From the ECS State Policy Database State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions

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 CA Signed into law 09/2012 P-12 From bill summary: Authorizes the superintendent of public instruction to convene the State Council required by the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children to complete the work of a specified task force if the superintendent finds it infeasible or impractical to reconvene the task force with its original membership. Requires the task force's final report to be submitted no later than December 1, 2013, and extends the effective date of provisions regarding the task force and the State Council and their duties to January 1, 2014. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_2201-2250/ab_2202_bill_20120920_chaptered.pdf Title: A.B. 2202 Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov CA Vetoed 09/2012 P-12 From bill summary: Establishes a 21-member California Task Force on School Finance as of January 1, 2013, to review and analyze alternative funding formulas, in order to identify and recommend a formula or formulas that best meet the needs of the state's public school system and pupils. Specifies criteria to be used by the task force to evaluate funding formulas. Provides that 10 of the members of the task force would be appointed by the Governor, 5 appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, 5 appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and that the superintendent of public instruction or his/her designee would be a member of, and serve as chair of, the task force. Specifies the qualifications of the appointees, and provides for reimbursement for their expenses in attending meetings. Requires that task force meetings be subject to specified open meeting requirements. Requires the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by April 1, 2013. Provides these provisions become operative only if the superintendent of public instruction certifies, on or before January 31, 2013, that sufficient nonstate funds are available for its implementation. Make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2013, and repeals them as of January 1, 2014. Bill text: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_18_bill_20120831_enrolled.pdf Governor's veto message: http://gov.ca.gov/docs/AB_18_Veto_Message.pdf Title: A.B. 18 Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov CA Vetoed 08/2012 P-12 From bill summary: Requires the Commission on Teaching Credentialing to convene an advisory panel to explore the recognition of leadership roles within the teaching career pathway. Requires the commission to consider the findings of the advisory panel and report to the governor and the legislature on recommendations for the recognition of teacher leaders within one year of the advisory panel being convened. Requires the commission to use private funds to support the advisory panel, and prohibits the use of general fund moneys for this purpose. Requires the advisory panel to be convened only after the Department of Finance determines that private funds, in an amount sufficient to fully support the activities of the advisory panel, have been deposited with the state. Requires the department to file a written statement with specified persons that the determination has been made. Bill text: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_1751-1800/ab_1765_bill_20120813_enrolled.pdf Governor's veto message: http://gov.ca.gov/docs/AB1765-veto.pdf Title: A.B. 1765 Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov IL Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 Establishes the Enhance Physical Education Task Force. Establishes various purposes of the task force. Directs the task force to (1) make recommendations to the governor and the general assembly on certain goals of the Illinois Learning Standards for Physical Development and Health, and (2) focus on updating the standards based on brain research that impacts the relationship between physical activity and learning. By August 31, 2013, directs the task force to make recommendations and file a report with the governor and the general assembly. Repeals these provisions on September 1, 2013. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/97/PDF/097-1102.pdf Title: S.B. 3374 Source: www.ilga.gov IL Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 Creates the Eradicate Domestic Violence Task Force to develop a statewide prevention course for high school students designed to prevent interpersonal, adolescent violence based on the Step Back Program for boys and girls. Establishes specific duties of the task force under this charge, including proposing an evaluation structure and method of evaluation for modifying the curriculum content over time. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/97/PDF/097-1037.pdf Title: H.B. 5689 Source: www.ilga.gov IL Signed into law 08/2012 P-12 Creates the Commission for High School Graduation Achievement and Success to study the issue of high school graduation in the state. Directs the commission to study: (1) Illinois graduation rates (2) the mandatory attendance age (3) alternative educational programs currently being used in the state, including which are the most successful, why they are successful, and whether they can be used by other districts (4) the funding structures and options for these alternative programs (5) alternative educational programs in other states and whether they would be successful in Illinois districts; and (6) the effect that high school graduation has on individuals' job outlook. Identifies at a minimum the alternative educational programs in the state the commission must study. Directs the commission to submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the governor and general assembly by November 1, 2012. Provides that on November 2, 2012, the commission is abolished and this section is repealed. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/97/PDF/097-0911.pdf Title: S.B. 3259 Source: www.ilga.gov OH Signed into law 06/2012 Postsec. Creates the Cybersecurity, Education, and Economic Development Council. Includes among council membership two representatives from institutions of higher education and one representative from a community or technical college that have cybersecurity-related programs. Directs the council to conduct a study and make recommendations regarding (1) Improving the infrastructure of the state's cybersecurity operations with existing resources and through partnerships between government, business, and institutions of higher education; and (2) Specific actions that would accelerate growth of the cybersecurity industry in the state. Directs the council, by December 31, 2012, to submit a report to the governor, lieutenant governor, and specified legislative leaders. http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText129/129_HB_331_EN_N.pdf Title: H.B. 331 Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us CT To governor 06/2012 P-12 Postsec. Directs The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Board of Regents for Higher Education and The University of Connecticut, to study issues concerning teacher preparation in the state and report on such study and deliver a comprehensive set of recommendations by April 1, 2013. Issues that must be addressed include, student teaching requirements, candidate profile requirements, and specified duties of the institution of higher education.http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/SA/2012SA-00003-R00SB-00384-SA.htm Title: S.B. 384 Source: cga.ct.gov LA Signed into law 06/2012 Postsec. Creates the Science and Education Advisory Council to provide advice and information as requested by the executive board of the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium for Research and Education. Establishes membership from specified postsecondary entities. Directs the advisory council to meet as necessary to respond to requests from the executive board and provide the board with the benefit of perspectives represented on the council. Directs the executive board, in consultation with the Science and Education Advisory Council, to formulate a five-year master plan for the consortium's marine science and education programs and initiatives and to make revisions to such plan as necessary. Directs the chair of the executive board, the executive director of the board, and the chair of the Science and Education Advisory Council to jointly report annually on master plan implementation. http://legis.la.gov/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=810081 Title: S.B. 290 Source: legis.la.gov IL Adopted 06/2012 P-12 Creates the Area Career and Technical Education and Vocational Centers Task Force. Directs the task force to study the issue of funding of area career/vocational centers and career and technical education programs, including transportation for such programs, and to consider the possibility of enacting legislation to make changes to such funding;. Directs the task force to hold a minimum of 7 public hearings in the state, and to submit its findings and recommendations to the governor by February 2013, at which time the task force will disband. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/97/HJR/PDF/09700HJ0079lv.pdf Title: H.J.R. 79 Source: www.ilga.gov AK Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Establishes the Alaska Native Language Preservation and Advisory Council to advise both the governor and legislature on programs, policies, and projects to provide for the cost-effective preservation, restoration, and revitalization of Alaska Native languages in the state. http://www.legis.state.ak.us/PDF/27/Bills/SB0130Z.PDF Title: S.B.130 Source: legis.state.ak.us IA Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Permits high school credit to be awarded to students that demonstrate competency in the subject areas required to be offered by accredited schools and allows students to receive credit on a performance basis through the administration of an assessment. Creates a competency-based instruction task force and requires the task force to submit reports with findings and recommendations by January 13, 2013, and November 15, 2013. http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/linc/84/external/govbills/SF2284.pdf Title: S.F. 2284 - Division I Source: http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us IA Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 This section relates to teacher reviews, professional development, and administrator evaluations. Creates three new task forces: Statewide Educator Evaluation System Task Force, Iowa Teaching Standards and Criteria Review Task Force, and Teacher Performance, Compensation and Career Development Task Force. Requires 36 additional hours of practitioner collaboration (can be repurposed from existing professional development time). Requires annual review of teachers. The first two years of review are to be conducted by a peer group of teachers and are to be formative in nature -- not for recommending participation in an intensive assistance program or for compensation, layoff, termination, etc.. Requires annual evaluation of administrators. The Statewide Educator Evaluation System Task Force is to develop a statewide teacher evaluation system and a statewide administrator evaluation system that standardize the instruments and processes used throughout the state. Lists required components: Direct observation; balanced consideration of student growth measures; integration of the Iowa teaching standards; system applicability to teachers in all content areas. Also requires that recommendations include a tiered evaluation system that differentiates ineffective, minimally effective, effective and highly effective performance by teachers and administrators. http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/linc/84/external/govbills/SF2284.pdf Title: S.B. 2284 -- Division III Source: http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us IA Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 This section requires the director of the Department of Education to appoint members to a school instructional time task force. The task force is to review and submit findings and recommendations pertaining to school instructional time by October 15, 2012. http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/linc/84/external/govbills/SF2284.pdf Title: S.F. 2284 - Division X Source: http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us ME Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 The bill directs the Commissioner of Education to propose a model policy for public schools and private schools enrolling more than 60% of their students at public expense in this State on the management of concussive and other head injuries in school activities and athletics. The bill also accomplishes the following.1. It directs the commissioner to invite representatives of educational stakeholders and interested parties to participate in a working group that will meet during the spring and summer of 2012 to develop a model policy that addresses the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of concussive and other head injuries in students and student athletes.2. It provides that the model policy must include the following requirements: A. That athletic directors, coaches and other school personnel involved with school activities and athletics must be provided with training in the identification and management of concussive and other head injuries;B. That a student participating in a school athletic activity and the student's parent or legal guardian must review the school's policy on the management of concussive and other head injuries;C. That schools must use protocols and forms in the implementation of the policy on the management of concussive and other head injuries;D. That a student suspected of having sustained a concussive or other head injury in any activity or athletic practice or game must be removed from participation immediately and evaluated for brain injury prior to returning to the activity or practices and games; andE. That a student suspected of having sustained a concussion after an evaluation must be banned from further participation until the student has received written medical clearance from a licensed health care provider trained in concussion management for the student to begin the gradual resumption of participation in the activity or practices and games.3. It establishes that schools are required to adopt a policy on management of head injuries and begin implementation of the policy by January 1, 2013 and further provides that schools must gradually implement the policy during the 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 school years.4. It provides that the Commissioner of Education and school officials may share the model policy on the management of concussive and other head injuries, including the information, training, protocols and forms included in the policy, with statewide and local organizations that sponsor sports and athletics. http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/getPDF.asp?paper=SP0654&item=1&snum=125 Title: S.P. 654 Source: www.mainelegislature.org IL Adopted 05/2012 P-12 Extends the School Success Task Force established during the 96th General Assembly and adds a member to the Task Force representing City of Chicago School District 299. Directs the School Success Task Force to submit a report before December 31, 2012. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/97/HJR/PDF/09700HJ0067lv.pdf Title: H.J.R. 67 Source: www.ilga.gov CT Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 (Sec. 19) Establishes the education commissioner's network of schools to improve the student academic achievement in low-performing schools and establishes steps the commissioner, district turnaround committees, and local and regional boards of education must take regarding the network. On or before July 1, 2014, the commissioner must select up to 25 schools that have been classified as a category four or a category five school (lowest-performing) pursuant to section 18 of the bill to participate in the network. Schools must be in the network for between three and five years and the bill details steps that must be taken before a school can leave the network. Requires the commissioner to provide funding, technical assistance, and operational support to schools participating in the commissioner's network of schools and may provide financial support to teachers and administrators working at a participating school. Directs the SBE to pay all costs attributable to developing and implementing a turnaround plan in excess of the school's ordinary operating expenses. Each school selected for the network must begin to implement of a turnaround plan, as described in the bill, not later than the school year commencing July 1, 2014. Provides details on (1) numerous steps to establish a turnaround committee for each district to develop turnaround plans for network schools, (2) how those plans are approved and implemented, (3) limits on the number of nonprofit private entities authorized to manage network schools, (4) the transition out of the network, and (5) reporting requirements for the commissioner regarding the network. (Sec. 23) Requires boards of education that have jurisdiction over schools designated as low-achieving to establish a school governance council for each such school and allows boards with schools designated as "in need of improvement" to create them. Makes exceptions to the requirement for (1) schools with only one grade and (2) governance councils that were already in place when the governance council law was enacted, if they involve teachers, parents, and others. After July 1, 2012, requires all school boards that have category four and five schools to establish councils for each of those schools. By law, the councils must consist of seven parents or guardians of students, two community leaders within the school district, five teachers in the school, and one nonvoting member who is the principal or his or her designee. Councils for high schools must also have two nonvoting student members. Included in council responsibilities is analyzing school achievement data, participating in hiring the principal and other administrators, and developing and approving a written parent involvement policy. A council may also recommend that a school be reconstituted and this recommendation sets off a series of statutorily required steps. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2012/ACT/PA/2012PA-00116-R00SB-00458-PA.htm Title: S.B. 458 Source: cga.ct.gov ID Issued 05/2012 P-12 Orders the continuance of the Governor's Task Force on Children at Risk (Task Force). The Task Force is responsible for reviewing and developing programs, as well as facilitating local jurisdictions to operate programs designed to improve: a. The handling of child abuse and neglect cases, particularly cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation; b. The handling of cases of suspected child abuse or neglect related fatalities; c. The investigation and prosecution of cases of child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse and exploitation; and d. The handling of cases involving children with disabilities or serious health-related problems who are victims of abuse or neglect. Further, the Task Force shall establish and support a statewide child fatality review team (CFRT) to allow comprehensive and multidisciplinary review of deaths of children younger than 18 years-old, in order to identify what information and education may improve the health and safety of Idaho's children. The statewide CFRT established and supported by the Task Force is separate and apart from child death reviews convened by the Department of Health and Welfare in circumstances where the death of a child is suspected or confirmed to have resulted from abuse or neglect. http://gov.idaho.gov/mediacenter/execorders/eo12/eo_12_03.pdf Title: 2012 Idaho Executive Order 12-03 Source: gov.idaho.gov FL Issued 05/2012 Postsec. Establishes the Blue Ribbon Task Force on State Higher Education Reform. Provides the responsibilities of the task force include, but are not limited to: (1) Cataloging and consolidating the recommendations of the various efforts related to Florida's state university system (2) Assessing strengths and weaknesses of the state university system's governance model related to its constitutional charge (3) Analyzing the ability of state universities to contribute to the state university system's 2012-2025 strategic plan (4) Recommending strategies, such as incentive systems and governance improvements, to encourage cooperation between institutions leading to reduced duplication and improved efficiencies (5) Recommending amendments to statutes and regulations necessary to improve state universities' accountability and transparency to the board of governors, and the board of governors' accountability and transparency to the legislature and governor (6) Conducting a review and analysis of efforts to achieve national preeminence and academic and research excellence by Florida universities, including elements that may be considered for future legislation to advance higher education. Directs the task force, no later than November 15, 2012, to provide a written report to the governor, senate president, and speaker of the house detailing assessments and recommendations related to the above. Provides task force continues in existence until May 4, 2013. http://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/orders/2012/12-104-blueribbon.pdf Title: E.O. 12-104 Source: www.flgov.com HI Adopted 05/2012 Postsec. Requests that the governor convene a 10-member exploratory committee to examine the feasibility and necessary resources of establishing an international aviation training center at the Hilo International Airport and an advanced aviation degree training program at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Requests that the exploratory committee report its findings and recommendations, including any budget requests and proposed legislation, to the legislature not more than 20 days before the 2013 regular session is convened. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2012/bills/HCR107_.pdf Title: H.C.R. 107 Source: www.capitol.hawaii.gov GA Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Section 1: Directs the department of education to establish the Professional Learning Rules Task Force to review state board professional learning rules, review current research regarding professional learning and provide suggestions for revisions, and provide suggestions for implementation. Establishes task force membership. By July 1, 2013, directs the task force to provide the state board with recommendations for professional learning rules. Requires recommendations to be included in revisions to state board rules by June 30, 2015. Repeals these provisions effective July 1, 2015. http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20112012/118157.pdf Title: S.B. 184 - Professional Learning Rules Task Force Source: www.legis.ga.gov MD Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Establishes the Maryland Advisory Council for Virtual Learning within the Department of Education, with the mission of the council to encourage and support the education of students in accordance with national standards of online learning and state law. Requires that the council meet four times per year and make recommendations regarding subject areas specified in the bill. http://mlis.state.md.us/2012rs/bills/hb/hb0745t.pdf Title: H.B. 745 Source: Westlaw/StateNet WA Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Establishes the joint task force on education funding to: (1) Develop a proposal for a reliable and dependable funding mechanism to support basic education programs; and (2) Consider the specific recommendations, from the quality education council, for the transitional bilingual instructional program. Makes certain dedicated revenues available for implementation of basic education reform and to facilitate the funding reform recommendations of the task force. http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2011-12/Pdf/Bills/Session%20Law%202012/2824.SL.pdf Title: H.B. 2824 Source: apps.leg.wa.gov NY Issued 04/2012 P-12 Establishes the New NY Education Reform Commission to provide guidance and advice to the governor on education policy, performance, and innovation. Directs the commission to study the best national and international public education models and best practices to recommend ways to increase educational productivity and student performance in the state. Directs the commission to comprehensively review and assess the state's education system to ultimately create significant savings while improving student achievement and providing students with a high-quality education. Requires that the review include, but not be limited to: a. studying teacher recruitment and performance, including incentives to keep the best teachers, and the teacher preparation, certification and evaluation systems; b. analyzing factors that support P-12 student achievement to ensure all students are on track to graduate from high school ready for college, careers, and active citizenship; c. evaluating education funding, distribution of state aid, and operating costs to identify efficiencies in spending while maintaining the quality of educational programs, including special education; d. increasing parent and family engagement, including examining the school calendar and district-level policies that increase parental involvement; e. examining the unique issues faced by high-need urban and rural districts, including comparing best practices and identifying the different services that these districts might require to be successful; f. analyzing the availability of technology and its best use in the classroom, including the accessibility of, and obstacles to, using technology in the classroom in light of the requirements and demands of the job market to best prepare our students; and g. examining the overall structure of the state's education system to determine whether it meets students' needs while respecting the taxpayer. Directs the commission to compare student achievement outcomes with education spending, focusing on districts that generate higher than average achievement per dollars spent, including high-need districts that are providing students with the opportunity to receive a sound basic education, and identifying how districts can boost student achievement without increasing spending. Directs the commission to submit preliminary recommendations by December 2012, and final recommendations by September 2013, at which time the commission will terminate its work. http://www.governor.ny.gov/executiveorder/44 Title: E.O. No. 44 Source: www.governor.ny.gov MN Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Establishes the Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission (previously the Permanent School Fund Advisory Committee), dictates its 12 members, outlines meeting and election proceedures, and adds to its duties manage the asset allocation of the permanent school fund. Establishs a school trust lands director position to recommend management policies for Minnesota's school trust lands, and outlines duties of the trustee. Requires the governor to appoint a school trust lands director, outlines his/her qualifications, compensation, and duties. Directs the Commissioner to annually provide to the Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission a report that includes an analysis that compares certified costs with costs incurred on other public and private lands with similar land assets. Requires returns of not less than fair market value on the sale, exchange, and commercial leasing of school trust lands. Requires the Commission to optimize school trust land revenues and maximize the value of the trust consistent with the balancing of short-term and long-term interests. Directs the Commissioner to optimize school trust land revenues and maximize the value of the trust consistent with the balancing of short-term and long-term interests. Outlines reporting requirements and policies to resolve conflicts between short and long term interests. Excludes school trust lands from state land that are withdrawn from sale. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/showPDF.php Title: H.F. 2244 Source: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/ FL Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Establishes for the 2012-13 fiscal year the K-12 Public School Facility Funding Task Force. Identifies task force membership. Requires the task force to convene by July 31, 2012 to make recommendations to the legislature for more equitable facility funding for charter schools and district-operated schools, including on five enumerated issues. Directs the task force to complete its work and submit recommendations to specified legislative leaders by December 1, 2012. Abolishes the task force June 30, 2013. Pages 37-39 of 41: http://myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h5101er.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=5101&Session=2012 Title: H.B. 5101 - K-12 Public School Facility Funding Task Force Source: myfloridahouse.gov FL Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 From bill analysis: Creates the Digital Instructional Materials Work Group. The purpose of the 8 member group is to plan and monitor the implementation of the transition to digital instructional materials. Directs the group to submit a plan to the legislature by March 1, 2013, for meeting the deadline of transition to digital instructional materials as provided in ss. 1006.29(3) and 1006.40(3)(a), Florida Statutes, and requires the plan to include specified components, including teacher training and professional development, and funding. Pages 40-41 of 41: http://myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h5101er.docx&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=5101&Session=2012 Title: H.B. 5101 - Digital Instructional Materials Work Group Source: myfloridahouse.gov KY Signed into law 04/2012 P-12 Directs the Legislative Research Commission to establish a task force to study interscholastic athletics at the middle school level, and assess possible options for the creation of "best practice" guidelines. Identifies specific areas of investigation. Requires that the task force be appointed by August 1, 2012; identifies task force membership. Directs the task force to report its findings to the Legislative Research Commission, the Interim Joint Committee on Education, and the Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare by December 7, 2012, and to make recommendations to improve interscholastic athletics at the middle school level. http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/12RS/HC155/bill.doc Title: H.C.R. 155 Source: www.lrc.ky.gov UT Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Directs the education interim committee to conduct a study of programs and initiatives to assist students at risk of academic failure, including a study of: (1) The Carson Smith Scholarships for Students with Special Needs program to determine whether program funding is adequate to meet program demand (2) Programs and funding to assist students in the state's public schools who score below proficient on assessments of academic achievement or are economically disadvantaged (3) Programs in other states to assist students who score below proficient on assessments of academic achievement or are economically disadvantaged (4) Other initiatives to assist students at risk of academic failure. http://le.utah.gov/~2012/bills/sbillenr/sb0151.pdf Title: S.B. 151 Source: le.utah.gov OR Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Revises the purpose of the Early Learning Council to ensuring that children enter school ready to learn, determines responsibilities, membership and term limits and establishes the Early Learning Council Fund. Requires that the Early Learning Council implement and oversee a system that coordinates the delivery of early learning services to the communities of this state through the use of community-based coordinators of early learning services. Requires that the Child Care Division provide to the Early Learning Council a report that summarizes the development and administration of child care resource and referral policies and practices under this section and the report must be provided at least twice a year and as otherwise required by the Early Learning Council. Funds appropriated pending passage of HB 4082. Establishes the Youth Development Council for the purpose of assisting the board in overseeing a unified system that provides services to school-age children through youth 20 years of age in a manner that supports academic success, reduces criminal involvement and is integrated, measurable and accountable and determines responsibilities and membership. Funds Appropriated pending passage of HB 4082. Abolishes the State Commission on Children and Families and its Account and transfers of duties, functions and powers to the Early Learning Council and the Youth Development Council. Abolishes the Juvenile Crime Prevention Advisory Committee and transfers duties, functions and powers to the Youth Development Council. Abolishes the Commission for Child Care and Account and trasfers duties, functions and powers to the Early Learning Council. Directs the Child Care Division of the Employment Department to initiate development of a tiered quality rating and improvement system for child care facilities. Establishes the Keep Kids Safe Registration Plate Account. http://www.leg.state.or.us/12reg/measpdf/hb4100.dir/hb4165.en.pdf Title: H.B. 4165 Source: leg.state.or.us OR Signed into law 03/2012 Postsec. Expands duties of Higher Education Coordinating Commission to include the development and recommendation of policies to ensure or improve access to higher education by underserved populations, recommend and encourage student success and completion initiatives, develop and recommend policies to improve the coordination of the provision of educational services, oversee the licensing of career schools, review research efforts among the public universities of this state to improve economic development in this state, and coordinate education initiatives with the State Workforce Investment Board, the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, local workforce investment boards, the Oregon Health and Science University and independent institutions of postsecondary education. Provides that the duties, functions and powers of the State Board of Education, Department of Education and Superintendent of Public Instruction relating to career schools are imposed upon, transferred to and vested in the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. http://www.leg.state.or.us/12reg/measures/sb1500.dir/sb1538.en.html Title: S.B. 1538 Source: leg.state.or.us OR Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Establishes the Task Force on STEM Access and Success for the purpose of encouraging students to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Establishes the STEM Fund in the State Treasury, separate and distinct from the General Fund. Funds are continuously appropriated to the Oregon Student Access Commission for the purpose of providing scholarships to students to encourage study in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. http://www.leg.state.or.us/12reg/measpdf/hb4000.dir/hb4056.en.pdf Title: H.B. 4056 Source: leg.state.or.us OR Signed into law 03/2012 Postsec. Calls on the Higher Education Coordinating Commission to convene a work group to examine and recommend adoption of strategies for making textbooks more affordable for students at all post-secondary institutions in the state. http://www.leg.state.or.us/12reg/measpdf/hb4000.dir/hb4058.en.pdf Title: H.B. 4058 Source: leg.state.or.us OR Signed into law 03/2012 P-12 Establishes and sets membership for the Task Force on Accountable Schools to develop a plan to improve accountability practices for schools and make recommendations.(sec. 22) http://www.leg.state.or.us/12reg/measpdf/hb4000.dir/hb4014.en.pdf Title: H.B. 4014 Source: leg.state.or.us AR Adopted 02/2012 P-12 Creates the distance Learning Coordinating Council to evaluate programs and determine whether they are being utilized fully and efficiently. Outlines the members of the Council, term limits, meeting frequency, and other adminitrative rules. Requires the Council to make annual recommendations to the Department of Education and other entities. Sets minimum requirements for the administration of distance learning in elementary and secondary schools including: approved providers, courses and instructors; requirements for site facilitators, student achievement assessments, class sizes, student-instructor ratios, scheduling and availability. Establishes the Arkansas Distance Learning Development Program, conducted by the Department of Education. Oulines focus areas and funding rules. Requires the Commissioner to annually review the program and make recommendations to the State Board. Enables the Commissioner to enter into contracts and provide grants for implementation. Specifies that students participating in the Program are eligible for public education credit and grades. Requires that students participating in distance learning courses reside in the district offering the course and agree to attend the school to participate in the course. Requires that the course be offered for credit and approved by the Department of Education. Outlines exceptions to these rules, and rules for home-schooled students. Outlines grant standards and uses, protocols and distribution requirements. Requires districts to collaborate with one another to establish educational needs and maximize distance learning services. http://170.94.37.152/REGS/005.15.12-001F-12833.pdf Title: AR ADC 005.25.2-1.00 to AR ADC 005.25.2-13.00; AR ADC 005.25.4-1.00 to AR ADC 005.25.4-5.00; AR ADC 005.25.5-1.00 to AR ADC 005.25.5-9.00 Source: http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/rules_and_regs/ AR Adopted 02/2012 P-12 Authorizes the State Board to select a statewide textbook selection committee to recommend a list of instructional materials consistent with course content standards and curriculum frameworks. Empowers the State Board to require require reports from school districts on the use and distrubution of instructional materials. Specifies that the Department of Education include funding for instructional materials in the foundation funding amount provided to each school district, and that the state of Arkansas must guarantee a set price for materials to all schools for the life of a state adoption cycle. Requires school districts to establish a textbook selection committee, comprised of a majority of licensed personnel, including teachers. Requires districts to provide instructional materials, including equipment needed to access digital resources, for all K-12 public school students free of charge. Provides that school districts may select their own instructional materials or select from the recommended state-approved list. Requires any materials purchased with state funds be consistent with course content and curriculum frameworks. Requires that the Department of Education monitor compliance with the regulations regarding instructional materials, and report to the House and Senate Education Committees. Sets forth conditions for offering textbooks for adoption, sale or exchange by any person, company or corporation. Provides that the State Board make and execute contracts for all instructional materials that have been recommended by the Department of Education, and outlines rules regarding contracts, exchange provisions, and assessment of damages. Outlines illegal acts for members of the selecting committe, employees of the Department of Education or member of a school board of directors including: accepting gifts from any agent offering instructional materials for sale, having an interest in the in the proceeds of instructional materials, being promised or offered any valuable thing with the intent of influencing decisions or opinions of instructional materials. http://170.94.37.152/REGS/005.01.12-002F-12840.pdf Title: AR ADC 005.15.11-1.00 to AR ADC 005.15.11-7.00; AR ADC 005.04.23-2.00 to AR ADC 005.04.23-11.00 Source: http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/rules_and_regs/ IN Signed into law 02/2012 P-12 Establishes the education issues interim study committee to study the feasibility of establishing a process by which residents of a part of an existing school corporation may elect to disannex from the existing school corporation and either annex to another existing school corporation or establish a new school corporation. http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2012/HE/HE1047.1.html Title: H.B. 1047 Source: www.in.gov NJ Issued 02/2012 P-12 Creates the New Jersey Education Funding Task Force to examine the state's school funding formula and identify areas that may be susceptible to fraud or subject to outside manipulation. Additionally, the Task Force is directed to consider: (a) economically effective measures of student poverty; (b) educationally sound measures of defining at-risk students; (c) appropriate adjustments to the SFRA to account for municipal property ratable bases that may be artificially deflated as a result of municipal property tax abatements. The Task Force shall consist of seven individuals from both inside and outside government who have knowledge or expertise in the areas of education funding, policy, administration, governance, and fiscal management. The Task Force shall issue a final report to the Governor setting no later than 120 days after organizing. The report shall be provided to the Legislature and shall be made available to the public.The Task Force shall expire upon the issuance of its final report. http://nj.gov/infobank/circular/eocc89.pdf Title: E.O. 89 Source: http://www.state.nj.us/governor/ WI Issued 01/2012 P-12 Creates the 15-member College and Workforce Readiness Council. Tasks the council with recommending policies and programs to improve student readiness for college or career. Identifies specific areas in which the council must prioritize improvement: (1) Reducing dropout and remediation rates as well as income and racial achievement gaps therein; (2) Increasing the overall number of degrees and certificates awarded; (3) Expanding dual enrollment and dual credit opportunities to middle and high school students statewide; (4) Designing shorter, less costly degree programs aimed at filling high-need positions while promoting and supporting technical career pathways for students beginning at a young age; (5) Easing transitions between systems and institutions, specifically through the transfer of credits and the awarding of credit for prior learning, including on-the-job training and other experience; and (6) Any other issues the council deems vital to improving career and college readiness for Wisconsin's students. Directs the council to provide the governor with a strategic plan detailing progress toward goals by December 31, 2012. http://dwd.wisconsin.gov/dwd/newsreleases/2012/120113_readiness_council_eo_56.pdf Title: E.O. #56 Source: dwd.wisconsin.gov MI Signed into law 12/2011 P-12 Requires a bipartisan workgroup to be convened and recommend measures to improve educational quality in all public schools. The group must focus on student growth and submit its recommendations by March 30, 2012. Sec. 1277b http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/billanalysis/Senate/pdf/2011-SFA-0618-N.pdf Title: S.B. 618 Source: legislature.mi.gov MN Issued 11/2011 P-12 Establishes the Governor's Task Force on the Prevention of School Bullying to examine the state of bullying, harassment and intimidation in the state, including existing laws and regulations, and to advise the governor's office and the legislature on effective and comprehensive policies to ensure the safety of all students. Establishes task force membership. Establishes duties of task force, including providing recommendations for policy initiatives to the governor and legislature based on its findings. Directs the task force to provide its findings and recommendations in a report to the governor's office, legislature and public by August 1, 2012. http://mn.gov/governor/images/EO-11-33.pdf Title: E.O. 11-33 Source: mn.gov/governor NJ Issued 10/2011 P-12 Creates a State Strategic Plan Steering Committee ("Steering Committee") to work closely with the SPC and OPA to ensure that relevant State departments and agencies incorporate the goals, objectives, and values of a new SPCadopted State Plan into Department Strategic Plans and relevant regulations, programs, policies, and operations. Identifies cabinet members, responsibilities and duties. http://nj.gov/infobank/circular/eocc78.pdf Title: E.O. 78 Source: http://nj.gov/ DE Issued 09/2011 P-12 Establishes a School Libraries Council for the purpose of improving and extending school library services to all Delaware public and charter school students from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, to support curriculum reform efforts related to school libraries, and to prepare students to succeed in college and career readiness through enhancement of library resources. Requires that the Council shall be composed of thirteen members, including one member appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, one member appointed by the Speaker of the House and eleven members appointed by the Governor. http://governor.delaware.gov/orders/exec_order_30.shtml Title: Executive Order 30 Source: http://governor.delaware.gov MI Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 From Legislative Staff Summary - Specifies provisions that must apply to personnel decisions concerning teachers when a school district or intermediate school district (ISD) conducts a staffing or program reduction or otherwise makes a personnel determination resulting in the elimination of a position, conducts a recall from a reduction, or hires after a reduction. Teacher and Administrator Evaluation: Establishes requirements for the teacher evaluation system, including an annual year-end evaluation and a mid-year progress report, beginning with the 2013-2014 school year. Requires a teacher to be dismissed if he or she is rated as ineffective on three consecutive year-end evaluations. Allows a nonprobationary teacher who is rated as ineffective on a year-end evaluation to request a review of the rating by the district superintendent. Specifies classroom observation requirements. Establishes requirements for the evaluation of school administrators. Requires the dismissal of an administrator who is rated as ineffective on three consecutive year-end evaluations, if the same evaluation tool and system are used in the three evaluations. Requires teachers' and administrators' year-end evaluations to be based at least 25% on student growth and assessment data in 2013-2014, 40% in 2014-2015, and 50% beginning in 2015-2016. Exempts a district from the teacher and administrator evaluation requirements for a public school if the district is already using a performance evaluation system that meets certain criteria, or if it adopts an evaluation system that is identical to that of an exempt school. Requires notification to parents if pupils are assigned to teachers whose last two year-end ratings were ineffective, beginning in 2015-2016. Governor's Council on Educator Effectiveness: Creates the Governor's Council on Educator Effectiveness. Requires the Council, by April 30, 2012, to submit a report that recommends a student growth and assessment tool, State evaluation tools for teachers and administrators, and parameters for effectiveness rating categories. Specifies a legislative intent to enact legislation to put in place a statewide performance evaluation system taking into account the Council's recommendations. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/publicact/htm/2011-PA-0102.htm Title: H.B. 4627 Source: http://www.legislature.mi.gov MO Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 WHEREAS, Section 105.454(5), RSMO, reqires the Governor to designate those members of hisstaff who have supervisory authority over each department, division or agency of the state government. NEW, THEREFORE, I, JEREMIAH W. NIXON, governor of the state of Missioui by virtue of the aufhority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Missouri, do hereby designate the following members of my staff as having supervisory authority over the follwoing departments, divisions or agencies: Department of Economic Development Doug Nelson Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Mike Nietzel Department of Higher Education Mike Nietzel Title: E.O. 11-22 Source: http://governor.mo.gov.orders/2011/11-22 TX Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Requires the establishment of a joint legislative interim committee to conduct a comprehensive study of the public school finance system. Directs the committee to make recommendations to the legislature no later than January 15, 2013, regarding changes to the public school finance system. Dissolves the committee September 1, 2013. Page 166 of 263: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/821/billtext/pdf/SB00001F.pdf#navpanes=0 Title: S.B. 1 - School Finance System Study Source: www.capitol.state.tx.us CT Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Sec. 1 - Establishes a task force to address the academic achievement gaps in Connecticut by considering effective approaches to closing the achievement gaps in elementary, middle and high schools. Requires the task force to submit a master plan to the General Assembly by July 1, 2012. Provides that the task force must terminate on January 1, 2020. Sec. 2 - Establishes an Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement Gap (the council) to assist the achievement gap task force, in the development of the master plan to eliminate the academic achievement gaps in Connecticut, implement the provisions of the master plan, and, if necessary, make recommendations for legislation relating to the master plan to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly. Directs the council to submit annual progress reports on the implementation of the master plan to the General Assembly. Sec. 3 - Permits local or regional boards of education for schools designated as low-achieving under state law to increase the number of school sessions each year and the number of school hours each day in order to improve student performance and remove the school from the list of low-achieving schools. Sec. 4 - Provides that the summer reading program required in priority school districts must be offered to children enrolled in kindergarten who are determined by their school to be substantially deficient in reading based on measures established by the State Board of Education. Directs each priority school district to require the schools under its jurisdiction to assess the reading level of students enrolled in kindergarten at the end of the school year and in grades 1-3 at the beginning, middles and end of the school year (assessment was previously only required in grades 1-3 at the middle and end of the school year). Required individual reading plans must be monitored by school literacy teams that will consist of, but not be limited to, teachers, school reading specialists, internal or external reading consultants, the school principal and the provider of the additional instruction. Adds kindergarten to the grade range for which priority school districts may require students found substantially deficient in reading to attend summer school. Sec. 5 - Permits the Commissioner of Education to identify schools to participate in a pilot study for the purposes of promoting best practices in early literacy and closing the academic achievement gaps. Sec. 6 - Provides that the required statement of educational goals (which identify specific expectations for students in terms of skills, knowledge and competence) prepared by the board of education be annually established. Sec. 7 - Requires, on and after July 1, 2011, any person applying for a certification in the endorsement area of elementary education to achieve a satisfactory evaluation on the appropriate State Board of Education approved mathematics assessment in order to be eligible for such elementary education endorsement. Sec. 8 - Requires, not later than July 1, 2012, the Department of Education to approve and make available model curricula and frameworks in reading and mathematics for grades prekindergarten to grade four, inclusive, for use by boards of education for school districts or individual schools identified by the department as having academic achievement gaps. Sec. 9 - Requires the Connecticut School Reform Resource Center (the Center) to provide a program of professional development activities for teachers to educate such students that includes research-based child development and reading instruction tools and practices. Requires the Center to develop strategies for assisting such students who are in danger of failing and develop culturally-relevant methods for educating students whose primary language is not English. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/PA/2011PA-00085-R00SB-00929-PA.htm Title: S.B. 929 Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov CT Signed into law 07/2011 P-12 Secondary School Reform Act - Delays by two years the implementation of the secondary school reform requirements enacted in 2010 that: (1) Increase the minimum number of credits required to graduate from high school; (2) Require school districts to offer students support and alternative ways to meet the new graduation requirements; and (3) Require the State Department of Education (SDE) to develop end-of-course exams in various subjects. Eliminates a requirement that the state provide grants to help districts implement the new graduation requirements and instead requires SDE to offer technical assistance to districts wishing to start implementing them. Revises and delays by one year the start of biennial status reports on the implementation of the new graduation requirements. Establishes a task force to address implementation issues arising from enhanced high school graduation requirements. Teacher Evaluations/Tenure - Moves up the deadline for the State Board of Education (SBE), in consultation with the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC), to adopt guidelines for teacher evaluations to July 1, 2012 from July 1, 2013. Requires, for tenure purposes, that teachers whose employing boards enter cooperative arrangements to provide educational services retain their credited service with those boards if their employment is transferred to a committee administering the cooperative arrangement. Student Success Plan - Requires districts to establish a student success plan for each student starting in grade 6. School Governance Councils - Exempts boards of education with low-achieving schools that have only a single grade or that already have substantially similar school governance councils from the existing requirement to establish school councils according to the existing law. Reorganizes and clarifies the sequence and contents of required SDE reports on the implementation and effectiveness of school governance councils. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2011/ACT/Pa/pdf/2011PA-00135-R00HB-06498-PA.pdf Title: H.B. 6498 Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov NH Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Establishes a committee to study the implementation of an education tax credit plan in New Hampshire. Three members each from the senate and house of representatives will study authorizing business tax credits, authorizing the establishment of tax-exempt scholarship granting organizations, and education tax credits and voucher programs implemented in other states. Requires the committee to issue an interim report with its findings and recommendations for proposed legislation by November 2011, and a final report by November 2012. http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/SB0067.html Title: S.B. 67 Source: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us IL Adopted 06/2011 P-12 Extends the date by which the Recess in Schools Task Force must submit its final report to December 31, 2011. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/97/HJR/PDF/09700HJ0004lv.pdf Title: H.J.R. 4 Source: www.ilga.gov SC Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Creates the South Carolina Dyslexia Task Force to study and evaluate practices for diagnosing, treating, and educating children with dyslexia and to examine how current statutes and regulations affect these students. Provides for the compostition of the tast force. Requires the task force to report its findings to the General Assembly. http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess119_2011-2012/bills/241.htm Title: S.J.R. 241 Source: http://www.scstatehouse.gov NC Veto overridden: legislature has overridden governor's veto 06/2011 P-12 Articulates legislative priority that high school graduates enter the workforce or higher education fully prepared. To implement this priority, directs the joint education oversight committee to study and report to the 2012 regular session with a comprehensive plan that addresses, among other issues, implementation of a 3rd grade literacy policy, including the advisability of a program for 3rd grade reading specialists modeled on Florida's reading specialist program. Provides that any program implemented needs to be structured so that ongoing, evaluable performance and outcome data is available. Page 37 of 342: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H200v9.pdf Committee report (recommendations on page 24 of 27): http://www.ncleg.net/documentsites/committees/JLEOC/Report%20to%20the%20General%20Assembly%20Session/2012%20Ed%20Oversight%20Final%20Report.pdf Title: H.B. 200 - Third Grade Literacy Recommendations Source: www.ncleg.net NV Signed into law 06/2011 Postsec. This bill creates the Committee to Study the Funding of Higher Education. Establishes the composition of the committee. Directs the committee to study specified issues, including: (1) Compare the method of funding higher education in Nevada with the methods used in other states, and determine whether other states' funding systems would be appropriate in Nevada; (2) Review the funding of remediation in the context of instructional delivery methods; (3) Consider funding institutions based on course completion rather than enrollment; and (4) Consider rewarding institutions for achieving defined graduation goals. http://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/76th2011/Bills/SB/SB374_EN.pdf Title: S.B. 374 Source: http://www.leg.state.nv.us MI Signed into law 06/2011 Postsec. Community College From Legislative Staff Summary: Creates a committee to develop a common set of scores using the ACT assessment to determine placement in developmental courses. Requires the senate and house appropriations subcommittees on community colleges to review the estimated costs and benefits of each statutory mandate imposed on community colleges and report their findings. Provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that the Performance Indicators Task Force review and implement one or more measurable data items. http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/publicact/htm/2011-PA-0062.htm Title: H.B. 4325 - Postsecondary Provisions Source: http://www.legislature.mi.gov NC Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Establishes The Arts Education Commission in the General Assembly to: (1) Review, prioritize, and recommend implementation strategies for the recommendations of the Comprehensive Arts Education Plan for K-12; (2) Recommend the content and process to establish an arts education report card; (3) Recommend ways to assess and promote opportunities for students to learn the skills of creativity and innovation; (4) Work with state department of education on the creation of arts education assessment models based on existing assessments and tests; (5) Recommend the establishment of arts education accountability incentives for schools under the accountability component of the Accountability and Curriculum Reform Effort for specified areas; and (6) Study and recommend a permanent financing strategy for K-12 arts education. Requires the Commission to report to the General Assembly by May 1, 2012, at which time the Commission terminates. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H758v5.pdf Title: H.B. 758 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Establishes a Blue Ribbon Task Force to study the length of the school year, cost of implementation, current cost of remediation, effects current calendar has of math and science scores. Provides that a report is due to the General Assembly by December 31, 2012. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H765v4.pdf Title: H.B. 765 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Eliminates the Legislative Study Commission on Children and Youth and transfers all duties to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee. Modifies Education Oversight Committee study duties from "shall" to "may" and broadens the scope of the Committees' duties to include studying the needs of children and youth. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/House/PDF/H595v5.pdf Title: H.B. 595 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 06/2011 P-12 Reduces the number of boards and commissions. Repeals: The Taskforce of School Based Management; The Taskforce on the Coordination of Children's Services; The Blue Ribbon Taskforce on State Health Plan for Teachers; The N.C. Teacher Academy Board of Trustees; The N.C. Teaching Fellows Commision (effective July 15, 2015); The N.C. Professional Teaching Standards Commission; The Governor's Commission on Early Childhood Vision Care; The Joint Legislative Commission on Dropout Prevention and High School Graduation; The N.C. Education Standards and Accountability Commission; and The State Board of Education Selection Committee for Superintendent. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2011/Bills/Senate/PDF/S593v6.pdf Title: S.B. 593 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us IL Adopted 05/2011 P-12 Extends the School Success Task Force established during the 96th General Assembly. Directs the task force to submit a report by December 31, 2011. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/97/HJR/PDF/09700HJ0007lv.pdf Title: H.J.R. 7 Source: www.ilga.gov MD Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Establishes a task force to study the creation of a Maryland Center for School Safety. Provides for the membership, chair, and staffing of the task force. Requires the task force to study and make recommendations regarding specified matters, including the following: (1) Establishing a clearinghouse for information and materials concerning school safety, including preparing and disseminating information regarding best practices; (2) Developing a school safety training program; (3) Collaborating with the state Department of Education to establish, maintain, and analyze a statewide data collection system regarding specified indicators of school safety; (4) Developing security criteria that local school systems may consider in the design of new school construction; (5) Developing model interagency agreements to address discipline and safety issues; and (6) Developing a model safety and security audit procedure. http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0079e.pdf Title: H.B. 79 Source: http://mlis.state.md.us/ MD Signed into law 05/2011 Postsec. Establishes a task force to study the creation of a Regional Higher Education Center in Northeastern Maryland; Provides for the membership, chair, and staffing of the task force. Requires the task force to study and make recommendations regarding the higher education needs of the Northeastern Maryland region. Requires the task force to meet at least monthly and report its findings and recommendations by December 1, 2011. http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb1156t.pdf Title: H.B. 1156 Source: http://mlis.state.md.us MD Signed into law 05/2011 Postsec. Establishes a Southern Maryland Higher Education Council to develop a strategy for improving access to higher education for the residents of southern Maryland. Provides that an interim report with a short-term strategy is due by December 1, 2011, and a final report with a long-term strategy is due by December 1, 2012. http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb1347t.pdf Title: H.B. 1347 Source: http://mlis.state.md.us CO Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Postsec. Community College Creates the Task Force on Student Academic Success. The overall charge of the task force is to identify the junctures at which grade-level performance are critical to student progress and to ensuring they are college and career ready upon graduation. More specifically, the task force will examine best practices and strategies for providing intervention services in K-12 and postsecondary remedial education; review the use of individual student career and academic plans; and review social promotion practices and recommend alternative strategies to ensure students are making sufficient progress. The task force also will examine and recommend potential policy changes to ensure high school graduates can demonstrate postsecondary and workforce readiness, and to assist postsecondary institutions in providing remedial education. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2011a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/0216DB5B1A8D04D9872578250057DEF1?Open&file=111_enr.pdf Title: S.B. 111 Source: http://www.leg.state.co.us CO Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Creates a task force to study school discipline practices and zero tolerance policies and the use of law enforcement and other juvenile justice sanctions for school behavior. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2011a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/4573402A707373F18725781800719E8A?Open&file=133_enr.pdf Title: S.B. 133 Source: http://www.leg.state.co.us GA Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Establishes the State Education Finance Study Commission to evaluate the Quality Basic Education (QBE) Formula and education funding for public schools in Georgia. Provides for composition, compensation, duties and powers, and support staff of the commission. Directs the commission to review specified issues related to the QBE formula, state and local funding partnership, equalization, student transportation, state schools funding, capital outlay. Encourages the commission to study and evaluate issues related to charter schools; Career, Technical, and Agriculture Education, dual enrollment, virtual schools; teacher pay; non-QBE grants, and other changes to the education code. Provides a timeline for the commission's work, including that the proposed legislation for final recommendations be completed by end of 2012. Abolishes commission and supporting statutory language on March 31, 2013. http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/20112012/116810.pdf Title: H.B. 192 - State Education Finance Study Commission Source: www.legis.ga.gov MD Signed into law 05/2011 Postsec. Establishes the Task Force on Funding a Green Technology, Life Science, and Health Information Technology Loan Assistance Repayment Program. Requires the Task Force to conduct a study and make recommendations on or before December 31, 2011, for a program that assists graduates who earned a degree in a field relating to green technology or specified related fields to repay a federal or state higher education loan. http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/chapters_noln/Ch_360_hb0758T.pdf Title: H.B. 758 Source: http://mlis.state.md.us MD Signed into law 05/2011 Postsec. Creates the Task Force to Study the Impact of Adjunct Faculty on Graduation Rates at Historically Black Institutions in the State. Requires the task force to make specified findings and recommendations, and report to the governor and specified committees by January 1, 2013. http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/chapters_noln/Ch_223_sb0347T.pdf Title: S.B. 347 Source: http://mlis.state.md.us MD Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Establishes the Task Force to Study High School Dropout Rates of Persons in the Criminal Justice System. Requires the task force to study high school dropout statistics of specified persons in the criminal justice system, obtain specified data, and make recommendations in a report to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2012. http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/chapters_noln/Ch_286_sb0755T.pdf Title: S.B. 755 Source: http://mlis.state.md.us MD Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Establishes a Joint Committee on Transparency and Open Government within the General Assembly to provide continuing legislative oversight regarding transparency and open government, and to recommend initiatives that increase citizen access to government resources, publications, and actions. Specifies that a public body subject to the Open Meetings Act does not need to prepare written minutes of an open session if (1) live and archived video or audio streaming of the open session is available; or (2) if individual public votes on legislation taken by members of the public body are posted promptly on the Internet. http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/chapters_noln/Ch_508_sb0644E.pdf Title: S.B. 644 Source: http://mlis.state.md.us NJ Issued 04/2011 P-12 Establishes the New Jersey Education Transformation Task Force. Charges the task force with reviewing all current administrative regulations that affect public education, and evaluating them to determine the degree to which they increase the quality of instruction for students, improve student academic achievement, improve teaching effectiveness, or improve the safety and well-being of students. Directs the task force to also review the statutes supporting these administrative regulations. Requires the task force to prepare recommendations for the governor and commissioner of education regarding all statutes and regulations that are overly prescriptive. Additionally directs the task force to review existing accountability systems and resulting incentive structures for public schools and districts, including the Quality Single Accountability Continuum ("Q SAC"). Directs the task force to provide recommendations to the governor on an accountability system that would give schools and districts greater autonomy while maintaining strict accountability measures in the areas of student performance, safety and fiscal responsibility. Permits the task force to elicit public input from specified stakeholders. Directs the task force to issue an initial report to the governor by August 15, 2011, and to revise the recommendations as necessary based on comments from the public, stakeholders and the state board of education. Provides the task force will expire upon the governor's receipt of a report containing its final recommendations. Directs the task force to issue its final recommendations by December 31, 2011, to provide the final report to the legislature and state board, and make the report available to the general public. http://nj.gov/infobank/circular/eocc58.pdf Title: E.O. 58 Source: nj.gov/infobank VA Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Postsec. Community College Adds a fifth citizen member to the Virginia Council on the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children and specifies that such member must be a representative from a military installation in Virginia. Such representative is to be appointed by the Governor. http://lis.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/legp604.exe?111+ful+CHAP0106+pdf Title: H.B. 1976 Source: http://lis.virginia.gov/ IL Signed into law 02/2011 P-12 Creates the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children in the department of Children and Family Services. Includes the state superintendent or his/her designee, representatives of two statewide professional teachers' organizations, and a representative of an organization representing school management among the task force membership. Directs the task force to develop recommendations for reducing child sexual abuse in the state, and to submit a final report with its recommendations to the governor and general assembly by January 1, 2012. Provides the recommendations may include proposals for specific statutory changes and methods to foster cooperation among state agencies and between the state and local government. Provides that the task force is dissolved upon submission of the final report. Permits local boards to adopt and implement a policy addressing sexual abuse of children that may include: --age-appropriate curriculum for students in pre-K through 5th grade --training for school personnel on child sexual abuse --information to parents in the school handbook on the warning signs of a child being abused, along with any needed assistance, referral or resource information --available counseling and resources for students affected by sexual abuse --emotional and educational support for a child of abuse to continue to be successful in school. Identifies other areas that local policies may address. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/96/PDF/096-1524.pdf Title: S.B. 2843 Source: www.ilga.gov IL Signed into law 01/2011 P-12 Postsec. 2010 legislation has created the Task Force on Private Student Loans (see http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/96/PDF/096-0880.pdf). This provision establishes the legislative expectation that institutions of higher learning comply with reasonable requests from the task force or it support staff for aggregated data relevant to the purposes of the task force. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/SB/PDF/09600SB0647lv.pdf Title: S.B. 647 Source: www.ilga.gov NJ Issued 01/2011 Postsec. Community College Establishes the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Advisory Committee. The Committee shall consist of up to five (5) members to be appointed by the Governor. These members shall include individuals from both inside and outside government who have knowledge or expertise in the areas of (a) administration, (b) public health, (c) medical, dental, nursing, or biomedical science education, and/or (d) related areas or subject matters. The Committee is charged with examining the delivery of graduate medical education in the state and developing recommendations for the Governor concerning this issue. http://nj.gov/infobank/circular/eocc51.pdf Title: E.O. 51 Source: http://nj.gov/ CA Signed into law 09/2010 Community College Postsec. Directs the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to adopt a plan for promoting and improving student success within the California Community Colleges. Directs the board of governors to establish a taskforce to examine best practices in the community colleges and effective models nationwide for achieving student success. Directs the taskforce to develop and present recommendations to the board of governors for incorporation into the plan. Requires that these recommendations focus on, but not be limited to, the following considerations: (1) Multiple measures and effective programs for assessing student success and completion, including attaining college-level skills, accumulating college-level course credits, earning a degree or certificate, or transferring to a four-year college or university (2) Statutory and regulatory barriers to student success and completion (3) Best practices for promoting student success and completion, including, but not limited to, the acquisition of basic skills (4) Alternative funding options for providing necessary services to students and promoting best practices for student success and completion (5) Alternative funding options instituted in other states for improving student success and completion (6) The effective use of technology by community colleges and districts to promote, evaluate and improve student success and completion Directs the taskforce, prior to presenting its recommendations to the board of governors, to facilitate discussions with key community college stakeholders and other appropriate parties to provide input on the findings and recommendations. Directs the board of governors, prior to implementing the plan, to report the contents of the plan and the taskforce's recommendations to the senate committee on education and the assembly committee on higher education at a joint hearing by March 1, 2012. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/sen/sb_1101-1150/sb_1143_bill_20100928_chaptered.pdf Title: S.B. 1143 Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov NJ Issued 09/2010 P-12 Creates a New Jersey Educator Effectiveness Task Force for School and District-level education professionals. Charges the task force with developing recommendations on how best to measure the effectiveness of teachers and school leaders, based on defined parameters. Requires that the effectiveness recommendations include: (1) Identified measures of student achievement — representing at least 50% of the teacher or school leader evaluation — which should be used for evaluating educator performance (2) Demonstrated practices of effective teachers and leaders, which should comprise the remaining basis for such evaluations (3) How these measures of effective practices should be weighted. Directs the task force to provide the governor with its initial recommended effectiveness evaluation framework by March 2011. Provides the task force will expire upon the governor's receipt of a report containing its final recommendations. http://www.state.nj.us/governor/news/news/552010/pdf/EO-42.pdf Title: E.O. 42 Source: www.state.nj.us CA Signed into law 08/2010 P-12 Establishes, until January 1, 2014, the California Task Force on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education for the purpose of promoting the improvement of mathematics, science, engineering, and technology education across the state. Provides the task force consists of members of the legislature and experts appointed by the speaker of the assembly and the senate committee on rules. Provides the duties of the task force are to (1) increase legislative awareness about mathematics, science, engineering, and technology education issues, (2) inform legislators regarding trends in mathematics, science, engineering, and technology education, and (3) raise awareness among the public regarding the shortage of Californians prepared to contribute to the state's future technology workforce. Directs the task force to submit an annual report on its work to the legislature. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0051-0100/acr_88_bill_20100817_chaptered.pdf Title: A.C.R. 88 Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov IL Signed into law 07/2010 P-12 Defines "instructional mandate" as any state law that requires a district to devote any amount of time to the instruction of or engagement by students in any subject or course. Directs the state board to create the Instructional Mandates Task Force. Establishes task force membership. Directs the task force to examine all K-12 instructional mandates on public schools, and to make recommendations on the propriety of all existing mandates, the imposition of future mandates, and waivers of instructional mandates. Directs the task force to submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the governor and general assembly by July 2011. Provides that the task force is abolished on July 2, 2011, and this section is repealed on July 1, 2012. Provides a moratorium on the passage of instructional mandates for public schools from the effective date of this act until one year after the task force submits a final report to the governor and general assembly. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/96/PDF/096-1374.pdf Title: H.B. 4209 Source: www.ilga.gov DC Adopted 07/2010 P-12 Establishes the Healthy Youth and Schools Commission to advise the mayor and the council on health, wellness and nutritional issues concerning youth and schools in the District. Includes among the functions of the commission: (1) reviewing and advising on the best practices in health, wellness and nutrition programs across the U.S.; (2) making recommendations on enhancing the collaborative relationship between the District government, the federal government, the University of the District of Columbia, local nonprofit organizations, colleges and universities, and the private sector in connection with health, wellness and nutrition; and (3) identifying gaps in funding and services, or methods of expanding services to District residents. Directs the commission to annually submit to the mayor and the council a comprehensive report on the health, wellness and nutrition of youth and schools in the District; provides that the report must include recommendations on how to further improve the health, wellness and nutrition of youth and schools in the District. Pages 16-18 of 19: http://www.dccouncil.us/images/00001/20100510112429.pdf Title: L.B. 18-564 - Healthy Youth and Schools Commission Source: www.dccouncil.us IL Signed into law 07/2010 P-12 Establishes the Commission to End Hunger Act. Establishes legislative findings, including that the state currently ranks 51st among all states and the District of Columbia in enrollment of eligible children in the free and reduced priced school breakfasts, and that increasing the participation rate in the Summer Food Service Program to just 40% of eligible children would benefit the state and recipients. Authorizes the department of human services to create the Commission to End Hunger. Provides the purpose of the commission is to develop an action plan every 2 years, review the progress of this plan, and ensure cross-collaboration among government entities and community partners toward the goal of ending hunger in the state. Identifies key duties of the commission. Establishes membership of the commission; requires the superintendent of education or his/her designee to serve as an ex officio member. Requires the commission to issue an interim report on its activities and recommendations to the constitutional officers and the general assembly within 12 months of the first commission meeting. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/96/PDF/096-1119.pdf Title: S.B. 3158 Source: www.ilga.gov NC Signed into law 07/2010 P-12 Postsec. Establishes the Agriscience and Biotechnology Regional School Planning Commission to develop and plan a regional school of agriscience and biotechnology. The Commission must ensure that the plan model is replicable, sustainable, and scaleable. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S1199v4.pdf Title: S.B. 1199 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 07/2010 P-12 Directs the state board of education to appoint a task force of members from the Department of Public Instruction and the Department of Cultural Resources to create a Comprehensive Arts Education Development plan for the public schools. The task force must specifically consider policies to implement arts education in the public schools, including: (1) an arts requirement in grades K-5, (2) availability of all four arts disciplines in grades 6-8, with students required to take at least one arts discipline each school year, and (3) availability of electives in the arts at the high school level. The task force must further consider a high school graduation requirement in the arts and the further development of the A+ Schools Program. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S66v5.pdf Title: S.B. 66 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us RI Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Amends joint resolution creating a permanent legislative commission on child care in Rhode Island. Revises provisions related to commission membership http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/PublicLaws/law10/res10/res10372.htm Title: H.R. 7826 Source: www.rilin.state.ri.us RI Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Extends the reporting deadline for the Special Joint Commission to Study the Education of Children with Autism, created during the 2009 legislative session, to January 26, 2011. Provides said commission will expire on June 28, 2011. http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/PublicLaws/law10/res10/res10368.htm Title: H.R. 7253 Source: RI Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Creates the Task Force on the Education of Children and Youth in the Care of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families. Directs the task force to make recommendations for:      (1) Identifying challenges to ensuring the educational stability and success of children and youth involved with DCYF from pre-K through college undergraduates, including, but not limited to:      (i) Determining when a child's and/or youth's educational placement is not in his/her best interest      (ii) Ensuring that transportation issues are addressed to assist in maintaining educational stability      (iii) Immediate transfer of student records and collaboration between schools on the provision of student information when a student needs to move schools      (iv) Ensuring the portability of student credits and graduation requirement expectations when a student's educational placement changes      (v) Identifying issues related to school residency and/or educational funding issues related to youth involved with DCYF; and      (vi) Issues related to ensuring the stability of educational placements unless they are not in the best interest of the child; and ensuring that schools and school districts collaborate in sending and obtaining the information and records necessary when a child/youth moves schools. Directs the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the general assembly by March 22, 2011. Provides the commission expires on May 31, 2011. http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/PublicLaws/law10/res10/res10363.htm Title: H.R. 8109, S.R. 2872 Source: www.rilin.state.ri.us RI Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Establishes the Special Legislative Commission to Study the Purchase and Use of Textbooks in Public Schools. Directs the commission to make a comprehensive study of the use of textbooks in the public schools, and in particular the following:      (1) The use and exploitation of electronic media in the classroom, and specifically to explore the possible advantages and disadvantages of the "paperless classroom", so-called, and the possible cost savings arising therefrom.      (2) The list of textbooks in use in the public schools as published by the commissioner of education, and whether that list should be expanded to cover all subjects and should specify a limited number of options per grade.      (3) The procurement process, and whether the procurement and distribution of textbooks should be a centralized function under the department of education. Directs the commission to report its findings and recommendations by March 5, 2011. Provides the commission expires on May 5, 2011. http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/PublicLaws/law10/res10/res10374.htm Title: H.R. 8156, S.R. 2822 Source: www.rilin.state.ri.us OH Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Establishes the Healthy Choices for Healthy Children Council. Directs the council to: (1) Monitor progress in improving student health and wellness (2) Make periodic policy recommendations to the state board of education on ways to improve the nutritional standards for food and beverages served in public schools (3) Make periodic recommendations to the department of education for the development of a clearinghouse of best practices in the areas of student nutrition, physical activity for students, and body mass index (BMI) screenings (4) Assist the department of health in developing a list of resources on health risks associated with weight status, for distribution to parents (5) Regularly review developments in science and nutrition to inform recommendations to the state board and department of education. Requires the department of education, upon receipt of the council's initial recommendations, to establish a clearinghouse of best practices that schools may use to promote student health. Directs the department to update the clearinghouse as needed to reflect subsequent council recommendations. Establishes new Section 3313.674, which requires students in kindergarten, 3rd, 5th and 9th grades to undergo a BMI and weight status category screening. Allows parents to opt their child out of screening requirement. Requires parents of each screened student to be notified of any health risks associated with the student's results and to be provided with information about appropriately addressing the risks. Requires local boards/charter school governing authorities to report aggregated BMI and weight status category data and any other demographic data required by the director of health, to the department of health. Allows a local board/governing authority to obtain a waiver from this requirement. Directs the department of education to issue an annual report on public schools' compliance with new Section 3313.674. Establishes new Section 3313.6016, which directs the department of education, beginning in the 2011-12 school year, to administer a pilot program requiring daily physical activity for students. Permits any district, charter school, STEM school or nonpublic school to choose to participate; if a district elects to participate, requires all buildings operated by that district to participate. Specifies that participating schools must require students (grades K-12) to engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to rigorous physical activity, not including recess, and that physical activity as part of a physical education course or before- or after-school activity may count towards this requirement. Identifies students excused from this requirement, including among others kindergarten students not enrolled in a full-day kindergarten program. Requires participating districts or schools to report to the department how the 30 minutes of daily physical activity was implemented and the financial cost of implementation; requires the department to issue an annual report of this data. By December 31, 2011, directs the state board of education to develop a measure of (1) student success in meeting benchmarks in the physical education standards; (2) compliance with the requirements for local wellness policies prescribed by the federal "Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004"; (3) whether a school or district is complying with or operating under a waiver from Section 3313.674; and (4) whether a district or building is participating in the physical activity pilot program established through new Section 3313.6016. Requires the measure to be included in building and district report cards, beginning with report cards issued for the 2012-13 school year, but specifies that the measure will not be a factor in performance ratings issued. Permits the department to accept, receive and expend gifts, devises or bequests of money for the purpose of establishing this measure. Amends high school graduation requirements to require the half-unit of health to include instruction in nutrition and the benefits of nutritious foods and physical activity for overall health. Requires that each public, charter and STEM school teacher hired after July 2013 to teach physical education holds a valid license for teaching physical education. Pages 1-14, 22 and 28-29 of 32: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_SB_210_EN_N.pdf Title: S.B. 210, Part I Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us FL Issued 06/2010 P-12 Establishes Florida's Task Force on Excellent Teaching. Directs the task force to: (1) Review performance appraisal systems and teacher certification systems (2) Identify initiatives and strategies that honor Florida's quality teachers for dedicating their careers to teaching (3) Examine the positive impact teachers have on the state's ability to compete in a global economy (4) Identify methods for establishing differential and performance-based merit pay for classroom teachers (5) Develop workable measures of student learning gains, including special education students (6) Formulate strategies for identifying and dealing with low-performing teachers (7) Identifying successful strategies and initiatives for improving the recruitment, development and retention of quality teachers through: --Reviewing teacher preparation programs --Identifying linkages between teacher merit and student learning --Identifying effective peer-delivered professional development and support and the essential components of new teacher support programs --Identifying, disseminating and replicating effective teaching practices, including strategies for teachers to collaborate --Identifying technologies proven to support teacher productivity, efficiency and effectiveness --Identifying effective working conditions to retain beginning teachers --Examining compensation, benefits and incentive issues --Examining options to define, recognize and reward effective teachers By December 2010, directs the task force to provide recommendations to the governor, president of the senate, speaker of the house and state board of education that address the goals and objectives of the task force, including recommendations regarding changes to statute and administrative rule. Provides the task force must continue in existence until its objectives are achieved but no later than June 2011, unless extended by a subsequent executive order. http://flgov.com/pdfs/orders/10-126-teaching.pdf Title: E.O. 10-126 Source: flgov.com RI Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Creates a special legislative commission to study relief from state mandates. Includes among the commission's nine members the commissioner of education or designee; and a union representative who represents teachers, to be appointed by the senate president. Directs the commission to report its findings and recommendations to the general assembly by February 1, 2011. Provides the commission will expire on March 31, 2011. http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/PublicLaws/law10/res10/res10339.htm Title: S.R. 3013 Source: www.rilin.state.ri.us CT Signed into law 06/2010 P-12 Establishes a task force to study individualized educational programs (IEPs); Requires the task force to: (1) Examine the existing processes and procedures for the development and administration of IEPs; (2) Examine relevant federal laws and propose legislation that codifies such federal laws into state law; (3) Reevaluate existing IEPs under federal law standards; (4) Examine the training required for personnel administering IEPs and develop ways in which such training can be included in professional development for certified employees; (5) Develop a program for the auditing of IEPs at the district level; and (6) Examine ways in which to address issues of noncompliance by personnel and districts in the administration of IEPs. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/SA/2010SA-00009-R00HB-05426-SA.htm Title: HB 5426 Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov RI Signed into law 05/2010 P-12 Creates a special senate commission to study the funding of vocational schools in the state. Directs the commission to report its findings and recommendations by March 31, 2011. Provides the commission will expire on June 30, 2015. http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/PublicLaws/law10/res10/res10277.htm Title: S.R. 2884 Source: www.rilin.state.ri.us MN Signed into law 05/2010 P-12 Adds the commissioner of health, or the commissioner's designee, to the membership of the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care.     Modifies the duties of the council by providing additional direction to the council regarding making recommendations on how to coordinate or co-locate early childhood and child care programs into one state Office of Early Learning and adding requirements that the council make recommendations to the governor and the legislature on creating a statewide school readiness report card and on how to screen and comprehensively assess children for school readiness. Requires the council to report its recommendations to the governor and the legislature by January 15, 2012, with an interim report on February 15, 2011. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2505.1.html&session=ls86 Title: S.F. 2505 Source: https://www.revisor.mn.gov IL Signed into law 05/2010 Postsec. Directs the board of higher education to establish a Higher Education Finance Study Commission. Tasks the commission with: (1) Examining the history and means of higher education funding in the state, comparing funding with other states and peer institutions, and reviewing funding mechanisms for adequacy, equity, and reliability (2) Comparing the productivity of Illinois higher education to other state systems and the productivity of public colleges and universities to peer institutions (3) Analyzing best practices implemented in other states, such as Ohio and Indiana, for incentivizing certificate and degree completion, including incentives for students and for institutions (4) Reviewing tuition and financial aid policies and practices and their roles in improving certificate and degree completion (5) Considering alternative funding mechanisms. Directs the commission to report its findings and recommendations to the general assembly and governor by December 2010. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/SJR/PDF/09600SJ0088lv.pdf Title: S.J.R. 88 Source: www.ilga.gov MD Signed into law 05/2010 P-12 Establishes the Task Force to Explore the Incorporation of the Principles of Universal Design (i.e., an approach to education curriculum design in which curriculum is intentionally and systemically designed from the beginning to address students' individual differences; specifically recommends the use of flexible instruction materials, techniques, and strategies) for Learning into the education systems in Maryland; provides for the membership, purposes, and staffing of the Task Force. http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/chapters_noln/Ch_305_sb0467E.pdf Title: S.B. 467 Source: http://mlis.state.md.us CT Signed into law 05/2010 P-12 Establishes the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council within the state department of education; details the council's membership and provides that the council is responsible for (1) assisting board of education in the development and implementation of the teacher evaluation guidelines and (2) data collection and evaluation support system (see Sec. 5 of the bill). http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 5 Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov CT Signed into law 05/2010 P-12 Establishes a task force to study and monitor the academic achievement gap between racial and socioeconomic groups in Connecticut by considering effective approaches to closing the achievement gap in elementary, middle and high schools. The task force is required to consider, but not be limited to, the following: (1) systematic education planning; (2) best practices in public education; (3) professional development for teachers; and (4) parental involvement in public education. http://www.cga.ct.gov/2010/ACT/PA/2010PA-00111-R00SB-00438-PA.htm Title: S.B. 438 - Sec. 30 Source: http://www.cga.ct.gov NJ Issued 05/2010 Postsec. Community College Creates the New Jersey Higher Education Task Force. The Task Force will consist of up to 7 members appointed by the Governor who shall serve at his pleasure. The Task Force is charged with developing recommendations for the Governor concerning the State's higher education system. In particular, the Task Force shall consider and make recommendations to improve the overall quality and effectiveness of the State's higher education system. http://nj.gov/infobank/circular/eocc26.pdf Title: E.O. 26 Source: whttp://nj.gov SC Signed into law 05/2010 P-12 Directs the state Department of Education, in collaboration with the Education Oversight Committee, to convene a task force to include, but not be limited to, district level instructional and assessment personnel to examine the feasibility of shifting from the use of the High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP) to end-of-course assessments for meeting federal assessment requirements; Requires the task force to, at a minimum, examine the utility of the HSAP and end-of-course assessment programs and the benefits and information each provides as well as implementation considerations, costs factors, and appropriate transition timelines the state encounters in shifting from HSAP to end-of-course assessments for federal purposes; Requires the task force to submit its findings to the Senate Finance Committee, Senate Education Committee, House Ways and Means Committee, House Education and Public Works Committee, the State Board of Education, and the Education Oversight Committee by January 15, 2011. http://www.scstatehouse.gov/sess118_2009-2010/bills/4823.htm Title: H.J.R. 4823 - Sec. 7 Source: http://www.scstatehouse.gov OR Signed into law 04/2010 P-12 Establishes Task Force on Education Career Preparation and Development for purpose of improving effectiveness of school teachers, administrators and counselors by building stronger connections between education career preparation institutions and employers of education professionals; sunsets task force on date of convening of next regular biennial legislative session; declares emergency, effective on passage. Chapter 64 http://www.leg.state.or.us/10ss1/measpdf/hb3600.dir/hb3619.en.pdf Title: H.B. 3619A Source: http://www.leg.state.or.us VA Issued 03/2010 Postsec. Establishes the Governor's Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation and Investment. Directs the commission to consider the current state of public and private higher education in the state, and best practices in other states and countries. Directs the commission to make findings and recommendations for addressing the following priorities: (1) Preserving and enhancing the instructional excellence of Virginia's leading universities and of the higher education system as a whole (2) Significantly increasing the percentage of college-age Virginians who enroll in colleges and complete degrees (3) Attracting and preparing young people for the STEM areas and other disciplines (e.g., healthcare and advanced manufacturing) where skill shortages now exist and/or unmet demand is anticipated (4) Forging new public-private partnerships and regional strategies for business recruitment, workforce preparation, and university-based research (5) Making the state a national leader in providing higher education opportunities to military personnel and veterans (6) Crafting a sustainable higher education funding model that will move Virginia toward higher levels of educational attainment and economic competitiveness over the next 15 years (7) Developing innovative ways to deliver quality instruction, cost-saving reform strategies, and affordable new pathways to degree attainment for Virginians, regardless of income or background (8) Evaluating strategies to reduce costs through additional college placement testing and accelerated degree completion (9) Creating effective workforce development programs through expanded use of the community college system in coordination with the commission on economic development and job creation. Calls for the creation of the following committees, and identifies tasks for each committee: (1) Increased Degree Attainment, Financial Aid and Workforce Training; (2) Implement Innovation and Cost Containment; and (3) Regional Strategies/Partnerships for Research and Economic Development. Directs the committee to submit its interim findings and recommendations on matters potentially impacting the executive budget by September 30, 2010. Directs the commission to an interim report of its activities, findings and recommendations by November 30, 2010. Provides the interim report must focus primarily on increasing degree attainment, concentrating increased educational attainment in STEM areas and other high-demand and high-income fields, a model for higher education funding, and partnerships through which public and private colleges and community colleges participate actively in economic development and workforce training. Directs the commission to continue to meet and make recommendations on additional stated objectives throughout 2011. Provides this executive order will become effective upon signing and remain in full force and effect until March 26, 2011 unless amended or rescinded by further executive order. http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Issues/ExecutiveOrders/pdf/EO_9.pdf Title: E.O. 9 Source: www.governor.virginia.gov MS Signed into law 03/2010 P-12 Postsec. Community College Establishes the Education Achievement Council to increase educational attainment of the state's working-age population by 2025. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2010/pdf/HB/1000-1099/HB1071SG.pdf Title: H.B. 1071 Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us AL Signed into law 03/2010 Community College Postsec. Creates the Two Year College System Joint Interim Legislative Committee. Directs the committee to study all facets of the two-year college system and to adopt the recommendations of the Final Report of the House of Representatives Interim Legislative Study Committee to Assess the Two-year College System, submitted to the Alabama State Legislature on January 21, 2010. Directs the committee to report its findings, conclusions and recommendations to the legislature by the 5th day of the 2011 Regular Session, at which time the committee will be dissolved. Title: H.J.R. 97 Source: IL Signed into law 02/2010 Postsec. Cites legislative findings, including that (1) private loans currently constitute 20% of total education loan money, as opposed to 5% of student loans 10 years ago, and (2) tuition at public universities has risen 57% in the past five years. Creates the Task Force on Higher Education Private Student Loans Act. Establishes task force membership. Charges the task force with investigating or assessing: (1) The rates, fees and terms associated with private student loans made to students in the state (2) How rates, fees and terms impact the accessibility of private student loans, affordability of student loans, and choice of institution students have (3) The impact rates, fees and terms have on students after graduation, specifically: (A) The amount of debt they carry; (B) The impact on pursuing post-graduate degrees; and (C) The ability to repay their loans (4) The relationship between rising tuition and the availability of private loans (5) The impact of capping private student loan fees charged by lenders (6) How many private student loans are in default or are not able to be repaid (7) What rates, fees and terms are common to those private student loans in default (8) What impact loan defaults have on lending institutions (9) The impact a loan default has on the borrower (10) What additional disclosures can be made to students regarding high risk loans, financial information, financial choices and financial aid available (11) What higher education institutions can do to advise students on their financial aid and loan resources (12) Whether race/ethnicity are a factor in the rates, fees and terms associated with private student loans. Directs the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the general assembly by December 31, 2010. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/96/PDF/096-0880.pdf Title: S.B. 1698 Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation AL Signed into law 01/2010 P-12 Extends the life of the Alabama Select Commission on High School Graduation and Student Dropouts (created by Act No. 2009-229, SJR24, 2009 Regular Session) to December 31, 2010 (2009 S.J.R. 24 creating the commission directed the entity to provide a final report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house and chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court on or before December 31, 2009, at which point the commission was to be dissolved). Provides the total expenditures of the legislative members of the commission may not exceed $ 5,000. Title: S.J.R. 21 Source: www.lexis.com NJ Signed into law 01/2010 P-12 Establishes New Jersey Special Education and Traumatic Brain Injury Task Force to study instructional practices and strategies that improve recognition of, and benefit students with, a traumatic brain injury and examine the ways in which current State policies affect this population. Defines membership and duties of the task force. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/A4500/4270_R1.PDF Title: A.B. 4270 Source: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us NJ Signed into law 01/2010 Postsec. Community College Establishes Task Force on Underage Drinking in Higher Education. Defines membership and duties of task force. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2010/Bills/A1500/1145_I1.PDF Title: S.B. 2491 Source: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us IL Signed into law 11/2009 P-12 Establishes a Streamlining Illinois' Educational Delivery Systems Task Force. Directs the task force to explore and examine the duties of the state board of education and all regional support systems for school districts (including regional offices of education, intermediate service centers, special education cooperatives, education for employments systems and learning technology centers), to determine which duties and responsibilities should be provided regionally to more appropriately and efficiently deliver services. Directs the task force to review how the regional support systems can centrally coordinate communication with private school systems. Establishes membership. Directs the task force to submit a final report of its findings and recommendations to the governor and the general assembly by August 1, 2010. Repeals section and abolishes task force on August 2, 2010. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/96/PDF/096-0798.pdf Title: S.B. 1882 Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation IL Signed into law 11/2009 P-12 Requires the establishment of a Chicago Educational Facilities Task Force in order to ensure that school facility-related decisions are made with the input of the parents, teachers and community residents, and reflect educationally sound and fiscally responsible criteria. Establishes membership of the task force, including four members each from the house and senate. Requires the task force to analyze school openings, closings, consolidations, turnarounds, construction and other matters. Requires the task force to consult widely with stakeholders on these issues and examine best practices from other school systems for dealing with these issues systematically and equitably. Directs the task force to issue final recommendations by October 30, 2009 on how the enumerated issues can be addressed effectively based upon educationally sound and fiscally responsible practices. Directs the task force to prepare final proposed policy and legislative recommendations for the general assembly, the governor and the school district. Identifies numerous areas the recommendations may address, including teacher mobility and lack of inclusion of local councils in decisionmaking on school facilities. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/96/PDF/096-0803.pdf Title: H.B. 363 Source: www.ilga.gov CA Vetoed 10/2009 P-12 Expresses legislative findings and declarations regarding the state's school funding system. Requires a working group to be convened to make findings and recommendations to the legislature and the governor by December 2010 regarding restructuring the state's school finance system. Requires the findings to include alternative structures for funding public schools, the policy and fiscal implementations of such structure or structures, and an evaluation mechanism to facilitate continuous improvement, maximum transparency, and accountability. Bill: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_8_bill_20090916_enrolled.pdf Veto message: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0001-0050/ab_8_vt_20091011.html Title: A.B. 8 Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov CA Vetoed 10/2009 P-12 Adds Article 15.1., "Education Technology Task Force" to the education code. Defines "technology literacy". Establishes a task force for education technology to make preliminary recommendations on technology literacy model standards for grades 7-12. Specifies role groups that must be represented on the task force. Directs the task force to make preliminary recommendations to the superintendent of public instruction within a year of the task force's convening. Requires the superintendent to recommend technology literacy model standards to the state board within two months after receiving the task force's recommendations, and for the state board to adopt technology literacy model content standards pursuant to the superintendent's recommendations, within two months of receiving the superintendent's recommendations. Identifies specific areas on which the task force must make recommendations to the legislature and the state board within 18 months after the task force is convened, namely (1) Professional development, (2) Electronic learning resources and instructional materials, (3) Hardware, (4) Telecommunications infrastructure, and (5) Funding, based on an assessment of various funding models. Bill: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0801-0850/ab_836_bill_20090916_enrolled.pdf Veto message: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/bill/asm/ab_0801-0850/ab_836_vt_20091012.html Title: A.B. 836 Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov IL Signed into law 08/2009 P-12 Requires the Advisory Council on the Education of Children with Disabilities and the Advisory Council on the Education of Gifted and Talented Children to research and discuss best practices for addressing the needs of children who are gifted and talented and have a disability. Directs the councils to jointly provide recommendations to the state board of education concerning state board provision of technical assistance to school districts on strategies to provide teacher education and training to assist such students, and on establishing guidelines for unique programming for such students. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/HB/PDF/09600HB0900lv.pdf Title: H.B. 900 Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation IL Signed into law 08/2009 P-12 Requires the Ensuring Success in School Task Force, created to address the educational and related needs of elementary and secondary education students who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence to ensure their ability to stay in school, stay safe while in school, and successfully complete their education, to submit a report to the General Assembly by December 2009 (initial deadline for report was January 2009). http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/HB/PDF/09600HB0605lv.pdf Title: H.B. 605 Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation NH Signed into law 08/2009 P-12 Establishes a commission to study school discipline. Defines membership and provides for duties of commission. http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2009/HB0332.html Title: H.B. 332 Source: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/ IL Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Increases statewide charter school cap and charter school cap for Chicago. Above and beyond caps, permits five Chicago charters (and specified numbers of campuses and enrollment seats within those five charters) to be devoted to serving returning high school dropouts. Requires charter schools to submit to the state board of education a copy of their audit and Form 990. Increases time frame for state board to approve a charter school proposal. Adds procedures for a charter school to respond to a proposed revocation of its charter. Beginning with the 2012-13 school year, requires at least 75% of instructional staff in established charter schools to hold teacher certification; for charter schools established after these provisions are enacted, requires 75% of instructional staff to be certified by the beginning of the 4th school year in which students are enrolled in the school. Provides charter schools statewide are exempt from caps on the number of employees who may be enrolled in alternative certification programs. Requires state board to report findings of charter school evaluation every two years rather than annually. Establishes an Independent Charter School Authorizer Task Force to study the need for an independent charter school authorizer in the state. Directs the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the governor and legislature by January 2010. Defines "contract school" as a Chicago attendance center run by a for- or not-for-profit private entity on contract to provide instructional and other services to a majority of the students enrolled in the attendance center. Defines "contract turnaround school" as an experimental Chicago contract school created to implement alternative governance in an attendance center subject to restructuring or similar intervention under NCLB that has not made adequate yearly progress (AYP) for 5 consecutive years. Provides that a Chicago school placed on probation that fails to make adequate progress in correcting deficiencies after one year may be converted to a contract turnaround school. Specifies the Chicago school board may operate no more than 30 contract schools, plus up to 5 contract turnaround schools. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/SB/PDF/09600SB0612lv.pdf Title: S.B. 612 Source: www.ilga.gov IL Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Creates, in accordance with the goals outlined in the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Innovation, Intervention, and Restructuring Task Force to develop recommendations for the innovation, intervention, and restructuring of schools, including those that need comprehensive or focused intervention as defined by the state's proposal for participation in the No Child Left Behind differentiated accountability pilot project. Directs the task force to compile data, study and report on the following: (1) Ways in which the state can identify schools requiring more intensive intervention (2) Strategies for strengthening leadership at struggling schools and otherwise strengthening school district capacity to effectively implement reforms and ensure continuous improvement (3) Strategies that have been involved in successful turnaround efforts and a template for evaluating turnaround efforts (4) The autonomies, resources, and support that need to be available to achieve and maintain over time a successful turnaround (5) Mechanisms for model innovations to be captured and shared across the state (6) The amount of funding necessary to accomplish any and all strategies included in the task force's recommendation (7) The identification of any statutory or regulatory changes that would be necessary or helpful to promote successful innovation, intervention and restructuring. Requires the task force to compile relevant data in developing its recommendations, and to seek input from various specified stakeholders. Directs the task force to submit a comprehensive report to the governor, the general assembly and the state superintendent of education by December 31, 2009. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/96/SB/PDF/09600SB2119lv.pdf Title: S.B. 2119 Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation OH Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Section 3301.90:Creates the Early Childhood Advisory Council to serve as the federally mandated state advisory council for early childhood education and care, and to advise the state regarding the creation and duties of the Center for Early Childhood Development in the state department of education. Directs the council to promote family-centered programs and services that acknowledge and support the social, emotional, cognitive, intellectual and physical development of children and the vital role of families in ensuring the well-being and success of children. Section 265.70.20: Directs the Early Childhood Advisory Council (as created by H.B. 1) to establish an Early Childhood Financing Workgroup, to be chaired by the chair of the Early Childhood Advisory Council. Directs the workgroup to develop recommendations exploring the implementation of a single finance system for early care and education programs that includes aligned payment mechanisms and consistent eligibility and co-payment policies. Directs the workgroup to submit its recommendations to the governor by December 31, 2009, upon which time the workgroup shall cease to exist. DOE summary of H.B. 1: http://www.education.ohio.gov/GD/DocumentManagement/DocumentDownload.aspx?DocumentID=71635 Pages 1045-1046 and 2839 of 3120: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_HB_1_EN_N.pdf Title: H.B. 1 - Section 3301.90 and 265.70.20 Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us OH Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Directs the governor to appoint to the early childhood cabinet a representative of a board of health of a city or general health district or an authority having the duties of a board of health Pages 2801-2802 of 3120: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_HB_1_EN_N.pdf Title: H.B. 1 - Section 265.10.23 Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us OH Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Creates a committee to study publicly funded child care services, including the Early Learning Initiative as re-established by H.B. 1. Requires that the study include the following: (1) The effects of changing the definitions of full-time and part-time care on: (a) Children, families and providers of care, including the effects on the quality of care (b) Number of children served and the availability/accessibility of subsidized care to caregivers with full- and part-time jobs (c) Availability of full- and part-time care in areas with a high incidence of poverty (d) Private pay rates (e) Closure of centeres and center programs (f) Loss of jobs in the child care industry. (2) The effects of changes to the Early Learning Initiative on families and children, including: (a) Distribution and use of program slots across the state (b) Effect of mandatory participation in the voluntary child day-care center quality-rating program as described in Section 5104.30 on program quality (c) Outcomes in terms of school readiness and other related factors for participating children. Directs the committee to prepare a report of its findings by June 30, 2010 and to provide a copy of the report to the governor, speaker of the house and president of the senate, at which time the committee will cease to exist. Pages 2898-2899 of 3120: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_HB_1_EN_N.pdf Title: H.B. 1 - Section 309.40.70 Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us NC Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Postsec. Establishes the joint legislative Joining Our Businesses and Schools (JOBS) Study Commission to study issues related to economic development through instructional program frameworks that aid in the transition to postsecondary education and future careers, including technical and vocational needs of each economic development region, employment and workforce preparation needs of the State as a whole, and the shortage of highly skilled employees such as technicians, teachers, and allied health practitioners. The Commission shall also study issues related to economic growth by the creation of measures and metrics which define the readiness of a community to deliver to all stakeholders the services that equip the workforce to be competitive in a STEM-intensive economy, including ensuring that students throughout the education pipeline gain the skills learned from science, technology, engineering, math, and other rigorous subjects. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S1069v4.pdf Title: S.B. 1069 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us RI Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Creates a special Joint Commission to make a comprehensive study of the education of children with autism and to report back to the General Assembly. (Resolution No. 2009-334) Title: H.B. 5691 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet NC Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Postsec. Community College Establishes a Financial Literacy Council to coordinate and expand the statewide delivery of financial education for all North Carolinians; the council will consider and make recommendations to address (among other things) the current personal financial literacy programs in the public schools and how to integrate financial education in K-12; the council will consult with the public schools, community colleges, and public and private university systems to further its mission. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S1019v5.pdf Title: S.B. 1019 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Requires districts to adopt policies regarding sexual abuse of children. Specifies that policies must address methods of increasing parent, student and teacher awareness of sexual abuse of children, including warning signs that a child may be a victim of sexual abuse; actions that a child victim of sexual abuse should take to obtain assistance; and available counseling options for students affected by sexual abuse. Establishes task force to develop a strategy for reducing child abuse and improving child welfare. Directs the task force to develop goals for state policy to prevent child abuse, and submit a strategic plan by November 2010 to accomplish those goals. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/HB01041F.pdf Title: H.B. 1041 Source: www.legis.state.tx.us TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Requires districts to consider offering a driver's education course each school year. Authorizes districts to charge fees for courses or contract with a driver education school. Establishes requirements for minimum hours of behind-the-wheel and observation instruction in driver's education courses. Bars the issue or renewal of an individual's driver's education instructor license if the individual has 6 or more points assigned to his/her license. Requires the state to collect data on collisions of students taught by public schools, licensed driver education schools, and other entities that offer driver education courses, and on the collision rate of students taught by certain course instructors. Requires the state to issue an annual report listing the collision rate for students taught by each driver education entity and the collision rate for students taught by specified course instructors, noting the severity of collisions involving students of each entity and each type of course. Directs the department of public safety to appoint a task force to review and make recommendations on the effectiveness of materials provided by the state education agency for use in driver training schools. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/HB02730F.pdf Title: H.B. 2730 - Sections 12.02 through -.04, 12.08, 12.13 Source: www.legis.state.tx.us TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Adds new Subchapter I in Chapter 42 of Education Code. Establishes the Select Committee on Public School Finance Weights, Allotments, and Adjustments to conduct a comprehensive review of weights, allotments and adjustments under the public school finance system. Establishes membership. Requires committee to hold first meeting by October 2009. Directs the committee to hold public hearings throughout the state and solicit testimony about the weights, allotments and adjustments under the finance system from parents of public school students and other interested persons. Requires at least one hearing to be held at a public school during a time that students are able to attend the hearing. Additionally directs the committee to identify specific short term goals that will assist the state in meeting the objectives and goals of public education, and specifies the review must include recommendations on: (1) Methods to close the achievement gap and define and measure readiness for college and the workforce (2) Revisions to the public accountability system (3) Methods for promoting efficient and effective support structures for public schools. By December 2010, requires the committee to provide a report, approved by a majority of committee members, with the findings of its review and the committee's recommendations for statutory changes. Provides subchapter expires January 11, 2011. Pages 63-67 of 108: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/HB03646F.pdf Title: H.B. 3646 - Section 65 Source: www.legis.state.tx.us TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Directs the commissioner of education, in collaboration with the commissioner of higher education, to conduct a study of dual credit programs and courses. Provides the study must focus on the costs to the state, school district, community college and student. Requires the commissioner, based on the results of the study, to make recommendations to the 82nd Legislature (to convene in 2011) on how to provide all students with the opportunity to earn 12 semester credit hours of college credit before graduating from high school, how to ensure efficient use of state resources regarding dual credit programs and courses, and how to promote the ability of students to access quality dual credit courses. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/HB03646F.pdf Title: H.B. 3646 - Section 91 Source: www.legis.state.tx.us TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Section 92: Directs the state education agency to evaluate whether providers of different types of electronic courses offered through the state virtual school network should receive varying amounts of state funding based on the type of course provided. Requires the agency to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 2011. Section 93: Directs the state education agency to investigate the feasibility of making language acquisition courses available through the state virtual school network by obtaining state subscriptions or pursuing other possible means of access. Requires the agency to submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 2011. If the agency determines that it is feasible to make language acquisition courses available through the network, requires the report to include recommended mechanisms for ensuring progress towards language proficiency of students enrolled in those courses. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/HB03646F.pdf Title: H.B. 3646 - Sections 92 and 98 Source: www.legis.state.tx.us TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Establishes an interagency farm-to-school coordination task force to promote a healthy diet for schoolchildren and the business of small to mid-sized local farms and ranches. Directs the task force to develop and implement a plan to facilitate the availability of locally grown food products in public schools. Directs the task force to design new education resources, or review or update existing resources, on nutrition and food education that may be used by schools and districts; expand food-focused experiential education programs; help identify funding sources for schools and districts to recover the costs associated with purchasing locally grown food products; and offer advanced skills development training to school food service employees regarding the proper methods of handling, preparing and serving locally grown foods, among other duties. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/SB01027F.pdf Title: S.B. 1027 Source: www.legis.state.tx.us TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Defines "children with special needs" as children younger than 22 diagnosed with a chronic illness, intellectual or other developmental disability, or serious mental illness. Creates the Interagency Task Force for Children with Special Needs to improve the coordination, quality and efficiency of services for children and youth with special needs. Directs the task force, among other duties, to: (1) Develop a coordinated strategic plan for improving service delivery for such children (2) Coordinate with federal agencies to compile a list of opportunities to increase flexible funding for services for special needs children, including alternative funding sources and service delivery options (3) Perform a needs assessment, including public hearings to identify service delivery gaps, system entry points and service obstacles. Specifies actions the task force must take in the development of the strategic plan. Requires task force's strategic plan to provide recommendations to achieve specified goals, including improving families' ability to navigate the system through improved coordination between service providers and increased outreach. Directs the task force to submit a biennial report to the governor, lieutenant governor and speaker of the house, documenting each participating agency's progress in accomplishing the goals set forth in the legislation. Specifies additional content the report must include. Establishes September 2015 sunset provision. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/81R/billtext/pdf/SB01824F.pdf Title: S.B. 1824 Source: www.legis.state.tx.us OR Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Requires the executive summary of a written report to the Legislative Assembly to include explanation of how to obtain copy of report, including, if the report is available on Internet, the online location of report; requires distribution of a physical copy of executive summary to each legislator, offices of presiding officers and Legislative Administrator. Chapter 416 http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measpdf/sb0300.dir/sb0323.en.pdf Title: S.B. 323 Source: http://www.leg.state.or.us OR Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Directs the Superintendent of Public Instruction to close the State School for the Blind by a specified date; abolishes the school's Board of Directors; requires the development of individual comprehensive transition plans for students attending the school; requires proceeds from the sale of the school's property to be deposited in the Education Stability Fund; establishes the Blind and Visually Impaired Student Fund; limits the expenditure of revenues collected pursuant to the sale of the school. Chapter 562 http://www.leg.state.or.us/09reg/measpdf/hb2800.dir/hb2834.en.pdf Title: H.B. 2834 Source: http://www.leg.state.or.us AL Pocket veto by governor 05/2009 Community College Postsec. Creates the Joint Interim Legislative Study Committee to Assess the Two-year College System. Directs the committee to make an assessment of the two-year college system and all entities within the purview of the department of postsecondary education, its governance, organization, accountability, instructional needs, and the adequacy and efficiency of the programs and services delivered by these entities. Directs the committee to report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by the fifth working day of the 2010 legislative session, upon which time the committee is dissolved. Title: H.J.R. 878 Source: www.lexis.com CO Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Creates the early childhood and school readiness legislative oversight commission. Sets forth membership requirements and administrative functions for the commission. Outlines the scope of issues the commission is charged with studying. Grants the commission permission to request legislative changes in a manner similar to that of a legislative interim committee. Creates a cash fund. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2009a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/86FB14AA4CA4443387257591004F8937?open&file=1343_enr.pdf Title: H.B. 1343 Source: http://www.leg.state.co.us OK Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Creates until November 30, 2009, the Legislative Task Force on Achieving Classroom Excellence. Requires the task force to conduct a comprehensive review of the Achieving Classroom Excellence Act of 2005 and subsequent amendments. Requires the task force to study topics including, but not limited to, the following: 1. The requirements of the Achieving Classroom Excellence Act of 2005, as amended; 2. Possible alternative assessments and alternative methods for meeting the requirements of the Achieving Classroom Excellence Act of 2005, as amended; 3. Policies to reduce the high school drop-out rate; 4. Policies to enhance completion of the requirements for high school graduation and increase postsecondary program enrollment and completion; and 5. The potential of blending services offered by common education, career and technology education, and higher education.Sets membership. http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2009-10bills/SB/SB1168_ENR.RTF Title: S.B. 1168 Source: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Establishes a college and career-readiness workgroup headed jointly by MDE and the U of M to evaluate and make recommendations to the commissioner and the legislature on the design of the state high school assessment system, levels of and mechanisms for accountability, postsecondary uses of the assessments and an implementation timeline. https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H0002.5.html&session=ls86 Title: H.F. 2 Source: https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us OK Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Creates the Task Force on Internet-Based Instruction to conduct a comprehensive review of Internet-based instruction in this state and make recommendations regarding necessary changes to ensure accountability for such programs in public schools. http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2009-10bills/SB/SB604_ENR.RTF Title: S.B. 604 Source: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us WA Signed into law 04/2009 Postsec. Encourages all institutions of higher education to use common online learning technologies including existing learning management and web conferencing systems currently managed and governed by the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and to share professional development materials and activites related to the effective use of these tools; authorized the board to adjust vendor licenses to accommodate and provide enterprise services for any such institution; requires a related task force. Chapter 407 http://apps.leg.wa.gov/documents/billdocs/2009-10/Pdf/Bills/House%20Passed%20Legislature/1946-S2.PL.pdf Title: H.B. 1946 Source: http://apps.leg.wa.gov WV Signed into law 04/2009 Postsec. Creates the Science and Research Council to increase the capacity of the state and higher education institutions to attract, implement and use cutting- edge, competitive research funds and infrastructure through the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, the Research Trust Fund and the Research Challenge Fund, encourage collaboration among public and private higher education institutions and the private sector and promote education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. http://www.legis.state.wv.us/bill_status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=HB3229%20ENR.htm&yr=2009&sesstype=RS&i=3229 Title: H.B. 3229 Source: http://www.legis.state.wv.us AL Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Establishes the Alabama Select Commission on High School Graduation and Student Dropouts. Directs the commission to study the problems and patterns of high school dropouts in the state and their educational and economic impact on the state and local communities. Permits the commission to examine a range of issues and factors in connection with this study, including: (1) The graduation and dropout rates in Alabama (2) The educational and economic impact of students failing to graduate from high school on time and dropping out of school (3) The importance to the entire state of every student leaving high school prepared to enter the workforce or to succeed in higher education (4) Research on best practices and factors related to students' success in school (5) How well high school students understand the social and economic consequences of dropping out of school (6) Strategies, programs, and support services that help to enable students to graduate from high school (7) Related laws and policies that must be addressed to ensure the availability of effective strategies, programs, and support services for students (8) The educational and fiscal impact of raising the compulsory attendance age (9) Possible exemptions from the law for certain students, including those students who fulfill their graduation requirements early and receive a diploma (10) The fiscal impact of reduced dropouts on the state government and the Alabama economy (11) The laws and programs of other states in increasing graduation rates and raising the compulsory school attendance age (12) Input on the issue from a wide range of sources across Alabama, including school personnel, student dropouts, students at risk of dropping out, community, civic, philanthropic, legal, and education leaders who have studied or addressed this problem. Directs the commission to provide a final report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house and chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court on or before December 31, 2009, at which point the commission is dissolved. Title: S.J.R. 24 Source: www.lexis.com AR Signed into law 04/2009 Postsec. Community College Enacts the Campus Security Enhancement Act to create a multidisciplinary advisory task force composed of leaders in education, mental health, and law enforcement which shall provide support for designing effective campus security policies and proactive measures that prevent further acts of violence on campuses of institutions of higher education in the State and help ensure an effective response and recovery system when those acts of violence occur. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1400.pdf Title: H.B. 2135 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Creates the Legislative Task Force on Athletic Training in Public Schools to study health care issues concerning secondary school student athletes, evaluate the current athletic training curriculum and recommend changes to the athletic training curriculum, monitor the standards of care for student athletes and explore funding opportunities for potential pilot programs. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1453.pdf Title: H.B. 2129 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Creates the State Legislative Task Force on the assessment and improvement of state history education in public schools. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1462.pdf Title: S.B. 452 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Creates the Legislative Task Force on Autism to examine how the State responds to autism and autism spectrum disorders, determine and recommend the best practices and methods for treatment of those disorders, recommend how to obtain more federal funds for such treatment and to provide special education to children with those disorders and recommend to the General Assembly specific changes to the law. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1272.pdf Title: S.B. 938 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ MS Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Continues the task force to study and report on the status of failing schools and school districts, effectiveness measures for improvement of those schools and school districts, and enhancement of accountability and sanctions; creates the teen pregnancy task force to study and make recommendation to the legislature on the coordination of services to reduce teen pregnancy and provide prenatal and postnatal training to expectant teen parents; establishes the sesquicentennial of the civil war commission. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2009/pdf/SB/2200-2299/SB2288SG.pdf Title: S.B. 2288 Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us MS Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 Creates the After-School Initiative Task Force to develop a plan to ensure quality after-school programs for every school-age child in the state; establishes a task force to study and report on the graduation rates in the state institutions of higher learning and junior and community colleges; provides for the membership of the task force. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2009/html/HB/0400-0499/HB0488SG.htm Title: H.B. 488 Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us MO Issued 01/2009 Community College (Executive Order 2009-01) Creates and establishes the Automotive Jobs Task Force; identifies state economic polices and legislative enactments that help or hinder the development of high tech automobile production facilities within the state; evaluates the effectiveness of job training programs, both inside and outside state government, in preparing workers for the future of the automotive industry. http://governor.mo.gov/orders/2009/09-01.htm Title: E.O. 3 Source: http://governor.mo.gov MA Signed into law 12/2008 P-12 Revives and continues the special commission on middle education in the Commonwealth. http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/185/ht04pdf/ht04800.pdf Title: H.B. 4800 Source: http://www.mass.gov/ AZ Signed into law 08/2008 P-12 Creates a seven-member Task Force on the Arizona Assessment of Achievements Test with members drawn from diverse urban and rural areas who are to be appointed by the State Board of Education. Requires the Task Force to (a) examine the experiences and outcomes of other states with tests required for high school graduation that incorporate a national college admission and placement examination; (b) develop methodologies, models and other recommendations for the initial Arizona Assessment of Achievements Test; (c) examine whether the test should be a high-stakes test for high school graduation; and (d) submit a written report of the Task Force's findings and recommendations by June 30, 2009 to the State Board of Education, the Governor and the Legislature. Repeals the Task Force on September 16, 2009. Instructs the legislative council staff to prepare proposed legislation conforming state statutes to the Task Force recommendations for consideration in the 2010 legislative session. Chapter 287 http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/48leg/2r/bills/hb2211.asp Title: H.B. 2211 Source: http://www.azleg.gov/ NY Signed into law 07/2008 P-12 Creates a temporary special advisory panel on driver education availability and curriculum enhancement to examine, assess and make recommendations to improve drivers education instruction and make such instruction more available. Directs the panel to consider, among other items, whether requiring districts to provide drivers education instruction would be beneficial. Directs the panel to submit a report with its recommendations to the governor and legislature by December 31, 2008. http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S06985&sh=t Title: S.B. 6985 Source: assembly.state.ny.us HI Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Postsec. Community College Directs the Department of Education to adopt and implement recommendations and strategic goals contained in the report of the online learning task force established by Act 275, Session Laws of Hawaii 2007. Specifically requires the department to: (1) Continue to operate the Myron B. Thompson cyber academy and establish a virtual learning network (2) Establish a task force to review the state's education policies for congruency with the needs and potential of online learning (3) Develop a mentoring and training program for online teachers (4) Develop an online training program to increase the number of qualified teachers, paraprofessionals and administrators (5) Provide support and incentives to teachers who teach online courses and for teachers using online courses to incorporate project-based and work-relevant learning (6) Standardize the procedure for granting credits for online coursework (7) Assist schools with online standards-based college preparatory curriculum (8) Expand credit recovery courses and remediation courses (9) Emphasize online science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses and aggressively work to offer certain online courses through the department, including algebra I, English I, eighth-grade math and English, and career guidance (10) Expand distance education through interactive digital television (11) Establish an online course and resource center to include training modules and other support resources (12) Establish online and in-person tutoring and mentoring programs for students (13) Develop recommendations on appropriate funding mechanisms. Directs the department to assess the digital literacy of teachers, students and other personnel to ensure maximum success of the online learning programs. Directs the department to systematically establish the infrastructure for online learning based on institution type, in the following order of priority:  high schools (including charter high schools), middle and elementary schools, adult community schools, charter middle and elementary schools, the University of Hawaii system (particularly the community colleges), private secondary and post-secondary institutions (for a fee), and adult populations for remedial education and upgrading of workforce skill. Establishes other duties of the department related to online learning. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session2008/Bills/HB2971_SD2_.htm Title: H.B. 2971 Source: www.capitol.hawaii.gov KS Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Provides that a student enrolled in a district and attending both a non-virtual school and a virtual school must be counted as that proportion of one pupil (to the nearest one-tenth) that the student's attendance at the non-virtual school bears to full-time attendance. Provides that a student enrolled in a district and attending special education and related services and also attending a virtual school must be counted as that proportion of one pupil (to the nearest one-tenth) that the student's attendance at the non-virtual school bears to full-time attendance. Repeals and replaces definition of virtual school. Repeals and replaces K.S.A. 72-6455 regarding each district's high density at-risk pupil weighting. Creates new section for districts with enrollments of at least 40% but less than 50% at-risk students. Provides that each eligible district's medium density at-risk pupil weighting must be determined by the state board by multiplying the number of at-risk pupils by .06. Provides that if a school district becomes ineligible for medium density at-risk pupil weighting because enrollment of at-risk pupils in the district falls below the minimum threshold, the medium density at-risk pupil weighting of the district must be the greater of: (1) The medium density at-risk pupil weighting in the current school year; (2) the medium density at-risk pupil weighting in the prior school year; or (3) the average of the medium density at-risk pupil weighting in the current school year and the preceding two school years. Provides that the medium density at-risk pupil weighting provisions expire on June 30, 2011. Establishes the special education funding task force, and requires the first meeting of the task force to be held on or before August 1, 2008. Directs the special education funding task force to: (1) Study and make recommendations for changes in the existing formula for funding of special education and related services including medicaid replacement state aid (2) Conduct hearings and receive and consider suggestions from teachers, parents, the department of education, the state board of education, other governmental officers and agencies and the general public concerning funding for special education and related services (3) Make and submit reports to the legislature on the work of the task force concerning recommendations of the task force. Provides that such reports must also include recommendations for legislative changes and must be submitted to the legislature before the start of each year's legislative session. Provides that the task force shall cease to exist on June 30, 2011. Establishes new section regarding medicaid replacement state aid. Directs the state board to designate a portion of the special education services state aid appropriation as medicaid replacement state aid. Provides that the amount so designated may not exceed $9,000,000 in any school year. Provides that each school district is entitled to medicaid replacement state aid. Provides a formula for calculating each district's medicaid replacement state aid. Repeals and replaces K.S.A. 72-6445a regarding state financial aid for any district formed by consolidation http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2008/531.pdf Title: S.B. 531 Source: www.kslegislature.org GA Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Creates the Joint Study Committee on Teacher Training and Certification. Provides that in the event the committee makes a report of its findings and recommendations for proposed legislation, such report must be made by December 31, 2008. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2007_08/pdf/hr1103.pdf Title: H.R. 1103 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet KY Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Postsec. 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, mathematical studies, further mathematics and physics. Creates the science and mathematics advancement fund, to be administered by the department of education. Provides that funds may be used to provide: 1. Payment of student fees for AP and IB exams 2. Scholarships for high school students to take advanced science and mathematics courses through the Kentucky Virtual High School when those courses are not offered at the school in which they are enrolled 3. Two-year grants to high schools to support the start-up of advanced science and mathematics courses 4. Two-year renewable grants to middle schools to support accelerated student learning in science and mathematics 5. Grants to districts to develop and implement an energy technology engineering career track 6. Professional development opportunities, and payment of expenses and stipends for participation, for elementary school teachers to deepen their content knowledge and improve instructional practice in science and mathematics. Directs the department to use funds from the science and mathematics advancement fund to establish the High School Advanced Science and Mathematics Course Start-up Program, the Middle School Mathematics and Science Scholars Program, and the District Energy Technology Career Track Program for schools. Provides that the purpose of the High School Advanced Science and Mathematics Course Start-up Program is to provide two-year grants to high schools to initiate at least one advanced math and science course. Provides that funds may be used to cover the costs of additional training for an advanced science and mathematics teacher and the purchase of classroom supplies, textbooks, laboratory equipment, and other instructional materials. Provides that schools receiving a grant must provide assurances that teachers of AP or IB courses supported by the grant participate in College Board-endorsed AP summer training institutes or International Baccalaureate-sponsored IB summer workshops, as available, and that all students taking AP and IB courses supported by the grant take the related AP or IB exam. Provides that the purpose of the Middle School Mathematics and Science Scholars Program is to provide two-year renewable grants to middle schools to support intensive, accelerated student learning in mathematics and the sciences, through activities including to programs during the school day, after-school programs, Saturday programs, or multiweek summer sessions. Provides that the grant application must ensure that teachers participating in the grant have the skills to provide intensive, accelerated student learning in mathematics or the sciences and that they will receive ongoing, relevant professional development. Requires a middle school receiving a grant to collaborate with feeder elementary and high schools to share information on grant activities; strengthen alignment of curricula, content-knowledge expectations, and instructional practice between schools; and provide relevant professional development opportunities. Requires the accelerated learning program to include strategies to improve the math and science academic skills for all students for whom significant academic achievement gaps have been identified and to attract them into higher level mathematics and science courses. Requires that specific activities to recruit and enroll students from all racial and income groups in the school be conducted. Requires each grant applicant to provide assurances that the necessary resources will be allocated to help students in all subpopulations academically succeed in the accelerated learning program and to meet the enrollment goal that the number of students representing each racial and income group enrolled in the program not be less than or limited to the percentage of each group in the total school population. Provides that funds from the teachers' professional growth fund may provide moneys to teachers for professional development for teachers participating in grants awarded by the Middle School Mathematics and Science Scholars Program. Directs the Center for Middle School Academic Achievement to assist grant recipients of the Middle School Mathematics and Science Scholars Program with professional development for participating teachers. Requires the Center for Mathematics to advise the department and the state board on the establishment and implementation of the Middle School Mathematics and Science Scholars Program. Provides that the purpose of the District Energy Technology Career Track Program is to provide grants to school districts to develop and implement an energy technology engineering career track across middle and high schools within the district as described in KRS 158.808. Requires the state board to establish long-term and annual goals for increasing: (a) The number of high schools providing rigorous curricula and making available accelerated classes and college credit for students (b) The number and percentage of students enrolled in and completing AP and IB courses by content area (c) The number and percentage of students taking the AP and IB exams in advanced science and math (d) The number and percentage of students receiving a score of 3 or better on AP exams or 5 or better on IB exams in advanced science and math (e) The number and percentage of free/reduced lunch students receiving a score of 3 or better on AP exams or 5 or better on IB exams (f) The number of teachers successfully completing a College Board-endorsed AP or IB summer training institute (g) The number of teachers with the knowledge and training needed to prepare students for high achievement on AP and IB exams in advanced science and math (h) Other criteria determined by the board. Requires the department of education to develop a program evaluation framework on the use of the science and mathematics advancement fund for the purposes set forth in statute. Requires the program evaluation framework to address the use of funds, the number of grants and awards, student achievement outcomes, and trends over time on the indicators established to measure progress against the statewide goals. Beginning in 2008, requires the department to submit an annual report to the state board and the interim joint committee on education. By July 1, 2009, requires the department, in cooperation with teacher education institutions, to develop a training program for certified personnel to become on-line coaches to provide effective support to students enrolled in Kentucky Virtual High School courses. By July 1, 2010, requires at least one employee in each middle and high school to have successfully completed the on-line coaches training, with the cost of acquiring the training borne by the local district. Directs the council on postsecondary education to create a STEM Initiative Task Force to provide leadership and strategic direction on a comprehensive, statewide STEM initiative to improve Kentucky's position for success in the knowledge-based economy by expanding and strengthening educational and economic development opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Provides the task force must be composed of representatives from the executive and legislative branches of government, K-12 and postsecondary education, professionals within the STEM disciplines, and the business community. Authorizes the task force to create a public or nonprofit corporation or contract with an existing nonprofit corporation to facilitate the public-private collaboration in the development and implementation of the STEM Initiative. Directs the task force to explore the critical relationship between STEM degree production and the state's knowledge-based economy and make recommendations to accelerate Kentucky's performance in the STEM disciplines. Requires the task force to develop a comprehensive, statewide strategic plan and a business plan to improve STEM performance in government, business, and K-12 and postsecondary education. Requires that the strategic plan include: (a) Energizing a statewide public awareness campaign to help Kentuckians understand the critical importance of STEM to their own economic competitiveness and that of the Commonwealth (b) Creating incentives and a supportive environment for students, teachers, and institutions that pursue, succeed, and excel in the STEM disciplines throughout the P-20 educational pipeline (c) Implementing international best practices in professional development programs for P-16 STEM teachers to increase the intensity, duration, and rigor of professional development (d) Improving teacher preparation programs and encouraging people with undergraduate and graduate degrees in the STEM disciplines to enter the teaching profession (e) Revolutionizing how STEM subjects are taught, learned, and assessed and implementing a statewide, research-based STEM curriculum that is aligned with global workforce and academic standards (f) Engaging business, industry, and civic leaders to improve STEM education and skills in the Commonwealth and creating incentives for Kentucky businesses that employ and invest in STEM-educated students (g) Developing an ongoing, coordinated, statewide STEM initiative that maximizes the impact of resources among government agencies, schools, colleges and universities, and businesses, and which is focused on developing and attracting STEM-related jobs in Kentucky (h) Targeting energy sustainability problems and opportunities in Kentucky and the nation as a primary objective of statewide STEM enhancements (i) Developing STEM mentoring programs that partner students in grades 5-12, their teachers, or both, with engineers, business professionals, college or university professors, university students, or others with expertise in the STEM disciplines to link academic coursework with the real world, underscoring the importance of rigorous academic preparation and encouraging pursuit of careers in the STEM disciplines (j) Creating recognition awards and activities and financial support for individuals, businesses, or organizations that exhibit excellence in mentoring within the STEM disciplines. Directs the STEM Task Force to develop a business plan aligned with the strategic plan which includes measurable benchmarks for progress in achieving the goals within the strategic plan for 1-, 3-, and 5-year time periods. Requires the initial business plan to be presented to the interim joint committees on appropriations and revenue and education by December 30, 2008. Requires the task force to review and revise the business plan as needed in subsequent years to further the purposes of the STEM Initiative. Establishes the Kentucky STEM Initiative fund to support the work of the STEM Initiative Task Force. Provides the department of education and the council on postsecondary education may expend available funds from other sources on the STEM Initiative. Directs the state board to promulgate regulations on courses of study or educational experiences available to students in all middle and high schools to fulfill the prerequisites for courses in advanced science and mathematics. Specifies that every school must offer an AP, IB or dual enrollment course in both math and science. Provides that if funds are available, the department must provide an ACT preparation program to all public high school juniors. Requires each school report card to parents and the public to indicate for AP and IB, the courses offered, the number of students enrolled, completing, and taking the examination for each course, and the percentage of test-takers receiving a score of 3 or better on AP exams or a score of 5 or better on IB examinations. Requires the data to be disaggregated by gender, race, students with disabilities, and economic status, and to be included in the report card beginning with the 2009-2010 school year. Requires the department to make available to middle and high schools information on the prerequisite content necessary for success in secondary courses, AP courses, and IB courses. Requires the department to provide sample syllabi, instructional resources and instructional supports for teachers that will assist in preparing students for more rigorous coursework. Provides instructional supports must include professional development for assisting students enrolled in the Kentucky Virtual High School or other virtual learning settings. Provides that all students willing to accept the challenge of a rigorous academic curriculum must be admitted to AP courses, including AP courses offered through the Kentucky Virtual High School, IB courses, dual enrollment courses, and dual credit courses, if they have successfully completed the prerequisite coursework or have otherwise demonstrated mastery of the prerequisite content knowledge and skills as determined by measurable standards. Provides that if a school does not offer an AP course in a particular subject area, the school must permit a qualified student to enroll in the AP course offered by the Kentucky Virtual High School and receive credit toward graduation. Provides that effective with the 2008-2009 school year, students enrolled in AP or IB courses in the public schools must have the cost of the examinations paid by the department. Includes participation in the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at Western Kentucky University as a dual credit option, and specifies that students who attended the academy are eligible for a Kentucky educational excellence scholarship (KEES) award. Authorizes the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky to award a diploma to any student who completes his or her high school program at the academy. Provides that if the academy issues a diploma, the board of regents of the university must provide to the commissioner of education a letter of assurance that the program of study completed by its students, in combination with previously earned secondary credits, meets the minimum high school graduation requirements established by the state board. Authorizes a local district to award a joint diploma with the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky to any student who was enrolled in a district high school and completed his or her high school program at the academy. Requires the academy and the home school district to ensure that student transcripts from each institution accurately reflect the dual credit coursework. Beginning with the 2008-2009 academic year, requires the higher education assistance authority to commit to provide a supplemental KEES award for achievement on AP and IB exams to an eligible high school student whose family was eligible for free or reduced-price lunch for any year during high school enrollment. Awards range between $200-$300 for AP exam scores between 3 and 5 and IB exam scores between 5 and 7. Requires every high school and the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky to submit to the higher education assistance authority each student's family eligibility status f WA Issued 02/2008 P-12 Orders the Washingtons New Americans Policy Council established; makes recommendations to the Governor on strategies to help legal permanent residents become naturalized; the acquisition of English language skills integral to the process of becoming citizens; ways to recognize or transfer the skills, certifications and professional credentials people earn in other countries into Washington's economy; strategies that are needed to support the success for naturalization, English language acquisition and recognition or transference of certifications and professional credentials; facilitating public-private partnerships for the integration of people seeking to become New Americans into the very fabric of our state, thus creating a more vibrant, prosperous and vital society. http://www.governor.wa.gov/execorders/eo_08-01.pdf Title: Executive Order No. 08-01 Source: http://www.governor.wa.gov/ IL Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Requires the state board of education to convene an Ensuring Success in School Task Force to develop policies and procedures for addressing the educational and related needs of youth who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence to ensure their ability to stay in school, and successfully complete their education. Directs the task force to conduct a thorough examination of the barriers to school attendance, safety, and completion for children and youth who are parents, expectant parents, or victims of domestic or sexual violence, and to conduct a discovery process that includes relevant research and identifies effective policies and programs within and outside the state. Also directs the task force, by January 1, 2009, to submit ot the general assembly a report including the task force's findings, recommendations and implementation plan. Directs the task force to recommend new legislation or proposed rules developed by the task force. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/95/HB/PDF/09500HB1330lv.pdf Title: H.B. 1330 Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation IL Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Deletes references to the Illinois Suicide Prevention Strategic Planning Committee and the Committee and replaces them with references to the Illinois Suicide Prevention Alliance. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/95/HB/PDF/09500HB1643lv.pdf Title: H.B. 1643 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet IL Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Amends the Whistleblower Act. Provides that an "employer" as defined in the act includes: (1) A political subdivision of the state (2) A unit of local government (3) A school district, combination of school districts, or governing body of a joint agreement of any type formed by two or more school districts (4) A community college district, state college or university, or any state agency whose major function is providing educational services (5) Any authority including a department, division, bureau, board, commission, or other agency of these entities (6) Any person acting within the scope of his or her authority on behalf of those entities in dealing with its employees. Deletes an exemption for government entities. Prohibits retaliation. Adds to list of false claims for which a person is liable for penalties. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/95/HB/PDF/09500HB0742lv.pdf Title: H.B. 742 Source: /www.ilga.gov/legislation IL Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Finds and declares that African American men: (1) are disproportionately less likely to complete high school and to obtain a postsecondary education; (2) are more likely to be incarcerated or on parole; (3) are more likely to have lower lifetime economic earnings; (4) are more likely to have been a part of the child welfare population; (5) are more likely to have a shorter life expectancy; and (6) are more likely to have health problems, such as HIV/AIDS, drug dependency, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. Further finds and declares that the state has a compelling interest in determining the causes of these problems and in developing appropriate remedies. Creates the Task Force on the Condition of African American Men within the department of human services. Provides that the director or secretary of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois Board of Higher Education, and the Illinois Community College Board are members of the task force. Provides that the task force must: (1) Determine the causal factors for the condition of African American men (2) Identify gaps in services to African American men (3) Develop strategies to reduce duplication of services and to maximize coordination between state agencies, providers, and educational institutions, including developing benchmarks to measure progress. Directs the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the governor and general assembly by December 31, 2008. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/95/SB/PDF/09500SB0776lv.pdf Title: S.B. 776 Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation WA Issued 08/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Creates the Governors P-20 Council on early learning, K-12, and higher education. The P-20 Council will include leaders responsible for carrying out education policies and investments within our state and the three advisory committee chairs from the Washington Learns Steering Committee. http://www.governor.wa.gov/execorders/eo_07-05.pdf Title: Executive Order No. 5 Source: http://www.governor.wa.gov IL Adopted 07/2007 P-12 Directs the state board of education, the board of higher education, and the office of the governor to jointly appoint a task force to recommend a sequence of strategic steps to implement improvements in school leadership preparation in the state. Directs the task force to file a report of its findings with the general assembly, the office of the governor, the state board of education, and the board of higher education on or before February 1, 2008. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/95/HJR/PDF/09500HJ0066lv.pdf Title: H.J.R. 66 Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation IL Adopted 07/2007 P-12 Creates a task force to study special education funding needs and to make recommendations as to how the state can increase special education funding and ease the financial burden on school districts. Provides for the membership of the task force; provides that the public members appointed by legislative leaders represent not just school districts, but also nonpublic special education facilities. Provides that the task force must be facilitated by the state board of education. Directs the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the governor and the general assembly by August 1, 2008. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/95/HJR/PDF/09500HJ0024lv.pdf Title: H.J.R. 24 Source: www.ilga.gov/legislation HI Became law without governor's signature 07/2007 P-12 Establishes a "Hawaii 3-5 transition" task force to study the feasibility of expanding Hawaii's early intervention section to continue services for children ages 3-5. Directs the task force, in completing the feasibility study, to:      (1)  Identify the potential number of children, on an annual basis, who exit Part C programs, are eligible for programs under Part B Section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, but may benefit from a longer transition period and continued Part C program services in the child's natural environment or community-based settings;      (2)  Identify the potential number of children, on an annual basis, who exit Part C programs, are found not eligible for services under Part B of Section 619 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, but continue to have developmental delays and who may benefit from intervention services ages 3-5;      (3)  Identify the potential number of children, on an annual basis, who have not received services through Part C programs, but are identified as having developmental delays and who may benefit from intervention services between the ages of 3-5;      (4)  Research evidence-based practices in order to define service models for children between the ages of 3-5 necessary to meet the needs of this population;      (5)  Define the array of services required for children ages 3-5 with developmental delays;      (6)  Based upon the potential number of children to be served, derive resource and cost projections to implement services; and      (7)  Conduct a needs assessment of families focusing on their experiences transitioning out of Part C programs, as well as transitioning into Part B programs. Also directs the task force to: (1)  Project the length of time required to develop the necessary resource pool to serve the targeted population; (2)  Develop indicators for evaluation to assess the outcomes of the early intervention system providing services to children ages 3-5 with developmental delays; (3)  Submit a report with specific recommendations to the legislature prior to the convening of the 2008 regular session. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/Bills/HB531_CD1_.htm Title: H.B. 531 Source: www.capitol.hawaii.gov HI Became law without governor's signature 07/2007 P-12 Creates an online learning task force to develop a systematic plan to expand opportunities for online learning, to enhance the learning experiences of students across the state. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/Bills/HB598_CD1_.htm Title: H.B. 598 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet DE Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Supports the work of Vision 2015, the Delaware Business Roundtable and the Leadership for Education Achievement in Delaware committee (LEAD), created by Governor's Executive Order 98. It also encourages the General Assembly, state agencies, school districts and Delaware's education community to cooperate fully in the research necessary to submit the requested reports in a timely manner. http://www.legis.state.de.us/LIS/lis144.nsf/vwLegislation/SJR+7/$file/legis.html?open Title: S.J.R. 7 Source: Delaware Legislature ME Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Provides a commission to study ways to increase the quality of child care services in the state by identifying and implementing best practices and by addressing current limits on access to high-quality care based on a parent's ability to pay. http://janus.state.me.us/legis/LawMakerWeb/externalsiteframe.asp?ID=280023298&LD=755&Type=1&SessionID=7 Title: H.B. 576 Source: Maine Legislature DE Issued 06/2007 P-12 Establishes the Leadership for Education Achievement in Delaware Committee to make recommendations to the governor, general assembly, state board of education, local school districts and department of education on strategies to continue to improve public education. Defines membership and dutites. http://governor.delaware.gov/orders/executiveorderno98.shtml#TopOfPage Title: E.O. 98 Source: http://governor.delaware.gov DE Passed 06/2007 P-12 This Resolution requires a transition to a statewide student assessment system that is economical, focused, requires less testing time, measures each child's academic growth, and returns faster and more useful results to teachers, parents and students. It creates a Task Force of educators, parents, legislators and other stakeholders to oversee the development of the Request(s) for Proposals and the vendor selection. http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/LIS144.NSF/vwlegislation/HCR%2032?opendocument Title: H.C.R. 32 Source: http://legis.delaware.gov TX Signed into law 06/2007 Postsec. Requests that the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives create a select commission on higher education and global competitiveness to draft a Texas Compact that reflects a long-term vision and step-by-step plan to attain certain goals by 2020. http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/pdf/HC00159F.pdf Title: H.C.R. 159 Source: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us NE Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Creates the special education task force to examine the provision of special education services and recommend policies and potential legislation to the clerk of the legislature and the education committee on or before December 31, 2007. The examination would include, but not be limited to: (1) Federal and state laws; (2) Special education services in other states; (3) Application of the "least-restrictive-environment" doctrine; (4) The availability of services across the state; (5) The use of private providers by public school districts; (6) The use of private providers by private citizens; and (7) The provision of services for wards of the state or wards of the court. http://uniweb.legislature.ne.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Slip/LB316.pdf Title: L.B. 316 Source: http://uniweb.legislature.ne.gov/ WI Issued 05/2007 Postsec. Relates to the creation to the Governor's Task Force on Campus Safety which will address coordination between campus officials and local law enforcement, availability of innovative communications systems, assessment of appropriate campus security and threat assessment systems, assessment of emergency response systems, timely and effective identification of high-risk students and prevention strategies and availability of services for high-risk students. http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=19&prid=2644 Title: Executive Order No. 196 Source: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us MN Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Requires the commissioner to include the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities as they relate to the academic standards during the review and revision of the required academic standards. Establishes an advisory task force on Minnesota American Indian Tribes, Communities and K-12 Standards Based Reform. Amends language pertaining to state's American Indian scholarship program. (Sections 3, 41, 42) http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2245.2.html&session=ls85 Title: H.F. 2245 [American Indians] Source: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us MN Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Establishes a task force to recommend which state laws and rules that exceed or expand upon minimum federal special education requirements for providing special education programs and services to eligible students should be amended to conform with minimum federal requirements. http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2245.2.html&session=ls85 Title: H.F. 2245 [Special Education Requirements] Source: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us WI Issued 04/2007 P-12 Postsec. Relates to the creation of the Governor's Business Council to collaborate on regional and statewide development priorities to support economic and workforce development. http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us/journal_media_detail.asp?locid=19&prid=2615 Title: Executive Order No. 193 Source: http://www.wisgov.state.wi.us AR Signed into law 04/2007 Postsec. Requests that the House Interim Committee on Education and the Senate Interim Committee on Education study degree programs at institutions of higher education in the state, the courses required for degree completion, the number of hours required for a secondary degree program, and the number of hours that are required to obtain an additional certificate to teach after the person has received his or her original certification. (Act No. 1600) http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2007/public/HB2660.pdf Title: H.B. 2660 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us NY Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Establishes a temporary task force on preschool special education, to be chaired by the commissioner of education or his/her designated representative, and consisting of the following members: (1) The commissioner of education or his/her designated representative (2) The commissioner of health or his/her designated representative (3) The chief executive officer of the council on children and families, the commission on quality of care and advocacy for persons with disabilities, and the office of mental retardation and developmental disabilities, or their designated representatives (4) The director of the budget or his/her designated representative (5) Three representatives of school districts appointed by the governor in consultation with the board of regents (6) Three representatives of counties appointed by the governor including at least two from candidates nominated by a statewide organization representing counties (7) Three representatives of approved preschool special education providers, appointed by the governor. Provides the task force will: (1) Study and evaluate the relationship between preschool special education and other early childhood programs, including but not limited to the early intervention program, the universal prekindergarten program and other publicly-funded prekindergarten programs, and make recommendations on approaches to improve transition from the early intervention system to preschool special education and from preschool special education to school-age special education and on ways to enhance delivery of special education programs and services to children attending universal prekindergarten programs or other publicly-funded prekindergarten programs in the least restrictive environment; (2) Study the current tuition rate-setting methodology for preschool special education programs and services and make recommendations for improvement; (3) Conduct a comparative study of the systems of delivery of preschool special education programs and services in New York and other states, including their methods of financing preschool special education, and make recommendation for inclusion of the best practices from other states which shall include other states with comparable need and service levels and for changes in New York's system of delivery of such programs and services that will promote the cost-effective delivery of appropriate programs and services to preschool students with disabilities in compliance with the federal individuals with disabilities education act; (4) Report on or before November 15, 2007 to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leaders of the senate and assembly, the director of the budget and the board of regents on the task force's conclusions and recommendations under paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this subdivision. http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=s2107 Title: S.B. 2107 - Part B, Section 59 Source: assembly.state.ny.us TN Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Adds a new section. Directs the office of education accountability to periodically study the overall school accountability system and report to the General Assembly as to its operations and effectiveness, including any suggestions for improvement. Such report may include a review of applicable standards, technical assistance, actions taken by LEAs, and relevant outcomes. http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/BILL/SB0457.pdf Title: S.B. 457 Source: http://www.legislature.state.tn.us AR Signed into law 03/2007 Postsec. Creates the legislative task force on higher education remediation, retention, and graduation rates; provides for the appointment of its members; describes its mission and responsibilities. (Act No. 570) http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2007/public/HB2736.pdf Title: H.B. 2736 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us UT Signed into law 03/2007 Postsec. Community College Creates the Higher Education Task Force, which is charged with studying issues concerning the state system of higher education, including institutional missions, tuition, and other issues. http://le.utah.gov/~2007/bills/hbillenr/hb0396.htm Title: H.B. 396 Source: http://www.le.state.ut.us/ DE Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Relates to the creation of a statewide Health Advisory Council, as recommended by the Physical Education Task Force, to provide advice and guidance to the Department of Education regarding current and future physical education and physical activity programs in state schools; provides for a report on childhood obesity. http://www.legis.state.de.us/LIS/LIS143.nsf/vwLegislation/ Title: S.B. 289 Source: Delaware Legislature LA Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Requires that a local school board employee be provided paid leave to attend meetings of certain public entities on which the employee serves as an elected or appointed member. Provides that public entities include the Board of Trustees of the Teachers' Retirement System of Louisiana; the Board of Trustees of the Louisiana School Employees Retirement System; the state board of education; and any task force, commission, or other advisory body established by the state board of education. http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=406321 Title: H.B. 800 Source: www.legis.state.la.us AZ Signed into law 06/2006 P-12 Concerns the State Commission on Civic Education and Civic Engagement; relates to membership and duties; provides a repeal of the termination date. http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/47leg/2r/bills/hb2788h.pdf Title: H.B. 2788 Source: Arizona Legislature LA Signed into law 06/2006 Postsec. Community College Increases the membership of the Small Business Entrepreneurship Commission to add nonvoting members chosen from state colleges and universities. http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=399304 Title: H.B. 152 Source: www.legis.state.la.us VT Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Creates the workforce development council as the successor to and the continuation of the governor's human resources investment council. Directs the workforce development council to: (1)  Advise the governor on the establishment of an integrated network of workforce education and training for Vermont. (2)  Coordinate planning and services for an integrated network of workforce education and training and oversee its implementation. (3)  Establish and oversee workforce investment boards. (4)  Establish goals for and coordinate the state's workforce education and training policies. (5)  Speak for the workforce needs of employers. (6)  Receive annual reports from the department of labor on the workforce education and training revenues and expenditures of agencies and institutions which are members of the council. (7)  Annually review and comment on workforce education and training revenues and expenditures of member agencies and institutions. (8)  Negotiate memoranda of understanding between the council and agencies and institutions involved in Vermont's integrated network of workforce education and training in order to ensure that each is working to achieve annual objectives developed by the council. (9)  Carry out the duties assigned to the state workforce investment board, as required for a single-service delivery state. (10)  Annually, on or before January 15, report to the general assembly on activities carried out during the previous year in order to accomplish its mandate. Amends language relative to the department of labor advisory council. http://www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2006/acts/ACT212.HTM Title: H.B. 109 Source: www.leg.state.vt.us TN Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Establishes a commission on civic education. The commission is will: (1) Research the current policies and practices in civic education at the state and local level; and (2) Recommend to the governor, the education committee of the senate and the education committee of the house of representatives any policies and programs it deems necessary and able to correct deficiencies in and improve the practice of civic education by Tennessee schools. http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/BILL/SB2586.pdf Title: S.B. 2586 Source: Tennessee Legislature CO Vetoed 05/2006 Postsec. Concerns the creation of a task force to study the state's system of higher education financing; requires each state institution of higher education to have a program cost assessment completed by a national education finance organization to collect verifiable data regarding the actual cost to educate a student at the state institution; requires each state institution to submit the data collected from the completed cost analysis to the task force. http://www.leg.state.co.us/Clics2006A/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/BDECF023167A230487257102005D1E57?Open&file=209_enr.pdf Title: S.B. 209 Source: Colorado Legislature GA Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Creates the Career and Technical Education Oversight Commission. Requires the head of the career and technical education program of the department of education to report annually to the commission regarding the conditions, needs, issues and problems of the program. Requires the commission to periodically review the conditions, needs, issues and problems related to the career and technical education program, annually issue a report on the same to the General Assembly, and recommend any action or legislation which the commission deems necessary or appropriate. Repeals commission effective December 31, 2012. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/pdf/hb1228.pdf Title: H.B. 1228 Source: www.legis.state.ga.us GA Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Creates the Agricultural Education Advisory Commission. Requires the head of the agricultural education program of the Department of Education to report annually to commission regarding the conditions, needs, issues and problems of the program. Requires the commission to periodically review the conditions, needs, issues and problems related to the agricultural education program, issue annually a report on the same to the General Assembly, and recommend any action or legislation which the commission deems necessary or appropriate. Repeals commission effective December 31, 2012. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/pdf/hb1227.pdf Title: H.B. 1227 Source: www.legis.state.ga.us HI Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Reduces the term of membership on the Hawaii Commission for National and Community Service from 4 to 3 years. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/HB3194_SD1_.pdf Title: H.B. 3194 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet ID Issued 04/2006 P-12 Establishes the Governor's Task Force for Children at Risk. Provides that the duties of the task force are: 1. To review existing systems and procedures and encourage improvements in the investigative, administrative, and judicial handling of cases of child abuse and neglect, particularly child sexual abuse to limit the trauma to the child victim. 2. To evaluate, propose, and encourage cooperation between persons and agencies involved in cases of child abuse and domestic violence evaluations. 3. To investigate and recommend optimum models of prevention, evaluation and treatment of victims and offenders. 4. To establish procedures for the review of child fatalities and substantial or severe injuries where the circumstances of the death or injury suggest the possibility of child abuse. 5. To study, propose, and encourage means to establish a highly professional, stable work force devoted to working with child abuse cases and issues. Provides that the Department of Health and Welfare shall be the lead agency, providing support for the Task Force, and shall maintain office staff to carry out the activities directed by the Task Force, as funding is available. http://gov.idaho.gov/mediacenter/execorders/eo06/eo_2006-13.htm Title: Executive Order 2006-13 Source: gov.idaho.gov IA Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Directs the department of education and the department of public health to convene a healthy children task force to: a. Assess current policies and statutes affecting the health of children, specifically physical activity, physical education, food and nutrition, and nutrition education for children ages 3-18. b. Develop recommendations for policy and statutory changes to enhance the health and well-being of children, including, but not limited to, physical activity, food and nutrition, and education related to these topics. c. Submit its findings and recommendations to the governor and the general assembly by January 1, 2007. http://coolice.legis.state.ia.us/Cool-ICE/default.asp?Category=billinfo&Service=Billbook&menu=false&hbill=SF2251 Title: S.B. 2251 Source: coolice.legis.state.ia.us MD Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Establishes a Task Force on Universal Preschool Education; providing for the membership and staffing of the Task Force; specifies the purposes and goals of the Task Force; requires the Task Force to evaluate and make recommendations regarding specified issues by a specified date and to submit a report to the Governor and the General Assembly; provides for the termination of the Act. http://mlis.state.md.us/2006rs/bills/hb/hb1466t.pdf Title: H.B. 1466 Source: Maryland Legislature MD Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Establishes a Task Force on School Safety; provides for the membership and staffing of the Task Force; authorizes the Task Force to establish subcommittees; provides that the members of the Task Force may not receive compensation but are entitled to a specified reimbursement. http://mlis.state.md.us/2006rs/bills/sb/sb0146t.pdf Title: S.B. 146 Source: Maryland Legislature SC Issued 02/2006 Postsec. Community College Executive Order 2006-01 establishes the Higher Education Task Force to identify concrete ways to lower tuition, ways to reduce program duplication, improve business management processes, and improve and increase statewide coordination and collaboration. Members of the Task Force are to be appointed by the governor and consist of students, parents, professors, representatives of business and the higher education officials. http://www.scgovernor.com/uploads/executiveorders/2006-01.pdf Title: E.O. 29 Source: http://www.scgovernor.com HI Signed into law 06/2005 P-12 Establishes and appropriates funds for an early learning educational task force to be attached to the department of education. Directs the task force to develop a 5-year plan for birth-5 education in the state. Requires the plan to include: (1) An implementation and financing schedule that begins with services to four-year-old children and proceeds to younger age groups; (2) Mechanisms to ensure cross-sector and interdepartmental collaboration; (3) Measures to ensure the continuing professional development of teachers and administrators; and (4) Provisions for the promotion of the importance of early learning to families, policymakers, and the general public. Requires the task force to include an interdepartmental resources working group to address the program and workforce development portions of the plan. Directs the working group to develop plans to maximize public and private resources to provide early learning opportunities for all young children in the state. Requires plans to strive to optimize existing government resources. Also identifies mandatory components of the program and workforce development portions of the plan Establishes membership of the working group and other members of the task force. Directs the early learning educational task force to submit reports to the governor and legislature as follows: (1) An interim report of its progress in planning early learning programs for four-year-old children with optimal use of public resources, including any proposed legislation to be submitted no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2007 regular session; and (2) A final report of its progress, findings, and recommendations, including any additional proposed legislation, no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the 2008 regular session. Makes appropriations. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/sb3101_cd1_.htm Title: S.B. 3101 Source: www.capitol.hawaii.gov AK Passed 06/2005 P-12 Establishes a seven-member task force on school district cost factors and foundation formula to evaluate proposals that are based on available facts and conclusions pertaining to school district cost differentials. Requires the task force to provide a written report with recommendations to the House of Representatives and the Senate by January 20, 2006. http://www.legis.state.ak.us/basis/get_bill_text.asp?hsid=HR0010Z&session=24 Title: H.R. 10 Source: www.legis.state.ak.us HI Signed into law 06/2005 P-12 Clarifies definitions of "new century charter schools" and "public schools". Requires charter school plans to include a plan for identifying, recruiting, and retaining highly-qualified instructional faculty. Requires a charter school's governance structure to incorporate a conflict of interest policy and a plan for periodic board training. Requires a charter school's plans to include a financial plan based on the most recent fiscal year's per-pupil charter school allocation that demonstrates the ability to meet the financial obligations of one-time start-up costs and ongoing costs such as monthly payrolls, faculty recruitment, professional development, and facilities costs. Amends new century charter school review panel membership to decrease board of education members and add two new members. Allows board of education to deny charter to school recommended by panel and establishes requirements if the board does not approve the charter. Allows charter school employees full participation in the state systems for retirement, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, temporary disability insurance, and health benefits. Requires the department to provide its position listings to the charter school administrative office and any interested local school board of any new century charter school, and to facilitate and encourage the movement of instructional personnel between the department and new century charter schools, including limiting probationary status to one year, within specified parameters. Allows the new century charter schools to propose to the board of education an alternative weighted student formula. Repeals existing language on evaluating charter schools. Enacts new language requiring the board to adopt guidelines for multi-year evaluations of charter schools that have been chartered for four or more years, or for special evaluations at any time. Provides parameters and procedures for the board to place a charter school on probation and revoke a charter. Expands definition of "organizational viability" for a charter school. Adds that if, at any time, the board of directors of the nonprofit organization governing a new century conversion charter school votes to discontinue its relationship with the charter school, the charter school may submit an application to the board to continue as a conversion school without the participation of the nonprofit organization. Creates the Task Force on Charter School Governance to identify and recommend to the legislature revisions to the existing charter school law and to help create an effective framework for overseeing and supporting new and existing charter schools. Sets forth the areas on which the task force must make recommendations and establishes membership. Requires the charter school administrative office to submit a report to the legislature on the task force's progress, findings, and recommendations no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2006. Ensures more equitable and stable funding for the basic operations of new century charter schools, including: (1) establishing and providing funding for a per pupil allocation funding mechanism; (2) requiring that funds be requested for fringe benefit costs and collective bargaining increases for charter school employee members of collective bargaining units; (3) allowing additional appropriations for workers' compensation benefits; and (4) providing charter schools with access to all federal education funds received by the state. Ensures charter schools' compliance with federal regulations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Clarifies administrative hearing procedures relating to the education of handicapped children. Appropriates funds for these various purposes. (CD1) http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/sb1643_cd1_.htm Title: S.B. 1643 Source: www.capitol.hawaii.gov AZ Signed into law 05/2005 P-12 Establishes the Arizona Performance Based Compensation System Task Force within the state board of education. By Februrary 2006 and annually thereafter, requires the superintendent of public instruction to submit specified school district data to the task force, which must conduct annual evaluation of one quarter of districts' performance based compensation systems based on the submitted data. Requires the annual evaluation to (1) Assess the relationship between components of individual district performance based compensation systems and the improvement in: (a) Individual student progress and achievement; (b) Achievement of school district and school site goals; (c) Teacher professional development; (d) Teacher job satisfaction; (e) Parent rating of the quality of education at the school and district levels and (2) Provide a report to the districts evaluated each year assessing the effectiveness of each district's performance based compensation system, including any recommendations for improvement. Requires the task force to annually submit its findings to the speaker of the house and president of the senate. On or before June 30, 2010, requires the task force to (1) provide recommendations to the state board on the implementation, operation and monitoring of performance based compensation systems and career ladder programs in the state, and (2) develop written recommendations based on elements of districts' performance based compensation systems. Requires all local boards in the state to adopt a performance based compensation system, and to vote on a performance based compensation system that includes the following elements: (1) School district and school performance; (2) Measures of academic progress toward the state board-adopted academic standards; (3) Other measures of academic progress; (4) Dropout or graduation rates; (5) Attendance rates; (6) Ratings of school quality by parents; (7) Ratings of school quality by students; (8) Imput of teachers and administrators; (9) Approval of the performance based compensation system by an affirmative vote of at least 70% of the teachers eligible to participate in the performance based compensation system. (10) An appeals process for teachers who have been denied performance based compensation. (11) Regular evaluation for effectiveness. Requires a performance based compensation system to include teacher professional development programs aligned with the elements of the performance based compensation system. Permits a local board to modify the aforementioned 11 elements and consider additional elements when adopting a performance based compensation system. Until December 31, 2009, requires each district to develop an assessment plan for its performance based compensation system and annually submit the plan to the department of education, along with a copy of the district-adopted performance based compensation system. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=1074 Title: S.B. 1074 Source: www.azleg.state.az.us AZ Signed into law 05/2005 Postsec. Establishes the joint study committee on medical school education. Requires the committee to: 1. Evaluate the medical education and training needs for health professions and careers throughout the state, including the medical and nursing fields. 2. Review and evaluate public and privately provided education programs in health professions and careers. 3. Review plans submitted by the Arizona commission on medical education and research. 4. Review and evaluate the funding necessary to address the medical education needs of the state. 5. Review the implications of family practice on graduate medical education in the state. 6. Study methods to retain medical practitioners trained in the state. 7. Review locations for medical training facilities that are the most economical and that provide the most benefit to the state. 8. Study the medical needs of the communities of the state as they relate to special health care districts and their coordination with existing medical training facilities. 9. Study the funding for any phase of a newly established state medical campus and identify additional funding and capital commitments from other public and private entities. 10. Study any other market or environmental factors that create barriers to the practice of medicine in Arizona. 11. Submit a report by December 1, 2005 that summarizes the joint study committee's findings and conclusions to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. Requires the Committee to provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state and the director of the Arizona state library, archives and public records. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=1517 Title: S.B. 1517 (Section 14) Source: www.azleg.state.az.us IN Signed into law 05/2005 P-12 Establishes legislative intent that the state budget be reviewed comprehensively before the budgetary process for the next biennium begins in 2007. Asks the governor to direct the office of management and budget to thoroughly review the budget of each executive department agency and instrumentality and overall functions of the executive department of state government to find efficiencies that might yield significant cost savings. Requests that both the size and the scope of these agencies and functions be thoroughly reviewed. Establishes the government efficiency commission. Mandates the commission to: (1) Make recommendations to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary costs associated with any board or commission.  (2) Review and make recommendations to the governor concerning each board or commission about the following:             (A) Whether the board or commission should be continued, reorganized, or combined with another board, commission, or state agency.             (B) Whether the board or commission should terminated or allowed to expire. (3) Make recommendations to reform K-12 education funding and budgeting as it relates to non-classroom expenditures so that adequate dollars are available for teacher training and classroom instruction. Requires the governor to review the recommendations made by the government efficiency commission and, by December 1, 2006, submit a report in an electronic format with recommendations for reform to the speaker of the house of representatives and the president pro tempore of the senate. http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2005/HE/HE1001.1.html Title: H.B. 1001 (Section 255-256) Source: www.in.gov FL Signed into law 05/2005 P-12 Establishes the Paper Reduction Task Force for the purpose of recommending strategies to reduce the paperwork required of school districts and school district personnel, with special emphasis given to the reduction of paperwork required of teachers. Provides membership. Requires the task force to develop recommendations to minimize the paperwork burden placed on school districts and school district personnel. Requires the task force to report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by February 1, 2006. States that task force will be abolished upon transmittal of the report to the legislature. http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/loadDoc.aspx?FileName=_h0281er.doc&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=0281&Session=2005 Title: H.B. 281 Source: www.myfloridahouse.gov GA Signed into law 05/2005 P-12 Postsec. Community College Creates the state accounting office, to be overseen by the state accounting officer. Creates the position of state accounting officer, to be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor. Requires the state accounting officer to: (1) Prescribe state-wide accounting policies, procedures, and practices; (2) Prescribe, develop, operate, and maintain uniform state accounting systems for all state organizations which facilitate financial accounting and reporting in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and also meet state and federal accounting and financial reporting requirements; (3) Prescribe the manner in which disbursements shall be made by state organizations; (4) Prescribe and supervise the installation of any changes in the state accounting information systems necessary to secure and maintain internal control and facilitate the recording of accounting data for the purpose of preparing reliable, timely, and meaningful statements and reports; (5) Manage the state's accounting, payroll, and human capital systems; (6) Using generally accepted accounting principles, prepare the state's financial statements and other reports in accordance with legal requirements; (7) Provide annual financial statements and other reports to the state auditor and other auditors, as appropriate, for review and certification when required by statute or federal regulation; (8) Develop interim reports on the financial condition and budgetary compliance of the state and various state organizations; (9) Determine the proper classification for accounting and reporting purposes of all assets, liabilities, revenues, expenditures, fund balances, funds, and accounts in compliance with legal requirements and generally accepted accounting principles and prescribe a uniform classification of accounts and other accounting identifiers which shall be used by all state organizations; (10) Develop processes and systems to improve accountability and enhanced collection of accounts receivable due to the state. In developing these processes, the state accounting officer may prescribe procedures to allow for the recognition of uncollectible accounts for financial reporting purposes. He or she may also develop guidelines to allow uncollectible debts to be removed from active collection processes. This recognition shall not remove or diminish the state's claim on accounts or debt owed to the state; and (11) Develop processes and systems to improve accountability and enhance efficiency for disbursement of funds and management of accounts payable. Clarifies that term "organizations of state government" refers to state boards, departments, commissions, committees, offices, etc. but not to local boards of education or local authorities. Strikes certain statutory references to the "state auditor" and the Department of Audits and Accounts; inserts references to and transfers some powers to the "state accounting office" and "state accounting officer." http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2005_06/sum/hb293.htm Title: H.B. 293 Source: www.legis.state.ga.us SC Issued 05/2005 P-12 Creates the South Carolina Education Reform Council, which will examine ways to improve educational outcomes, examine problems facing the K-12 education system and identify reforms and policy recommendations in a final report to the governor no later than December 31, 2005. http://www.scgovernor.com/uploads/executiveorders/2005-08_CreatingSouthCarolinaEducationReformCouncil.pdf Title: Executive Order No. 2005-08 Source: http://www.scgovernor.com/ WA Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Revises the powers, duties, and membership of the state board and the Washington professional educator standards board and eliminates the Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission. The governor will appoint seven of the 16 board members, with another five elected by school directors and one by private school board members. The state superintendent and two students also serve. The board will address student learning and education program accountability. The Professional Educator Standards Board will set policy for teacher preparation and certification programs, formerly a task of the state board. http://www.leg.wa.gov/pub/billinfo/2005-06/Pdf/Bills/Senate%20Passed%20Legislature/5732-S.PL.pdf Title: S.B. 5732 Source: http://www.leg.wa.gov NM Signed into law 03/2005 P-12 The "funding formula study task force" is created. The task force shall function from the date of its appointment until December 15, 2006. F. The task force shall: (1) develop a work plan and budget for approval by the New Mexico legislative council; (2) approve the request for proposals for a contractor to conduct the study of the public school funding formula and select the contractor; and (3) make recommendations to the legislature and the governor by December 15, 2006. http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/05%20Regular/final/SB0125.pdf Title: S.B. 125 Source: StateNet CA Vetoed 09/2004 P-12 Creates the Advisory Task Force for Education of Blind and Visually Impaired Pupils to provide input to formulate the most effective policy for the education of such pupils. Requires the Department of Education to provide outreach and technical assistance to parents, teachers, and administrators concerning issues relating to the instruction of visually impaired, blind, and deaf-blind pupils. Requires the department of education to establish a data system for submission and collection of data regarding services provided by local education agencies to such pupils. Requires contracts with test publishers for statewide tests to stipulate that the publishers will provide the test materials in formats accessible to pupils with visual disabilities. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0651-0700/ab_662_bill_20040825_enrolled.html Veto message: http://www.governor.ca.gov/govsite/pdf/vetoes/AB_662_veto.pdf Title: A.B. 662 Source: California Legislative Web site CA Vetoed 09/2004 P-12 Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, working with a consultant in early care and education, to develop recommendations for a master plan for infant and toddler care in consultation and collaboration with a task force established by the superintendent and comprised of prescribed members. The task force would be established only after the superintendent determines that sufficient funds from sources other than the General Fund are committed to fully support the activities of the task force and the senior consultant. Specifies areas to be addressed by the recommendations; requires the recommendations resulting from the master plan process to be completed and submitted to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1, 2005; requires the superintendent to update the recommendations at least once every 5 years. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_1301-1350/sb_1343_bill_20040826_enrolled.html Veto message: http://www.governor.ca.gov/govsite/pdf/vetoes/SB_1343_veto.pdf Title: S.B. 1343 Source: California Legislative Web site CA Vetoed 09/2004 Postsec. Community College Establishes the Joint Commission on Adult Education for the purpose of making recommendations regarding the coordination of adult education and noncredit community college programs in order to improve adult education services. Requires the joint commission to issue an interim and a final report. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_1401-1450/sb_1442_bill_20040825_enrolled.html Veto message: http://www.governor.ca.gov/govsite/pdf/press_release/SB_1442_veto.pdf Title: S.B. 1442 Source: StateNet AR Report Issued 08/2004 Postsec. Community College The governor formed the committee to make recommendations to the governor and the Legislature for improving postsecondary education in Arkansas. http://www.arkansas.gov/governor/media/releases/press/11062003-1.html The Blue Ribbon Committee for Higher Education released its report in June 2004. The recommendations covered three main areas with subpoints: (1) Governance - Arkansas needs an empowered authority over higher education; (2) Mission and Scope - Arkansas needs centralized coordination of their institutions; and (3) Finance - Arkansas needs coordinated funding to act as a proper incentive. http://www.arkansashighered.com/pdfs/BRC/Final%20BRCRpt.pdf Title: N/A Source: Arkansas State Web site GA Active 08/2004 P-12 The governor announced "The Quality Basic Education (QBE) Task Force in February 2004. The task force will look at realigning the school funding formula to ensure it serves all students in the new era of accountability. The task force is authorized under O.C.G.A. 20-2-161. http://www.gov.state.ga.us/press/2004/press369.shtml Title: N/A Source: Georgia State Web site AL Issued 08/2004 P-12 Postsec. Community College The governor issued Executive Order No. 02-2003 on January 30, 2003, creating the Governor's Commission of Education Spending. The Commission was to engage in a thorough examination of how education dollars have been spent in Alabama during the past ten years. http://www.governorpress.state.al.us/pr/ex-02-2003-01-30.asp The Highlights of the Initial Report focused on: (1) Management and Accountability Reforms for K-12; (2) Student Assessment and Accountability for K-12; (3) Management and Accountability Reforms for the Alabama College System; (4) Management and Accountability Reforms for University Governance; (4) Reforms in Terms of Public Employment; and (5) Education Trust Fund Accountability. The Working-Group Sessions (December 2003) made the following proposals: (1) Achieve the maximum savings possible from non-state and non-education agencies; (2) Freeze the state appropriations to PEEHIP at the Fiscal 2004 level; (3) Allocate higher education cutbacks to institutions; and (4) Allocation K-12 education cutbacks to school systems. http://www.alabama.gov/onlineservices/egov_pdfs/ESCReport11404.pdf Title: Executive Order No. 02-2003 Source: Alabama State Web site IA Issued 08/2004 P-12 Postsec. Community College Creates the IOWA LEARNS COUNCIL. The Iowa Learns Council shall work towards the ambitious goal of 90% of Iowa children having a quality pre-school experience, and 90% of Iowa high school graduates will go on to complete at least two years of college; shall promote, gather, and share information regarding Iowa's progress to ensure seamless pathways across education sectors and the workplace; shall identify the necessary steps to ensure that Iowans--from pre-school to graduate school--are supported by a well coordinated seamless system of learning and support to provide for successes from early childhood through higher education, and into the workforce in our communities. http://www.state.ia.us/iowalearns/doc/eo30.html Iowa Learns Council report with recommendations released August 11, 2004. http://www.state.ia.us/iowalearns/reports.html Title: Executive Order No. 30 - 2003 Source: Iowa State Web site AZ Issued 08/2004 P-12 Establishes the Arizona Teacher's Excellence Program Coordination Council (AzTEP Council) to solicit, review and approve applications for federal and private grants for recruiting and placing qualified teachers in underserved communities and to oversee the administration of grants to high-needs local education entities. Establishes council membership and reporting requirements. http://www.governor.state.az.us/eo/2004_20.pdf Title: Executive Order 2004-20 Source: www.governor.state.az.us HI Became law without governor's signature 07/2004 Postsec. Establishes the higher education statutory analysis interim study group to determine an improved organizational framework for higher education statutes and recommend statutes that may be consolidated, amended, or repealed. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/sb2716_cd1_.htm Title: S.B. 2716 Source: Hawaii Legislative Web site HI Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Requires a study of the feasibility of establishing a host culture charter school district and a charter school district in order to solidify existing host culture focused charter schools, increase charter school autonomy, and provide opportunities for additional federal funding. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/sb3148_cd1_.htm Title: S.B. 3148 Source: Hawaii Legislative Web site CO Vetoed 06/2004 P-12 Creates a High School Commission to assess the quality of education provided in the state's public high schools and to make recommendations to school districts and the general assembly by December 31, 2004. The commission should address at least the following issues: whether Colorado high school graduates are ready for postsecondary education and employment and strategies to help districts improve readiness; focusing and clarifying high school graduation requirements and expectations; improving high school students' achievement levels; the effectiveness and availability of enrollment option including choice, charter school and educational voucher programs; and the existing data systems to measure the quality of high school education, student outcomes and student growth. The commission should consider local commissions recommendations and avoid duplication of local commissions' reform recommendations. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics2004a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/FCF5FBA591D5C19887256E1A0063628F?open&file=1283_enr.pdf Title: H.B. 1283 Source: Colorado Legislative Web site CO Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Changes the name of the Child Care Commission to the Early Childhood and School Readiness Commission; modifying the responsibilities of the commission. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics2004a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/64CD1EC1E0B64CA787256DB0004CB158?Open&file=1277_enr.pdf Title: H.B. 1277 Source: Colorado Legislative Web site AZ Issued 06/2004 P-12 Creates the Arizona Statewide Youth Development Task Force to provide policy recommendations relating to youth and youth development issues in the state of Arizona to the Governor's Office for Children, Youth and Families. Establishes membership. Requires the task force to advise the governor through (1) the creation of of policy work groups on matters such as positive youth development, youth workforce development, education and youth voice and advocacy; (2) the development of more and better opportunities for positive use of time, positive use of self-expression, civic engagement and participation for youth in the state; (3) the coordination of services for Arizona's youth with community-based, faith-based, city, state and local youth-serving agencies and organizations; and (4) the ongoing review of proposed federal and state legislation and existing laws relating to youth and youth development. http://www.governor.state.az.us/eo/2004_14.pdf Title: Executive Order 2004-14 Source: www.governor.state.az.us CO Signed into law 05/2004 Community College Postsec. Enacts recommendations of governor's task force on the community college system; reduction of the system office's administrative costs by 35% and use of saved funds to finance recommendations including installation of a systemwide information technology system; restructuring of the distance learning system for all community colleges; limiting institutional research to the colleges; conducting a comprehensive review of career and technical education administrative costs. Any additional monies available because of reduced administrative costs should be used for classroom instruction and to support colleges. Develop a master plan for the use or sale of property at the Lowry Campus except for property used by the Community College of Aurora or by the Community College of Denver. Nothing in the law should prohibit allowing a charter school to be located or cause the displacement of a charter school located at the Lowry Campus prior to the development of the master plan. Proceeds from the Lowry property are to be used for system capital development projects. Required reports. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics2004a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/DDDD429D87C8711187256DC5005770B7?Open&file=1086_enr.pdf Title: H.B. 1086 Source: Colorado Legislative Web site GA Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Creates the Improvement of Georgia's Pre-K Program Joint Study Commission; report due December 31, 2004. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/fulltext/sr760.htm Title: S.R. 760 Source: Georgia Legislative Web site NC Active 05/2004 P-12 The governor formed the Education First Task Force, charged with coming up with recommendations that would result in an education that goes far beyond "sound and basic" and one that would make North Carolina schools the envy of the nation. The Education First Force was charged with the dual task of: (1) Ensuring that every student entering North Carolina schools graduate with an education enabling them to further their education successfully at two or four-year colleges and universities or enter the job market or military. (2) The Governor is challenging the Task Force to frame recommendations that would result in an education that goes far beyond "sound and basic." Instead, the Governor envisions a system of schooling that would result in an education that is superior and competitive, one that would make North Carolina schools the envy of the nation. The Task Force has divided its workload into three sub-committees: Committee One: The Hallmarks of Excellence; Committee Two: The Strategic Use of Resources; and Committee Three: Preparing Graduates of North Carolina Schools. See below for details of sub-committees. http://www.governor.state.nc.us/Office/Education/eftf_overview.asp Title: N/A Source: North Carolina State Web site DE Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 Extends a reporting date for the Task Force examining early childhood education programs as established by House Joint Resolution No. 9, as amended. http://www.legis.state.de.us/Legislature.nsf/fsLIS?openframeset&Frame=Main&Src=/LIS/LIS142.NSF/Home?Openform Title: H.J.R. 19 Source: Delaware Legislative web site AR Signed into law 02/2004 P-12 Creates the Division of Public School Accountability and the Arkansas Public Schools Accountability Advisory Council; creates the Division of Public School Academic Facilities to ensure equal access to adequate educational facilities and educational equipment; requires realignment of the state department of education (not to be incorporated into Arkansas Code or published separately) and creates a task force to make recommendations on realignment; amends terms for state board of education. members.http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003s2/public/HB1009.pdf Title: H.B. 1009 Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site VA Issued 01/2004 Postsec. Community College The governor created the Governor's Commission on Higher Education Board Members. The Commission shall develop and implement a process for evaluating potential appointees to higher education governing boards based on substantive qualifications such as merit and experience. The Commission also shall make other recommendations to the Governor as may be appropriate. http://www.governor.virginia.gov/Press_Policy/Executive_Orders/html/EO_63.html Title: Executive Order 63 - 2004 Source: Virginia State Web site AR Vetoed-House Override 01/2004 P-12 Postsec. Community College Creates the State Commission for Coordination of Educational Efforts for the purpose of improving coordination between and among all levels of education between pre-kindergarten and graduate level. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003s2/public/HB1034.pdf Title: H.B. 1034 Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site AR Vetoed 01/2004 P-12 Creates the advisory commission on math excellence to improve math education in Arkansas. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003s2/public/HB1010.pdf Title: H.B. 1010 Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site AR Signed into law 01/2004 P-12 Makes the committee on closing the achievement gap in this state a commission. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003s2/public/HB1054.pdf Title: H.B. 1054 Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site MO Issued 12/2003 P-12 Postsec. Community College The Commission of the Future of Higher Education was created by Executive Order 03-07 on March 17, 2003, with a final report due by January 1, 2004. The purpose of the Commission on the Future of Higher Education shall be to develop plans to strengthen and improve postsecondary education in Missouri. The commission's objectives will include, but are not limited to: identifying ways to increase the number of Missourians prepared to pursue training and education after high school, including technical, community college, and college or university education; increasing the number of high school students who enroll in and complete such programs; enhancing the affordability of postsecondary education for students from families at all income levels; and increasing the civic and economic benefits of advanced education for individuals, their families, communities, and the state of Missouri. Report was issued December 31, 2003. http://www.mocbhe.gov/commission/pp/finalreport.pdf Title: Executive Order 03-07 Source: Missouri State Web site CA Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 Existing law requires the state board of education, upon recommendation of the superintendent of public instruction or the members of the state board of education, to appoint five public members to the Advisory Commission on Special Education. This bill would require the board to select one of those members from the charter school community. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0601-0650/ab_615_bill_20030811_chaptered.html Title: A.B. 615 Source: California Legislative Web site IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Creates the Illinois Early Learning Council Act. Establishes the Illinois Early Learning Council to coordinate existing state programs and services for children from birth to 5 years of age in order to better meet the early learning needs of children and their families. Provides for the appointment of members to the council who represent both public and private organizations and who reflect regional, racial and cultural diversity. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=565&GAID=3&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=3196&SessionID=3 Title: S.B. 565 Source: Illinois Legislative Web site CT Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Establishes a state "after-school committee" to make recommendations on a state-wide after school system through enhanced agency coordination, maximization of public and private funding and community partnerships. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=5723&which_year=2003&SUBMIT.x=10&SUBMIT.y=10 Title: H.B. 5723 Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site NH Became law without governor's signature 06/2003 P-12 Requires state commissioner to make public a list of schools not meeting performance targets. Establishes strategic responses for local education improvement plans. Requires state department to work cooperatively with the school or district(s). Establishes corrective action plans and sets minimum requirements, including: (a) Identify the area in which the school failed to meet the annual statewide performance targets established under RSA 193-H:2. (b) Identify and describe the strategy the school intends to implement to improve its performance. (c) Establish and explain a strategy designed to promote family and community involvement. (d) Detail how the school district budget reflects the goals of the local education improvement plan. Allows other elements, including: (a) The school's curriculum including curricular priorities and instructional materials. (b) Instructional models that incorporate research-based practices that have been proven to be effective in improving student achievement. (c) Formal and informal opportunities to assess and monitor each child's progress. (d) Evidence of data-based decisions. (e) Structural reform strategies that may include schedule, organization, support mechanisms, and resources. (f) Shared leadership structure to support school improvement. (g) Professional development that is aligned with school improvement goals. (h) External support and resources based on their effectiveness and alignment with the school improvement plan. (i) Extended learning activities for students. Repeals and reenacts the duties of the Legislative Oversight Committee to include: I. Review the development and implementation of the school performance and accountability program II. Review the provisions of RSA 193-H and submit a report of such review annually to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the governor, and the chairpersons of the house and senate education committees. III. Propose legislation that is needed. IV. Confer with the commissioner and the state board to identify operational principles which should guide the work of the department of education in supporting improved school performance and accountability. V. Analyze existing department of education programs and initiatives which support improved school performance and accountability. VI. Receive reports from the commissioner regarding the status of public education in New Hampshire, updates on the improvement made by local school districts toward achieving satisfactory progress in statewide student performance under RSA 193-H:2 and status reports on the on-going issues and implications of school accountability at the state and federal level. VII. Review and approve statewide performance targets developed by the department of education and recommended to the legislative oversight committee by the state board of education. VIII. Receive reports from the state board relative to statewide performance targets. Propose legislation to be submitted to establish such statewide performance targets in state statute during the legislative session following the approval of any recommendations which the state board of education is required to make. http://gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2003/hb0139.html Title: H.B. 139 (193-G:1) Source: http://gencourt.state.nh.us ME Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Establishes a task force to study the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adolescents. Establishes membership of task force, appointments to which must be made within 30 days of effective date of this resolve. Requires the task force to examine the behavioral, developmental, social, emotional and educational needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adolescents not receiving adequate services due to a lack of appropriate resources. Specifically, the task force must examine: 1. Services that are currently available to serve the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adolescents and the ability of those providers to provide culturally competent, linguistically accessible services; 2. Demographic data of the numbers of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adolescents in need of such specialized services and projections regarding the number of deaf and hard-of-hearing younger children who may require such services in the future; and 3. Proposals designed to improve the delivery of services to meet the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing children and adolescents, including, but not limited to, the development of in-state specialty services, collaborative agreements with bordering states and states with specialized facilities and training initiatives. Requires the task force to submit a report, including findings and recommendations, to the legislature by December 10, 2003. http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/billtexts/LD055301-1.asp Title: S.P. 193 (LD 553) Source: StateNet ME Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Implements the recommendations of the Legislative Youth Advisory Council. Increases the council membership from 21 to 22, increasing appointments by senate president from 10 to 11, thereby increasing from one to two the appointees who are senate members. Establishes a legislative co-chair and youth chair for the council. Establishes procedure for selection and term length of each chair. Requires the state education commissioner, secretary of state and director of the office of substance abuse to develop recommendations to establish a permanent youth advisory committee in the executive branch to serve as a resource for any state agency charged with developing, implementing or enforcing policies that relate specifically to youth. These recommendations are to be reported to the legislative youth advisory council. http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/billdocs/LD075101.doc Title: H.P. 557 Source: www.mainelegislature.org HI Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Establishes the Commission on Fatherhood within the Office of the Lieutenant Governor to provide for a statewide program, on a permanent and continuing basis, to promote healthy family relationships between parents and children that are father- friendly and inclusive; requires Lieutenant Governor's Office to provide staff and administrative support to the commission. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/docs/getstatus.asp?qu=sb1423&showstatus=on&showtext=on&press1=docs Title: S.B. 1423 Source: Hawaii Legislative Web site CO Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Concerns closing achievement gap; creates a program to assist schools that have received an unsatisfactory rating or have a significant achievement gap; establishes a commission to propose actions to close the achievement gap. http://www.leg.state.co.us/2003a/inetcbill.nsf/fsbillcont/F2377ACD76563BFA87256C7500641173?Open&file=254_enr.pdf Title: S.B. 254 Source: Colorado Legislative Web site GA Signed into law 06/2003 Postsec. Creates the "Improvement of HOPE Scholarship Joint Study Commission". http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/sum/sr220.htm Title: S.R. 220 Source: Georgia Legislative Web site MD Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Extends the Aging Schools Program to fiscal year 2004 and every fiscal year thereafter; Requires the impact of the proposed goals, objectives and implementation strategies on public school facilities and capital improvements that may be needed to implement the district master plan to be included in the comprehensive master plan that every district must annually submit to the department. Extends through fiscal year 2005 the requirement that the state provide 90% of costs for school construction projects in Baltimore City and 75% of costs above 20 million. Requires Baltimore to provide at least $16 million for school construction through fiscal year 2005. Expands duties and membership of Task Force to Study Public School Facilities. Requires the task force to submit an interim report of its findings and recommendations by December 31, 2002 and a final report of findings and recommendations by December 31, 2003. http://mlis.state.md.us/2003rs/bills/sb/sb0498e.rtf Title: S.B. 498 Source: mlis.state.md.us AR Became law without governor's signature 05/2003 P-12 Creates a Health Advisory Committee; coordinates efforts to combat inadequate health care on the educational performance of children. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2893.pdf Title: H.B. 2893 Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site MN Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Language is effective immediately and applies to 2005-06 school year and later. Establishes assessment advisory committee of up to 11 members, all of whom are chosen by the state commissioner of education. Specifies required membership of commission. Requires commission to review all state assessments, submit its recommendations to the commissioner and legislative committees that have jurisdiction over K-12 education policy and budget issues. Requires the commissioner to consider the committee's recommendations before finalizing a statewide assessment. Committee expires on June 30, 2014. See Section 11: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/cgi-bin/getbill.pl?session=ls83&version=latest&number=HF302&session_number=0&session_year=2003 Title: H.F. 302 (multiple provisions) Source: www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us MT Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Establishes a K-12 public school renewal commission to propose amendments and new provisions to components of K-12 education, including governance and finance structures and the state and federal roles in public education. The commission must include at a minimum the governor, the superintendent of public instruction and specified members of the state legislature. In addition, the governor must identify between 10 and 25 entitites to send a representative to serve on the commission and name a representative from the juvenile corrections division. The commission must present its findings and recommendations to the education and local government interim committee by September 15, 2004, and may recommend legislation. Provides an appropriation. http://data.opi.state.mt.us/bills/2003/billhtml/HB0736.htm Web site for the Montana K-12 Public School Renewal Commission: http://www.state.mt.us/gov2/css/boards/renewal/default.asp Title: H.B. 736 Source: data.opi.state.mt.us AR Signed into law 04/2003 Postsec. Community College An act to create the two-year college and technical institute study committee. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2844.pdf Title: H.B. 2844 Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Creates the committee on closing the academic achievement gap in Arkansas. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2657.pdf Title: H.B. 2657 Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site UT Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 Creates the Public Education Legislative Task Force. The task force, in cooperation with the public education community, business, industry, employers, and parents, shall study and make recommendations for public education: (a) establishing a clear mission, objectives, and accountability; (b) considering the governance structure; (c) combining authority with accountability; (d) setting education priorities; (e) strengthening financial viability; (f) effects of and incorporation of the No Child Left Behind legislation; (g) considering school choice, including the enhancement of charter schools; and (h) other issues that may be recommended by the task force including the merits of available prior studies and reports done by others. A final report, including any proposed legislation shall be presented before November 30, 2003, to the Education Interim Committee. After that date, the task force provision is repealed. http://www.le.state.ut.us/~2003/bills/hbillenr/hb0257.htm Title: H.B. 257 Source: http://www.le.state.ut.us/house/index.htm AZ Issued 01/2003 P-12 Establishes a Children's Cabinet to focus attention and resources on problems facing the state's children by collaborating and promoting coordinated policies and service delivery systems that support children, families and communities. Establishes an Advisory Commission on Child Protective Services (CPS) Reform to make recommendations to the governor and the Children's Cabinet on how the state can carry out its mission of serving the best interests of children, particularly those in greatest need of protection. Requires the children's cabinet to (1) Advise and make recommendations to the governor on the most effective policies and programs that promote the best interests of Arizona children. (2) Develop a coordinated inter-agency strategy for serving abused and neglected children with more effective and efficient service delivery, including coordination of behavioral health services, education services, health care services, substance abuse services and child welfare. (3) Develop a plan for maximizing Arizona's share of federal funds for programs that support Arizona children. Establishes membership of the children's cabinet and the Advisory Commission on CPS Reform; states the Advisory Commission on CPS Reform will conclude its work by June 30, 2003. http://www.governor.state.az.us/eo/2003_4.pdf Title: Executive Order 2003-04 Source: www.governor.state.az.us IN Signed into law 03/2002 P-12 Deletes requirement that Education Roundtable include representative of "special education." Requires the Education Roundtable to include a representative of education programs for "exceptional learners." Establishes definition of "exceptional learners" as both students with a disability and high-ability students. Requires that state resources program provide integrated services that include support for educators taking professional development leading to endorsement or licensure in gifted and talented education. Mandates that department use appropriations for information and materials resource centers to offer grants to districts for programs for high-ability students. Districts qualify for such grants if 1) their district plan for provision of services to high-ability K-12 students provides for multiple means of identifying high-ability students, including procedures for students who may not be identified through traditional means due to economic disadvantage, cultural background, underachievement or disabilities; and 2) the plan aligns with the strategic and continuous school improvement and achievement plans for district schools. Requires every school's three-year strategic and continuous school improvement and achievement plan to address the learning needs of all students, including programs and services for exceptional learners. Title: S.B. 292 Source: www.state.in.us/legislative KY Signed into law 04/2000 P-12 Requires the Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee to advise and monitor the Office of Education Accountability. Title: S.B. 280 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet GA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 The Governor may appoint study commissions as he deems appropriate to study education questions, issue findings and make recommendations to the Education Coordinating Council. This provision will go into effect upon signature to allow the current Education Reform Commission to continue. The Education Coordinating Council (ECC) is created. The ECC is assigned 15 duties, some of which include exercising oversight of accountability systems in other departments and coordinating the activities of state, regional, and local cooperative public education agencies, offices, or councils. The Office of Education Accountability (OEA) is also created. The OEA is directed to establish accountability policies and standards for the state and establish the "official" report card. The Governor and the OEA will give rewards to successful schools. The State Board of Education is given the task of mandating interventions for failing schools, including appointing special masters, mandating school improvement teams, removal of school personnel, allow for a state charter school, mandating the complete reconstitution of the school and hiring all new staff and mandating that parents have the option to relocate to another public school in the district. The OEA develops and both the Council and the State Board of Education adopt a definition for which students are performing "below grade level" and the definition of "dropout." It is charged with setting the pass score for the CRCT and end of course tests. Title: H.B. 1187 Source: Georgia Department of Education UT Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Provides the funding for the Public Education Task Force and outlines who the members of the task force will be, three members from each house of the legislature. The legislation also provides for the duties of the task force and requires that an interim report shall be produced prior to November 30, 2000. Title: H.B. 426 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet WV Signed into law 03/2000 Postsec. Codifies rules approved by legislative oversight commission on accountability for higher education. Title: S.B. 520 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet AL Signed into law 02/2000 P-12 Pertains to the Governor's Commission on Instructional Improvement and Academic Excellence in Alabama's Public Schools; extends the Commission through end of 1999-2003 quadrennium, duties, members, progress reports, expenses. Title: S.J.R. 4 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet