From the ECS State Policy Database P-3 Ensuring Quality

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. Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date]. State Status/Date Level Summary NY Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 Birth-5 Standards, Guidelines, and Criteria A.B. 7591 Directs the department of education, the office of children and family services and the department of health, each to identify and review ex... More... OH Signed into law 06/2012 P-12 Licensure of Preschool and Child Care Programs S.B. 316 - Licensure of Preschool and Child Care Programs Defines "school child," "child care," and other terms. Removes various references to preschool or school child program license renewal and t... More... LA Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Standards for Licensed Day Care Centers H.B. 1016 Makes revisions to current law regarding standards for licensed day care centers, describes the duties of the Department of Children and Fam... More... IL Adopted 05/2012 P-12 Early Childhood Block Grant 23 IL ADC 235.20, 30, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70; 23 IL ADC 235.APP. A, B, C From Illinois Register: This rulemaking resulted from the state board's application for funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment... More... FL Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program H.B. 5101 - Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program Requires each private prekindergarten provider and public school in the Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program to implement an evidence... More... DC Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Early Childhood Education, Title V Bill 19-648 Requires the chancellor to establish academic acheivement goals for three and four-year olds, and readiness goals and evaluations for three ... More... FL Vetoed 04/2012 P-12 School Readiness Programs H.B. 5103 From final bill analysis: Conforms applicable statutes to the appropriations provided in the General Appropriations Act for the school readi... More... LA Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Louisiana Early Childhood Education Act. S.B. 581 Requires the state board of education to create a comprehensive and integrated network through which to manage and oversee all programs fund... More... GA Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Emergency Closure of an Early Care and Education Program S.B. 185 Provides for emergency closure of an early care and education program upon the death of a minor or where a child's safety or welfare is in i... More... VT Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Regulation of Prekindergaten Education Programs S.B. 100 - Early Education Regulation This section requires the departments of education and children and families to consult with the various stakeholders in early learning (spe... More... AR Signed into law 04/2011 P-12 Evaluation of Early Learning Programs S.B. 337 Directs the Division of Child Care and Early Childhood Education to assess each early childhood program in this state that receives state fu... More... MN Issued 03/2011 P-12 The Early Learning Council E.O. 11-05 Creates the Early Learning Council to serve as the state advisory council on early childhood education and care. The council will consists o... More... IL Issued 06/2010 P-12 Office of Early Childhood Development Executive Order 8 Creates the Office of Early Childhood Development in the governor's office. Provides that the purpose of the office is to coordinate the wor... More... OK Signed into law 05/2010 P-12 Head Start Included on Readiness Board H.B. 3126 Expanding duties and board representation of the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness board. Directs the Board to additionally serve as... More... CO Signed into law 04/2010 P-12 Quality in Child Care Program H.B. 1026 Creates the Quality in Child Care Incentive Grant Program with the objective of providing incentives to county or district departments of so... More... OH Signed into law 08/2009 P-12 Inspections of Preschool and Licensed School Child Programs H.B. 1 - Section 3301.57 Partially from DOE summary of H.B. 1: Reduces the number of annual inspections of preschool programs and licensed school child programs by t... More... OH Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Early Childhood Education Programs H.B. 1 - Section 265.10.20 Partially from DOE summary of H.B. 1: Continues the GRF-funded early childhood education program at school districts, joint vocational scho... More... IA Adopted 07/2009 P-12 Early Childhood Council IAC 641-Chapter 83 Establishes new rules regarding the Early Childhood Iowa Council. Sets forth membership and operating procedures for the Council and describ... More... OH Adopted 06/2009 P-12 Early Learning Programs OAC 3301-37-01 through -12 -01: Adds or amends definitions related to early learning programs, including of "alignment," "curriculum," "early learning program guidelin... More... MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Quality Rating and Improvement System H.F. 2 Establishes a voluntary, standards-based quality rating and improvement system for early learning and care programs. Requires the state to c... More... TN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Contracting Only with Providers Meeting Highest Standards S.B. 2328 From the fiscal note: Authorizes local education agencies (LEAs) to contract out for the provision of child care services and requires LEAs ... More... WI Issued 10/2008 P-12 Governor's State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care Executive Order 269 (Executive Order No. 269) Creates the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care to conduct a periodic statewide needs ass... More... CA Signed into law 09/2008 P-12 Early learning S.B. 1629 Establishes the Early Learning Quality Improvement System Advisory Committee which would be required to develop the policy and implementatio... More... FL Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Success in Early Learning Act H.B. 879 Relates to the Success in Early Learning Act; authorizes the use of telecommunication methods in conducting early learning coalition board m... More... IA Adopted 11/2007 P-12 Accreditation Standards Related to Discrimination and Prekindergarten IAC 281, 12.1(1), 281-12.2(256), 12.3(6), 12.3(13), 12.8(1) Reflects that education programs are not to discriminate on the basis of the added characteristics of sexual orientation and gender identity... More... MD Adopted 11/2007 P-12 Family Day Care Quality COMAR 13A.14.04.02, .14 Increases the required preservice and continued training requirements for registered family child care providers to help improve the quality... More... MD Adopted 11/2007 P-12 Child Care Center Licensing and Staff Requirements COMAR 13A.14.02.02, .18, .21-.23, .25-.27 Increases the required preservice and continued training requirements for child care center staff and change the nomenclature of child care ... More... WA Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Child Care Provider Information S.B. 5317 Declares that the purpose of this act is to provide tools to promote the hiring of suitable providers of child care by: (1) Providing parent... More... AK Adopted 02/2007 P-12 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 4 AAC 04.150 Amends rules to the Department of Education and Early Development.Adopts Grade Level Expectations (GPE) for Kindergarten through Grade 2. AL... More... MS Adopted 07/2006 P-12 Child Care Quality Rating System Uncodified Establishes rules for a pilot project to improve the quality of child care services. Sets up a quality rating system for licensed child care... More... IA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Community Empowerment Initiative H.B. 2769 Increases membership on the community empowerment state board. Requires family support services in the community empowerment initiative to ... More... MO Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Standards for Early Childhood Education H.B. 1511 Requires the department of Education to develop, by June 30, 2007, standards for early childhood education which will be applicable to publi... More... CO Vetoed 05/2006 P-12 Statewide Early Childhood Councils H.B. 1397 Concerns the creation and duties of a statewide system of integrated early childhood councils. Repeals the pilot program for community conso... More... MD Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Child Care Quality Incentive Grant Program H.B. 601 Requires the Child Care Quality Incentive Grant Program to be administered by the State Department of Education; authorizes the Department t... More... WA Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Department of Early Learning H.B. 2964 Finds that the early years of a child's life are critical to the child's healthy brain development and that the quality of caregiving during... More... MS Signed into law 03/2006 P-12 Education Reform Act of 2006 S.B. 2602 Enacts the Education Reform Act of 2006. Section 16 directs the department of human services to establish a child care quality step program ... More... HI Signed into law 06/2005 P-12 Early Learning Educational Task Force S.B. 3101 Establishes and appropriates funds for an early learning educational task force to be attached to the department of education. Directs the t... More... IA Signed into law 06/2005 P-12 Impact of Early Intervention Block Grants H.F. 742 Relates to the Iowa Early Intervention Block Grant Program. Requires a report that includes district-by-district information showing the all... More... IA Issued 08/2004 P-12 Postsec. Community College IOWA LEARNS COUNCIL Executive Order No. 30 - 2003 Creates the IOWA LEARNS COUNCIL. The Iowa Learns Council shall work towards the ambitious goal of 90% of Iowa children having a quality pre-... More... AR Rule Adoption 06/2004 P-12 Better Chance Program ADE 174 Establishes general guidelines for the operation of early childhood programs funded under the Arkansas Better Chance Program and the Arkansa... More... SD Signed into law 02/2004 P-12 Child Care Availability Quality S.B. 117 Establishes a task force to improve the quality and availability of child care and early learning opportunities.... More... OR Rule Adoption 06/2003 P-12 Renewal of Authorization for Specialists OAR 581-015-1105, -1106 Amends rules to streamline the process of renewal of authorization for early childhood specialists and early childhood supervisors within th... More... ND Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Teacher Qualifications (Early Childhood and Kindergarten) H.B. 1489 Requires the state board to issue major equivalency endorsements and minor equivalency endorsements (new requirement). Also adds new requir... More... MS Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Statewide Prekindergarten/School Readiness Program Assessment S.B. 2636 Establishes oversight committee to assess all prekindergarten or school readiness programs run by any public or private school or Head Start... More... AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Better Chance Program H.B. 2402 Expands the Arkansas Better Chance Program; allows any licensed early childhood program with early childhood accreditation by the Department... More... KY Adopted 03/2003 P-12 Probationary Certificate/Teachers of Children 16 KAR 2:140 Allows that if no certified early childhood education teacher is available, the superintendent may ask that a one-year probationary interdis... More... KY Adopted 03/2003 P-12 Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education Teacher Certificate 16 KAR 2:040 Establishes rules regarding the professional certificate for interdisciplinary early childhood education, birth to primary, the teacher stan... More... WV Adopted 01/2003 P-12 Universal Access to Pre-Kindergarten System STATE ID: 126-28 Title 126, Series 28 Provides rules relating to West Virginia's universal access to the state's Pre-Kindergarten System. WEST VIRGINIA REG 4202 (SN)... More... NM Adopted 11/2002 P-12 Competencies for Early Childhood Education 6.61.8.10 Sets forth the competencies required for early childhood educators. ... More... IL Signed into law 07/2002 P-12 Child Care H.B. 3662 Amends the Child Care Act of 1969; excludes certain programs operated by private entities on the grounds of public or private elementary or ... More... TN Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 State Standards Apply to Private Providers S.B. 2380 Applies the state board's of education child care standards to programs operated by private schools. Any funds or personnel involved in the ... More... OK Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 Child Care Facilities Licensing Act-Single licensure process S.B. 1584 An Act relating to children; amending 10 O.S. 2001, Section 401, which relates to the Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act; requiri... More... MD Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 Child Care Quality Incentive Grant Program H.B. 986 Establishes a Child Care Quality Incentive Grant Program in the Department of Human Resources; authorizes the Department to award grants as ... More... VA Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 Licenced child care center regulations H.B. 1208 Provides that regulations for licensed child care centers adopted by the state board of social services or the child day-care council shall ... More... TN Signed into law 07/2001 P-12 Child care report cards and tiered reimbursement system. S.B. 1667; same as H.B. 1390 Establishes and implements a mandatory child care agency report card system and a separate and voluntary child care agency rated licensing s... More... ME Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Safety Standards for Nursery Schools S.B. 291 (LD 1002) Authorizes the Department of Human Services to adopt rules for the safe operation of nursery schools.... More... AZ Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Early Childhood Education Grant Evaluation S.B. 1516 Relates to Early Childhood Education Grant Evaluation; provides that the legislative council shall develop outcome measures to indicate the ... More... IN Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Child care development vouchers S.B. 110 Provides that a child care ministry that receives child care development voucher may only be required by a local Step Ahead Council to meet ... More... FL Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Cuts Early Childhood Programs S.B. 1162 - Omnibus The following programs have been repealed by S.B. 1162: 1) Gold Seal Quality care program, a three tiered quality rating system 2) Early... More... CO Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 Alternative Preschool Programs S.B. 49 Requires school district preschool program councils to periodically assess whether alternative community providers are available and to ensu... More... WY Signed into law 02/2001 P-12 Regional Preschool Teacher Development H.B. 113 Relates to regional development preschool system teachers; includes employment as a teacher in the regional development preschool system as ... More... NJ Signed into law 09/2000 P-12 Facility Safety S.B. 982 Exempts child care centers operated by a non-profit organization in a public school building from radon testing and certain other requiremen... More... CA Vetoed 08/2000 P-12 Higher Standards for Public Child Care A.B. 1986 Revises and recasts the indicators of quality child care and development programs. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to deve... More... AL Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Accreditation of Preschool Programs H.J.R. 96 Relates to preschool programs; requires preschools receiving funding under the early childhood block grant program to become accredited.... More... AZ Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Preschool Accreditation H.B. 2398 Relates to preschool programs; requires preschools receiving funding under the early childhood block grant program to become accredited.... More... VA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Preschool Compliance S.B. 170 Provides that the guidelines for the at-risk four-year-old preschool program may be differentiated according to the agency delivering the se... More... WY Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Preschool Programs H.B. 185 Relates to preschool programs; provides a school district may establish a preschool program under certain conditions; provides for funding a... More...