 1038 Relates to curriculum requirements for high school graduation, and expands college preparatory/work ready curriculum unit requirements to include sets of competencies. For instance, rather than three units or four units of science, it would be three units or s... More... OK Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Appeal Process for Students Denied a Standard Diploma H.B. 1756 Students denied a standard diploma may appeal to the state board. Students with disabilities whose individualized education program (IEP) pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) indicates that the student is to be assessed with alter... More... WA Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Providing Initiatives to Improve and Expand Access to Computer Science Education H.B. 1472 Amends existing law to improve and expand access to computer science education, particularly in advanced courses that could prepare students for careers in the field. Requires boards of directors to approve AP computer science courses as equivalent to high sch... More... ID Signed into law 03/2013 P-12 Additional Math and Science Courses S.B. 1092 Amends and establishes provisions relating to additional math and science courses. Creates provisions relating to meeting graduation requirements for math and science courses and distributes money to school districts to defray the cost of providing additional... More... VA Signed into law 03/2013 P-12 CPR Training H.B. 2028/S.B. 986 Allows school boards to require current certification or training in emergency first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for school personnel. Requires such training for those seeking initial teache... More... WY Signed into law 03/2013 P-12 Statewide Education Accountability System H.B. 91 Adjusts how school level performance is determined by limiting the measurement of student readiness as defined by achievement on standardized assessment to Grade 11 (was Grade 11 & 12), and adding a measure of equity as defined by a measure of academic student... More... Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling Instructional Approaches--Problem Based Learning Instructional Approaches--Single-Sex Education Instructional Approaches--Teaching Across Disciplines Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools 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--Induction Programs and Mentoring 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 Minority/Diversity Issues--Hispanic No Child Left Behind--Adequate Yearly Progress No Child Left Behind--Assessment No Child Left Behind--Reauthorization Issues/Waivers 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 Early Intervention (0-3) P-3 English Language Learners (ELL) P-3 Ensuring Quality P-3 Evaluation/Economic Benefits 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 Public/Private Partnerships P-3 Special Ed./Inclusion P-3 Teaching Quality/Professional Development P-3 Technology Parent/Family Parent/Family--Parent Rights Partnerships--University/School Postsecondary Postsecondary Accountability Postsecondary Accountability--Accreditation Postsecondary Accountability--Diploma Mills Postsecondary Accountability--Licensing/Program Review and Approval Postsecondary Accountability--Student Learning 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--Intellectual Property 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 Online Instruction Postsecondary Participation Postsecondary Participation--Access Postsecondary Participation--Affirmative Action Postsecondary Participation--Outreach Postsecondary Students Postsecondary Students--Adults Postsecondary Students--Disabled Postsecondary Students--Foster Youth Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional Postsecondary Students--Low-Income Postsecondary Students--Military Postsecondary Students--Minority Postsecondary Success Postsecondary Success--Completion Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation Postsecondary Success--Retention/Persistence Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation Private Schools Privatization Proficiency-Based Approaches Promotion/Retention Purposes of Public Education Reading/Literacy Religion Remediation (K-12) Rural Scale-Up/Replication Scheduling/School Calendar 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/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--Personnel (Non-Teaching) School/District Structure/Operations--Shared Services School/District Structure/Operations--Staffing Ratios School/District Structure/Operations--Transportation Service-Learning Social/Emotional Learning and Non-Cognitive Skills 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--Task Forces/Commissions STEM Student Achievement Student Achievement--Closing the Achievement Gap Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities Students--Incentives Students--K-12 Exchange Students Students--Mobility 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--Natl. Bd. for Prof. Teach. Stds. Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Special Education Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--State Prof. Standards Bds. 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--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 Attitudes Teaching Quality--Teacher Contracts (Not Tenure) Teaching Quality--Teacher Rights Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining Technology Technology--Computer Skills Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware Technology--Internet Safety Technology--Teacher/Faculty Training Textbooks and Open Source