The following summary includes policies enacted in the past month. 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].
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State |
Status/Date |
Level |
Summary |
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 | 21st Century Skills |
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| MA | To governor 12/31/2012 | P-12 | Requires the Board of Education to conduct a fingerprint-based background test before issuing a teacher or child care license. Directs the board to develop procedures for dissemination of criminal background records to districts, townships, and school principals periodically, but not less than every three years.
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H04307
Title: H.B. 4307
Source: http://www.malegislature.gov
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| Accountability--Measures/Indicators |
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| LA | Adopted 12/20/2012 | P-12 | Reflects new policy as a result of the ESEA flexibility request approved for implementation by the U.S. Department of Education. For K-8 schools, the school performance score will consist of an assessment index (95%) and a dropout/credit accumulation index (5%). For schools with a grade 12, a 25% weight will be given to each of four indices: (1) end-of-course tests, LAA 1, LAA 2 (grades 9-12); (2) grade 11 ACT scores; (3) grade 12 graduation index; and (4) grade 12 graduation rate. Provides exceptions for schools serving grades 9-11 but not 12. Provides bonus points earned from growth calculated for the non-proficient student subgroup (i.e., super subgroup) on LEAP and iLEAP scores for schools without a grade 11, and EXPLORE, PLAN and ACT scores for schools with grades 9-11. Repeals §§ 302 ("9-12 Transition from 2010 to 2012"), 303 ("Calculating the SPS Component"), and 307 ("Incentive Points).
Amends §405, "Calculating a K-8 Assessment Index" and §409, "Calculating a 9-12 Assessment Index." §409 identifies ACT composite scores to be used in the calculation of an ACT assessment index, wiht 0 index points to be awarded for an ACT composite of 0-17, and up to 150.4 points for an ACT composite score of 36. Repeals §411, "Attendance Index Calculations." Amends §413, "Dropout/Credit Accumulation Index Calculations" setting a scale of index points to be awarded for Carnegie unit accumulations (8th graders who have accumulated 3 or fewer units or are 3rd year 8th grade students, or who have dropped out earn 0 points; 150 points earned for a 9th grader who has earned at least 6 Carnegie units).
Amends §515, "State Assessments and Accountability," which clarifies that students in grades 9-11 will participate in at least one of enumerated state assessments on an annual basis, including end-of-course as applicable, EXPLORE in grade 9, PLAN in grade 10, ACT in grade 11; provides exceptions. Amends §517 to provide that a student enrolled in an LEA on October 1 must be included in that school's performance score, even if the student is enrolled in a different school in the LEA than s/he was enrolled in on October 1. Modifies methodology in §519 for determining inclusion of K-8 and high schools in testing and graduation index provisions, as well as §521, "Pairing/Sharing of Schools with Insufficient Test Data." Repeals §523, "Growth Targets."
Amends various provisions in Chapter 6, "Graduation Cohort, Index, and Rate," includign that a student who graduates high school in fewer than 4 years will be included in the cohort in which s/he started 9th grade. Amends §611, which describes the exit codes, descriptions and required documentation for a student to be assigned an exit code in the graduation index. Amends §613, "Calculating a Graduation Index." §613 provides 100 points for a regular high school graduate, 75 points for a GED completer or 5th year high school diploma completer, and points over 100 for a student who meet specified criteria.
Amends various provisions in "Chapter 7. Subgroup Component," on assigning students to subgroups for accountability purposes, safe harbor, and means by which schools can fail the subgroup component.
Pages 55-60 of 276: http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/reg/1212/1212.pdf
Title: LAC 28:LXXXIII, Chapter 3, §§301, 302, 303, 307, Chapters 4, 5, 6
Source: www.doa.louisiana.gov
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| Accountability--Reporting Results |
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| LA | Adopted 12/20/2012 | P-12 | Chapter 11, "School Performance Categories," provides that beginning with the release of 2012-2013 school accountability data, schools will receive A-F letter grades based on the school performance score (SPS) (§1101). Also calls for the identification of schools as gainers or "declining". Amends §1103, "Honor Rolls", which calls for the identification of schools receiving an A or B or whose graduation rate is greater than or equal to the state average. Adds §1105, which provides that if a turnaround operator takes over an entire school that was labeled "F" in the previous school year, the school's grade must be reported as "T" for the first two years of operation. Amends §1301, "Reward Eligibility."
Pages 60-61 of 276: http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/reg/1212/1212.pdf
Title: LAC 28:LXXXIII, Chapter 11, 13
Source: www.doa.louisiana.gov
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| LA | Adopted 12/20/2012 | P-12 | Amends requirements for board of elementary and secondary education's annual rep0orting on state progress in reaching Louisiana's 2014 goal.
Amends various provisions of Chapter 31, "Data Correction and Appeals/Waivers Procedure."
Pages 63-64 of 276: http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/reg/1212/1212.pdf
Title: LAC 28:LXXXIII, §2901, Chapter 31
Source: www.doa.louisiana.gov
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| Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions |
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| LA | Adopted 12/20/2012 | P-12 | Repeals §1401, §1403, §1405, which related to levels to, entry and movement in academic assistance. Amends §1601, "Entry into Academically Unacceptable School Status" and §1603, "Requirements for Academically Unacceptable Schools." Adds §1607, which requires a school identified as entering subgroup component failure to enter school improvement level 1, and for the school improvement level to be updated each year to reflect the number of years of subgroup failure. Prohibits schools identified as SI1+ from qualifying for "reward school" status. Repeals §1609, "Order of Priority for Remedies."
Under Chapter 19, "School Improvement, Academically Unacceptable Schools and Subgroup Component Failure: District and State Level Tasks," repeals §1901, "District Level Tasks" and §1903, "District Support at Each Level." Also repeals Chapter 20, "Differentiated Accountability Pilot." Amends §2101, "State Support at Each Level," under Chapter 21, "State-Level School Improvement, Academically Unacceptable Schools and Subgroup Component Failure Tasks." Amends §2301, "Schools Requiring Reconstitution/Alternate Governance Plans." Amends various provisions under Chapter 25, "School Choice" for academically unacceptable schools. Pages 61-63 of 276: http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/reg/1212/1212.pdf
Title: LAC 28:LXXXIII, Chapter 14, 16, 19, 23
Source: www.doa.louisiana.gov
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| Background Checks |
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| MA | To governor 12/31/2012 | P-12 | Requires the Board of Education to conduct a fingerprint-based background test before issuing a teacher or child care license. Directs the board to develop procedures for dissemination of criminal background records to districts, townships, and school principals periodically, but not less than every three years.
http://www.malegislature.gov/Bills/187/House/H04307
Title: H.B. 4307
Source: http://www.malegislature.gov
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| Finance--Taxes/Revenues |
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| NH | Adopted 12/13/2012 | P-12 | Sets forth the Department's rule for the education tax credit to be applied against the business profits tax liability.
Adopted pursuant to the new Education Tax Credit program, RSA 77-G (Chap. 287, Laws 2012), which is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2013 and where business organizations can make a donation to approved scholarship organizations and receive a tax credit against their business profits tax liability.
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/nholsrulesdbsearch/default.aspx
Title: NH ADC Rev 306.07
Source: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/
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| NH | Adopted 12/13/2012 | P-12 | Sets forth the Department's rule for the education tax credit to be applied against the business enterprise tax liability.
Adopted pursuant to the new Education Tax Credit program, RSA 77-G (Chap. 287, Laws 2012), which is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2013 and where business organizations can make a donation to approved scholarship organizations and receive a tax credit against their business profits tax liability.
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/nholsrulesdbsearch/default.aspx
Title: NH ADC Rev 2406.06
Source: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/
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| NH | Adopted 12/13/2012 | pre-K-12 | Chapter Rev 3200 sets forth the Department's proposed rules for the application procedure for a scholarship organization applying to accept scholarship donations, the application procedure for a business organization or business enterprise applying for a tax credit, complaint procedures, and the design and content of forms and applications required to be filed with or issued by the Department.
Chapter Rev 3200 is being adopted pursuant to the new Education Tax Credit program, RSA 77-G (Chap. 287, Laws 2012), which is scheduled to begin on January 1, 2013 and where organizations can seek approval as a 'Scholarship Organization' to accept donations from business organizations or business enterprises seeking to make a donation to approved scholarship organizations and receive a tax credit against their business profits or business enterprise tax liability.
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rules/register/2012/September-20-12.pdf
Title: NH ADC Rev 3201.01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08; NH ADC Rev 3202.01, 02, 03; NH ADC Rev 3203.01, 02, 03; NH ADC Rev 3204.01, 02; NH ADC Rev 3205.01; NH ADC Rev 3206.01, 02
Source: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/
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| No Child Left Behind--Choice/Transfer |
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| LA | Adopted 12/20/2012 | P-12 | Repeals §1401, §1403, §1405, which related to levels to, entry and movement in academic assistance. Amends §1601, "Entry into Academically Unacceptable School Status" and §1603, "Requirements for Academically Unacceptable Schools." Adds §1607, which requires a school identified as entering subgroup component failure to enter school improvement level 1, and for the school improvement level to be updated each year to reflect the number of years of subgroup failure. Prohibits schools identified as SI1+ from qualifying for "reward school" status. Repeals §1609, "Order of Priority for Remedies."
Under Chapter 19, "School Improvement, Academically Unacceptable Schools and Subgroup Component Failure: District and State Level Tasks," repeals §1901, "District Level Tasks" and §1903, "District Support at Each Level." Also repeals Chapter 20, "Differentiated Accountability Pilot." Amends §2101, "State Support at Each Level," under Chapter 21, "State-Level School Improvement, Academically Unacceptable Schools and Subgroup Component Failure Tasks." Amends §2301, "Schools Requiring Reconstitution/Alternate Governance Plans." Amends various provisions under Chapter 25, "School Choice" for academically unacceptable schools. Pages 61-63 of 276: http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/reg/1212/1212.pdf
Title: LAC 28:LXXXIII, Chapter 14, 16, 19, 23
Source: www.doa.louisiana.gov
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| Postsecondary Affordability--Financial Aid |
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| AK | Signed into law 12/27/2012 | Postsec. | Renames the Alaska merit scholarship to the Alaska performance scholarship and makes changes relating to the scholarship and tax credits. Establishes accounts and a fund for those purposes. Increases student eligibility rates over time from 28% to 44% of high school graduates. For institutions to qualify, adds additional requirements: That each such institution has an advisory program established for incoming students that provides counseling related to course selection, career choice, and personal challenges; and provides courses and credits that can result in the issuance of a degree or certificate available at the institution within a time frame expected for that degree or certificate.
http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=HB0104Z&session=27
Title: H.B. 104
Source: http://www.legis.state.ak.us
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| Teaching Quality--Evaluation and Effectiveness |
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| LA | Adopted 12/20/2012 | P-12 | Requires that the value-added educator evaluation model not be used in any cases where fewer than 10 students with value-added results are assigned to an educator. Pages 73-74 of 276: http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/osr/reg/1212/1212.pdf
Title: LAC 28:CXLVII.303
Source: www.doa.louisiana.gov
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