From the ECS State Policy Database - Highlighted Policies

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. Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date]. Status/Date State Level Summary 21st Century Skills Accountability Accountability--Accreditation Accountability--Measures/Indicators Accountability--Reporting Results Accountability--Rewards Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions 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--Formative/Interim Assessment--Performance Based/Portfolio Assessment--Value Added 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 Business Involvement Career/Technical Education Career/Technical Education--Career Academies/Apprenticeship Cheating Choice of Schools--Charter Schools Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Finance Choice of Schools--Choice/Open Enrollment Choice of Schools--Innovation Schools Choice of Schools--Tax Credits Choice of Schools--Vouchers Civic Education Civic Education--Character Education Class Size Counseling/Guidance Curriculum Curriculum--Arts Education Curriculum--Drivers Education Curriculum--Excusal Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed. Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language Curriculum--Geography Education Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education Curriculum--International Education Curriculum--Language Arts--Writing/Spelling Curriculum--Mathematics Curriculum--Physical Education Curriculum--Science Data-Driven Improvement Desegregation Economic/Workforce Development Education Research Equity Federal Finance Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost Finance--District Finance--Equity Finance--Facilities Finance--Federal Finance--Funding Formulas Finance--Performance Funding Finance--Resource Efficiency Finance--State Budgets/Expenditures 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 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--Constructivism Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling Instructional Approaches--Single-Sex Education Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools International Baccalaureate Leadership Leadership--District Superintendent 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--Recruitment and Retention Mentoring/Tutoring Middle School Minority/Diversity Issues--African American Minority/Diversity Issues--American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian No Child Left Behind No Child Left Behind--Adequate Yearly Progress No Child Left Behind--Assessment No Child Left Behind--Choice/Transfer No Child Left Behind--Consequences for Schools No Child Left Behind--Finance No Child Left Behind--Parent Involvement No Child Left Behind--Reauthorization Issues/Waivers No Child Left Behind--Report Cards 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 Early Intervention (0-3) 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 Kindergarten--Full-Day Kindergarten P-3 Preschool Parent/Family Partnerships--University/School Postsecondary Postsecondary Accountability Postsecondary Accountability--Accreditation Postsecondary Accountability--Diploma Mills Postsecondary Affordability Postsecondary Affordability--Financial Aid Postsecondary Affordability--Textbooks Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees--Undocumented Immigrants Postsecondary Faculty Postsecondary Faculty--Compensation Postsecondary Faculty--Intellectual Property Postsecondary Faculty--Teaching Assistants Postsecondary Faculty--Tenure Postsecondary Finance Postsecondary Finance--Efficiency/Performance-Based Funding Postsecondary Governance and Structures Postsecondary Institutions--Community/Technical Colleges Postsecondary Institutions--Private/Independent Postsecondary Online Instruction Postsecondary Participation--Access Postsecondary Participation--Admissions Requirements Postsecondary Participation--Outreach Postsecondary Students--Foster Youth Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional Postsecondary Students--Low-Income Postsecondary Students--Minority Postsecondary Success Postsecondary Success--Completion Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation Postsecondary Success--Retention/Persistence Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation Proficiency-Based Approaches Promising Practices Promotion/Retention Public Involvement Reading/Literacy Remediation (K-12) 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--Disaster/Emergency Preparedness School Safety--Sexual Harassment and Assault 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--Libraries School/District Structure/Operations--Personnel (Non-Teaching) School/District Structure/Operations--School Size School/District Structure/Operations--Shared Services School/District Structure/Operations--Transportation Social/Emotional Learning and Non-Cognitive Skills Special Education Special Education--Finance Special Education--Inclusion (Mainstreaming) Special Education--Transition Special Populations--Corrections Education Special Populations--Foster Care Special Populations--Gifted and Talented Special Populations--Homeless Education 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 Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities 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--Highly Qualified Teachers Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Natl. Bd. for Prof. Teach. Stds. Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Special Education 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 Signed into law 06/2013 TX P-12 Teaching and Learning Conditions Survey H.B. 2012 - Teaching and Learning Conditions Survey Directs the commissioner of education to develop an online survey to be administered statewide at least every other year to superintendents, principals, supervisors, classroom teachers, counselors, and other appropriate certified, full-time professionals. Requ... More... Signed into law 06/2013 TX P-12 Professional Development Requirements Audit H.B. 2012 - Professional Development Requirements Audit Directs the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to periodically conduct an audit of the professional development requirements applicable to educators, including state, federal, and district-imposed requirements. Directs the agency, based on audit results, to seek to ... More... Signed into law 07/2009 OH P-12 Financial Reporting and Minimum Standards H.B. 1 - Section 3301.07 Partially from the DOE summary of H.B. 1:Modifies the current requirement for the state board to develop a standard for reporting financial information to the public. Requires districts and educational service center boards to report revenues and expenditures ... More... Signed into law 07/2009 OH P-12 Center for Creativity and Innovation H.B. 1 - Section 3301.82 **No funds allocated in the current budget for this center, according to the DOE's H.B. 1 summary document http://www.education.ohio.gov/GD/DocumentManagement/DocumentDownload.aspx?DocumentID=71635** Authorizes the state superintendent to create the center f... More... Signed into law 07/2009 OH P-12 School Finance Redesign H.B. 1 - Section 3306.01, 3306.011, 3306.012, 3306.02, 3306.051 New Chapter 3306.: As described in the bill analysis by the Ohio Legislative Service Commission (LSC), "The bill enacts a new R.C. Chapter 3306., and revises many other existing codified laws, to establish a new system of financing for school districts and oth... More... Signed into law 06/2009 TX P-12 Participation in Teacher Reading Academy H.B. 3 - Section 24 Amends action that triggers a teacher's participation in a teacher reading academy. Former provision required teacher to participate in reading academy if teacher provided instruction in reading, math, science or social studies to students in any grades 6-8 an... More... Signed into law 05/2009 ND P-12 Student Performance Strategist H.B. 1400 - Sec. 8, Strategist Beginning with the 2010-11 school year, each district must have available one full-time equivalent student performance strategist for every four hundred students in average daily membership in kindergarten through grade three. Each school district shall submit... More... Signed into law 03/2009 KY P-12 Teacher Professional Development S.B. 1 Section 8 Adds provision that teacher professional development programs must be based on teacher needs. Makes inclusion of specific components in teacher professional development programs mandatory instead of optional. Adds the following areas of mandatory teacher profe... More... Signed into law 03/2009 KY P-12 Improving Writing S.B. 1 Section 17 Provides that whereas the quality of writing instruction is directly related to how well teachers are prepared in their teacher preparation programs and how confident they are in the writing process; and whereas some teachers have expressed tentativeness and d... More... Adopted 03/2009 OH P-12 Innovative Education Pilot Programs OAC 3301-46-01 Authorizes the governing board of any educational service center or the administrative authority of any chartered nonpublic school to submit an application for exemption from state policies in order to implement a proposed innovative education pilot program. A... More... Signed into law 04/2008 KY P-12, Postsec. STEM S.B. 2 Defines "Advanced science and mathematics" as Advanced Placement (AP) biology, calculus, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, and physics, and International Baccalaureate (IB) biology, chemistry, computer science, environmental systems, mathemat... More... Signed into law 06/2007 NJ P-12 Autism Awareness Teacher Training A.B. 4055; S.B. 2558 Requires candidates for teaching certificates and current teachers to receive instruction in autism awareness and methods of teaching students with autism. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2006/Bills/A4500/4055_R2.PDF... More... Signed into law 04/2007 IA P-12 Professional Development S.F. 277 (Section 23) Directs each attendance center to develop an attendance center professional development plan to promote group professional development. Provides the attendance center plan must be based, at a minimum, on the needs of the teachers, the Iowa teaching standards,... More... Signed into law 05/2006 FL P-12 Florida Secondary School Redesign Act H.B. 7087 - Section 19 Defines secondary schools as those serving grades 6-12. Specifies that the following guiding principles must be used in the annual preparation of each secondary school's improvement plan: (a) Struggling students, especially those in failing schools, need th... More... Signed into law 05/2006 FL P-12, Postsec. School Community Professional Development Act H.B. 7087 (Section 62) The Department of Education, public postsecondary educational institutions, public school districts, public schools, state education foundations, consortia, and professional organizationsls in this state will work collaboratively. The system of professional d... More... Signed into law 04/2006 CO P-12 Teacher Professional Development on Student Mental Health H.B. 1098 Allows public school teachers to receive professional development credit by attending an in-service program on juvenile mental health issues, including awareness and prevention of youth suicide. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics2006a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/07205A4... More... Signed into law 08/2005 IL P-12 Advanced Placement and pre-Advanced Placement S.B. 574 Creates the College and Career Success for All Students Act. Requires a teacher of an Advanced Placement course to obtain appropriate training, subject to appropriation. Requires the State Board of Education to establish training guidelines that require teache... More... Issued 06/2005 AZ P-12 Governor's Committee for Teacher Quality and Support Executive Order 2005-11 Creates and defines membership of the Governor's Committee for Teacher Quality and Support, the purpose of which is to: (1) develop teacher training delivery system to addresss the lack of uniform access to quality induction, mentoring and ongoing professional... More... Signed into law 04/2005 AR P-12 Arkansas Online Professional Development Initiative H.B. 2489 Creates the Arkansas Online Professional Development Initiative. Requires the director of the department of education to prioritize identified teacher professional development needs and develop a statewide online professional development program. Requires onli... More... Signed into law 04/2004 MI P-12 Teacher Fees S.B. 1016 Amends the School Code to expand uses of teacher certification fees to include the teacher and administrator professional development and other quality-related activities. http://www.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2003-2004/publicact/pdf/2004-PA-0076.pdf... More... 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--Tenure or Continuing Contract Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining Technology Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware Technology--Funding Issues Technology--Teacher/Faculty Training Textbooks and Open Source Urban