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 TN Signed into law 05/2012 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 3341 Source: http://www.capitol.tn.gov TN Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 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 (K-12). Requires the state board to develop training that can be used by local boards of education during in-service training and provide additional training opportunities online on specialized topics, including, but not limited to, the avoidance of ethical conflicts, defining ethical competence, the collision between personal preferences or values and individual student needs, and the path to responsible decision making in an educational setting. Online courses are to identify practical approaches to recognizing, understanding, exploring and avoiding ethical problems confronting educators in today's society and school environment. http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Bill/SB0854.pdf Title: S.B. 854 Source: http://www.capitol.tn.gov WV Signed into law 05/2011 P-12 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 met. Provides that school curriculum teams should: (1) Provide professional opportunities for teachers, administrators and other school personnel that allow them to have a direct voice in the operation of their schools and to create a culture of shared decision-making focused on the ultimate goal of raising student achievement; (2) Encourage the use of different, high-quality models of teaching, scheduling and other aspects of educational delivery that meet a variety of student needs; (3) Increase high-quality educational opportunities for all students that close achievement gaps between high-performing and low-performing groups of public school students; and (4) Provide public schools with increased school-level freedom and flexibility to achieve these purposes when they have achieved exceptional levels of results-driven accountability. Provides for the discretionary use of certain assessments, instructional strategies and programs for certain teams when certain conditions are met. http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Status/bills_text.cfm?billdoc=HB3116%20ENR.htm&yr=2011&sesstype=RS&i=3116 Title: H.B. 3116 Source: http://www.legis.state.wv.us DE Signed into law 04/2011 P-12 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 the following school year equivalent to 98% of the estimated unit count. This will allow districts to make offers of employment to new teachers in the late spring and early summer.  The Act also requires greater transparency by school districts with respect to their hiring practices. http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis146.nsf/vwLegislation/SB+16/$file/legis.html?open Title: S.B. 16 Source: http://legis.delaware.gov AR Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 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 using nationally accepted descriptors that consists of the following four performance levels: (A) Distinguished; (B) Proficient; (C) Basic; and (D) Unsatisfactory. Requires the teacher being evaluated and the evaluator to develop a professional learning plan for the teacher that: (A) Identifies professional learning outcomes to advance the teacher's professional skills; and (B) Clearly links professional development activities and the teacher's individual professional learning needs identified through the Teacher Excellence and Support System. Teachers deemed to be unsatisfactory will be placed on intensive support status and the teacher and evaluator will develop a plan with clear timelines and goals. Provides for termination of teachers in certain circumstances. Requires probationary, novice and intensive support status teachers be evaluated on an annual basis. All other teachers must be evaluated on an every three year basis. Implementation will begin in 2014-15. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Bills/HB2178.pdf Title: H.B. 2178 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us FL Signed into law 03/2011 P-12 Repeals Section 1012.52 relating to the attributes of effective educators. Page 23 of 25: http://laws.flrules.org/files/Ch_2011-001.pdf Title: S.B. 736 - Effective Educators Source: laws.flrules.org IL Adopted 11/2010 P-12 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, format, and frameworks from codes of ethics for educators in numerous states, education agencies, and associations, the Illinois Educator Code of Ethics Advisory Group chose the Rhode Island Educator Code of Professional Responsibility as a model for developing the Code of Ethics for Illinois Educators. Pages 418-423 of 505: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/index/register/register_volume34_issue46.pdf Title: 23 IL ADC 22.10, 20 Source: www.cyberdriveillinois.com NC Signed into law 07/2010 P-12 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 nonfamily member recipient may not donate more than 5 days of sick leave per year to any one nonfamily member recipient; Provides that the combined total of sick leave donated to a recipient from nonfamily member donors shall not exceed 20 days per year; Prohibits donated sick leave from being used for retirement purposes, and employees who donate sick leave must be notified in writing of the state retirement credit consequences of donating sick leave. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2009/Bills/House/PDF/H213v6.pdf Title: H.B. 213 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us VA Signed into law 04/2010 P-12 Postsec. Community College 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 school and the Board of Education. Provides that teachers working in such schools shall be employees of the institution of higher education and licensed by the Board or eligible for licensure. Relates to at-risk pupils and funding. Intended to (1) stimulate the development of innovative programs for preschool through grade 12 students; (2) provide opportunities for innovative instruction and assessment; (3) provide teachers with a vehicle for establishing schools with alternative innovative instruction and school scheduling, management, and structure; (4) encourage the use of performance-based educational programs; (5) establish high standards for both teachers and administrators; (6) encourage greater collaboration between education providers from preschool to the postsecondary level; and (7) develop models for replication in other public schools. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?101+ful+CHAP0871+pdf Title: S.B. 736/H.B. 1389 Source: http://leg1.state.va.us GA Signed into law 03/2010 P-12 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 year, or provide written notification of the intent not to renew an existing certified staff person's contract for the following school year. Also extends employment into the subsequent school year for any teacher or other certified staff person who has not received a termination notice by such extended date, unless the employee provides written notification by June 1. http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/2009_10/pdf/hb906.pdf Title: H.B. 906 Source: www.legis.state.ga.us NJ Signed into law 02/2010 Postsec. 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/2010/Bills/S1000/826_I1.PDF Title: S.B. 826 Source: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ VA Signed into law 02/2010 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 623 Source: http://leg1.state.va.us/ DE Signed into law 02/2010 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 263 Source: http://legis.delaware.gov UT Adopted 02/2010 P-12 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 to share materials for noncommercial use that educators have developed primarily for use in their own classes, courses or assignments. Specifies that educators may share only materials they have developed, not materials purchased or developed by their employer or the state. Authorizes educators to share materials under a Creative Commons License; provides they are personally responsible for understanding and satisfying the requirements of a Creative Commons License. Authorizes public school employers to notify employees that materials developed with public school funds or during public school employment must be reviewed by the employer prior to sharing or distribution. Prohibits public school educators from selling teacher curriculum materials developed in whole or in part with public education funds or developed within the employee's scope of employment to Utah educators. Authorizes districts and charter schools to develop policies directing employees to seek approval before sharing materials developed on contract time, developed partially or jointly with school district/charter school funding, as part of a district/charter school assignment or if materials reference or imply district/charter school use or endorsement. Authorizes districts and charter schools to prohibit their employees from sharing materials that were purchased with district funds or that are licensed specifically for district/charter school use. http://www.rules.utah.gov/publicat/bulletin/2009/20091201/33147.htm Title: R277-111 Source: www.rules.utah.gov MA Signed into law 01/2010 P-12 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/legis/bills/senate/186/st02/st02247.htm Title: S.B. 2247; (NEW BILL) Source: http://www.mass.gov OH Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 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, and to provide for inspection of those institutions. Transfers responsibility for approving teacher preparation programs from the state board to the chancellor of the board of regents, and expands the requirement to include approval of preparation programs for other school personnel. Directs the chancellor and the state superintendent to jointly (1) establish metrics and educator preparation programs for the preparation of educators and other school personnel, and (2) provide for the inspection of the institutions. Requires that the metrics and educator preparation programs be aligned with the standards and qualifications for educator licenses adopted by the state board by statute and the requirements of the Ohio teacher residency program established under section 3319.223. Also requires the metrics and educator preparation programs to ensure that educators and other school personnel are adequately prepared to use the value-added progress dimension prescribed by section 3302.021. Directs the chancellor to approve postsecondary institutions that prepare teachers and other school personnel that maintain satisfactory training procedures and records of performance, as determined by the chancellor. Specifies that if the jointly established metrics require a teacher preparation program to to meet an independent accreditation organization's standards, the chancellor must allow institutions to satisfy the standards of either the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) or the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC). Provides the jointly approved metrics and educator preparation programs may require institutions, as a condition of approval, to to make changes to the curricula of its preparation programs for educators and other school personnel. Requires institutions to allocate funds from existing appropriations to make curricular changes. Directs the chancellor to notify the state board of the metrics and educator preparation programs and approved postsecondary institutions. Directs the state board to publish the metrics, educator preparation programs, and approved institutions with the standards and qualifications for each type of educator license. Transfers responsibility for reporting on the quality of teacher preparation institutions from the state board of education to the chancellor of the Ohio board of regents, in collaboration with the state board of education. DOE summary of H.B. 1: http://www.education.ohio.gov/GD/DocumentManagement/DocumentDownload.aspx?DocumentID=71635 Pages 1017-1018, 1020-1021, 1438-1440 of 3120: http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/BillText128/128_HB_1_EN_N.pdf Title: H.B. 1 - Section 3301.12, 3301.42, 3333.048 and 3333.048 Source: www.legislature.state.oh.us DE Signed into law 07/2009 P-12 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 public school teachers, specialists and administrators, as set forth in Sections 1217 and 1218 of Title 14 of the Delaware Code. http://legis.delaware.gov/LIS/lis145.nsf/vwLegislation/HB+149/$file/legis.html?open Title: S.B. 149 Source: http://legis.delaware.gov CO Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 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 purposes of the program and the data obtained through the program. Sets forth reporting requirements. Establishes the educator identifier fund. Repeals the program. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2009a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/0297ACA8CC0BDE5587257537001A35B9?open&file=1065_enr.pdf Title: H.B. 1065 Source: http://www.leg.state.co.us MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 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 research. The report must include, at a minimum, information on: (1) teacher education preparation program curricula that will prepare prospective teachers to teach an increasingly diverse student population; (2) opportunities for mid-career professionals employed in professions in which there is a shortage of teachers to pursue a teaching career; and (3) enhancing the ability of teachers to use technology in the classroom. https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bin/bldbill.php?bill=S2083.3.html&session=ls86 Title: S.F. 2083 Source: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/ MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 1794 Source: https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 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 continuing contract teachers.  Allows school districts to have trained observers serve as mentors or coaches and to have continuing contract teachers participate in professional learning communities as part of the district's peer review process for continuing contract teachers. Makes this section effective for the 2009-2010 school year and later. 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 MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 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 Title: H.F. 2 Source: https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 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. 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 MN Signed into law 05/2009 P-12 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 professional accomplishment and the applicants' own assessment of professional growth that shows evidence of (1) support for student learning, (2) use of best practices, (3) collaborative work with colleagues, and (4) continual professional development. Directs the board of teaching to ensure that its teacher relicensing requirements include the substance of this paragraph. 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 DE Signed into law 04/2009 Postsec. Community College 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.delaware.gov/LIS/lis145.nsf/vwLegislation/HB+102/$file/legis.html?open Title: H.B. 102 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet OK Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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 punishment; limits application for statements against certain persons; provides for award of costs and certain fees. http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2009-10HB/HB1598_int.rtf Title: H.B. 1598 Source: http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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 or a family member. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1309.pdf Title: H.B. 1999 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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 tutoring, after-school and summer programs that may include the College Preparatory Enrichment Program, professional development for mathematics, science, literacy, foreign language, and Advanced Placement instruction and support to school counselors. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1481.pdf Title: S.B. 918 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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 accredited teacher preparation program at a state- supported institution of higher education; provides only teachers who hold such certification on or after a specified date shall be eligible for a bonus; provides bonuses are not retroactive. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1449.pdf Title: H.B. 1862 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ CO Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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 of the Year; provides that the program may include as a reward a sabbatical from teaching responsibilities, a cash gift, and the opportunity to receive additional training or education; creates the Teacher of the Year Fund. http://www.leg.state.co.us/clics/clics2009a/csl.nsf/fsbillcont3/58CF35AF5408F9708725753900727A7C?open&file=1240_enr.pdf Title: H.B. 1240 Source: http://www.leg.state.co.us AR Signed into law 04/2009 Postsec. Community College 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 Title: S.B. 852 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us AR Signed into law 04/2009 Postsec. Community College 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.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act1215.pdf Title: S.B. 853 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 1372 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us MD Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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 number to specified educational purposes. http://mlis.state.md.us/2009rs/bills/hb/hb0587t.pdf Title: H.B. 587 Source: http://mlis.state.md.us/ AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act938.pdf Title: H.B. 1859 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 2004 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us AR Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Acts/Act969.pdf Title: S.B. 980 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us MS Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 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 payments under and the amount of salary paid to such employees. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2009/pdf/SB/2001-2099/SB2050SG.pdf Title: S.B. 2050 Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us MS Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 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. Requires districts to develop and public certain annual reports prescribed by the state board. Authorizes the state board to request the governor to declare a state of emergency in a school district which meets the definition of a failing school district for two consecutive years. Establishes a recovery school district within the department of education under the direction of the superintendent to provide management and oversight for all districts that are subject to state conservator ship and to hear certain appeals from those districts. Provides for the annual audit of public school districts under the direction of the state auditor. Prescribes training requirements for school board members and superintendents in failing school districts. Requires districts receiving accreditation assistance from the department of education to implement programs specified by state superintendent. Directs the state auditor to conduct a review of the finances of any district determined to be in a serious financial condition and make an immediate report thereon. Clarifies that education employment procedures do not apply to any category of employee in a school district subject to a state conservatorship. Require districts with schools determined to be failing to establish community-based education councils that are accountable to the community. Provides for the removal of appointed or elected school superintendents of underperforming school districts under certain circumstances. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2009/pdf/SB/2600-2699/SB2628SG.pdf Title: S.B. 2628 Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us AR Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 155 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us AR Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 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/assembly/2009/R/Bills/SB227.pdf Title: S.B. 227 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us VA Signed into law 03/2009 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 2474 Source: http://leg1.state.va.us AR Signed into law 02/2009 P-12 Amends eligibility and application requirements for the lifetime teaching license. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2009/R/Bills/HB1133.pdf Title: H.B. 1133 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us CA Rule Adoption 01/2009 P-12 Amends rules concerning single-subject teaching credential authorization. Allows for an additional option for employers to assign individuals to teach science. Title: Title 5 CCR Section 80004 Source: www.lexis.com UT Adopted 12/2008 P-12 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. Title: R277-459 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet CA Signed into law 09/2008 P-12 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 commission to issue authorization to those credential holders. Requires candidates to demonstrate knowledge, skills and language proficiency. Authorizes candidates to demonstrate those abilities by completing approved coursework and examinations. Chapter 660. http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm Title: A.B. 1871 Source: http://www.assembly.ca.gov CA Signed into law 09/2008 P-12 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 authority to hire a certificate teacher who has been afforded the opportunity to take the basic skills proficiency test to county offices of education. Revises the criteria for grants to entities with mentor programs. Provides mentor's requirements. Chapter 518 http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset2text.htm Title: S.B. 1186 Source: http://www.assembly.ca.gov OR Rejected by voters 08/2008 P-12 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 district shall retain the teachers who are most qualified to teach the specific subjects, which they will be assigned to teach; provides the requirements for determining most qualified teachers. http://www.sos.state.or.us/elections/irr/2008/020text.pdf Title: Ballot Measure 60 Source: http://www.sos.state.or.us/ MO Adopted 08/2008 Postsec. 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. http://www.dese.mo.gov/schoollaw/rulesregs/80800280.htm Title: 5 CSR 80-800.280 Source: http://www.dese.mo.gov WV Signed into law 07/2008 P-12 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.htm Title: H.B. 217B Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet LA Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 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 a qualified, experienced mentor to help him or her become a competent professional in the classroom. Requires school boards to post the rights in schools and to provide a copy to parents or legal guardians. Requires districts and schools maintaining a Web site to post such rights on their Web site. http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=497678 Title: H.B. 672 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet LA Signed into law 06/2008 P-12 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 personnel employed by a public school board. Increases maximum fine for conviction on charges of battery of a school teacher from $1,000 to $5,000 and increases minimum and maximum prison sentences. http://www.legis.state.la.us/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=495609 Title: H.B. 757 Source: www.legis.state.la.us MN Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 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=HF1812&session=ls85&version=list&session_number=0&session_year=2007 Title: H.B. 1812 Source: https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us MN Signed into law 05/2008 P-12 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 school district, to increase the diversity of teachers in school districts with a significant concentration of minority students and attain the state's interest in enhancing the academic achievement of diverse student populations. Defines student eligibility requirements and grant amounts. https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/getbill.php?number=HF1812&session=ls85&version=list&session_number=0&session_year=2007 Title: H.B. 1812 Source: https://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us NY Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 4391 Source: assembly.state.ny.us MS Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 Postsec. 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 teachers in all grades. Authorizes school districts affected by Hurricane Katrina to borrow funds and issue promissory notes to the Federal Government under the community disaster loan program. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2008/pdf/SB/2100-2199/SB2176SG.pdf Title: S.B. 2176 Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us MS Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 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 interested in beginning a second career in public education as a teacher. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2008/pdf/SB/2900-2999/SB2913SG.pdf Title: S.B. 2913 Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us MS Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 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 certain terms and related matters. http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/documents/2008/pdf/SB/2500-2599/SB2518SG.pdf Title: S.B. 2518 Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us MS Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 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/0900-0999/HB0902SG.pdf Title: H.B. 902 Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us WV Signed into law 04/2008 P-12 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 year and increase the salary supplement for classroom teachers with 20 or more years of service from $600 to $1,000." http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Fiscalnotes/FN(2)/fnsubmit_recordview1.cfm?RecordID=20052795 Copy of bill: http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2008_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/SB573%20SUB2%20enr.htm Title: S.B. 573 Source: http://www.legis.state.wv.us MS Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 2660 Source: http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us WV Signed into law 03/2008 P-12 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 students' individualized education programs for which transfers during the instructional term are limited. http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2008_SESSIONS/RS/BILLS/HB4478%20ENR.htm Title: H.B. 4478 Source: www.legis.state.wv.us IN Signed into law 02/2008 P-12 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 the member and the member's designated beneficiary are parties in any action, final order or property settlement in an action for dissolution of marriage. http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2008/SE/SE0210.1.html Title: S.B. 210 Source: http://www.in.gov IL Adopted 01/2008 P-12 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 established curriculum and sequence and planning to teach every day while the program is in session. The latter provision has been found to be critical because the Summer Bridges Program is compressed into a short period of time and each day of instruction is important to students' success. Pages 881-888 of 917: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/index/register/register_volume32_issue6.pdf Title: 23 IAC 232.50, .60 Source: www.cyberdriveillinois.com CA Signed into law 10/2007 P-12 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 service. Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish a list of authorized subjects for the designated subjects preliminary and professional career technical education teaching credential. Provides for related tests. Chapter 520 http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/07-08/bill/sen/sb_0051-0100/sb_52_bill_20071012_chaptered.pdf Title: S.B. 52 Source: http://info.sen.ca.gov NJ Adopted 08/2007 P-12 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 professional development standards for teachers and new study, experience and internship requirements for the school administrator and principal endorsements. Provides additional out- of-state reciprocity for administrator and educational services certificates and establishes a new school orientation and mobility educational services endorsement. http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ Title: NJAC 6A:9 Source: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/ MA Issued 08/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College 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 recommendations to: (1) Deliver universal and high quality early education for three- and four-year-olds as well as Full-Day kindergarten; (2) Expand time for teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools; (3) Extend education an additional two years beyond secondary school to better prepare students for higher education, work and citizenship; (4) Align curricula from pre-Kindergarten through high school, higher education and work force development, including with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math as well as other subjects and methods that enhance creativity and problem-solving skills; (5) Structure and support a reasonable degree of school choice, including charter and pilot schools, so that all serve as complementary components of a comprehensive system; (6) Recruit, retain and develop strong educators and administrators at all levels; (7) Streamline and strengthen teacher certification and licensing; (8) Improve the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System and introduce additional appropriate standards and assessments to measure other aspects of students' academic development; (9) Fund the education system adequately, equitably and reliably, including for students with special educational needs; (10) Facilitate collaboration between and among the Commonwealth's public and private institutions of higher education; (11) Strengthen the structure and clarify the mission of the institutions that comprise the University of Massachusetts system and all public higher education institutions in the Commonwealth; (12) Implement an effective and efficient accountability system for students, instructors and administrators from pre-Kindergarten through higher education that enables authorities both to review performance and to target assistance where it is most needed; and (13) Leverage information technology throughout the system to improve instruction, student acquisition of skills, administrative processes, and the quality of and access to data. implements fundamental and systemic reforms to public education in the Commonwealth over the next 10 years. http://www.mass.gov/Agov3/docs/Executive%20Orders/executive_order_489.pdf Title: Executive Order No. 489 Source: http://www.mass.gov NC Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 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/Sessions/2007/Bills/Senate/HTML/S914v2.html Title: S.B. 914 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College 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/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H851v3.html Title: H.B. 851 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 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 financially rewarding teachers through performance pay plans, recruiting teachers to the school unit, and recruiting teachers to hard-to-fill positions in specific subject areas. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H966v5.html Title: H.B. 966 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/ NC Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 1659 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College 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' retirement system. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H1415v6.html Title: H.B. 1415 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 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 lateral entry teachers and determine a program of study that the teachers must complete and the state board will certify these lateral entry teachers based upon the recommendation of the pilot units. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/Senate/HTML/S1115v4.html Title: S.B. 1115 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/ NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Provides for lifetime certification for teachers after 50 years of teaching. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H1308v2.html Title: H.B. 1308 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 1292 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 1471 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 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 National Board Certified Teachers, teachers of the year, and other accomplished teachers to use research-based practices in the classroom. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/Senate/HTML/S1479v0.html Title: S.B. 1479 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/ NC Issued 07/2007 P-12 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/executiveorders/2007/07-July/20-Accelerating%20Teacher%20and%20Other%20Personnel%20Recruitment%20and%20the%20Implementation%20of%20Needed%20Academic%20Support%20Programs.pdf Title: Executive Order No. 120 Source: http://www.governor.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 1414 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/ NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 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, and thereby to reduce the high school dropout rate, increase high school and college graduation rates and decrease the need for remediation in institutions of higher education. It is the intent of the ROPE Scholars Program to: -Reduce class size to one teacher to every 17 students -Provide annual salary increments of up to $5,000 per year to teachers certified in the fields of mathematics, science, or special education -Provide a coordinator position at each participating school to assist in community and parental support -Encourage students participating in the program, through agreements executed between the local school administrative unit and students and their parents or guardians, to: (1) Maintain a 95% attendance rate each year; (2) Achieve a minimum of a "B" average; (3) Take the PSAT and the SAT or the ACT and achieve an adequate score, as determined by the state board; (4) Meet the standards for admission established by the board of governors of the University of North Carolina (5) Engage in community service work each month during the school year for the number of hours determined by the state board; and (6) Evidence good character by not engaging in unlawful conduct. -Provide students who successfully participate in the program with college scholarships. Directs the state board to develop a competitive process through which units may apply to participate in the pilot program. The number of participating units will be limited to three units in the 2008-09 fiscal year. The units will be selected from different geographical areas of the state and shall include at least one urban and one rural unit. The state board will develop a process to evaluate the effectiveness of the program, and is required to prepare a report for the legislative oversight committee that includes the cost of implementing the pilot program and indicates state laws, rules and policies that would preclude the implementation of the pilot. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/Senate/HTML/S1030v0.html Title: S.B. 1030 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/ NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College 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 Title: H.B. 26 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 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 in the investigation of arson, theft or embezzlement of board of education property, or required reporting by a school principal of certain crimes occurring on school premises. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2007/Bills/House/HTML/H550v0.html Title: H.B. 550 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NC Signed into law 07/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College 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 Title: H.B. 583 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us NV Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 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 during the evaluation process, a reasonable effort must be made to assist the teacher to correct the deficiency. Requires an admonition to include a description of the deficiencies of the teacher and the actions that are necessary to correct those deficiencies. http://www.leg.state.nv.us/74th/Bills/AB/AB460_EN.pdf Title: A.B. 460 Source: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/ NV Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 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 Title: A.B. 3A; (NEW BILL) Source: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/ AK Adopted 06/2007 P-12 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 designated highly qualified. ALASKA 3483 http://touchngo.com/lglcntr/akstats/AAC/Title04.htm Title: 4 AAC 04.210(d), .212(h) Source: http://touchngo.com/lglcntr/akstats NV Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 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 participate in a program of mentoring for the first year of his employment as a teacher with a school district or charter school. http://www.leg.state.nv.us/74th/Bills/SB/SB264_EN.pdf Title: S.B. 264 Source: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/ NV Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 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 teachers are not available to fill those positions. Requires the legislative committee on education to conduct a study of issues relating to the use of long-term substitute teachers during the 2007-09 interim. http://www.leg.state.nv.us/74th/Bills/AB/AB512_EN.pdf Title: A.B. 512 Source: http://www.leg.state.nv.us NE Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 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 elect to receive annuity benefits as they existed on the date of death of the member or at age 65, whichever is later. http://uniweb.legislature.ne.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Slip/LB508.pdf Title: L.B. 508 Source: http://uniweb.legislature.ne.gov NV Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 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 the state superintendent to provide written notice to each licensed teacher informing the teacher of the date of license expiration. Notification must be mailed between six months and a year before date of expiration. http://www.leg.state.nv.us/74th/Bills/AB/AB432_EN.pdf Title: A.B. 432 Source: http://www.leg.state.nv.us/ MT Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 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 accordance with policies and procedures adopted by the board of regents in accordance with this bill. http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/specsess/0507/billhtml/SB0002.htm Title: S.B. 2A (Teacher Recruitment) Source: http://data.opi.mt.gov/ TX Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 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 to allow employees to report a grievance to another supervisor. H.B. 1622 requires that the grievance policy of a school district include a provision allowing employees to report a grievance against a supervisor to a supervisor other than the supervisor against whom a grievance is being reported. http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/pdf/HB01622F.pdf Title: H.B. 1622 Source: http://www.legis.state.tx.us WV Proposed Rule COMMENT DEADLINE: 06/01/2007 08/20/2007 Rule Adoption 05/2007 Postsec. Community College 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 Title: Title 133, Series 9 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet MN Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 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, standards and instruction so that all teachers have access to: (1) high quality professional development programs in mathematics and science that address curriculum, instructional methods, alignment of standards, and performance measurements, enhance teacher and student learning, and support state mathematics and (2) research-based mathematics and science programs and instructional models premised on best practices that inspire teachers and students and have practical classroom application. http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2245.2.html&session=ls85 Title: H.F. 2245 [Mathematics and Science Teachers] Source: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us MN Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 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 coursework and training focused on teaching a core subject. http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2245.2.html&session=ls85 Title: H.F. 2245 [Dual Enrollment Teachers] Source: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us MN Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 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.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2245.2.html&session=ls85 Title: H.F. 2245 [Professional Teaching Standards] Source: http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/bin/bldbill.php?bill=H2245.2.html&session=ls85 MO Signed into law 05/2007 P-12 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 loans, a stipend of up to $5,000 may be issued. At the conclusion of the fifth academic year that an applicant teaches in a qualifying district, an amount equal to $1,000 shall be granted to the applicant. Directs the department of higher education to promulgate rules to enforce the provisions of this act. Directs the department to create and maintain a coordinator position who will be responsible for identifying, recruiting and selecting potential students for the program. http://www.senate.mo.gov/07info/pdf-bill/tat/SB389.pdf Title: S.B. 389 [Teaching Fellows] Source: http://www.senate.mo.gov/ MT Passed 04/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College 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 comparisons of plan designs and funding options. http://data.opi.mt.gov/bills/2007/billhtml/HJ0059.htm Title: H.J.R. 59 Source: http://data.opi.mt.gov NM Vetoed 04/2007 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 313 Source: http://legis.state.nm.us NM Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 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://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/07%20Regular/final/SB0211.pdf Title: S.B. 211 Source: http://legis.state.nm.us NM Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 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 require that teacher preparation programs collaborate with colleges of arts and sciences and high schools to develop a model to provide mentorship services with structured supervision and feedback to each of their graduates who have obtained a teaching position in a public high school, including charter schools. http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/07%20Regular/final/SB0211.pdf Title: S.B. 211 Source: http://legis.state.nm.us NM Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Postsec. Community College 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's teacher work force. Identifies other entities the department must cooperate with in designing system and requires that an annual report be prepared. http://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/07%20Regular/final/SB0211.pdf Title: S.B. 211 Source: http://legis.state.nm.us CA Signed into law 09/2006 P-12 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 teachers for developing state policy, identifying workforce trends and needs. Prohibits its use for individual teacher employment decisions and from including personal information. Establishes a teacher identification number for each public school teacher. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_1601-1650/sb_1614_bill_20060905_enrolled.pdf Title: S.B. 1614 Source: California Legislature CA Vetoed 09/2006 P-12 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 required to take the state basic skills proficiency test under certain conditions. Relates to the number and to whom fellowships are awarded under the Governor's Teaching Fellowships Program. Establishes the Teacher Cadet Program. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0801-0850/sb_842_bill_20060908_enrolled.pdf Title: S.B. 842 Source: California Legislature CA Signed into law 08/2006 P-12 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 to accept the transfer. Prohibits a school district board from adopting a policy or regulation regarding priority of a teacher requesting that a school over certified individuals applying for positions at that school. Relates to collective agreements. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_1651-1700/sb_1655_bill_20060824_enrolled.pdf Title: S.B. 1655 Source: California Legislature FL Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 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 the highest quality teachers and dramatically different, innovative approaches to teaching and learning. (b) Every teacher must contribute to every student's reading improvement. (c) Quality professional development provides teachers and principals with the tools they need to better serve students. (d) Small learning communities allow teachers to personalize instruction to better address student learning styles, strengths, and weaknesses. (e) Intensive intervention in reading and math must occur early and through innovative delivery systems. (f) Parents need access to tools they can use to monitor their child's progress in school, communicate with teachers, and act early on behalf of their child. (g) Applied and integrated courses help students see the relationships between subjects and relevance to their futures. (h) School is more relevant when students choose courses based on their goals, interests, and talents. (i) Master schedules should not determine instruction and must be designed based on student needs, not adult or institutional needs. (j) Academic and career planning engages students in developing a personally meaningful course of study so they can achieve goals they have set for themselves. Requires local boards to adopt policies to address: (a) Procedures for placing and promoting grade 6-12 students entering from out of state or from a foreign country, including a review of the student's prior academic performance. (b) Alternative methods for students to demonstrate competency in required courses and credits, with special support for students who have been retained. (c) Applied, integrated, and combined courses that provide flexibility for students to enroll in courses that are creative and meet individual learning styles and student needs. (d) Credit recovery courses and intensive reading and math intervention courses based on student performance on the FCAT. These courses should be competency based and offered through innovative delivery systems, including computer-assisted instruction. Districts should use learning gains as well as other appropriate data and provide incentives to identify and reward high-performing teachers who teach credit recovery and intensive intervention courses. (e) Grade forgiveness policies that replace a grade of "D" or "F" with a grade of "C" or higher earned subsequently in the same or a comparable course. (f) Summer academies for students to receive intensive reading and mathematics intervention courses or competency-based credit recovery courses. A student's participation in an instructional or remediation program prior to or immediately following entering grade 9 for the first time shall not affect that student's classification as a first-time 9th grader for reporting purposes. (g) Strategies to support teachers' pursuit of the reading endorsement and emphasize reading instruction professional development for content area teachers. (h) Creative and flexible scheduling designed to meet student needs. (i) Procedures for high school students who have not prepared an electronic personal education plan to prepare such plan. (j) Tools for parents to regularly monitor student progress and communicate with teachers. (k) Additional course requirements for promotion and graduation which may be determined by each school district in the student progression plan and may include additional academic, fine and performing arts, physical education, or career and technical education courses in order to provide a complete education program. Requires the department to: (a) By February 1, 2007, increase the number of approved applied, integrated, and combined courses available to districts. (b) By the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year, make available a professional development package designed to provide the information that content area teachers need to become proficient in applying scientifically based reading strategies through their content areas. (c) Share best practices for providing a complete education program to students enrolled in course recovery, credit recovery, intensive reading intervention, or intensive math intervention. (d) Expedite assistance and decisions and coordinate policies throughout all divisions within the department to provide districts with support to implement the Florida Secondary School Redesign Act. (e) Use data to provide the Legislature with an annual longitudinal analysis of the success of this reform effort, including the progress of 6th grade students and 9th grade students scoring at Level 1 on FCAT Reading or FCAT Math. Directs the commissioner of education to create and implement the Secondary School Improvement Award Program to reward public secondary schools that demonstrate continuous student academic improvement and show the greatest gains in student academic achievement in reading and math. Pages 35-39 of 160: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h7087er.doc&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=7087&Session=2006 Title: H.B. 7087 - Section 19 Source: www.myfloridahouse.gov FL Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 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 that include the assignment of more than one teacher to a classroom of students for the following purposes only: 1. Pairing teachers for the purpose of staff development. 2. Pairing new teachers with veteran teachers. 3. Reducing turnover among new teachers. 4. Pairing teachers who are teaching out-of-field with teachers who are in-field. 5. Providing for more flexibility and innovation in the classroom. 6. Improving learning opportunities for students, including students who have disabilities. Teaching strategies implemented on or after July 1, 2005 may be implemented subject to the following restrictions: 1. Reasonable limits shall be placed on the number of students in a classroom so that classrooms are not overcrowded. Teacher-to-student ratios within a curriculum area or grade level must not exceed constitutional limits. 2. At least one member of the team must have at least 3 years of teaching experience. 3. At least one member of the team must be teaching in-field. 4. The teachers must be trained in team-teaching methods within 1 year after assignment. http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h7087er.doc&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=7087&Session=2006 Title: H.B. 7087 (Section 16) Source: Florida Legislature FL Signed into law 05/2006 P-12 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 the performance of the teachers on teacher certification examinations. It is the intent of the Legislature that district school boards have flexibility through the collective bargaining process to assign teachers more equitably across the schools in the district. School districts may not assign a higher percentage than the school district average of first-time teachers, temporarily certified teachers, teachers in need of improvement, or out-of-field teachers to schools with above the school district average of minority and economically disadvantaged students or schools that are graded "D" or "F." Each school district must annually certify to the Commissioner of Education that this requirement has been met. If the commissioner determines that a school district is not in compliance, the State Board of Education will be notified and take action. INCENTIVES District school boards are authorized to provide salary incentives to meet this requirement. A district school board may not sign a collective bargaining agreement that precludes the school district from providing sufficient incentives to meet this requirement. Schools graded "D" or "F" must annually report their teacher-retention rate. Included in this report shall be reasons listed for leaving by each teacher who left the school for any reason. http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h7087er.doc&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=7087&Session=2006 Title: H.B. 7087 (Section 57) Source: Florida Legislature TN Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 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 schools. http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/BILL/SB2781.pdf Title: S.B. 2781 Source: Tennessee Legislature TN Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 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/currentga/BILL/HB2863.pdf Title: H.B. 2863 Source: Tennessee Legislature AR Signed into law 04/2006 P-12 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 by the state for cost of administrative leave. Teacher of the year also to be a non-voting advisory member for the state board. Clarifies state and district responsibilities. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2006S1/public/HB1031.pdf Title: H.B. 1031 Source: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ NM Rule Adoption 10/2005 P-12 Relates to performance evaluation system requirements for librarian-teachers NEW MEXICO REG 4424 (SN) Title: NMAC 6.69.5, 6.69.5.1 through 6.69.5.11 Source: StateNet NC ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION DURING THE 2006 SESSION 10/2005 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 706 Source: StateNet AL Signed into law 05/2005 P-12 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 or her classroom as determined exclusively by the teacher. States that funds provided per school for common purchases must be expended according to the decisions of the local school budget committee. States that the budget committee of a school may propose the expenditure of up to $100 from the student materials allotment of the school to supplement the common purchases funding appropriated by the legislature, subject to teacher approval. Provides for repeal of expenditure provision. http://alisdb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/searchableinstruments/2005rs/bills/hb258.htm Title: H.B. 258 Source: alisdb.legislature.state.al.us HI Signed into law 05/2005 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 1250 Source: www.capitol.hawaii.gov IN Signed into law 05/2005 P-12 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 standards is established to advise the superintendent, the board, the department, and the division on matters concerning teacher education, licensing, and professional development. Creates division of professional standards of the department of education. Transfers from the state professional standards board to the department sole authority and responsibility for making recommendations concerning and governing teacher training education and teacher licensing matters. Adds professional development to these transferred responsibilities. Gives the state superintendent authority to appoint the director of the advisory board, who shall be known as the secretary of professional standards. Requires the advisory board, before publishing notice of the intent to adopt a rule, to submit the proposed rule to the state superintendent for approval. Grants the state superintendent power to reject rules submitted for approval by the advisory board. Creates the professional standards fund to be administered by the department. States that money in the fund does not revert to the state general fund at the end of a state fiscal year. Requires the department to work with teacher education schools and departments to develop a system of teacher education that ensures individuals who graduate from the schools and departments are able to meet the highest professional standards. Section 234 clarifies the transition from the professional standards board to the department of education. http://www.in.gov/legislative/bills/2005/HE/HE1001.1.html Title: H.B. 1001 (various sections) Source: www.in.gov DE SIGNED 04/2005 P-12 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 registered mail. Registered mail is significantly more expensive but provides no substantial advantage over certified mail with a return receipt requested. http://www.legis.state.de.us/LIS/LIS143.NSF/vwLegislation/HB+22?Opendocument Title: H.B. 22 Source: www.legis.state.de.us 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 AZ Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 2267 Source: www.azleg.state.az.us KS Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 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 removes the ten-year limit to allow the salary bonus to be provided for those teachers who are re-certified for an additional ten years. In addition, teachers participating in the standards program prior to initial certification currently receive a scholarship to assist with the costs of the program. The bill codifies this scholarship at $1,100 and also provides for a $500 scholarship to assist with the costs of the re-certification program. The bill amends the statutes governing the Teacher Service Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to students who are planning to teach in a hard-to-fill discipline or underserved geographic area. Under current law, a hard-to fill discipline is defined as one in which there is a critical shortage of teachers as determined by the Board of Education. HB 2331 specifically adds math and science instruction for grades five through 12 to the definition. Notes: http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-bills/showBill.do?id=38253 Full text: http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-bills/showBill.do?id=38808 Title: H.B. 2331 (multiple provisions) Source: http://www.kslegislature.org KS Signed into law 04/2005 P-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 national board for professional teaching standards program for initial certification, and to provide scholarships of $500 each to teachers who are accepted to participate in the national board for professional teaching standards program for renewal of certification. For purposes of the teacher service scholarship program, amends definition of ''hard-to-fill teaching discipline'' to include grades 5-12 math and science, makes other minor changes. Bill as enacted: http://www.kslegislature.org/bills/2006/48.pdf Fiscal note: http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-bills/showBill.do?id=35050 Supplemental note: http://www.kslegislature.org/legsrv-bills/showBill.do?id=37380 Title: S.B. 48 (section 10-12) Source: www.kslegislature.org AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 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. Provides that a teacher who does not receive this planning time during the student instructional day must be compensated at his or her hourly rate of pay for each missed planning period except in extraordinary cases enumerated. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2005/public/hb2793.pdf Title: H.B. 2793 Source: www.arkleg.state.ar.us AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 2789 Source: StateNet NM Vetoed 04/2005 P-12 Relates to educational retirees returning to work. http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/_session.asp?chamber=S&type=++&number=216&year=05 Title: S.B. 216 Source: StateNet AR Signed into law 04/2005 P-12 An act to restrict school districts from employing relatives of board members. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2005/public/HB1867.pdf Title: H.B. 1867 Source: StateNet AR Signed into law 03/2005 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 1720 Source: StateNet WV Rule Adoption 03/2005 P-12 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) Title: Title 126, Series 42 Source: StateNet DE Rule Adoption 12/2004 P-12 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 references to reflect legislative changes. Title: 8 DEC, 911 Procedures Manual, Appendixes A and B Source: StateNet CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 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 financial obligations for the current or 2 subsequent fiscal years or if a school district has a qualified or negative certification. Existing law requires the county superintendent to take at least one of certain actions and all actions that are necessary to ensure that the district meets its financial obligations. This bill requires those possible actions to include assigning the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team to review district teacher hiring practices, teacher retention rate, percentage of provision of highly qualified teachers, and the extent of teacher misassignment and also to provide the district with recommendations to streamline and improve the teacher hiring process, teacher retention rate, extent of teacher misassignment, and provision of highly qualified teachers. The bill requires a school district that is assigned this review to follow the recommendations made unless it shows good cause for failure to do so. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_3001-3050/ab_3001_bill_20040929_chaptered.pdf Title: A.B. 3001 (multiple provisions) Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 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 have problems with teacher misassignment and teacher vacancies based on past experience or other available information. Existing law requires a county superintendent of schools to submit an annual report to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing summarizing the results of all assignment monitoring and reviews. This bill requires the county superintendent of schools to give priority to schools ranked in deciles 1 to 3, inclusive, of the Academic Performance Index, as defined, if those schools are not currently under review through a state or federal intervention program. The bill requires a county superintendent of schools to investigate school and district efforts to ensure that any credentialed teacher in an assignment requiring a certificate authorizing the holder to teach English language development to English learners or training that authorizes the holder to teach English language development to English learners completes the necessary requirements for one of those certificates or completes the required training. This bill requires a county superintendent of schools to submit the annual report summarizing the results of assignment monitoring and reviews to the department. The bill requires that report to include information on certificated employee assignment practices in schools ranked in deciles 1 to 3, inclusive, of the Academic Performance Index, as defined, to ensure that in any classes in these schools in which 20% or more pupils are English learners, the assigned teachers possess a certificate authorizing the holder to teach English language development to English learners or have completed training that would authorize them to teach English language development to English learners or are to the duties of county superintendents of schools, the bill imposes a state-mandated local program. The bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to submit a summary of the reports submitted by county superintendents of schools to the Legislature and requires the Legislature to hold public hearings on pupil access to teachers and to related statutory provisions. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_3001-3050/ab_3001_bill_20040929_chaptered.pdf Title: A.B. 3001 (multiple provisions) Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 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 improvement. Existing law requires the system to provide assistance by reviewing and analyzing all facets of a school's operation and by assisting the school in developing recommendations for improving pupil performance and school operations. This bill requires the review and analysis to include the recruitment, hiring, and retention of principals, teachers, and other staff, including vacancy issues and the roles and responsibilities of district and school management personnel. The bill would authorize the system to access the assistance of the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team to review district or school recruitment, hiring, and retention practices. The bill would require the system also to assist schools and districts in efforts to eliminate misassignments of certificated personnel. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_3001-3050/ab_3001_bill_20040929_chaptered.pdf Title: A.B. 3001 (multiple provisions) Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 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 certificated personnel and instruction and training in the curriculum frameworks and instructional materials aligned to the state academic standard, including ensuring the provision of sufficient textbooks and instructional materials as required by law. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_3001-3050/ab_3001_bill_20040929_chaptered.pdf Title: A.B. 3001 (multiple provisions) Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 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 report card and to determine whether the exceptions are either corrected or an acceptable plan of correction developed. Prohibits a local educational agency from being required to repay an apportionment based on a significant audit exception related to the verification of the sufficiency of textbooks and instructional materials, teacher misassignments, and the accuracy of the information reported on the school accountability report card if the county superintendent of schools certifies to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Controller that the audit exception was corrected or that an acceptable plan of correction was submitted to the county superintendent of schools. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0501-0550/sb_550_bill_20040929_chaptered.pdf Title: S.B. 550 (multiple provisions) Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 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 teacher vacancy or misassignment. Requires a notice to be posted in each classroom in each school in the school district notifying parents and guardians that there should be sufficient textbooks or instructional materials, school facilities must be clean, safe, and in good repair, and the location to obtain a form to file a complaint in case of a shortage. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0501-0550/sb_550_bill_20040929_chaptered.pdf Title: S.B. 550 (multiple provisions) Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov/ CA Signed into law 09/2004 P-12 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 report card. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0501-0550/sb_550_bill_20040929_chaptered.pdf Title: S.B. 550 (multiple provisions) Source: www.leginfo.ca.gov CA Vetoed 09/2004 P-12 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 measures the performance of schools and the academic performance of pupils and consists of a variety of indicators. This bill states the intent of the Legislature to establish the Opportunity for Teaching and Learning (OTL) index as part of the Public School Performance Accountability Program to measure the opportunities for teaching and learning as evidenced by access to high-quality learning resources, conditions, and opportunities, based on standards that specify what all schools should have available for instruction and support. This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to, beginning in 2006, publish OTL index values for each school at the same time and in the same manner as the API. The superintendent is required to, no later than October 15, 2005, develop the OTL index that includes various specified indicators. The superintendent is required to determine a method for computing an OTL index for each school on an annual basis, and to determine minimal standards for indicators measured within the OTL index on a school-level basis. This bill would provide that its provisions are to be implemented only if funds are appropriated for its purposes. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_1401-1450/sb_1419_bill_20040818_enrolled.html Title: S.B. 1419 Source: California Legislative Web site MS Rule Adoption 08/2004 P-12 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) Title: (Uncodified) Source: StateNet NM Rule Adoption 08/2004 P-12 Relates requirements for substitute teachers and continuing certification. Title: NMAC 6.63.10.1, .06 thru .8, .12, .14 Source: StateNet MS Rule Adoption 08/2004 P-12 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. MISSISSIPPI REG 9247 (SN) Title: State Board Policy GBDA Source: StateNet IL Signed into law 08/2004 P-12 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 school board must spend at least 40% of the money it receives from Title 2 grants on recruitment of teachers until the number of qualified teachers increases. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/publicacts/fulltext.asp?Name=093-0997 Title: H.B. 6906 Source: Illinois Legislative Web site MI Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 599 Source: StateNet LA Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 Postsec. 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 exceptions. http://www.legis.state.la.us/leg_docs/04RS/CVT5/OUT/0000LWM2.PDF Title: H.B. 445 Source: StateNet MO Signed into law 07/2004 P-12 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 other than retirement (including termination of employment, resignation, [retirement] or furlough but not including vacation, sick leave, excused absence or leave of absence granted by an employer) and such person does not again become a regular employee until after sixty consecutive calendar days have elapsed, or after fifteen consecutive school or work days have elapsed, whichever occurs later. A break in service also occurs when a regular employee retires under the retirement system established by section 169.280 and does not again become a regular employee until after fifteen consecutive school or work days have elapsed. A "school or work day" is a day on which the employee's employer requires (or if the position no longer exists, would require, based on past practice) employees having the former employee's last job description to report to their place of employment for any reason; http://www.house.state.mo.us/bills041/bills/hb1502.htm Title: H.B. 1502 Source: StateNet ND Rule Adoption 07/2004 P-12 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 Title: NDAC 67.1-01-01-01 thru -03 Source: StateNet ND Rule Adoption 07/2004 P-12 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 clinical practice option, and interim licensure of applicants with a bachelor's degree from a teacher education program approved by another jurisdiction. Title: NDAC 67.1-02-04-01, -02 thru -08 Source: StateNet LA Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 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 local board to be notified in writing within seven days of educator's selection, limits number of certain persons serving as such to 10% of the total number of active employees of a district, and provides for return to service at the end of the employee's term of service as a distinguished educator. http://www.legis.state.la.us/leg_docs/04RS/CVT8/OUT/0000LRT1.PDF Title: H.B. 302 Source: StateNet CT Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 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 contract. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2004/act/Pa/2004PA-00243-R00SB-00535-PA.htm Title: S.B. 535 Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site HI Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 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 at locations off-campus. Requires DOE to offer a smoking cessation program to interested employees. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/hb2871_sd1_.htm Title: H.B. 2871 Source: Hawaii Legislative Web site DE Rule Adoption 05/2004 P-12 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/June2004.pdf Title: 14 DAC 1516 Source: Delaware State Web site MN Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 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 employees retirement plan, judges retirement plan, police and fire plan and actuarial audits. http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/slaws/2004/c223.html Title: S.F. 806 Source: StateNet AL Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 544 Source: Alabama LEgislative Web site VA Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 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 English, mathematics, science, history and social science. Specifies that "communication" as included in the Standards of Learning comprises listening, speaking, reading and writing. To passage on public input on proposed revisions to the Standards of Learning, adds that the department must provide and maintain Web capacity to allowing K-12 educators to submit recommendations for improvements to the Standards of Learning, when under review by the state board, as well as to the related assessments. Deletes "career education schools" from language requiring local boards to implement career and technical education programs. Provisions (i) increase from one half-time to one full-time principal in elementary schools with fewer than 300 students; (ii) provide one full-time assistant principal for each 400 students in each school, regardless of grade level; (iv) lower the pupil-teacher ratio from 25:1 to 21:1 in middle and high schools, to ensure the provision of scheduled teacher planning time; (v) reduce the required speech pathologist caseload from 68 to 60 students; (vi) require two technology support positions per 1,000 students in kindergarten through grade 12 divisionwide; and (viii) modify the current funding mechanism for remediation. Requires the state board to submit to the governor and the general assembly a report on the condition and needs of public education in the commonwealth and shall identify any school divisions and the specific schools therein that have failed to establish and maintain schools meeting the existing prescribed standards of quality. http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?041+ful+CHAP0955 Title: H.B. 1014 Source: leg1.state.va.us MI Signed into law 04/2004 P-12 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.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2003-2004/publicact/pdf/2004-PA-0051.pdf Title: H.B. 5476 Source: StateNet MN Signed into law 03/2004 P-12 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.leg.state.mn.us/slaws/2004/c137.html Title: H.F. 480 Source: StateNet NM Pocket Veto by GOVERNOR. 03/2004 P-12 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://legis.state.nm.us/Sessions/04%20Regular/final/HB0062.pdf Title: H.B. 62 Source: http://legis.state.nm.us CA Rule Adoption 02/2004 P-12 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=&infobase=ccr&querytemplate=%261.%20Go%20to%20a%20Specific%20Section&record={FC28}&softpage=Document42 Title: Title 5 CCR 6100-6014, 6110-6112, 6115 Source: California State Web site AR Signed into law 01/2004 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 1053 Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site DE Rule Adoption 11/2003 P-12 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 process of acquiring the necessary content knowledge or pedagogy under the regulations that are currently in place. Provides that individuals currently working toward a standard certificate in a given area have ample opportunity to complete the requirements. Notice that such requirements will change effective June 30, 2006. http://www.state.de.us/research/AdminCode/Education/Education%20Administrative%20Code%20-%20300%20Certification%20Part%201.htm#P4_57 and http://www.state.de.us/research/AdminCode/Education/Education%20Administrative%20Code%20-%201500%20Professional%20Standards%20Board.htm#P4_57 Title: 14 DAC 321 thru 1542 (non-seq) Source: Delaware State Web site CA Signed into law 10/2003 P-12 Community College 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 funded program is other than June 30 or if classified employees are subject to layoff as a result of a bona fide reduction or elimination of a service performed by any department. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0251-0300/ab_290_bill_20031012_chaptered.html Title: A.B. 290 Source: California Legislative Web site CA Signed into law 10/2003 P-12 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 requirements are needed that cannot be acquired during the probationary period, appointment may be made from among the highest 3 ranks of applicants who meet those requirements. Repeals these provisions on January 1, 2006. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0401-0450/ab_424_bill_20031012_chaptered.html Title: A.B. 424 Source: California Legislative Web site CA Signed into law 10/2003 P-12 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 exceptional needs. Prohibits requiring an employee to secure advance permission for personal necessity leave taken for the death of or an accident involving a member of the employee's immediate family. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_1001-1050/ab_1038_bill_20031012_chaptered.html Title: A.B. 1038 Source: California Legislative Web site CA Signed into law 09/2003 P-12 Postsec. Community College 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 are applicable to that classification during the school year. Requires the district to inform the employee of the compensation and benefits before the assignment or service begins. Applicable to school districts and community colleges. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_0901-0950/ab_918_bill_20030821_enrolled.html Title: A.B. 918 Source: California Legislative Web site CA Signed into law 09/2003 P-12 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 program assistance until the participant is offered re-employment and has an opportunity to fulfill their program related obligations. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/asm/ab_1251-1300/ab_1266_bill_20030929_chaptered.html Title: A.B. 1266 § 8 Source: California Legislative Web site UT Rule Adoption 09/2003 P-12 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 to cover another classroom just for convenience. Updates rules for clarification and conformity. UTAH REG 26434 (SN) Title: R277-508 Source: StateNet MI Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 4453 Source: StateNet CA Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 Postsec. Community College 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 Title: A.B. 1070 Source: California Legislative Web site CA Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 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. Deletes the authority of a public school employer to withhold recognition of an employee organization by requiring that a representation election be conducted. Makes conforming and related changes. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/bill/sen/sb_0251-0300/sb_253_bill_20030804_chaptered.html Title: S.B. 253 Source: California Legislative Web site MI Signed into law 08/2003 P-12 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 teacher preparation institutions collaborate with school districts to ensure that the quality of instruction provided to student teachers is comparable to that required in a traditional student teaching program. http://www.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2003-2004/publicact/pdf/2003-PA-0145.pdf Title: H.B. 4391 (multiple provisions) Source: www.michiganlegislature.org IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 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=3585&SessionID=3 Title: H.B. 2350 Source: Illinois Legislative Web site IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 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 elect to participate in the federal Medicare program. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Defines referendum. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=3&GA=93&DocTypeId=HB&DocNum=79 Title: H.B. 79 Source: Illinois Legislation Web site IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 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 reasonable efforts have been made. Makes changes in the definition of reasonable efforts. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=2354&GAID=3&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=3588&SessionID=3 Title: H.B. 2797 Source: Illinois IL Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 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 Practice Act. Provides that a person who has made application to the Department for a license to practice speech-language pathology or audiology may practice without a license pending disposition. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=2864&GAID=3&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=5414&SessionID=3 Title: H.B. 2864 Source: Illinois Legislative Web site LA Signed into law 07/2003 P-12 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 teacher's duties; 2) The right to appropriately discipline students in accordance with state statutes regarding student discipline and local policies; 3) The right to remove any persistently disruptive student from his or her classroom when the student's behavior prevents the orderly instruction of other students or when the student displays impudent or defiant behavior, and to put the student under the supervision of the principal or his or her designee; 4) The right to have his or her professional judgment respected by school and district administrators in any disciplinary action taken by the teacher in accordance with school and district policy and statute; 5) Right to teach in a safe, secure and orderly environment that is conducive to learnign and free from recognized dangers that cause or are likely to cause serious injury; 6) The right to be be treated with civility and respect; 7) The right to communicate with parents about and involve them in appropriate student disciplinary decisions; and 8) The right to be free from excessively burdensome disciplinary paperwork. Forbids any local board from adopting policies that prevent teachers from exercising the rights set out in this section or in sections of statute dealing with student discipline. Requires every local board to give every teacher a copy of this section of state code at the beginning of every school year. http://www.legis.state.la.us/leg_docs/03RS/CVT2/OUT/0000KTSR.PDF Title: H.B. 1342 Source: www.legis.state.la.us CO Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 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.co.us/2003a/inetcbill.nsf/fsbillcont/6CE9F6D02FB03C9287256CD4006035C6?Open&file=250_enr.pdf Title: S.B. 250 Source: Colorado Legislative Web site CO Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 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.nsf/fsbillcont/2EABA5EF22412BD387256CCA004C1CDD?Open&file=1327_enr.pdf Title: H.B. 1327 Source: Colorado Legislative Web site GA Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 25 Source: Georgia Legislative Web site LA Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 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&doctype=BT Title: H.B. 846 Source: www.legis.state.la.us MD Vetoed 05/2003 P-12 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 proposed statutory changes, to the governor and the general assembly by December 31, 2003 for consideration in the general assembly's 2004 regular session. Includes the amount of paperwork of a school administrator. Requires one commission member to be a speech-language pathologist in a public school, to be appointed by the state board of audiologists, hearing aid dispensers and speech-language pathologists. Bill as presented to governor: http://mlis.state.md.us/2003rs/bills/hb/hb0873e.rtf Veto letter: http://mlis.state.md.us/2003rs/veto_letters/hb0873.htm Title: H.B. 873 Source: mlis.state.md.us MD Vetoed 05/2003 P-12 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 intrusions on time that detract from the quality of teaching and learning as it impacts general and special education employees and speech-language pathologists; (2) analyze best practices used in other states to combat this problem; (3) analyze the benefits of a statewide individualized education program (IEP) form; and (4) pursue any other tasks that may reduce paperwork or reduce intrusions on time that detract from the quality of teaching and learning. Requires the commission to report its findings and recommendations, including any proposed statutory changes, to the governor and the general assembly on or before December 31, 2003. Bill as sent to governor: http://mlis.state.md.us/2003rs/bills/sb/sb0558e.rtf Governor's veto letter: http://mlis.state.md.us/2003rs/veto_letters/sb0558.htm Title: S.B. 558 Source: StateNet ME Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 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 Department of Education and to meet the fingerprinting and criminal history record check requirements within 8 weeks of employment. Specifies that for a person who has been fingerprinted pursuant to this section prior to the 20th day of employment and who has not received the results of the criminal history record check prior to the 9th week of employment, the temporary approval card remains valid until the commissioner determines whether approval is granted or denied based on the criminal history record information obtained from the State Bureau of Identification. http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/bills/billdocs/LD103201.doc Title: H.P. 749 (LD 1032) Source: www.mainelegislature.org ID Signed into law 05/2003 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 390 Source: Idaho Legislative Web site CT Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 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 serves as an instructional or administrative assistant for such local or regional board of education. http://www.cga.state.ct.us/2003/fc/2003HB-05289-R000058-FC.htm Title: H.B. 5289 Source: Connecticut Legislative Web site AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 691 Source: Arkansas Legislative Web site CO Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 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 statutes, rules or regulations. http://www.leg.state.co.us/2003a/inetcbill.nsf/fsbillcont/FBDB82BCEE635D6D87256C87004D84D7?Open&file=1127_enr.pdf Title: H.B. 1127 Source: Colorado Legislative web site AR Signed into law 04/2003 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 2516 Source: State legislative web site AR Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 1619 Source: State legislative web site IL Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 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 and the chief executive officer to enter into a partnership agreement with the Chicago Teachers Union with regard to advancing student achievement. http://www.legis.state.il.us/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=&SessionId=3&GA=93&DocTypeId=SB&DocNum=19 Title: S.B. 19 Source: State legislative web site AR Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 349 Source: State legislative web site KY Signed into law 03/2003 P-12 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 permits the recipient to apply for a position as a substitute teacher for any subject area at any grade level in any local district. http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/RECORD/03RS/HB252/bill.doc Title: H.B. 252 Source: http://www.lrc.state.ky.us MI Signed into law 12/2002 P-12 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 Title: S.B. 213 Source: StateNet MI Signed into law 12/2002 P-12 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. http://www.michiganlegislature.org/documents/2001-2002/publicact/pdf/2002-PA-0714.pdf Title: S.B. 1127 Source: StateNet MT Rule Adoption 11/2002 P-12 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 accreditation, teacher certification, hearing procedures, and repeal of ARM 10.57.103 thru .407 relating to teacher certification. Title: 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 Source: StateNet NC Signed into law 09/2002 P-12 Community College 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 correlation between the compulsory attendance age and dropout rates, and the fiscal and instructional accountability of local school administrative units; relates to teacher renewal credits. Encourages local boards to adopt policies that require superintendents to assign to the core academic course, in 7th through 9th grades, teachers who have at least four years' teaching experience and who have received within the last three years an overall rating on a formal evaluation that is at least above standard. http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/html2001/bills/AllVersions/Senate/S1275vr.html Title: S.B. 1275 Source: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us CA Signed into law 09/2002 P-12 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. Provides for reinstatement or revocation of the certificate upon final disposition of the underlying conviction. Requires suspension upon charges of sex or controlled substances crimes. http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/01-02/bill/sen/sb_1651-1700/sb_1656_bill_20020911_chaptered.html Title: S.B. 1656 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet CA Vetoed 08/2002 P-12 Postsec. 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 contains comprehensive data. Requires the final report to be submitted to certain legislative committees. Provides the study and report to be funded exclusively with federal funding. Title: A.B. 1462 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet FL Signed into law 08/2002 P-12 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 direct supervision. See bill section 698, page 1303, line 6 ff. According to state legislative summary, "[Clarifies] that teaching experience applies to in-state and out-of-state public school teaching experience. If employees with unsatisfactory evaluations request transfer, requires superintendent to annually report to department on employees transferred, where transferred and what remediation" was undertaken. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/data/session/2002E/Senate/bills/billtext/pdf/s0020Eer.pdf Title: S.B. 20E Source: http://www.leg.state.fl.us DE Signed into law 06/2002 P-12 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/ Title: S.B. 298 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet GA Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 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/fulltext/hb210.htm Title: H.B. 210 Source: www.legis.state.ga.us CT Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 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 caused by sexual assault to a minor, there is no statute of limitations. Defines as Class B felony actions placing child in endangerment. Makes sexual assault in the first degree a class A felony if the victim is under 16. Expands list of those professionals mandated to report suspected child abuse or neglect. Establishes educational training program for accurate and prompt identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect, available to all mandated reporters. Requires that any mandated reporter who does not report must participate in an educational and training program; reduces maximum time in whic reporting must take place to within 12 hours. Allows state telephone hotline for child abuse to accept information from anyone. States that teacher records held by local or regional boards which are records of the personal misconduct of a teacher are public records and subject to disclosure. Disclosure of such records of a teacher's personal misconduct does not require the consent of the teacher. Title: H.B. 5680 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet FL Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 Allows school boards more time to decide on personnel nominations when the Legislature adjourns before May 31. Title: S.B. 20E Source: http://www.leg.state.fl.us HI Vetoed 05/2002 P-12 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 records that may be necessary in connection with any audit or evaluation of any federal or state supported educational program, or in connection with the enforcement of the federal or state legal requirements which relate to the educational program. http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/hb2231_.htm Title: H.B. 2231 Source: www.capitol.hawaii.gov IA Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 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 development standards established in statute relating to licensure renewal. Moves national board certification registration deadline for purposes of payment of one-half of national board certification fee from June 30, 2002 to June 30, 2005. Teachers must likewise register for national board certification by June 30, 2005 and be certified in three years to obtain 2,500 annual award. Eliminates age limitations of employees eligible for early retirement incentives, leaving these to local board discretion. Includes licensed preschool teachers in definition of "beginning teachers," "classroom teachers," and "teachers." Eliminates requirement that beginning teacher's mentor be classroom teacher. Creates new defintions for "intensive assistance" and "performance reviews" for non-beginning teachers. Revises section requiring boards to provide for evaluations of beginning teachers and performance reviews for non-beginning teachers. Requires state board to adopt state director-developed model criteria for teacher evaluation, advancement and career development. Encourages districts to evaluate their current career development alignment with their student achievement goals and research-based instructional strategies, and implement district career development plans. Reduces from 5 to 3 years the frequency with which teacher performance reviews must be conducted, and requires that these be based in part on individual career development plans. Makes additional changes to beginning teacher evaluation system and teacher career development programs. Establishes timeline for development of administrator preparation program. Establishes minimum teacher salary requirements. Requires department to undertake study of feasibility of change to student achievement and teacher quality program. Creates statewide career path pilot program: http://www.legis.state.ia.us/GA/79GA/Legislation/HF/02500/HF02549/Current.html Title: H.B. 2549 Source: www.legis.state.ia.us OK Signed into law 05/2002 P-12 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 for Teacher Preparation; limits the salary of the Executive Director; provides budgetary limitations; provides an effective date. Title: S.B. 1010 Source: http://www2.lsb.state.ok.us/2001-02SB/sb1010_enr.rtf AL Pocket Veto by GOVERNOR. 04/2002 P-12 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 from the Teachers' Retirement System, the teacher shall conform to the criteria and prescribed limits for outside income. http://alisdb.legislature.state.al.us/acas/searchableinstruments/2002rs/bills/hb605.htm Title: H.B. 605 Source: alisdb.legislature.state.al.us TN Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 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 teachers to be aware of and respond to learning and living environment of students. http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/bills/currentga/Chapter/PC0609.pdf Title: H.B. 1537 Source: http://www.legislature.state.tn.us MD Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 644 Source: mlis.state.md.us IA Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 Expands the board of educational examiners' authority with regard to licensee disciplinary investigations and proceedings. Title: H.B. 2482 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet KY Signed into law 04/2002 P-12 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. Title: S.B. 166 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet MS Signed into law 03/2002 P-12 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 Legislature. Title: H.B. 1069 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet WA Signed into law 03/2002 P-12 Relates to the professional educator standards board; amends statutes; provides that the governor shall appoint or reappoint the members of the board. Title: H.B. 2414 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet KY Signed into law 02/2002 P-12 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 Title: H.B. 282 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet CA Vetoed 09/2001 P-12 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 improvement in the assignment of credentialed teachers and underqualified teachers. Provides for the composition of the index. Requires the publishing of the index on the Internet. Title: A.B. 833 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet DE Signed into law 06/2001 P-12 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 result in criminal conviction. Title: S.B. 70 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet FL Filed as Chapter No 06/2001 P-12 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 their assigned duties. Title: H.B. 279 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet OR Signed into law 06/2001 P-12 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 may accept from any source any grant, donation or gift of money or other valuable thing made to the commission for pur-poses of the Professional Organizations Certification Fund. Moneys credited to the Professional Organizations Certification Fund are continuously appropriated to the commission for the purposes of advanced certifications of teachers and administrators. Title: S.B. 324 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet TX Signed into law 06/2001 P-12 Relates to the rights of a public school teacher who is assaulted during the performance of the teacher's regular duties. Title: H.B. 1188 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet OR Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 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. Title: S.B. 250 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet SC Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Postsec. 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. These colleges and universities should allocate resources appropriate for support of this mission, support of professional development programs for practicing teachers and teacher education faculties to include technology training. Greater attention should be given to attracting diversity in race and ethnicity in faculties and students. Opportunities also should be developed to provide students interested in a teaching career with opportunities to tutor other students. All teacher education programs should strengthen alliances with K-12 education to increase the clinical opportunities for their students and to become more responsive to the needs of practicing teachers. Closer alliances also should be established with the business community and should integrate critical workforce skills into content and methods courses. Teacher education faculties should provide teacher candidates with a variety of effective teaching practices to ensure the state's diverse student population achieve at high levels of learning." Title: H.B. 3534, Section 1 Source: South Carolina Legislative Web Site TN Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 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 payment of $2,500 per year to nationally certified public school teachers who have a valid teaching license and valid certification, subject to funding in the general appropriations act. Title: S.B. 1881/H.B. 1921--Omnibus Bill Source: http://www.legislature.state.tn.us NV Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Revises provisions governing sexual conduct between pupils and persons in position of authority at schools. Title: S.B. 183 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet TX Vetoed 05/2001 P-12 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 other than (1) a report of a student's grade on a particular assignment or examination; (2) a report of a student's grades at the end of a grade reporting period; (3) a textbook report; (4) a unit or weekly lesson plan report that outlines, in a brief and general manner, the information to be presented during each period at the secondary level or in each subject or topic at the elementary level; (5) an attendance report; (6) a report required for accreditation review; (7) any other report specifically required by law or state board rule to be prepared by a classroom teacher; or (8) any other report directly related to the professional duties of the classroom teacher. Title: H.B. 106 Source: http://www.house.state.tx.us/ TN Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 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). Title: H.B. 1039 Source: Tennessee Legislative Web Site FL Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 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 instructional personnel and administrative personnel; requires competitive procurement of any insurance carrier that provides state-funded liability coverage; providing for reversion of certain funds. Title: H.B. 409 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet MD Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Postsec. 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 responsible for in-State tuition. Title: H.B. 401 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet OK Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 One portion of this large bill stipultes that teachers receiving National Board certification receive $7,000 annually as long as they continue teaching in the state and continue their National certification. Title: H.B. 1499--Multiple Components Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet WV Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Establishes the National Institute for Teaching Excellence to be implemented by the secretary with the assistance of the superintendent and the chancellor. The Insitute is to encourage/promote excellence and awareness of quality teacher preparation programs in the state. Establishes a board for the Institute that has the responsibility for developing, overseeing and implementing the operations of the institute. It consists of seven members selected as follows: (1) The secretary or a designee; (2) The superintendent or a designee; (3) The chancellor or a designee; (4) One certified teacher, selected by the state board; and (5) Three members selected by the secretary representing West Virginia higher education institutions with approved teacher education programs. Of the three members selected by the secretary, one shall represent a state university, one shall represent a public college, and one shall represent a private college. Title: H.B. 3245 Source: West Virginia Legislative Web Site IN Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 Specifies that parents as teachers programs are included among the parent information programs eligible to receive Step Ahead early childhood grant funds. Title: H.B. 1417 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet AR Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 From the legislation: EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT SHALL PROVIDE TO EACH PRE-KINDERGARTEN THROUGH SIXTH GRADE TEACHER IN EACH FISCAL YEAR AT LEAST TEN DOLLARS ($ 10.00) PER STUDENT OR TWO HUNDRED FIFTY ($ 250) PER CLASSROOM TO PURCHASE RELATED COMMODITIES FOR USE BY THAT TEACHER IN HIS OR HER CLASSROOM OR FOR CLASS ACTIVITIES. Title: H.B. 2621 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet ND Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 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 individual who is a nonpublic school classroom teacher; two individuals who are school board member members; two individuals who are administrators; and one dean of a college of education or chairman of a department of education. 2. The superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee shall serve as a nonvoting ex officio member. Title: H.B. 1326 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet NM Vetoed 04/2001 P-12 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. Title: S.B. 308 Source: New Mexico Legislative Web Site VA Signed into law 04/2001 P-12 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 remediation of students who fail or risk failing the Standards of Learning assessment; requires local divisions to offer training; states if a division fails to offer timely training, no teacher will be denied such contract status. Title: S.B. 1304 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet CO Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 Concerns a limitation on information in school reports concerning the percentage of teachers teaching in a subject in which the teacher received a degree. Title: H.B. 1215 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet UT Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 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, preservice, licensure, induction, professional development, and evaluation; requires annual report to Legislature on state of teacher quality in state, to include reliable data on state's supply of and demand for teachers. Title: S.B. 16 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet WY Signed into law 03/2001 P-12 Relates to the national teacher certification incentive; modifies program reimbursement levels; eliminates the delayed repeal of the program. Title: S.B. 13 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet SD Signed into law 02/2001 P-12 Prohibits school boards from employing any person whose certificate has been revoked or suspended. Title: H.B. 1067 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet PA Signed into law 12/2000 P-12 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. Title: H.B. 1416 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet CA Signed into law 09/2000 P-12 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 approval of the State Board of Education, to develop criteria for the grant applications, and the superintendent would select grant recipients. Title: A.B. 908 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet IA Signed into law 05/2000 P-12 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 school building, on school grounds, or at a school sponsored function. Title: H.B. 2473 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet KS Signed into law 05/2000 P-12 Concerns schools and school district; relates to employment of personnel; includes incentives for national certification and mentoring of first year teachers. Title: S.B. 432 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet TN Signed into law 05/2000 P-12 Postsec. Allows non-citizens to be employed at public schools and colleges in Tennessee. Title: S.B. 2939 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet WI Signed into law 05/2000 P-12 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. Title: A.B. 100 Source: NCREL Policy LINCletter Spring II 2000 WV Signed into law 04/2000 P-12 Postsec. 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, peer institutions, legislative financing goals, financing, base funding, additional funding, statewide task force on teacher quality, statewide task force on student financial aid, and graduate education. Title: S.B. 653 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet GA Signed into law 04/2000 P-12 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 revenues derived from the sale of such plates dedicated to a fund for such program of indemnification. Title: H.B. 1388, H.R. 971 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet MS Signed into law 04/2000 P-12 Establishes General Education Diploma as a minimum eligibility requirement for assistant teachers. Title: H.B. 106 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet GA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 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 judge of a state court, or a judge of a probate court. Title: S.B. 27 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet SD Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 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 transfers of school funds. Title: H.B. 1257 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet GA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Duty-free lunches for teachers are mandated and are no longer dependent on funding from the General Assembly. Title: H.B. 1187 Source: Georgia Department of Education SD Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Reimburses public school teachers who become nationally certified. Title: H.B. 1255 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet SD Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Defines long-term substitute teachers; requires certain reporting on the use of long-term substitute teachers. Title: S.B. 172 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet UT Signed by governor 03/2000 P-12 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 supplies. Title: S.B. 3, H.B. 189 Source: State of Utah web site VA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 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. Title: H.B. 1517 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet WA Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 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, certification, mentoring and support, professional growth, retention, governance, prospective teacher pedagogy assessment, prospective evaluation and revocation and suspension of licensure. Title: H.B. 2760 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet VA Signed into law 02/2000 P-12 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. Title: H.B. 605 Source: Lexis-Nexis/StateNet