From the ECS State Policy Database Teaching Quality

This database is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Most entries are legislative, although rules/regulations and executive orders that make substantive changes are included. Every effort is made to collect the latest available version of policies; in some instances, recent changes might not be reflected. For expediency purposes minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) and format. Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date]. State Status/Date Level Summary CA Signed into law 09/2013 P-12 Change in Employment Status, Reporting of Unprofessional Conduct A.B. 449 From bill summary: Specifies that a change in employment status due solely to unsatisfactory performance or a reduction in force is not "a result of an allegation of misconduct" that must be reported to the commission on teacher credentialing's ("commission") ... More... NC Signed into law 07/2013 P-12 Substitute Teacher Deduction/Personal Leave H.B. 249 Requires local school administrative units to refund the substitute deduction to a teacher taking personal leave if no substitute is hired for that teacher. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2013/Bills/House/PDF/H249v4.pdf... More... MD Vetoed 05/2013 P-12 Education - Minority Teacher Recruitment - Study and Report H.B. 1168 Requires the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), and the University System of Maryland (USM) to study and make recommendations on strategies to increase and improve the recruitment, preparation, devel... More... VA Issued 04/2013 P-12 Establishing the Governor's Teacher Cabinet Executive Order No. 63 (2013) Requires newly-created teacher cabinet to identify additional resources, learning tools and professional development opportunities that the state department of education could make available to local school divisions. Recommends strategies for greater parent a... More... UT Signed into law 04/2013 P-12 Funds for Teacher Classroom Supplies H.B. 2 Makes a one-time (not codified) appropriation for classroom supplies. Directs the state board to distribute money for teacher supplies and materials to classroom teachers using a specified formula. Pages 7-8 of 14: http://le.utah.gov/~2013/bills/hbillenr/HB000... More... TN Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 Teacher Assessment S.B. 3341 Requires teachers instructing in subjects wherein an end-of-course exam is administered to take such exam, provided annually by the state board of education, and pass with a score of 75 or greater. http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Bill/SB3341.pdf... More... TN Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 Teacher Code of Ethics S.B. 854 Requires the state board of education to adopt any rules and regulations necessary to effectuate the annual distribution, either in printed form or by electronic means, of the teacher code of ethics to educators employed in grades kindergarten through twelve (... More... WV Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 School Curriculum Teams and Local School Collaborative Processes H.B. 3116 Amends and reenacts the law relating to the authority of school curriculum teams and local school collaborative processes with respect to selection and use of testing and assessment instruments not required by statute or state board when certain conditions are... More... DE Signed into law 04/2011 P-12 Senate's Teacher Hiring Task Force S.B. 16 Implements the recommendations of the Senate's Teacher Hiring Task Force. Creates an estimated unit count each March, which the Department of Education will conduct using existing resources. The state will guarantee that school districts receive unit funds for... More... AR Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Teacher Excellence and Support System H.B. 2178 Establishes the Teacher Excellence and Support System. Institutes a system of teacher evaluation of the following categories: (A) Planning and preparation; (B) Classroom environment; (C) Instruction; and (D) Professional responsibilities. An evaluation rubric... More... FL Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Effective Educators S.B. 736 - Effective Educators Repeals Section 1012.52 relating to the attributes of effective educators. Page 23 of 25: http://laws.flrules.org/files/Ch_2011-001.pdf... More... IL Adopted 11/2010 P-12 Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators 23 IL ADC 22.10, 20 The Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators was written in response to a need identified in the process of developing the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards, which are contained in Part 24 of agency rules. After researching and evaluating the content, form... More... NC Signed into law 07/2010 P-12 Voluntary Shared Leave Program H.B. 213 Requires the state board of education to adopt rules and policies for the voluntary shared leave program to allow an employee at a public school to donate sick leave to a nonfamily member employee of a public school; Provides that a donor of sick leave to a no... More... AL Adopted 05/2010 P-12 Teacher Leader 290-3-3-52.01 Creates new rules related to Teacher Leader programs. Establishes rationale, criteria for admission to teacher leader programs, teacher leader program and curricular requirements.... More... VA Signed into law 04/2010 P-12 Postsec. Community College College Partnership Laboratory Schools S.B. 736/H.B. 1389 Establishes college partnership laboratory schools by any public institution of higher education that operates an approved teacher education program. Provides that the schools shall be public schools established by a contract between the governing board of the... More... GA Signed into law 03/2010 P-12 Continuation of Certified Personnel Contracts H.B. 906 Relates to annual contracts for certified K-12 personnel. Extends to May 15 (for the 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2012-13 school years only) the deadline for districts to tender a contract for current teachers and other certified personnel for the following school ye... More... NJ Signed into law 02/2010 Postsec. Tuition Assistance S.B. 826 Requires certain conditions be met in order for school districts to provide their employees with tuition assistance for coursework or additional compensation upon acquisition of academic credits or completion of a degree program. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2... More... VA Signed into law 02/2010 P-12 Temporarily Employed Teachers H.B. 623 Provides that local school boards may employ temporarily employed teachers, with the approval of the Board of Education, for periods longer than 90 teaching days in a school year. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+ful+HB62+pdf... More... DE Signed into law 02/2010 P-12 Demonstrating Student Growth S.B. 263 Requires that a teacher show 2 years of satisfactory student growth within a 3 year period before the teacher may receive the highest level of notice and hearing protections. http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis145.nsf/vwLegislation/SB+263/$file/legis.html?open... More... UT Adopted 02/2010 P-12 Sharing of Curriculum Materials R277-111 Adds new Rule 277-111, "Sharing of Curriculum Materials by Public School Educators". Allows/encourages educators to use valuable time and resources to improve instruction with assistance from appropriate materials developed by other educators. Allows educators... More... MA Signed into law 01/2010 P-12 Charter School Recruitment and Retention S.B. 2247; (NEW BILL) Requires charter schools whose charter was granted before January 1, 2010 to have a recruitment and retention plan in effect for the 2011-2012 school year or at the time of its next charter renewal, whichever occurs first. (Section 12) http://www.mass.gov/legi... More... OH Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 Quality of Preparation Programs for Teachers and Other School Personnel H.B. 1 - Section 3301.12, 3301.42, 3333.048 and 3333.048 Partly from DOE summary of H.B. 1: Directs the superintendent of public instruction, jointly with the chancellor of the board of regents, to establish metrics and courses of study for postsecondary institutions that prepare educators and other school personnel... More... DE Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 License Denial and Revocation Standards S.B. 149 Creates license denial and revocation standards for nonpublic school teachers, specialists and administrators, and for public education employees, that are consistent, to the extent possible, with the license denial and revocation standards applicable to publi... More... CO Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Teacher Identifier Program H.B. 1065 Extends the repeal date for the quality teachers commission and redefines the time frames within which the commission must accomplish certain tasks. Creates the educator identifier pilot program (program) in the department of education. Outlines the scope and ... More... MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Teacher Education Report S.F. 2083 Requires the Minnesota Office of Higher Education and Minnesota Department of Education to report to the committees of the legislature with jurisdiction over teacher education on best practices in innovative teacher education programs and teacher education res... More... MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Differential Pay for Deployed National Guard Members Who are Teachers S.B. 1794 Relates to veterans; clarifies the circumstances under which pay differential applies for deployed National Guard and reserve members who are teachers. https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S1794.2.html&session=ls86... More... MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Mentoring and Peer Coaching H.F. 2 Allows school districts to have trained observers serve as mentors or coaches and to have probationary teachers participate in professional learning communities as part of the district's peer review process for probationary teachers. Peer coaching for continui... More... MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Assessment of Reading Instruction H.F. 2 Includes as part of the Board of Teaching's licensure exams an assessment of reading instruction for teacher licensure prekindergarten and elementary school candidates. https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H0002.5.html&session=ls86... More... MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Alternative Compensation Rural District Application Assistance H.F. 2 Makes districts in the rural equity region eligible for assistance in developing Q-Comp applications with specific compensation program components.  Requires the commissioner to provide technical assistance to rural districts or groups of rural districts. ht... More... MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 Expiration and Renewal of License H.F. 2 Allows educators applying to renew their licenses to present to their local licensing committees evidence of work that demonstrates professional reflection and growth in best teaching practices. Requires applicants to include a reflective statement of professi... More... DE Signed into law 04/2009 Postsec. Community College Teach For America H.B. 102 Enables the implementation of the Teach For America program and teacher residency programs on a state- wide basis by modifying the entry requirements for the Teach For America program and training requirements for Teach For America corps members. http://legis.... More... OK Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 H.B. 1598 Prohibits certain persons from certain involvement in due process hearings; creates the School Protection Act; provides short title; states purpose; defines terms; makes it unlawful to make a false criminal report against an education employee; provides punish... More... AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Teacher Professional Development Credit H.B. 1999 Revises provisions of existing law governing school district teacher professional development credit. Authorizes online professional development credit hours; provides procedures allowing a teacher to make up missed credit hours due to illness of the teacher o... More... AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Smart Core Incentive Funding Program S.B. 918 Creates the Smart Core Incentive Funding Program to provide a financial incentive to assist with a public high school's efforts to encourage students to complete the Smart Core curriculum and promote programs that contribute to student success, including tutor... More... AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Bonuses for Nationall Board Certified Teachers H.B. 1862 Provides bonuses for individuals who have worked for a minimum number of years with a national board certification as a classroom teacher, building-level principal, or assistant principal in a public school district, employed full time as a teacher in an accre... More... CO Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Teacher of the Year Program H.B. 1240 Creates the Teacher of the Year Program in the Department of Education; requires the State Board of Education to adopt rules for the implementation of the program, including rules concerning the rewards, duties, and opportunities for the teacher named Teacher ... More... AR Signed into law 04/2009 Postsec. Community College Teacher Opportunity Program S.B. 852 Amends the Teacher Opportunity Program; provides scholarships to teachers returning to college to receive an additional certification. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1214.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 04/2009 Postsec. Community College Consolidation of Teacher Education Recruitment Programs S.B. 853 Consolidates the Teacher Education Recruitment Programs by repealing the Minority Teachers Scholars Program, Minority Masters Fellows Program, and the State Teacher Assistance Resource Program: creates the State Teacher Education Program. http://www.arkleg.sta... More... AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Subpoena Power H.B. 1372 Grants subpoena power to the state board of education and the professional licensure standards board. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1283.pdf... More... MD Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Teacher Identification Numbers H.B. 587 Authorizes the State Department of Education to assign a unique identification number to each teacher employed in the public schools in the state; requires that the identification number meet specified requirements; limits the use of the teacher identification... More... AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Code of Ethics Proceedings H.B. 1859 Provides for the confidentiality of certain documents and procedures relating to code of ethics proceedings of the professional licensure standards board relating to an ethics complaint against an administrator or teacher. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembl... More... AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 On-Leave Teachers Reponsible for Cost of Replacements H.B. 2004 Eliminates the requirement that members of the National Guard or reserve who are teachers or administrators pay for the cost of a substitute employee when the member is on military leave. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act944.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Teacher Recruitment for High-Priority Districts S.B. 980 Provides additional incentives for teacher recruitment and retention in high-priority school districts. Increases teacher signing bonuses; equalizes teacher salaries between high-priority school districts and higher paying surrounding school districts. http://... More... MS Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Negotiating Teachers Salaries S.B. 2050 Authorizes school districts to negotiate salary levels with teachers who are receiving payments from the retirement system of another state; directs school districts to make an annual report on the number of employees who also received Mississippi retirement p... More... MS Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 Children First Act of 2009 S.B. 2628 Prohibits public school students in 7th-12th grades who fail to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 from participating in extracurricular activities. Authorizes and directs the state board to define failing schools and school districts under certain standards. Re... More... AR Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 Correcting Calculation Errors in Teacher Retirement S.B. 155 Allows the teacher retirement system to correct calculation errors that cause manifest injustice to Arkansas teacher retirement system members. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Bills/sB155.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 Recouping Benefits S.B. 227 Allows the teacher retirement system to recoup benefits, including interest, paid to a member who does not meet the eligibility requirements under the teacher deferred retirement option plan; allows for the collection of interest. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us... More... VA Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 Teacher Planning Time H.B. 2474 Requires school boards to ensure that all elementary school teachers are provided an average of 30 minutes a day of planning time. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?091+ful+HB2474ER... More... AR Signed into law 02/2009 P-12 Lifetime Teaching License H.B. 1133 Amends eligibility and application requirements for the lifetime teaching license. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Bills/HB1133.pdf... More... CA Rule Adoption 01/2009 P-12 Single-Subject Teaching Credential Authorization Title 5 CCR Section 80004 Amends rules concerning single-subject teaching credential authorization. Allows for an additional option for employers to assign individuals to teach science.... More... UT Adopted 12/2008 P-12 Classroom Supplies Appropriation R277-459 Distributes money through school districts, the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind, or charter schools to classroom teachers for school materials and supplies field trips.... More... CA Signed into law 09/2008 P-12 LEP teachers A.B. 1871 Amends existing law that authorizes the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to issue certificates of English language development and bilingual-cross cultural competence to teachers who will be serving limited-English proficient pupils. Authorizes the commissi... More... CA Signed into law 09/2008 P-12 teacher quality S.B. 1186 Exempts from the state basic skills proficiency test an applicant for an eminence credential, and an applicant who achieves scores on specified tests sufficient to waive the specified English and mathematics placement test and examination. Extends the authorit... More... OR Rejected by voters 08/2008 P-12 Teaching Quality Requirements & Pay Ballot Measure 60 Enacts the Kids First Act; requires that pay raises for public school teachers shall be based upon each teacher's classroom performance and not related to or connected to his or her seniority; provides that if a school district reduces its teaching staff, the ... More... MO Adopted 08/2008 Postsec. career educators 5 CSR 80-800.280 Amends rule to incorporate 2008 changes. Updates certification requirements for Library Media Specialist certificate in Compendium of Missouri Certification Requirements. Updates certification requirements for Postsecondary Career Educators as of January 2008.... More... WV Signed into law 07/2008 P-12 Summer School Teaching Staff H.B. 217B Requires county boards filling summer school program positions to give employment preference to professional educators who are regularly employed by the county on a full-time basis. http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2008_SESSIONS/2X/BILLS/hb217%20enr... More... LA Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 H.B. 672 Renames provisions of law providing for the rights of teachers to the Teacher Bill of Rights. Provides that teachers have a right to immunity and legal defense. Provides that a beginning teacher has the right to receive leadership, including the assignment of ... More... LA Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 Battery of a School Teacher H.B. 757 For purposes of R.S. 14:34.3 and R.S. 38.2 relating to battery of a school teacher, extends definition of "school teacher" to include any teacher aide and paraprofessional, school bus driver, food service worker, and other clerical, custodial, or maintenance p... More... MN Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Licensure Via Portfolio H.B. 1812 Authorizes an eligible candidate to use licensure via portfolio to obtain an initial licensure or to add a licensure field, consistent with the applicable Board of Teaching licensure rules. [Sec. 2] https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/getbill.php?number=HF... More... MN Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 Teachers of Diverse Backgrounds Financial Aid Pilot Program H.B. 1812 Provides for the establishment of a teachers of diverse backgrounds financial aid pilot program, to be implemented by Winona State University in partnership with the Rochester school district and St. Cloud State University in partnership with the Robbinsdale ... More... NY Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Teacher Day S.B. 4391 Establishes the first Tuesday in May as an annual day of commemoration known as New York State Teacher Day. http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=S04391&sh=t... More... MS Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Postsec. Teacher Compensation S.B. 2176 Increases and authorizes annual experience salary increments for teachers fore up to 35 years of experience for all certificate levels, to be phased-in over a two-year period. Commits state funding for mentor teachers that provide services to beginning teacher... More... MS Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Troops to Teachers Pilot S.B. 2913 Establishes a pilot program in the State Department of Education to promote the national Troops to Teachers Program in the public schools of the State; provides to assist in the recruitment, licensure, referral, placement and compensation of military personnel... More... MS Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Teach For America Act S.B. 2518 Establishes the Teach For America Act. Authorizes the use of state funds as matching funds by the Teach for America-Delta in order to bring additional Teach for America teachers to State school districts that have a critical shortage of teachers; defines certa... More... MS Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Career Ladder for Assistant Teachers H.B. 902 Requires the Department of Education to conduct a study on the need for and the potential benefits of establishing a career ladder opportunity program for assistant teachers employed in the public schools. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2008/pdf/HB... More... WV Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Personnel Salary Increases S.B. 573 From state fiscal analysis: "The purpose of this bill is to grant a $1,600 annual salary increase to professional educators and a $700 annual increase to service personnel ($70/month), grant a $400 salary supplement to classroom teachers staring at the first y... More... MS Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 Temporary Employment of Licensed and Nonlicensed Employees S.B. 2660 Authorizes the superintendent to temporarily employ licensed and nonlicensed employees to fill vacancies subject to ratification by the local school board. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2008/pdf/SB/2600-2699/SB2660SG.pdf... More... WV Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 Service Personnel and Authority H.B. 4478 Gives authority to certain aides to exercise control over students; expands the classifications of service personnel to include paraprofessionals, interpreters and aides providing one-on-one services to students with exceptionalities as required by the student... More... IN Signed into law 02/2008 P-12 Teachers Retirement Fund S.B. 210 Reduces the waiting period after which a retired member of the state Teachers Retirement Fund may be reemployed in a covered position and continue to receive a retirement benefit; provides that a TRF member may change the member's beneficiary designation if th... More... IL Adopted 01/2008 P-12 Summer Bridges Program 23 IAC 232.50, .60 Strengthen recipient districts' accountability with respect to implementation of the program, chiefly by providing for some quality assurance measures regarding the teachers paid from the state funds provided. Salient among these requirements are following the... More... CA Signed into law 10/2007 P-12 Teacher credentials S.B. 52 Renames the designated subjects vocational education teaching credential the designated subjects preliminary career technical education teaching credential. Repeals authority for issuance and renewal of designated subjects teaching credentials for part-time se... More... NJ Adopted 08/2007 P-12 Professional Licensure Standards NJAC 6A:9 Amends rules pertaining to professional licensure and standards. Strengthens the State licensure system based on professional standards for pre-service preparation, certification and professional development. Increases selected licensing fees. Establishes new ... More... MA Issued 08/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College The Readiness Project Executive Order No. 489 Establishes the Readiness Project to develop a plan to implement fundamental and systemic reforms to public education in the Commonwealth over the next ten years. The project will have three chairs appointed by the Governor.  The plan will include recommenda... More... NC Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Teacher Leave Time S.B. 914 Gives teachers credit for the excess personal leave time that they earn. Ensures that teachers can take personal leave with five days' notice. Authorizes the conversion of personal leave time to sick leave for retirement purposes. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/S... More... NC Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Teacher Assistant Scholarship Fund H.B. 851 Clarifies the educational requirement for the teacher assistant scholarship fund. Requires that an applicant for a scholarship from the fund be enrolled in an accredited institution of higher education pursuing teacher licensure. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Se... More... NC Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Pilot Alternative Teacher Salary Plans H.B. 966 Requires the State Board of Education to establish a pilot program authorizing the implementation of alternative teacher salary plans to enable local school administrative units to develop and implement plans that will improve student performance by financiall... More... NC Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Background Checks H.B. 1659 Authorizes criminal history record checks of employees of and applicants for employment with the department of public instruction. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H1659v4.html... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Teacher Absence Due to Military Service H.B. 1415 Provides that a member of the teachers' and state employees' retirement system may not be denied short-term disability benefits due to an absence for military service. Relates to long-term disability benefits for members of the teachers' and state employees' r... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Pilot Program for Lateral Entry Teachers S.B. 1115 Directs the state board to establish a pilot program for lateral entry teachers in up to eight local school administrative units. Establishes that under the pilot program, participating local school administrative units shall review the college transcripts of ... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Lifetime Teacher Certification H.B. 1308 Provides for lifetime certification for teachers after 50 years of teaching. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H1308v2.html... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Teacher Licensure Renewal Requirements S.B. 1292 Directs the state board to adopt a policy requiring teachers to take credits in their academic subject area as part of the licensure renewal process. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/Senate/HTML/S1292v3.html... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Charter School Teacher Participation in State Retirement System H.B. 1471 Allows an existing charter school to participate in the teachers' and state employees' retirement system and the state teachers' and state employees' comprehensive major medical plan. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H1471v0.html... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 High Needs Schools S.B. 1479 Allows National Board Certified Teachers who serve as mentors, literacy coaches, or in other instructional leadership positions at high needs schools to retain the salary increment for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification. Allows Na... More... NC Issued 07/2007 P-12 Programs for At-Risk Children Executive Order No. 120 Accelerates teacher and other personnel recruitment and the implementation of needed academic support programs for at-risk children in light of Judicial mandates, budget developments and impending school openings. http://www.governor.state.nc.us/news/executive... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Compensation of Teachers Who Served in the Uniformed Services H.B. 1414 Revises the law providing for creditable service in the teachers' retirement system for members who served in the uniformed services. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H1414v4.html... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Reaching One's Potential for Excellence (ROPE) Scholars Pilot Program. S.B. 1030 The purpose of the ROPE Scholars Pilot Program is to strengthen middle grades education in order to provide students with the opportunity to graduate from high school with the core academic skills needed for postsecondary education and high-skilled employment,... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Preparation of Special Education Teachers H.B. 26 Directs the board of governors of the state university to report on the efficacy of the preparation of teachers to teach students with disabilities. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H26v0.html... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Release of School Personnel Files H.B. 550 Modifies the law pertaining to the confidentiality of school personnel files. Provides that information contained in a personnel file that is relevant to possible criminal misconduct may be made available to law enforcement and the district attorney to assist ... More... NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Lateral Entry Requirements H.B. 583 Modifies the requirements for participation in a community college lateral entry program for teacher training. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H583v0.html... More... NV Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Evaluation of Probationary Teachers A.B. 460 Relates to probationary teacher evaluation. Requires an administrator who is responsible for evaluating a teacher to personally observe that teacher in the classroom for not less than 60 minutes during each evaluation period. If a deficiency is discovered duri... More... NV Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Pilot Performance Pay Program A.B. 3A; (NEW BILL) Appropriates money to provide for pilot programs of performance pay and enhanced compensation for the recruitment and retention of licensed teachers. http://www.leg.state.nv.us/23rdSpecial/Bills/AB/AB3_EN.pdf... More... AK Adopted 06/2007 P-12 HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS & OBJECTIVE UNIFORM STANDARDS 4 AAC 04.210(d), .212(h) Affects which schools' 7-12 teachers are eligible to use the multiple-subject objective uniform standards for the purpose of being designated highly qualified. Clarifies which teachers are eligible to use the multi-subject HOUSSE for the purpose of being desig... More... NV Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Special Qualifications License to Teach S.B. 264 Provides that a special qualifications license to teach may be issued to a person who holds a Passport to Teaching certification from the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, passes certain examinations required by this State and agrees to p... More... NV Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Student Teachers at At-Risk Schools and Subject Areas A.B. 512 Requires a school district which has entered into an agreement for the assignment of student teachers within the district for training purposes to employ certain student teachers as substitutes in at-risk schools and in hard to fill subject areas when licensed... More... NE Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 School Employees Retirement Act L.B. 508 Changes provisions of the school employees retirement act. Relates to retirement and payment of death benefits. Allows for a disability retirement application any time prior to the date of normal retirement eligibility.Gives a surviving spouse 12 months to ele... More... NV Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Employment of Teachers with Expired License. A.B. 432 Amends current law to require districts to maintain an employee in a position of employment rather than suspend employment for failure to maintain a valid license if the lapse of the employee's license occurs during a time that school is in session. Requires t... More... MT Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Quality Educator Loan Assistance Program S.B. 2A (Teacher Recruitment) Creates a quality educator loan assistance program administered by the board of regents through the office of the commissioner of higher education. The program must provide for the direct repayment of educational loans of eligible quality educators in accordan... More... TX Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 H.B. 1622 From bill analysis: Currently, a school district employee who needs to report a grievance against a supervisor must report the grievance to their supervisor if the school district to which the employee belongs does not have a provision in its grievance policy ... More... WV Proposed Rule COMMENT DEADLINE: 06/01/2007 08/20/2007 Rule Adoption 05/2007 Postsec. Community College FACULTY Title 133, Series 9 Amends rules regarding academic freedom and responsibility, appointment, promotion, tenure, non- reappointment or dismissal of faculty, and grievance procedures for matters pertaining to faculty. WEST VIRGINIA 5002... More... MN Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Teacher Center Duties H.F. 2245 [Mathematics and Science Teachers] Amends duties of teacher centers, requires teacher centers to provide a professional development program to train interested and highly qualified elementary, middle and secondary teachers to assist other teachers in with mathematics and science curriculum, sta... More... MN Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Coursework and Training H.F. 2245 [Dual Enrollment Teachers] Authorizes districts to offer grants to teachers to pay for coursework and training leading to certification as a college in the schools or concurrent enrollment teacher. In order to receive a grant, the teacher must be enrolled in a program that includes cour... More... MN Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Grant Program to Promote Professional Teaching Standards H.F. 2245 [Professional Teaching Standards] Establishes grant program to promote professional teaching standards through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Establishes teacher eligibility criteria, application process and amount of grant awards for accepted teachers. http://www.revi... More... MO Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 Teaching Fellows Program S.B. 389 [Teaching Fellows] Creates the teaching fellows program. For each of the first four years that an applicant teaches in a qualifying district, up to one-fourth of the applicant's educational loans, not to exceed $5,000 per year, will be repaid. For students without educational lo... More... MT Passed 04/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Study of Public Employee Retirement Systems H.J.R. 59 Requests that the legislative council designate an appropriate interim committee or assign sufficient staff resources to study public employee retirements systems and produce a legislator's guide on the state's public employee retirement plans that includes c... More... NM Vetoed 04/2007 P-12 Returning Retiree Teachers H.B. 313 Amends provisions of the Public Employees Retirement Act and the Educational Retirement Act concerning retirees who return to employment. http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/07%20Regular/final/HB0313.pdf... More... NM Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Unlicensed Content Area Experts S.B. 211 Directs the department of education to adopt rules rule for training and other requirements to support the use of unlicensed content area experts as resources in classrooms, team teaching, on-line instruction, curriculum development and other purposes. http://... More... NM Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Teacher Mentoring Programs S.B. 211 Directs the department of education to distribute available funds for mentorship programs to school districts annually on a per-teacher basis according to the number of beginning teachers on the 40th day of the school year. Also directs the department to requi... More... NM Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College Teacher Education Accountability Reporting System S.B. 211 Directs the state board to design a uniform statewide teacher education accountability reporting system to measure and track teacher education candidates from pre-entry to post-graduation in order to benchmark the productivity and accountability of New Mexico'... More... CA Signed into law 09/2006 P-12 Longitudinal Teacher Data System S.B. 1614 Requires a contract for developing the Longitudinal Teacher Integrated Data System (LTIDS). Requires the Education Information System to include the LTIDS and the Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System. Provides the LTIDS house information regarding teache... More... CA Vetoed 09/2006 P-12 NBPTS Fees and Test Exemption; Teaching Fellowships S.B. 842 Authorizes state funds to school districts for fees of teachers who seek certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards employed by districts or charter schools to teach in state public schools. Provides a certified person is not req... More... CA Signed into law 08/2006 P-12 Teacher Transfers S.B. 1655 Prohibits the transferring of a teacher who requests to be transferred to a school offering kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, that is ranked in deciles 1 to 3, inclusive, on the Academic Performance Index if the principal of the school refuses ... More... FL Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Florida Secondary School Redesign Act H.B. 7087 - Section 19 Defines secondary schools as those serving grades 6-12. Specifies that the following guiding principles must be used in the annual preparation of each secondary school's improvement plan: (a) Struggling students, especially those in failing schools, need th... More... FL Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Team Teaching Policies H.B. 7087 (Section 16) School districts may use teaching strategies that include the assignment of more than one teacher to a classroom of students and that were implemented before July 1, 2005. Effective July 1, 2005, school districts may implement additional teaching strategies th... More... FL Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 Teaching Quality Assignment Disparities H.B. 7087 (Section 57) The Legislature finds disparities between teachers assigned to teach in a majority of "A" graded schools and teachers assigned to teach in a majority of "F" graded schools. The disparities can be found in the average years of experience, the median salary, and... More... TN Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Teacher Tenure Probation Period S.B. 2781 Requires tenured teacher who resigns and subsequently returns to the school system to serve one-year probationary period before tenure can be regained unless such probationary period is waived by the local board of education upon request of the director of sch... More... TN Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Teacher Employment and Age Discrimination H.B. 2863 Concerns education; prohibits discrimination based on age against teachers in employment decisions. Removes provision for teacher's tenure to end following teacher's 65th birthday. - Amends TCA Section 49-5-507. http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/current... More... AR Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 Teacher of the Year H.B. 1031 Establishes Teacher of the Year program, directs state board to recognize annually a Teacher of the Year. That teacher will be placed on paid administrative leave for one year to provide professional development and other assistance. District to be reimbursed ... More... NM Rule Adoption 10/2005 P-12 Performance Evaluation NMAC 6.69.5, 6.69.5.1 through 6.69.5.11 Relates to performance evaluation system requirements for librarian-teachers NEW MEXICO REG 4424 (SN)... More... NC ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION DURING THE 2006 SESSION 10/2005 P-12 Hiring of teachers H.B. 706 AN ACT to amend the teacher certification law to facilitate the hiring of teachers. Vetoed 8/05. http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2005/Bills/House/HTML/H706v4.html ... More... AL Signed into law 05/2005 P-12 Common Purchases and Student Materials Spending H.B. 258 Includes "common purchases" as element that may be funded as classroom instructional support. States that any funds allocated by the legislature for student materials must be given directly to each teacher as specified in the allocation for use directly in his... More... HI Signed into law 05/2005 P-12 S.B. 1250 Requires the compensation plan for substitute teachers' pay to be commensurate with their educational training and academic qualifications. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/sb1250_.htm... More... IN Signed into law 05/2005 P-12 State Professional Standards Board H.B. 1001 (various sections) Changes statutory references to the state professional standards board to the advisory board of the division of professional standards. Places the advisory board within the department of education. States that the advisory board of the division of professional... More... DE SIGNED 04/2005 P-12 Communications Regarding Teacher Termination H.B. 22 Requires that formal communications between a teacher and a school board relating to the termination of the teacher's services be sent via certified mail, with a return receipt requested. The existing code requires that such communications be sent via register... More... WA Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Eliminates Academic Achievement and Accountability Commission S.B. 5732 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 ... More... AZ Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Teacher Immunity H.B. 2267 States that a full-time certified teacher is immune from personal liability for all acts done and actions taken in good faith in evaluating or grading any student. http://www.azleg.state.az.us/DocumentsForBill.asp?Bill_Number=2267... More... KS Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Teacher Recruitment component of H.B. 2331 H.B. 2331 (multiple provisions) HB 2331 amends statutes governing the National Board Certification program. Under current law, teachers attaining National Board Certification receive an annual salary bonus from the state of $1,000 for the ten years of the certification period. The bill remov... More... KS Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 National Board-Certified Teachers and Hard-to-Fill Teaching Disciplines S.B. 48 (section 10-12) Eliminates 10-year cap on number of years a national board-certified teacher may receive the $1,000 annual incentive bonus. Authorizes the state board of education to provide scholarships of $1,100 each to teachers who are accepted to participate in the nation... More... AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Teacher Daily Planning H.B. 2793 Ensures that the teacher daily planning period occurs during the student instructional day unless a teacher submits a written request to be allowed to have his or her planning time scheduled at some time other than during the student instructional day. Provide... More... AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 Teachers Lunch Breaks H.B. 2789 Ensures that teachers receive a thirty-minute uninterrupted duty-free lunch period during each student instructional day. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2005/public/hb2789.pdf... More... NM Vetoed 04/2005 P-12 Educational Retirees S.B. 216 Relates to educational retirees returning to work. http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/_session.asp?chamber=S&type=++&number=216&year=05... More... AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 School Districts' Employment of Board Members' Relatives H.B. 1867 An act to restrict school districts from employing relatives of board members. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2005/public/HB1867.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 03/2005 P-12 Teachers Stipend Amount H.B. 1720 Clarifies the amount of the stipend teachers are required to receive for the purchase of classroom supplies. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2005/public/HB1720.pdf... More... WV Rule Adoption 03/2005 P-12 Assuring the Quality of Education Title 126, Series 42 Amends rules relating to education programs designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in the public schools and ensure educational opportunities exist for all students. WEST VIRGINIA REG 4570 (SN)... More... DE Rule Adoption 12/2004 P-12 Procedures Manual - Licensing 8 DEC, 911 Procedures Manual, Appendixes A and B Amends the State Board of Education Procedures Manual by including licensing of substitute teachers and National Board teachers and removing Delaware Performance Appraisal References from the Approval of Rules and Regulations. Adds and removes certain referenc... More... CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 Teachers A.B. 3001 (multiple provisions) SEC. 1: Existing law requires the county superintendent of schools to report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction on the financial condition of a school district if the county superintendent determines a school district may be unable to meet its financi... More... CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 Teacher Misassignment and ESL Teacher Qualifications A.B. 3001 (multiple provisions) Existing law requires the county superintendent of schools to annually monitor and review school district certificated employee assignment practices according to certain priorities with first priority going to schools and school districts that are likely to ha... More... CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 Technical Assistance Areas A.B. 3001 (multiple provisions) Existing law requires the State Department of Education to establish a statewide system of school support that provides intensive and sustained support and technical assistance for school districts, county offices of education, and schools in need of improveme... More... CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 Areas of Instruction in the Principal Training Program A.B. 3001 (multiple provisions) SEC. 8: This bill would require that instruction and training in the Principal Training Program run by the state superintendent include instruction related to personnel management, including hiring, recruitment and retention practices and misassignments of cer... More... CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 Review of Audit Exceptions S.B. 550 (multiple provisions) SEC. 13: Requires the county superintendent of schools to include in the review of audit exceptions those audit exceptions related to use of instructional materials program funds, teacher misassignments, and information reported on the school accountability re... More... CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 District Uniform Complaint Process S.B. 550 (multiple provisions) SEC. 12: Requires a school district to use its uniform complaint process to help identify and resolve any deficiencies related to instructional materials, conditions of facilities that are not maintained in a clean and safe manner or in good repair, and teache... More... CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 District Compliance Audits S.B. 550 (multiple provisions) SEC. 2: Requires a district compliance audit to include verification of the reporting requirements for the sufficiency of textbooks and instructional materials, teacher misassignments, and the accuracy of information reported on the school accountability repor... More... CA Vetoed 09/2004 P-12 Public School Performance Accountability Program:Opportunity for Teaching and Learning Index S.B. 1419 Existing law establishes the Public School Performance Accountability Program which consists of the Academic Performance Index (API), the Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program, and the High Achieving/Improving Schools Program. The API measure... More... MS Rule Adoption 08/2004 P-12 Administrative Procedures Act (Uncodified) Amends rules concerning the administrative procedures act. Establishes and revises Cut Scores for Praxis II tests as approved by the Commission on Teachers and Administrator Education, Certification and Development. MISSISSIPPI REG 9233 (SN)... More... NM Rule Adoption 08/2004 P-12 Substitute Teachers NMAC 6.63.10.1, .06 thru .8, .12, .14 Relates requirements for substitute teachers and continuing certification.... More... MS Rule Adoption 08/2004 P-12 Employment Contracts State Board Policy GBDA Amends rules concerning employment contracts. Increases the number of days from 25 to 45 that a teacher may not be under contract of employment during a school year and still be considered full-time employed and credited with a year of teaching experience. MIS... More... IL Signed into law 08/2004 P-12 Qualified Teachers H.B. 6906 Provides that if a school district has a shortage of highly qualified teachers, as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, or a shortage of highly qualified teachers in the subject area of mathematics, science, reading, or special education, then the ... More... MI Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 School Choice S.B. 599 Allows children of teachers to attend school in district in which parents teach. http://www.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2003-2004/publicact/pdf/2004-PA-0227.pdf... More... LA Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 Postsec. Arrest of Teachers H.B. 445 Limits the authority of a justice of the peace to arrest a teacher in any public or private elementary, secondary, high school, vocational-technical school, college or university who is acting in the scope of his or her professional duties, with certain except... More... MO Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 Kansas City Public School Retirement System H.B. 1502 Revises the provisions of existing law relating to the Kansas City Public School Retirement System. Revises the definition of "break in service" to: (7) "Break in service", an occurrence when a regular employee ceases to be a regular employee for any reason o... More... ND Rule Adoption 07/2004 P-12 Organization of Board NDAC 67.1-01-01-01 thru -03 Establishes rules regarding organization of the education standards and practices board. http://www.state.nd.us/lr/information/acdata/pdf/67.1-01-01.pdf... More... ND Rule Adoption 07/2004 P-12 Interim Licenses NDAC 67.1-02-04-01, -02 thru -08 Establishes rules regarding interim licenses for teacher shortages. Addresses interim licenses for substitute teachers, provisional licenses, interim reciprocal licensure, trade, industry, technical, and health occupations interim license, interim licensure cl... More... LA Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Education Accountability H.B. 302 Makes amendments to distinguished educators program, which provides for the identification and limited-term assignment of educators to work to improve low-performing schools. Sets June 1 annual selection deadline for selecting an active employee, requires loc... More... CT Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Evaluating Athletic Coaches S.B. 535 Requires local and regional boards of education that employ athletic coaches to require the coaches' immediate supervisor to evaluate them on an annual basis; concerns due process in termination of coaches; provides a procedure for the nonrenewal of a coach's ... More... HI Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Smoking/Tobacco Products on School Property H.B. 2871 Creates a safe and healthy school environment by prohibiting any person from smoking tobacco products on school property and at any school- sponsored functions regardless of location; provided that affected public employees shall be provided breaks for smoking... More... DE Rule Adoption 05/2004 P-12 Teacher Standard Certificate 14 DAC 1516 Amends regulation concerning the requirements for certification of educational personnel. Reflects the upcoming establishment of PRAXIS II scores by the Standards Board and the State Board. http://legis.state.de.us/LIS/Register.NSF/vwRegisters/712/$file/June20... More... MN Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 Retirement S.F. 806 Relates to retirement; modifies provisions in the teachers retirement association and first class city teacher plans; provides for compliance with certain provisions of the Internal Revenue Code related to all retirement plans; includes the correctional employ... More... AL Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 School Teachers' Hours H.B. 544 Public school teachers authorized to contract with local boards of education to work less than full time under certain conditions, provisions for retired teachers. http://alisdb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/ACASLogin.asp... More... VA Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 Substantial Amendments to the Standards of Learning H.B. 1014 Amends section 22.1-253.13:1 and 22.1-253.13:2 . Specifies that the Standards of Learning form the core of Virginia's educational program and other educational objectives. Specifies that the state board must, at a minimum, define Standards of Learning for Eng... More... MI Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 Teacher Conviction Suspension H.B. 5476 Requires order summary suspension of teacher's certificate, school administrator's certificate or state board approval of a person who has been convicted of any felony; amends provisions regarding powers and duties of the state board of education. http://www.... More... MN Signed into law 03/2004 P-12 Civil Actions H.F. 480 Relates to civil actions; provides protection for disclosure of job reference information; requires disclosure of data between school districts and charter schools relating to acts of violence or inappropriate sexual contact with students. http://www.revisor.l... More... NM Pocket Veto by GOVERNOR. 03/2004 P-12 Public School Finance H.B. 62 Adds national board certification in the program cost calculation; includes early childhood education, bilingual multicultural education, special education, at-risk programs and national board for teaching standards certification in those calculations. http://... More... CA Rule Adoption 02/2004 P-12 Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements Title 5 CCR 6100-6014, 6110-6112, 6115 Implements federal mandates in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) by adopting California's requirements for qualifying as a 'highly qualified teacher' under that act. http://ccr.oal.ca.gov/cgi-bin/om_isapi.dll?clientID=139019&E22=title%205&E23=6100&E24=&infob... More... AR Signed into law 01/2004 P-12 Teacher Instructional Duties H.B. 1053 Clarifies the meaning of instructional duties in relation to assignment of noninstructional duties to teachers. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003s2/public/HB1053.pdf... More... DE Rule Adoption 11/2003 P-12 Teacher Certification 14 DAC 321 thru 1542 (non-seq) Establishes rules concerning the requirements for standard certificates for educational personnel. Amends existing requirements for standard certificates to reflect these changes and to provide an interim set of requirements for individuals who are in the proc... More... CA Signed into law 10/2003 P-12 Community College Classified Employees: Notice of Layoff A.B. 290 Requires that classified employees of school districts and community college districts who are to be laid off be given written notice on or before April 29th or not less than 45 days prior to the effective layoff date, if the termination date of any specially ... More... CA Signed into law 10/2003 P-12 Classified School Employees A.B. 424 Provides, in a school district with a pupil population over 400,000, authorization for an appointment for a school-based classified position to be made from any rank on the eligibility list. Requires consideration of certain factors. Provides if certain requir... More... CA Signed into law 10/2003 P-12 Classified School Employees A.B. 1038 Sets forth the employment rights of classified school employees who are terminated, reassigned, or transferred, or become the employee of another employer as a result of the development or revision of a local plan for the education of individuals with exceptio... More... CA Signed into law 09/2003 P-12 Postsec. Community College Classified Employees A.B. 918 Requires a regular classified employee who is assigned to perform an assignment or service in addition to his or her regular assignment to be paid on a pro rata basis for the additional assignment or service, not less than the compensation and benefits that ar... More... CA Signed into law 09/2003 P-12 Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program A.B. 1266 § 8 Amends the California School Paraprofessional Teacher Training Program designed to recruit paraprofessionals to participate in a program to encourage them to enroll in teacher training programs. Prohibits a laid-off participant from being required to repay for... More... UT Rule Adoption 09/2003 P-12 Employment of Substitute Teachers R277-508 Amends rules to provide for student teachers and paraprofessionals to be used as substitute teachers. Provides language to protect the integrity of the student teaching experience so that the student teacher is not taken out of their assignment and reassigned ... More... MI Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 Teacher Retirement Requirement H.B. 4453 Eliminates number of days required for year of retirement credit for teachers and replaces it with an hour requirement of 1,020 hours in a fiscal year. http://www.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2003-2004/publicact/htm/2003-PA-0175.htm... More... CA Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 Postsec. Community College Classified School Employees: Reclassification A.B. 1070 Decreases all 3 year time requirements to reclassify classified school employees under a merit system of a school district or community college district, to 2 years. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=ab_1070&sess=CUR&house=B&author=laird... More... CA Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 Confidential Employees and Employee Organizations S.B. 253 Revises the definition of confidential employee to mean any employee who is required to develop or present management positions with respect to confidential information that is used to contribute significantly to the development of management positions. Delete... More... MI Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 Obtaining Teacher Certification Credits through Substitute Teaching H.B. 4391 (multiple provisions) The department shall authorize teacher preparation institutions to provide an alternative program by which up to 1/2 of the required student internship or student teaching credits may be earned through substitute teaching. The department shall require that tea... More... IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Non-certified Personal H.B. 2350 Provides the state board of education shall accept, as qualifications for non-certified personnel, relevant life experiences as determined by the State Board by rule. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=2350&GAID=3&DocTypeID=HB&LegID... More... IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Teachers Medicare Coverage H.B. 79 Amends the Downstate Teacher Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Directs the System to conduct a divided Medicare coverage referendum, open to teachers continuously employed by the same employer since March 31, 1986. Allows eligible teachers to irrevocably e... More... IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Speech and Language Pathologist H.B. 2797 Amends the School Code. Changes definition of speech-language pathologist. Allows a school district or cooperative to contract for speech pathology services while making reasonable efforts to employ a speech-language pathologist or after unsuccessful reasonabl... More... IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 School Service Personnel Certificates H.B. 2864 Amends the School Code. Provides that a School Service Personnel Certificate with a speech-language pathologist endorsement shall be issued to a speech- language pathologist who meets specified criteria. Amends the Speech- Language Pathology and Audiology Prac... More... LA Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 Teachers' Bill of Rights H.B. 1342 Establishes the Teachers' Bill of Rights. The teachers' rights enumerated include: 1) The right to teach free from the fear of frivolous lawsuits, including the right to indemnification by the employing school board for actions taken in the fulfillment of the ... More... CO Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 School District Retirement System S.B. 250 Authorizes a school district retirement system to enter into an agreement to merge into another public employee retirement system including the public employees retirement association, provides for continuing fiduciary liability insurance. http://www.leg.state... More... CO Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Retirement and Nonlicensed School Employees H.B. 1327 Concerns an extension of the time in which retirees of the public employees retirement association may be employed to work as nonlicensed employees for schools without reducing the retirement benefits of the retirees. http://www.leg.state.co.us/2003a/inetcbill... More... GA Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Sick Leave H.B. 25 Relates to sick and personal leave for teachers and other personnel; provides for restoration of certain forfeited sick and personal leave after return to service for two consecutive years. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2003_04/sum/hb25.htm... More... LA Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 Teachers-Medical Leave Sabbaticals H.B. 846 Eliminates provision that teachers at regular and special public schools are eligible for medical leave sabbaticals only if they have 25 days or fewer of regular sick leave remaining. http://www.legis.state.la.us/bills/byinst.asp?sessionid=03RS&billid=HB846&do... More... MD Vetoed 05/2003 P-12 Study Commission on Educators' Time and Paperwork H.B. 873 Establishes a Study Commission on Educators' Time and Paperwork. Specifies the composition, powers, and duties of the commission. Provides a specified staff for the commission. Requires the commission to report findings and recommendations, including any propo... More... MD Vetoed 05/2003 P-12 Educators' Time and Paperwork S.B. 558 Establishes a Study Commission of Educators' Time and Paperwork; establishes membership of commission. Requires the commission to: (1) conduct a survey and collect information relating to the issue of workload, administrative and bureaucratic tasks, and other... More... ME Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Substitute Teacher Fingerprinting H.P. 749 (LD 1032) Beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, requires a person employed as a substitute teacher and a person who is a regular school employee and who also needs fingerprinting and a criminal history record check to be issued a temporary approval card by the Depar... More... ID Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 Teacher Expenses H.B. 390 Disallows the deduction of expenses of elementary and secondary school teachers allowable under the Internal Revenue Code. http://www3.state.id.us/oasis/H0390.html... More... CT Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Paraprofessional Pay H.B. 5289 Allows school districts to pay paraprofessional on a year round basis; defines paraprofessional as an employee of a local or regional board of education who holds a position that does not require a certificate issued by the State Board of Education and who ser... More... AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 School Children Protection Act S.B. 691 Expands the Arkansas school children protection act to include teacher sexual contact with a student; requires termination of employment upon conviction. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/SB691.pdf... More... CO Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Immunity for Educators H.B. 1127 Concerns allegations against education providers; provides immunity from suit for an educational entity and its employees for any actions taken during the normal course of educational related activities or business and not willful and wanton violation of statu... More... AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 Personnel Policies for Teachers H.B. 2516 Concerns the definition of personnel policies that all school district policies must have pertaining to the terms and conditions of teacher's employment. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB2516.pdf... More... AR Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 Funds School Districts Give Teachers for Supplies H.B. 1619 Increases the amount that school districts must give to teachers for the purchase of classroom supplies. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/HB1619.pdf... More... IL Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 Chicago Educational Labor Relations S.B. 19 Provides that amendatory Act may be referred to as the Chicago Education Reform Act of 2003. Amends requirements for Chicago area charter schools. Amends the School Code and the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Requires the Chicago Board of Education ... More... AR Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 Teacher's Daily Planning Period S.B. 349 Amends statutes requiring teacher's daily planning period be provided in increments of no less than forty (40) minutes.http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2003/public/SB349.pdf... More... KY Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 Eligibility for Emergency Substitute Teaching Certificate H.B. 252 Creates new section allowing any individual who has a bachelor's degree in any subject area from a regionally or nationally accredited postsecondary institution to be given a substitute teaching certificate by the Education Professional Standards Board. This ... More... MI Signed into law 12/2002 P-12 Substitute Teacher Contracts S.B. 213 Allows school districts to contract with a person or entity for employment of qualified substitute teachers. http://www.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2001-2002/publicact/pdf/2002-PA-0735.pdf... More... MI Signed into law 12/2002 P-12 Criminalizes Sexual Conduct Between School Employees and Students S.B. 1127 Provides that it is criminal sexual conduct if the victim is a minor between certain age groupings and the actor is a teacher, administrator or other employee or contractual services provider of a public or nonpublic school in which the victim is enrolled. htt... More... MT Rule Adoption 11/2002 P-12 ARM New Rule I thru III, XXVIII, XXIX, XXX, XXXI; 10.55.602 thru .710 (non-seq); 10.57.101 thru .801 (non-seq.); Repeal 10.57.103 thru .406 (non-seq); New Rule I/Criminal History Background Check Establishes rules regarding criminal history background check, substitute teachers, teacher license classification, definition of 'immoral conduct', investigation, and reporting of the surrender, denial, revocation or suspension of a license. Addresses accred... More... NC Signed into law 09/2002 P-12 Community College Sections Pertaining to Dropout Data, Dropout Retention, Teacher Quality S.B. 1275 Directs the state board to improve the state's tracking of dropout data; encourages the concurrent enrollment of state technical high schools, career centers, and community colleges; directs the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee to study the corr... More... CA Signed into law 09/2002 P-12 Rules for teachers convicted as sex offenders. S.B. 1656 Requires the Commission on Teachers Credentialing to deny the application of any applicant who is required to register as a sex offender. Requires the commission to suspend the credential of any credential holder who is required to register as a sex offender. ... More... CA Vetoed 08/2002 P-12 Postsec. A study of the quality of career technical education teachers. A.B. 1462 Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene a committee of experts to determine programs and processes to increase the number and improve the quality of career technical education teachers. Requires an independent study to be completed that co... More... FL Signed into law 08/2002 P-12 Education Code Re-Write: Personnel Policy S.B. 20E Removes provision mandating that school boards fully fund a 5% reserve for all instructional and administrative staff. See bill section 697, page 1298, line 28, ff. Also bars local board member from hiring or appointing a relative to work under his or her dire... More... DE Signed into law 06/2002 P-12 Teacher Leave to Teach at Charter School S.B. 298 Reduces the leave of absence to one year for any teacher leaving a public school to teach at a charter school. http://www.legis.state.de.us/LIS/LIS141.NSF/vwLegislation/... More... GA Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 Retired Teachers Working in Low-Performing Schools H.B. 210 Permits retired teachers to work as full-time teachers or improvement specialists in low-performing schools. Limits number of retired teachers district may hire, number of years a retired teacher may be re-employed. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/Legis/2001_02/f... More... CT Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 Sexual Abuse of Minors and Child Abuse and Teacher Records H.B. 5680 Lengthens statutes of limitations in cases of sexual abuse, sexual exploitation or sexual assault of a minor to 30 years from date of victim's attainment of age of majority. Adds section stating that in certain cases of recovering damages for personal injury c... More... FL Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 Education Code Re-Write: Personnel Nominations S.B. 20E Allows school boards more time to decide on personnel nominations when the Legislature adjourns before May 31.... More... HI Vetoed 05/2002 P-12 Access of Auditor to Student or Other Records H.B. 2231 Establishes the office of the auditor as an authorized representative of the department of education and department of health, a state educational authority, or a state educational official, and as such, authorized to have access to any student or other record... More... IA Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 Teacher Induction, Evaluation, Early Retirement Incentives, Administrator Preparation and Certification, Minimum Teacher Salary Requirements, Statewide Career Path Pilot Program H.B. 2549 Requires state board to establish standards for district and area education agency career development programs and for individual teacher career development plans. Requires state director to develop a transition plan for implementation of the career developmen... More... OK Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 Commission for Teacher Preparation S.B. 1010 Relates to the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation; provides for the budgeting of funds in certain categories and amounts; requires performance measures for budget categories; provides for duties and compensation of employees of the Oklahoma Commission... More... AL Pocket Veto by GOVERNOR. 04/2002 P-12 Teacher Hours H.B. 605 Relates to certain public school teachers; provides for authority to contract with a local board of education to work less than full-time so long as their salaries reflect employment for less than a full day; provides that if such teacher is receiving benefits... More... TN Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 Teachers to Reside in Neighborhoods H.B. 1537 Pilot program (January 2002 to January 2003) in four counties; creates neighborhood school program that requires 25 percent of teachers in participating schools (one elementary in each country) to live within 10-mile radius of school; program goal is to enable... More... MD Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 Definition of "Public School Employees" H.B. 644 Includes Prince George's County home and hospital teachers and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC) instructors in the definition of "public school employees." http://mlis.state.md.us/2002rs/bills/hb/hb0644t.rtf... More... IA Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 Licensee Investigations and Proceedings H.B. 2482 Expands the board of educational examiners' authority with regard to licensee disciplinary investigations and proceedings.... More... KY Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 Teacher Quality Duties of the Office of Education Accountability S.B. 166 Makes it explicit that the Office of Education Accountability has a responsibility to periodically review personnel policies and practices relating to recruitment, selection, evaluation, termination, and promotion of personnel.... More... MS Signed into law 03/2002 P-12 Teacher Classroom Supply Funds H.B. 1069 Requires public school district audits to include tests for compliance with statutory requirements relating to the distribution and use of school supply funds; requires the State Auditor to report on school district compliance or noncompliance to the Legislatu... More... WA Signed into law 03/2002 P-12 Appoinments to Standards Board H.B. 2414 Relates to the professional educator standards board; amends statutes; provides that the governor shall appoint or reappoint the members of the board.... More... KY Signed into law 02/2002 P-12 Credentials for Classified School Position H.B. 282 Adds high school certificate of completion as an acceptable credential to meet qualification as a classified school employee. http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/2002rsrecord/HB282/bill.doc... More... CA Vetoed 09/2001 P-12 Teacher Rating System A.B. 833 Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop a teacher qualification index for each public school to measure the distribution of teachers within school districts across the State and to assign a rating that will demonstrate comparable improveme... More... DE Signed into law 06/2001 P-12 Expanding Teacher Rights to Discipline Students S.B. 70 This act seeks to deter frivolous lawsuits against teachers who have attempted to enforce discipline and order in the classroom in the manner permitted by Delaware statute, by forbidding state law actions based on teacher discipline for any acts which do not r... More... FL Filed as Chapter No 06/2001 P-12 Provides death benefits to teachers/administrators who are killed while working H.B. 279 2001-180., Creates the Barry Grunow Act; provides death benefits with respect to teachers and school administrators who are killed as the result of an unlawful or intentional act the result of which occurred when such person was engaged in the performance of t... More... OR Signed into law 06/2001 P-12 Professional Organizations Certification Fund S.B. 324 Creates Professional Organizations Certification Fund (separate and distinct from the General Fund). Interest earned on moneys in the Professional Organizations Certification Fund are to be credited to the fund. The Teacher Standards and Practices Commission ... More... TX Signed into law 06/2001 P-12 Rights of Assaulted Teachers H.B. 1188 Relates to the rights of a public school teacher who is assaulted during the performance of the teacher's regular duties.... More... OR Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 National Board Certification, Mentoring S.B. 250 Directs Department of Education to award grants to school districts to support teachers in obtaining national board certification; expands teacher mentorship program to include beginning administrator mentoring.... More... SC Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Postsec. Emphasis on Teaching as a Profession H.B. 3534, Section 1 Amends Section 59-101-280. "Colleges and universities of this State shall emphasize teaching as a career opportunity and those institutions with teacher education programs should make the preparation of teachers a fundamental part of the institution's mission... More... TN Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Education Reform Act of 2001 S.B. 1881/H.B. 1921--Omnibus Bill Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to reimburse up to 100 teachers for evaluation fees incurred while obtaining certification by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. Current law authorizes reimbursement of up to 25 teachers. Requires ... More... NV Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Sexual Conduct S.B. 183 Revises provisions governing sexual conduct between pupils and persons in position of authority at schools.... More... TX Vetoed 05/2001 P-12 Paperwork Reduction H.B. 106 Requires trustees of each district to adopt a policy to limit redundant requests for information and the number and length of written reports that a classroom teacher is required to prepare. A classroom teacher may not be required to prepare a written report... More... TN Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Planning Time H.B. 1039 Revises provisions for teachers' duty-free planning periods; requires reporting to state department of education, and prohibits combining duty-free lunch period with duty-free planning period. - Amends TCA Section 49-1-302(e).... More... FL Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Educator professional liability insurance coverage H.B. 409 Requires educator professional liability insurance coverage for all full-time instructional personnel; provides for specific appropriations in the General Appropriations Act; extends educator professional liability insurance coverage at cost to all part-time i... More... MD Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Postsec. Waiver of Residency Requirement for Teachers at Postsecondary Institutions H.B. 401 Waives the residency requirement for tuition purposes for public school teachers under certain circumstances at public senior higher education institutions and community collages; defines a term; establishes circumstances when a public school teacher is respon... More... OK Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 National Board Certification H.B. 1499--Multiple Components One portion of this large bill stipultes that teachers receiving National Board certification receive $7,000 annually as long as they continue teaching in the state and continue their National certification.... More... WV Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 National Institute for Teaching Excellence H.B. 3245 Establishes the National Institute for Teaching Excellence to be implemented by the secretary with the assistance of the superintendent and the chancellor. The Insitute is to encourage/promote excellence and awareness of quality teacher preparation programs i... More... IN Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 Parents as Teachers Program H.B. 1417 Specifies that parents as teachers programs are included among the parent information programs eligible to receive Step Ahead early childhood grant funds.... More... AR Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 School Supply Funds for P-6 Teachers H.B. 2621 From the legislation: EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE TO EACH PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SIXTH GRADE TEACHER IN EACH FISCAL YEAR AT LEAST TEN DOLLARS ($ 10.00) PER STUDENT OR TWO HUNDRED FIFTY ($ 250) PER CLASSROOM TO PURCHASE RELATED COMMODITIES FOR USE BY ... More... ND Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 Education Standards and Practices Board H.B. 1326 Amends 15.1-13-02 --changing the membership of the Education Standards and Practices Board from nine to ten members. 1. The governor shall appoint to the education standards and practices board: Four individuals who are public school classroom teachers; one i... More... NM Vetoed 04/2001 P-12 Omnibus Bill--Teacher Qualifications S.B. 308 Section 42 states that effective with the 2002-2003 school year parents must be notified if their student is being taught by a non-licensed teacher for longer than 30 days.... More... VA Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 Teacher Subject Matter Proficiency S.B. 1304 Relates to teacher proficiency and contract status; states any teacher hired on or after July 1, 2001, will be required, as a condition of achieving continuing contract status, to have completed training in strategies and techniques for intervention for or rem... More... CO Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 Reporting Teachers Who Teach outside their subject area. H.B. 1215 Concerns a limitation on information in school reports concerning the percentage of teachers teaching in a subject in which the teacher received a degree.... More... UT Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 Teaching Quality S.B. 16 Modifies provisions related to State System of Public and Higher Education to address issues of teacher quality in recognition of relationship to student success; provides for comprehensive policy on teacher quality to include components on recruitment, preser... More... WY Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 National Certification Incentive S.B. 13 Relates to the national teacher certification incentive; modifies program reimbursement levels; eliminates the delayed repeal of the program.... More... SD Signed into law 02/2001 P-12 Employment Prohibition H.B. 1067 Prohibits school boards from employing any person whose certificate has been revoked or suspended.... More... PA Signed into law 12/2000 P-12 Civil Immunity H.B. 1416 Act No. 93 of 2000., Amends the Judiciary and Judicial Procedure Code. Provides for civil immunity of school officers or employees relating to emergency care, first aid and rescue at either public or private schools.... More... CA Signed into law 09/2000 P-12 Gender Equity Training A.B. 908 Establishes the gender equity train-the-trainer grant program for the award of grants from funds available for that purpose to the governing boards of school districts and county offices of education. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, with the... More... IA Signed into law 05/2000 P-12 Immunity for School Employees H.B. 2473 Relates to school violence; provides civil criminal immunity for a school employee; relates to the employee's participation in reporting and investigating violence, threats of violence, or other inappropriate activity against a school employee or student in a ... More... KS Signed into law 05/2000 P-12 Incentives for National Board Certification; Mentoring S.B. 432 Concerns schools and school district; relates to employment of personnel; includes incentives for national certification and mentoring of first year teachers.... More... TN Signed into law 05/2000 P-12 Postsec. Employment of Non-Citizens S.B. 2939 Allows non-citizens to be employed at public schools and colleges in Tennessee.... More... WI Signed into law 05/2000 P-12 School Personnel Liability A.B. 100 Protects teachers from being charged criminally when they act reasonably in dealing with disruptive students. Acknowledges a common-law defense that teachers may use reasonable force in dealing with disruptive students.... More... WV Signed into law 04/2000 P-12 Postsec. Teacher Quality, Higher Education S.B. 653 Relates to education and related subheadings; relates to exemption from motor vehicle and travel rules, goals for post-secondary education, retirement and separation incentives; defines terms; relates to compact with higher education, institutional compacts, p... More... GA Signed into law 04/2000 P-12 Program of Indemnification H.B. 1388, H.R. 971 Act No. 688., Creates a program of indemnification with respect to public school personnel who are killed or permanently disabled by an act of violence in the line of duty; provides for a special and distinctive license plate honoring Georgia educators with re... More... MS Signed into law 04/2000 P-12 Qualifications of Assistant Teachers H.B. 106 Establishes General Education Diploma as a minimum eligibility requirement for assistant teachers.... More... GA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Arrest of School Personnel S.B. 27 Relates to warrants for arrest; provides that any warrant for the arrest of a teacher or school administrator for any offense alleged to have been committed while in the performance of his or her duties may be issued only by a judge of a superior court, a judg... More... SD Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Technology Office, Referenda, Finance H.B. 1257 Enhances learning in public schools; reimburses nationally certified teachers; establishes an Office of Education Technology; studies the public education requirement workforce; increases the voting requirement for school district referenda; limits certain tra... More... GA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Omnibus Bill - Teachers and Duty-Free Lunches H.B. 1187 Duty-free lunches for teachers are mandated and are no longer dependent on funding from the General Assembly. ... More... SD Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 National Board Certification H.B. 1255 Reimburses public school teachers who become nationally certified.... More... SD Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Long-Term Substitutes S.B. 172 Defines long-term substitute teachers; requires certain reporting on the use of long-term substitute teachers.... More... UT Signed by governor 03/2000 P-12 Funds for teacher supplies and materials S.B. 3, H.B. 189 H.B. 189 allocates $225 for each teacher in grades kindergarten through six, and up to $175 for each teacher in grades seven through 12. Teachers may spend the money for school supplies, materials or field trips. S.B. 3 appropriates $4.4 million for teacher ... More... VA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Planning Time H.B. 1517 Requires local school boards to ensure that elementary school teachers in their employment have at least 3 hours during the students' school week for planning time.... More... WA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Professional Educator Standards Board H.B. 2760 Creates the Washington Professional Educator Standards Board to serve as an advisory body to the superintendent of public instruction and as the sole advisory body to the state Board of Education on issues related to educator recruitment, hiring, preparation, ... More... VA Signed into law 02/2000 P-12 Reduction in Force H.B. 605 Directs school divisions to notify by May 15 those teachers who may be subject to a reduction in force due to a decrease in the school board's budget as approved by the appropriating body.... More...