2013 State of the State Addresses Education-Related Proposals by Issue

The following summary includes education-related proposals from the 2013 state of the state addresses. To assure that this information reaches you in a timely manner, minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) or format. To view the documents, click on the blue triangle next to the state. Accountability 7 Accountability--Reporting Results 2 Accountability--Rewards 2 Accountability--School Improvement 3 Assessment--High Stakes/Competency 1 At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention) 6 Attendance 1 Bilingual/ESL 1 Business Involvement 2 Career/Technical Education 4 Choice of Schools 3 Choice of Schools--Charter Schools 7 Choice of Schools--Choice/Open Enrollment 2 Choice of Schools--Tax Credits 1 Choice of Schools--Vouchers 3 Civic Education 2 Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language 1 Curriculum--Mathematics 1 Economic/Workforce Development 18 Finance 21 Finance--Facilities 3 Finance--Federal 1 Finance--Funding Formulas 1 Finance--Lotteries 1 Finance--Performance Funding 1 Finance--State Budgets/Expenditures 6 Finance--Taxes/Revenues 3 Governance 3 Health 2 Health--Mental Health 1 High School 3 High School--College Readiness 3 High School--Dropout Rates/Graduation Rates 1 High School--Dual/Concurrent Enrollment 2 High School--Exit Exams 1 High School--Graduation Requirements 1 Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools 1 Online Learning--Digital/Blended Learning 2 P-16 or P-20 1 P-3 4 P-3 Kindergarten 3 P-3 Kindergarten--Full-Day Kindergarten 2 P-3 Preschool 14 Parent/Family 1 Postsecondary 5 Postsecondary Affordability 4 Postsecondary Affordability--Financial Aid 6 Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees 3 Postsecondary Finance 9 Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe's State of the State Address PROPOSALS Finance -- Ensure that our schools have adequate funding to continue the push toward excellence. A recent State Supreme Court ruling raises serious questions about the long-term path of Arkansas education policy, and it may require us to act legislatively in the short term. We've asked the Court to revisit the matter, and we'll see what they decide. -- Address the goal of equity between higher-education institutions in a small, modest way. Military -- Take steps to help military families who find themselves stationed in Arkansas by joining an interstate education compact to give incoming students of these families a smoother transition into our schools. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Student Achievement -- For a second consecutive year, Arkansas is ranked fifth in the country for overall K-12 education. There are two categories in there that we're still too low in. The one that's the most pressing is involves the raw scores of our students vis-a-vis their counterparts across the country. We've made progress, but not nearly enough. http://governor.arkansas.gov/newsroom/index.php?do:newsDetail=1&news_id=3742 Massachusetts Governor Deval L. Patrick's State of the Commonwealth Address PROPOSALS Extended Instructional Time -- Ensure that every middle school child in every Gateway City has a longer school day, filled with enrichment programs, service learning, art, exercise and music. Finance -- Once again fund K-12 education higher than we did last year -- Place a greater reliance on the income tax and less reliance on the sales tax (cut the sales tax from the current rate of 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent and dedicate all of the proceeds to a public works fund in support of transportation, school building fund, other public works) -- To support our education initiatives, increase the income tax by 1% -- to 6.25%. To make that increase fair to all according to their ability to pay, double the personal exemptions for every taxpayer and eliminate a number of itemized deductions.  P-3 -- Ensure that every child in Massachusetts has access to high quality early education. Postsecondary -- Raise our investment in public colleges and universities, and reinvigorate the MassGrants scholarship program. ACCOMPLISHMENTS -- Introduced new accountability and flexibility to our schools -- Saved the Commonwealth over 11 billion dollars so far, which in turn has enabled us to invest in education, innovation and infrastructure. Full text: http://www.mass.gov/governor/pressoffice/speeches/0116-state-of-the-commonwealth.html Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton's 2013 State of the State Address PROPOSALS Governance -- Expand the reforms made during the first two years of the administration in reducing the costs of services and improving their efficiencies. Public/Private Partnerships -- Invite businesses to "Adopt an After-School Program." It might involve a financial contribution, the donation of new or used equipment, or your employees as part-time volunteers. Postsecondary Finance -- Add $240 million in higher education funding for the next biennium. P-3 -- Provide state funds for optional all-day kindergarten. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Student Achievement -- Math scores for all tested grades, improved by 5.3 percent from 2011 to 2012, and reading scores improved overall by 1.3 percent. Full Text: http://mn.gov/governor/blog/the-office-of-the-governor-blog-entry-detail.jsp?id=102-54695 Missouri Governor Jay Nixon's State of the State Address PROPOSALS Economic/Workforce Development -- Increase funding for workforce training that's custom-tailored to the needs of Missouri employers. Finance -- Increase funding for education by $150 million. -That's $17 million more for early childhood education. -That's $34 million more for higher education. -And that's $100 million more for our K-12 classrooms. -- Issue bonds that will allow the state to establish a permanent, low-interest loan fund dedicated to improving local schools.  -- Create the BOOST (Building Opportunities in Our Schools Today) Fund for investment in first-rate, 21st Century facilities: state-of- the art computers and science labs, libraries and wired classrooms.  P-3 - Preschool -- Double funding for the Missouri Preschool Program and put more money into programs like Early Head Start. Postsecondary Affordability -- Invest $75 million for Access and Bright Flight scholarships and for A+ scholarships, which cover tuition and fees at all our public community colleges.  -- Expand A+ scholarship program to every public high school in the state. Postsecondary Completion -- Help adult students finish their degrees on-line, from an accredited university that's putting down new roots in Missouri. Postsecondary Facilities -- Provide funds for cutting-edge university research facilities in areas critical to our competitiveness, such as engineering, math, and science with targeted bond issuance. Postsecondary Finance -- Tie new funding to specific performance goals - like increased student retention, higher graduation rates and improved learning. School Schedule -- Lengthen the school year (extend by 6 days). Teacher Training -- Invest in training more teachers Technology -- Invest in modern equipment. ACCOMPLISHMENT Graduation Rates -- High school graduation rate is now the seventh-highest in the nation. Postsecondary Affordability -- Expanded the A+ program to 150 more schools. Economic/Workforce Development -- Dramatically increased Missouri's investment in worker training, helping 150,000 Missouri workers sharpen their skills and get better jobs in their field. Full Text: http://governor.mo.gov/newsroom/2013/Gov_Nixon_delivers_2013_State_of_the_Address Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval's 2013 State of the State Address PROPOSALS Choice -- Provide more choice of schools by giving businesses a tax credit for making contributions to a scholarship fund (an opportunity scholarship). These dollars will be distributed, on a means-tested basis, to students at low-performing schools for use in attending the school of their choice. English Language Learners -- Invest $14 million in an English Language Learners initiative. Finance -- Provide more support for autism and early intervention services -- Overall, make a new investment of $135 million in Nevada's schoolchildren. P-3 -- For pre-Three students, increase funding for early education in the state's most at risk schools. -- Aggressively expand all-day kindergarten among the state's most at-risk schools -- Allocate 20 million dollars over the biennium for this purpose. High School -- Fund the JAG program (Jobs for America's Graduates) to include up to 50 additional high schools by 2014 and to serve nearly 2,000 additional high school students. State Longitudinal Data System -- Fund a data system that links student performance to teacher effectiveness. This system is a long term investment in what will be the backbone of our approach to teacher evaluation. Teaching Quality -- Make a new investment in Teach for America to help recruit, train, develop, and place top teacher and leadership talent in Nevada. Postsecondary -- With the Chancellor's support, create new courses of study at UNR and UNLV focused specifically on the sectors targeted for economic growth -- Establish UNLV as the global intellectual hub for gaming, hospitality and entertainment -- Pair community colleges more closely with workforce needs so that they can deliver students into jobs that will be waiting for them in the new economy -- Support and extend the Kenny C. Guinn Millennium Scholarship through 2017 -- Financially support the University Cooperative Extension program in rural Nevada. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Governance -- Reinvigorated the State Board of Education. Teaching Quality -- Required performance-based evaluations for teachers -- ending teacher tenure as we know it. Full text: http://gov.nv.gov/uploadedFiles/govnvgov/Content/2013StateOfTheState.pdf New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's State of the State Address PROPOSALS Finance -- Invest $8.9 billion of state aid into education ACCOMPLISHMENTS Choice -- Implemented inter-district school choice which has tripled enrollment in the last 3 years and will grow to 6,000 students next year. -- Expanded the number of charter schools in NJ to 86. -- Signed the Urban Hope Act to turn failing schools into renaissance Schools in Newark, Trenton, and Camden. Postsecondary -- Restructured higher education resulting in Rutgers being in the top 25 in research dollars and the newest member of the Big 10. -- Made new capital investments in all NJ universities for the first time in 25 years. State Policymaking - Task Forces -- Created a task force that has helped NJ develop strategies for making New Jersey's institutions more competitive. Teacher Issues - Compensation - Merit Pay -- Finalized a teacher contract in Newark that acknowledges merit-pay. Teacher Issues - Tenure -- Reformed teacher tenure. Full Text: http://nj.gov/governor/news/news/552013/approved/20130108d.html New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's State of the State Address PROPOSALS State Policymaking-Commission/Teacher Evaluations/Accountability Systems -- Appoint a bipartisan education commission to work with the legislature to recommend reforms for a meaningful teacher evaluation system and a school accountability system. Postsecondary - Grant Funding -- Expand NYSUNY2020 to the remaining 60 campuses, offering challenge grants to research centers for plans to connect academic excellence and economic development. Workforce Development -- Create the Office for New Americans to assist legal permanent residents, providing adult education and job training. Civic Education -- Implement the New New York Leaders Initiative to create opportunities for the state's next generation to dedicate their careers to public service. - Student Intern Program - brings students into state government - Empire State Fellows Program - full-time leadership training program that will prepare next generation professionals who are members of underrepresented groups for careers as New York State policymakers. ACCOMPLISHMENTS -- N/A Full Text: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/01/04/nyregion/04-state-of-the-state-text.html Rhode Island Governor Lincoln D. Chafee's State of the State Address PROPOSALS Finance -- Increase funding for higher education of $6 million if the leadership of these institutions will meet halfway. If they can achieve $6 million in total savings and efficiencies, coupled with the $6 million in additional funding, students of these schools will see no tuition increase next year. -- Provide $3 million in new state support for workforce development initiatives. -- Invest an additional $500,000 to enhance the operations of the 195 Redevelopment Commission. The medical, research, and education fields – the 'meds and eds' are important. Continue to focus on these assets to grow our economy and create jobs. School Safety -- Join with the leaders of the House and Senate to craft, introduce, and pass legislation that makes Rhode sland a safer place both for us and our children. ACCOMPLISHMENTS Career & Technical -- Allocated over $14 million to support repairs at the state's vocational education facilities. Finance --Voters approved a number of important bond items this past November. These initiatives will boost the economy by investing in some of Rhode Island's premier assets, such as the environment, institutions of higher education, and veterans' services. Full text: http://www.governor.ri.gov/ri2013/movingRIforward.pdf Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert's State of the State Address PROPOSALS Finance -- Continue to fully invest in the growing schools STEM -- Invest $20 million for STEM education. Eight state institutions of higher learning are reprioritizing their budgets to match that funding dollar for dollar. Technology -- Continue to provide our students critical tools like computer adaptive testing and other technologies, across all grade levels and socioeconomic strata. Teacher Evaluations/Performance Pay -- Support continued implementation of teacher evaluation and performance pay. ACCOMPLISHMENTS At-risk Students - Individual Instruction -- Invested millions in enhanced individualized instruction and help for at-risk children. Finance -- Increased per pupil spending. Postsecondary Finance -- Invested millions more in higher education, including applied technology colleges. Student Achievement -- National average Advanced Placement test score is 2.84. Utah's is 3.1. More than 27,000 students prepare for college through concurrent enrollment, and compared to other states with a high percentage of students taking the ACT, Utah ranks second in test scores. Teacher Benefits -- Covered the increased cost of healthcare for teachers. Full Text: http://www.utah.gov/governor/docs/stateofstate/2013StateoftheStateAddress.pdf Postsecondary Finance--Efficiency/Performance-Based Funding 6 Postsecondary Finance--Facilities 1 Postsecondary Institutions 1 Postsecondary Institutions--Community/Technical Colleges 1 Postsecondary Online Instruction 1 Postsecondary Participation--Access 3 Postsecondary Success--Completion 4 Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation 1 Reading/Literacy 10 Scheduling/School Calendar 1 Scheduling/School Calendar--Extended Day Programs 1 School Safety 8 Service-Learning 1 Special Education 4 Special Populations 1 Special Populations--Military 3 Standards 1 State Longitudinal Data Systems 1 State Policymaking 4 State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions 5 STEM 4 Student Achievement 4 Student Supports--Counseling/Guidance 1 Teaching Quality 5 Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Alternative 1 Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay 5 Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay--Pay-for-Performance 6 Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay--Retirement/Benefits 3 Teaching Quality--Evaluation and Effectiveness 5 Teaching Quality--Preparation 3 Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention 6 Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract 2 Technology 4 Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware 1 Youth Engagement 1 285