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From the ECS State Policy Database 1994-2013

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Education Commission of the States • 700 Broadway, Suite 810 • Denver, CO 80203-3442 • 303.299.3600 • fax 303.296.8332 • www.ecs.org

The following summary includes policies ECS has tracked in this database since 1994. This database is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States (ECS). Most entries are legislative, although rules/regulations and executive orders that make substantive changes are included. Every effort is made to collect the latest available version of policies; in some instances, recent changes might not be reflected. For expediency purposes minimal attention has been paid to style (capitalization, punctuation) and format. To view the documents, click on the blue triangle next to the topic of interest. Please cite use of the database as: Education Commission of the States (ECS) State Policy Database, retrieved [date]. State Status/Date Level Summary 21st Century Skills Accountability Accountability--Accreditation Accountability--Measures/Indicators Accountability--Reporting Results Accountability--Rewards Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions--Learnfare Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions--No Pass No Drive Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions--No Pass No Play Accountability--Sanctions/Interventions--Takeovers Accountability--School Improvement Adult Basic Education Assessment Assessment--Accommodations Assessment--College Entrance Exams Assessment--Common Core/National Tests Assessment--Computer Based Assessment--End-of-Course Assessment--Formative/Interim Assessment--High Stakes/Competency Assessment--NAEP (NAEP Results and NAEP Organization) Assessment--Performance Based/Portfolio Assessment--Value Added At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention) At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Alternative Education At-Risk (incl. Dropout Prevention)--Drugs/Alcohol Attendance Attendance--Compulsory Attendance--Statutory Ages (Upper and Lower) Attendance--Truancy Background Checks Bilingual/ESL Brain Research Business Involvement Career/Technical Education Career/Technical Education--Career Academies/Apprenticeship Cheating Choice of Schools Choice of Schools--Charter Schools Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Charter Districts Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Closings Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Cyber Charters Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Finance Choice of Schools--Charter Schools--Research Choice of Schools--Choice/Open Enrollment Choice of Schools--Innovation Schools Choice of Schools--Magnet or Specialized Schools Choice of Schools--Tax Credits Choice of Schools--Vouchers Choice of Schools--Vouchers--Privately Funded Civic Education Civic Education--Character Education Civic Education--Civic Knowledge and Literacy Civic Education--Curriculum/Standards Civic Education--Pledge of Allegiance Class Size Counseling/Guidance Curriculum Curriculum--Alignment Curriculum--Arts Education Curriculum--Censorship Curriculum--Computer Science Curriculum--Core Curriculum Curriculum--Drivers Education Curriculum--Environmental Education Curriculum--Excusal Curriculum--Family Living Education Curriculum--Financial Literacy/Economics Ed. Curriculum--Foreign Language/Sign Language Curriculum--Geography Education Curriculum--Health/Nutrition Education Curriculum--Home Economics Curriculum--International Education Curriculum--Language Arts Curriculum--Language Arts--Writing/Spelling Curriculum--Mathematics Curriculum--Multicultural Curriculum--Physical Education Curriculum--Science Curriculum--Sex Education Curriculum--Social Studies/History Data-Driven Improvement Demographics Demographics--Condition of Children/Adults Demographics--Enrollments Desegregation Economic/Workforce Development Economic/Workforce Development--Value of an Education Education Research Equity Federal Finance Finance--Adequacy/Core Cost Finance--Aid to Private Schools Finance--Bonds Finance--District Finance--Does Money Matter? Finance--Equity IL Adopted 03/2012 P-12 Equal Funding for All Chicago Students H.R. 843 Urges the administration of the Chicago Public School District to allocate equal funding for each student, regardless of where that student attends school. http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/97/HR/PDF/09700HR0843lv.pdf... More... TX Signed into law 06/2009 P-12 Comprehensive Review of School Finance Weights, Allotments and Adjustments H.B. 3646 - Section 65 Adds new Subchapter I in Chapter 42 of Education Code. Establishes the Select Committee on Public School Finance Weights, Allotments, and Adjustments to conduct a comprehensive review of weights, allotments and adjustments under the public school finance syste... More... WA Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Definitions H.B. 2261--Section 1, Definitions Sections 1 and 2 express legislative intent to fulfill their obligation under Article IX of the State Constitution to establish a general and uniform system of public schools, define basic education and implement allocation formulas that address differences in... More... WA Signed into law 04/2009 P-12 Funding Equity H.B. 2261--Section 309, Funding Equity Section 309 instructs the superintendent of public instruction to ensure the allocation formula results in adequate appropriation for low-enrollment districts, nonhigh districts, districts involved in cooperative transportation agreements and cooperative speci... More... SD Signed into law 02/2008 P-12 Finance equity H.B. 1047 Appropriates money from the general fund to the Department of Education for the purpose of making payments to sparse school districts. http://legis.state.sd.us... More... UT Signed into law 08/2007 P-12 Equalization Task Force H.B. 1003 Creates a 16-member Equalization Task Force. The task force is to review and make recommendations on the following issues: (a) methods to provide equalization of capital funding on a statewide or countywide basis; and (b) other issues related to equalization o... More... TX Signed into law 06/2007 P-12 Equalized Wealth H.B. 3226 Relates to the equalization of property wealth in certain school districts; provides that, if a school district's wealth per student exceeds the equalized wealth level for the first time in the 2006-2007 or a later school year, the commissioner may consider th... More... AR Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 Funding S.B. 274 (Finance) Section 32 of the act repeals code concerning eligibility for isolated schools funding; Section 30 properly replaces the isolated schools language into another section of code; Section 33 amends the requirements for qualification to receive supplemental millag... More... ID Signed into law 04/2007 P-12 State Education Funding S.B. 1236 (Section 8) Increases state education funding to school districts, partially in order to create greater funding equity between school districts in the state. The appropriation provides $20.13 million in new line item funding for classroom supplies, textbooks and remedial ... More... TX Adopted 02/2007 P-12 Need for Lower Property Taxes S.C.R. 20 Based on the premise that the legislature finds that the existing need for lower school district property taxes constitutes an emergency for the people of Texas. Based on legislative actions taken following the Texas Supreme Court decision in Neeley v. West Or... More... WY Approved by voters 11/2006 P-12 Postsec. Limits Property Tax Revenue Redistribution to School Districts V. 2 Proposes an amendment (amendment B) to the Constitution to repeal the current limitation on the amount of property tax revenues that may be redistributed by the state through the School Foundation Program Account from school districts with greater property tax... More... KS Became law without governor's signature 04/2005 P-12 2010 Commission H.B. 2247 (section 7-9) Establishes the 2010 Commission. States that the commission shall cease to exist on December 31, 2010. Requires the commission to: (a) Conduct continuous and on-going monitoring of the implementation and operation of the school district finance and quality per... More... RI Became law without GOVERNOR'S signature. 07/2004 P-12 Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act H.B. 8318 Adds a new chapter: the Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act; creates a joint legislative committee to establish a permanent education foundation and education formula for the state. ... More... NH Signed into law 06/2004 P-12 Calculation for Statewide Enhanced Education Tax S.B. 324 Requires the commissioner of revenue administration, when determining the amount of statewide enhanced education tax to be raised by a municipality, to make an adjustment to the municipality's total equalized value by subtracting the value of certain property ... More... TN Signed into law 06/2004 Postsec. Community College Master Plan for Higher Education H.B. 2865 Deleted and replaced a previous sub-section of law. Requires development of a master plan for future development of public higher education, including technology centers; requires the master plan to include specific goals, including: (A) Increasing educationa... More... VT Signed into law 05/2004 P-12 School Districts Funding S.B. 315 This act establishes an equalized pupil count for union and unified union school districts, removes the system of assessing member districts to fund union and unified union school districts, and directs the commissioner of education to send funding directly to... More... GA Adopted 04/2004 P-12 Regular Advance and Low-Wealth Funding GAC 160-5-4-.05 Adds rules regarding the provisions under which school systems can receive low-wealth funding. http://www.doe.k12.ga.us/_documents/doe/legalservices/160-5-4-.05.pdf... More... TX Adopted 03/2004 P-12 Commissioner's Rules on School Finance 61.AA Sets administrative ratios for funding purposes; addresses "gap funding" to meet equalization requirements.... More... AR Signed into law 02/2004 P-12 Department of Education H.B. 1009 Creates the Division of Public School Accountability and the Arkansas Public Schools Accountability Advisory Council; creates the Division of Public School Academic Facilities to ensure equal access to adequate educational facilities and educational equipment;... More... AR Became law without governor's signature 01/2004 P-12 Public Education Reorganization H.B. 1109 Relates to the public education re-organization act; to ensure equal opportunities for an adequate education to all students; provides for administrative annexation and administrative consolidation of school districts. http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bil... More... AR Signed into law 01/2004 P-12 Public School Funding Act of 2003 S.B. 42 Relates to the Public School Funding Act of 2003; provides equitable funding to public schools; provides a system for monitoring public school expenditures; increases minimum teacher salaries; establishes a knowledge and skills-based pay system for teachers; p... More... AR Signed into law 01/2004 P-12 Student Assessment and Educational Accountability Act of 2004 - Equity S.B. 33 §§ 1,3 Amends Ark. Code § 6-15-404 and 15-15-402. Arkansas does not guarantee student success or that individual schools will perform at level indicated in goals. Arkansas is committed to giving all students an opportunity to perform at grade appropriate levels. http... More... RI Became law without governor's signature 07/2003 P-12 Student Equity Investment Fund H.B. 6055 Allocates moneys from the student equity investment fund based on each district's proportion of resident children eligible for USDA reimbursable school meals relative to the total number of eligible students statewide.... More... WA Signed into law 06/2003 P-12 State Property Taxes S.B. 6058 Modifies the distribution of state property taxes. For the 2005-2006 school year, requires that an amount equal to three hundred dollars per full-time equivalent student in all school districts be deposited in the student achievement fund to be distributed to... More... OH Adopted 02/2003 P-12 School Funding Resolution N/A State board unanimously approved a school funding resolution expressing the board's commitment to work with the Governor and the Ohio General Assembly to explore ways to better fund Ohio's public schools. The Board requested in the resolution that the Governor... More... MD Signed into law 07/2002 P-12 Enrollment Count Review Committee S.B. 856 Requires department to gather a committee of interested stakeholders to examine specified issues related to enrollment counts to ensure that the new school finance system, which is based on the number of pupils in each district, accurately reflects the workloa... More... WA Signed into law 03/2002 P-12 Local Effort Assistance Program H.B. 3011 Modifies and studies the local effort assistance program; provides that the purpose of the funds is to mitigate the effect that above average property tax rates might have on the ability of a school district to supplement the state's basic program of education... More... WY Signed into law 03/2002 P-12 Education Resource Block Grant Model S.B. 51 Relates to school finance; modifies the education resource block grant model in response to the supreme court decision; implements recalibration of cost based prototypical school models; modifies requirements for out of state high school tuition payments; tran... More... OR Signed into law 07/2001 P-12 Local Option Equalization Grant Program H.B. 2300 Establishes a Local Option Equalization Grant Program for school districts that impose Local Option Tax and that have district total assessed value of taxable property per student that is less than top 25% of districts.... More... MT Signed into law 05/2001 P-12 Equity and Adequacy Task Force H.B. 625 Requires the Governor and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to conduct a study of the adequacy and equity of funding for K-12 public schools in Montana; provides an appropriation.... More... OR Unofficially approved by voters 11/2000 P-12 Equity and Adequacy in School Funding V. 24; (NEW BILL) MEASURE 1; Proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution regarding accountability and equity in school funding; provides that the legislature must fund school quality goals adequately; establishes grants.... More... WY Signed into law 03/2000 P-12 Education Equity Account H.B. 195 De-earmarks federal mineral royalties and severance taxes for transportation & interest on water development funds; creates the educational equity account for public schools.... More... CA Vetoed 10/1999 P-12 Funding Equal Opportunity for Success S.B. 81 Requires the Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Legislature to prioritize and align educational resources and funding to ensure that all pupils have an equal opportunity for the educational success, and requires the State Department of Edu... More... TX Signed into law 06/1999 P-12 Parameters for Funding Equalization S.B. 4 Amends the law that sets parameters for funding equalization.... More... AR Signed into law 04/1999 P-12 Education Funding and Uniform Tax Rate S.B. 755 Provides for an act to amend various sections of Title 6 and Title 26 of the Arkansas code relative to funding of public education and the determination of the uniform rate of tax.... More... NE Signed into law 04/1998 P-12 L.B. 1134 Relates to the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act; changes provision relating to school district reorganization incentives; harmonizes provisions; repeals the original section.... More... WY Vetoed 06/1997 P-12 H.B. 1001 Relates to public schools; prescribes school reform in response to the supreme court decision in Campbell County School District, et al., v. State of Wyoming, et al., authorizes limited local option ad valorem tax levies; provides for appropriations; authorize... More... MS Passed 04/1997 P-12 H.C.R. 159 Financing Adequate Educataion Program Suspends deadlines for further consideration of S 2649, providing Mississippi Adequate Educataion program.... More... ID Signed into law 02/1996 P-12 H.B. 707 Citizens May Sue Over Adequacy of Public Education Adds to existing law to provide the "Constitutionally Based Educational Claims A" to provide a procedure where the citizens of Idaho may sue over the adequacy of public education.... More... ID Signed into law 06/1994 P-12 S.B. 1291 Constitutional Education System In response to the decision of the courts that the legislature is not providing a thorough system of schools as required by the constitution, this legislation defines the elements of a thorough system of public schools. Eight general basic assumptions are list... More... Finance--Facilities Finance--Federal Finance--Funding Formulas Finance--Litigation Finance--Local Foundations/Funds Finance--Lotteries Finance--Performance Funding Finance--Private Giving Finance--Resource Efficiency Finance--State Budgets/Expenditures Finance--Student Fees Finance--Taxes/Revenues Finance--Taxes/Revenues--Alternative Revenues Governance Governance--Deregulation/Waivers/Home Rule Governance--Ethics/Conflict of Interest Governance--Mandates Governance--Regional Entities Governance--School Boards Governance--School Boards--Training Governance--Site-Based Management Governance--State Boards/Chiefs/Agencies Health Health--Child Abuse Health--Mental Health Health--Nutrition Health--School Based Clinics or School Nurses Health--Suicide Prevention Health--Teen Pregnancy High School High School--Advanced Placement High School--College Readiness High School--Credit Recovery High School--Dropout Rates/Graduation Rates High School--Dual/Concurrent Enrollment High School--Early Colleges/Middle Colleges High School--Exit Exams High School--GED (General Education Development) High School--Graduation Requirements Instructional Approaches Instructional Approaches--Constructivism Instructional Approaches--Grading Practices Instructional Approaches--Homeschooling Instructional Approaches--Homework/Study Skills Instructional Approaches--Official English Instructional Approaches--Problem Based Learning Instructional Approaches--Single-Sex Education Instructional Approaches--Teaching Across Disciplines Instructional Approaches--Time/Time on Task Instructional Approaches--Tracking/Ability Grouping Integrated Services/Full-Service Schools International Baccalaureate International Benchmarking Leadership Leadership--District Superintendent Leadership--District Superintendent--Compensation and Diversified Pay Leadership--Principal/School Leadership Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Certification and Licensure Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Compensation and Diversified Pay Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Evaluation and Effectiveness Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Induction Programs and Mentoring Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Preparation Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Preparation--Alternative Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Professional Development Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Recruitment and Retention Leadership--Principal/School Leadership--Tenure Mentoring/Tutoring Middle School Minority/Diversity Issues Minority/Diversity Issues--African American Minority/Diversity Issues--American Indian / Alaska Native / Native Hawaiian Minority/Diversity Issues--Hispanic No Child Left Behind No Child Left Behind--Adequate Yearly Progress No Child Left Behind--Assessment No Child Left Behind--Choice/Transfer No Child Left Behind--Consequences for Schools No Child Left Behind--Finance No Child Left Behind--Parent Involvement No Child Left Behind--Reauthorization Issues/Waivers No Child Left Behind--Report Cards No Child Left Behind--School Support No Child Left Behind--Special Populations No Child Left Behind--Supplemental Services Online Learning--Digital/Blended Learning Online Learning--Virtual Schools/Courses P-16 or P-20 P-3 P-3 Brain Development P-3 Child Care P-3 Content Standards and Assessment P-3 Data Systems P-3 Early Intervention (0-3) P-3 English Language Learners (ELL) P-3 Ensuring Quality P-3 Evaluation/Economic Benefits P-3 Family Involvement P-3 Finance P-3 Governance P-3 Grades 1-3 P-3 Health and Mental Health P-3 Kindergarten P-3 Kindergarten--Full-Day Kindergarten P-3 Kindergarten--Full Day Kindergarten P-3 Preschool P-3 Public/Private Partnerships P-3 Special Ed./Inclusion P-3 Teaching Quality/Professional Development P-3 Technology Parent/Family Parent/Family--Parent Rights Parent/Family--Research Partnerships--University/School Postsecondary Postsecondary Accountability Postsecondary Accountability--Accreditation Postsecondary Accountability--Diploma Mills Postsecondary Accountability--Licensing/Program Review and Approval Postsecondary Accountability--Student Learning Postsecondary Affordability Postsecondary Affordability--Financial Aid Postsecondary Affordability--Textbooks Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees--Prepd/College Savings Plans Postsecondary Affordability--Tuition/Fees--Undocumented Immigrants Postsecondary Faculty Postsecondary Faculty--Compensation Postsecondary Faculty--Intellectual Property Postsecondary Faculty--Teaching Assistants Postsecondary Faculty--Tenure Postsecondary Finance Postsecondary Finance--Efficiency/Performance-Based Funding Postsecondary Finance--Facilities Postsecondary Finance--Revenue and Expenditures Postsecondary Governance and Structures Postsecondary Governance and Structures--Administrative/Leadership Issues Postsecondary Governance and Structures--State Executives/State Agencies Postsecondary Institutions Postsecondary Institutions--Community/Technical Colleges Postsecondary Institutions--For-Profit/Proprietary Postsecondary Institutions--Four-Year Baccalaureate Postsecondary Institutions--HBCUs/Minority-Serving Institutions Postsecondary Institutions--Private/Independent Postsecondary Online Instruction Postsecondary Participation Postsecondary Participation--Access Postsecondary Participation--Admissions Requirements Postsecondary Participation--Affirmative Action Postsecondary Participation--Enrollments (Statistics) Postsecondary Participation--Outreach Postsecondary Students Postsecondary Students--Adults Postsecondary Students--Disabled Postsecondary Students--Foster Youth Postsecondary Students--Graduate/Professional Postsecondary Students--International Postsecondary Students--Low-Income Postsecondary Students--Military Postsecondary Students--Minority Postsecondary Success Postsecondary Success--Completion Postsecondary Success--Developmental/Remediation Postsecondary Success--Retention/Persistence Postsecondary Success--Transfer/Articulation Private Schools Privatization Privatization--Education Management Agencies (EMOs) Proficiency-Based Approaches Promising Practices Promotion/Retention Public Involvement Purposes of Public Education Reading/Literacy Reading/Literacy--Adult Literacy Religion Religion--Prayer/Meditation Religion--Scientific Creationism (Evolution) Remediation (K-12) Rural Scale-Up/Replication Scheduling/School Calendar Scheduling/School Calendar--Day/Class Length Scheduling/School Calendar--Extended Day Programs Scheduling/School Calendar--Summer School Scheduling/School Calendar--Week Scheduling/School Calendar--Year Scheduling/School Calendar--Year Round School Climate/Culture School Safety School Safety--Bullying Prevention/Conflict Resolution School Safety--Code of Conduct School Safety--Corporal Punishment School Safety--Disaster/Emergency Preparedness School Safety--Expulsion/Suspension School Safety--No Child Left Behind--Safe Schools School Safety--Sexual Harassment and Assault School Safety--Special Education School Safety--Uniforms/Dress Codes School/District Structure/Operations School/District Structure/Operations--District Consolidation/Deconsolidation School/District Structure/Operations--District Size School/District Structure/Operations--Facilities School/District Structure/Operations--Food Service School/District Structure/Operations--Libraries School/District Structure/Operations--Org. (K-3/K-8 etc.) School/District Structure/Operations--Personnel (Non-Teaching) School/District Structure/Operations--School Size School/District Structure/Operations--Shared Services School/District Structure/Operations--Staffing Ratios School/District Structure/Operations--Transportation Service-Learning Social/Emotional Learning and Non-Cognitive Skills Special Education Special Education--Federal Law/Regulations Special Education--Finance Special Education--Inclusion (Mainstreaming) Special Education--Placement Special Education--Transition Special Populations--Corrections Education Special Populations--Foster Care Special Populations--Gifted and Talented Special Populations--Homeless Education Special Populations--Immigrant Education Special Populations--Migrant Education Special Populations--Military Standards Standards--Common Core State Standards Standards--Implementation State Comparisons/Statistics State Longitudinal Data Systems State Policymaking State Policymaking--Ballot Questions State Policymaking--Constitutional Clauses State Policymaking--Politics State Policymaking--Task Forces/Commissions STEM Student Achievement Student Achievement--Closing the Achievement Gap Student Surveys Students Students--Athletics/Extracurricular Activities Students--Employment Students--Incentives Students--K-12 Exchange Students Students--Mobility Students--Records/Rights Teaching Quality Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Alternative Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Assignment Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Highly Qualified Teachers Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Natl. Bd. for Prof. Teach. Stds. Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Special Education Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--State Prof. Standards Bds. Teaching Quality--Certification and Licensure--Substitute Teachers Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay--Pay-for-Performance Teaching Quality--Compensation and Diversified Pay--Retirement/Benefits Teaching Quality--Evaluation and Effectiveness Teaching Quality--Induction Programs and Mentoring Teaching Quality--Paraprofessionals Teaching Quality--Preparation Teaching Quality--Professional Development Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention--At-Risk Schools Teaching Quality--Recruitment and Retention--High-Needs Subjects Teaching Quality--Reduction in Force Teaching Quality--Teacher Attitudes Teaching Quality--Teacher Contracts (Not Tenure) Teaching Quality--Teacher Rights Teaching Quality--Tenure or Continuing Contract Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining Teaching Quality--Unions/Collective Bargaining--Strikes Teaching Quality--Working Conditions Technology Technology--Computer Skills Technology--Devices/Software/Hardware Technology--Equitable Access Technology--Funding Issues Technology--Internet Safety Technology--Research/Evaluation Technology--Teacher/Faculty Training Textbooks and Open Source Urban Urban--Change/Improvements Urban--Governance Whole-School Reform Models