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2000 Final Legislative Actions
Alabama Elementary and secondary schools will operate with $2.8 billion from the finance formula, 4.7 percent more than is available in 1999-2000. This amount includes $6 million for school nurses (up 15.3 percent). Teachers will receive pay raises of 1 percent to 5.5 percent; more experienced teachers will receive higher raises. Programs administered by the Department of Education will total $72.8 million. Funding for the Alabama Reading Initiative that provides teacher training in reading will increase 70.7 percent to $10.2 million. Assistance to low-performing schools will reach $8.9 million (up from $3.7 million). This includes $500,000 for rewards of $2,000 to $5,000 for schools that improve student performance. In addition, $6.8 million (an increase of 69.4 percent) is earmarked to provide assistance to students who fail high school graduation examinations. Funding to support teachers who seek national certification will nearly double. The $1.1 million allocation will cover fees and will provide teachers with annual bonuses of $5,000. New funding of $1 million will support the development of a new certification test for teachers. Community colleges will receive $245.1 million, an increase of 8.3 percent. Pay raises for faculty will average 4 percent. Institutional boards will determine tuition increases. Four-year colleges and universities will operate with $845.5 million, 6 percent more than in 1999-2000. University boards will determine tuition increases and pay raises. Funding for other higher-education programs — including several small, institution-specific programs — will decrease 5.5 percent to $53.9 million. The budget provides $750,000 for a virtual high school that will be operated through the University of Alabama’s Program for Rural Services and Research. Legislation outlines a plan to raise the state’s average salary for teachers to the national average. The bill earmarks a percentage of the revenue growth in the Education Trust Fund (ETF) for salary increases until the state’s average salary meets the national target. The ETF receives revenue from several tax sources and is the fund that supports education budgets. The law earmarks 62 percent of the ETF revenue growth for teacher pay raises if that growth is between 3.5 percent and 5 percent in any given year. If revenue growth exceeds 5 percent, 65 percent of the growth will support raises. The requirement to earmark the growth in the ETF for teacher salaries may be suspended if the revenue grows less than 3.5 percent (Act 00-732). The Teacher Accountability Act (Act 00-733) calls for performance-based contracts — instead of continuing contracts — for principals hired after July 2000. New principals will be hired for two-year probationary periods and then will be eligible for contracts of at least three years. The law also defines principals’ duties and responsibilities and establishes alternative-certification procedures for principals and other administrators. The bill adds “failure to perform duties in a satisfactory manner” to a list of offenses for which a tenured teacher can be dismissed. Other laws create the Office of School Readiness in the Department of Children’s Affairs to administer the operation and management of a voluntary prekindergarten program (Act 00-613) and the Office of Information Technology to address the state’s information-technology needs, including those of public schools (Act 00-715). Arkansas The budget passed in Arkansas for the 1999-2001 biennium authorizes $3.5 billion in state spending for 2000-01, 6.9 percent above the allocation for 1999-2000. Elementary and secondary schools will operate with $1.6 billion, up 6.2 percent. The budget for colleges and universities will increase 6.2 percent to $550 million. Local school districts determine pay raises for teachers, and college and university boards determine tuition increases and pay raises for faculty Delaware Much of the legislative session focused on the Professional Development and Educator Accountability Act (SB 260), which revises a student accountability law passed in 1998 and sets performance-based standards for teachers. The law delays until 2002 the retention requirement of the student testing program; requires an individual improvement plan for each low-performing student in the third, fifth and eighth grades; and provides alternatives to mandatory summer school. New requirements for high school diplomas also will take effect in 2004. Students who complete required courses and meet 10th-grade standards will receive academic diplomas; students who complete required courses but do not meet the 10th-grade standard will receive standard diplomas. The new Professional Standards Board will propose to the state Board of Education regulations pertaining to teacher education, certification, recruitment, evaluation and professional development. The standards board also will develop a new teacher-evaluation system that includes measures of student improvement. The bill creates a licensure system with three tiers: an initial license for new teachers, a continuing license for experienced teachers and an advanced license for distinguished educators. A new salary schedule for educators will increase the salaries of beginning and experienced teachers. Beginning salaries will increase by up to 10 percent over three years. Teachers who gain additional skills and knowledge can earn supplements of 2 percent to 6 percent, and those who take on additional responsibilities can earn up to $1,500 more per year. Teachers who earn national certification will receive bonuses of 12 percent annually. In addition, performance rewards to schools — which will be available for the first time in 2001-02 — may be used for salary supplements. The general fund budget for 2000-01 increased 8.5 percent to $2.1 billion. Funding for education budgets is $920.7 million, an increase of 7.2 percent. The budget provides elementary and secondary education with $720.2 million, 8 percent more than in 1999-2000. School districts will receive $543.5 million for operations, an increase of 7.2 percent. Teachers will receive pay raises averaging 3 percent, and those who are eligible for step increases on the state’s salary schedule will receive an average of 2.5 percent. Teachers who have temporary certificates for the third or fourth year because they have failed the certification test will receive 10 percent reductions in pay. The budget provides funding for two additional professional-development days for teachers. Funding will continue at current levels for student mentor programs that involve parents and volunteers ($500,000), school profile reports ($150,000) and educator recruitment ($50,000). The General Assembly increased the amount provided for the state’s testing program that was part of 1998 accountability legislation. The 11.1 percent increase brings funding to $3.7 million. The Delaware Center for Educational Technology will operate with $2.1 million, an increase of 94.7 percent. The center, created in 1995, uses educational technology to help students meet state academic standards. The legislature authorized funding for several initiatives for young children and at-risk students. The Read-Aloud Delaware program, which encourages adults to prepare children for school by reading to them regularly, will operate with $230,000 (up 40.7 percent). An allocation of $176,000 (up 51.7 percent) will provide school-age children with additional assistance in reading. Early childhood programs for 4-year-olds will receive $4.2 million, an increase of 9.3 percent. An allocation of $10.4 million will continue to provide struggling K-12 students with extra instructional time in math, science, language arts and social studies. The Professional Accountability and Instructional Advancement Fund will increase 32.8 percent to $8.7 million. This allocation supports alternative certification for teachers; professional development; mentors for new teachers; tuition reimbursement for teachers who take summer courses and courses in early childhood education; and release time to enable exemplary teachers to share effective teaching practices with other teachers. These funds also will defray the costs for teachers who seek national certification. The higher education budget will reach $200.4 million in 2000-01, 4.2 percent more than in 1999-2000. The University of Delaware will operate with $108 million, an increase of 4.1 percent. Delaware State University will receive $34.4 million (up 2.4 percent), and Delaware Technical and Community College’s operating budget will increase 5.7 percent to $56.6 million. Tuition increases will range by institution from 2.3 percent to 6.9 percent. Faculty at the University of Delaware and Delaware State University will receive pay raises averaging 3 percent; faculty pay at Delaware Technical and Community College will increase 4.1 percent.
The governance of education also will change. The commissioner of education no longer will be a member of the state Cabinet, and the State Board of Education no longer will consist of the governor and Cabinet. The new Florida Board of Education, effective January 2003, will comprise seven members who are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. The new Board of Education will appoint the commissioner of education (currently an elected position) and will be responsible for all levels of education (kindergarten through graduate school). Effective January 2003, the bill abolishes the Department of Education, the Board of Regents, the State Board of Community Colleges and several other boards and creates governing boards for colleges and universities. The interim Education Governance Reorganization Transition Task Force will assist with the transition to the new governance structure (HB 2263). The budget adopted for 2000-01 will increase state spending for operations to $19.4 billion in general funds, an increase of 5.1 percent. General funds for education budgets will increase 5.6 percent to $10.7 billion. Lottery funding will reach $741.2 million, up 22.6 percent. These funds will support merit-based scholarships ($143.1 million, up 10.1 percent); preschool programs ($103.7 million, no change); and rewards to high-performing and improving schools ($60 million, up from $15 million). In addition, the lottery will provide school districts with $190.2 million (up 25.8 percent) and the community college and university systems with $102.2 million each (increases of 7.4 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively). Elementary and secondary schools will operate with $7.4 billion (including the $190.2 million from the lottery), an increase of 8.8 percent. Because of changes to required retirement contributions, districts will be able to redirect $85 million to other priorities. Local districts determine general pay raises, but the state allocation includes $60 million for recruiting and retaining teachers. This funding will pay for annual bonuses of up to $1,200 for middle grades teachers and high school teachers who are certified in foreign languages, science, math, computer science or exceptional-student education. An allocation of $12.3 million will provide bonuses of up to $3,500 for high-performing teachers who remain in the state’s lowest-performing schools. Low-performing schools will receive support from three sources: $17.3 million from the lottery; $11.1 million from the general fund; and $10 million from a state trust fund. Funding for safe-school initiatives will increase 7.1 percent to $75.4 million. Community college funding will reach $674.9 million, an increase of 6.8 percent. This amount includes $7 million in revenues from tuition increases and a $5.5 million reduction in payments to the retirement system — money that institutions now can direct to other priorities. Funding for the State University System will increase 13.1 percent and reach nearly $1.8 billion. Pay raises are determined through collective bargaining. Tuition for in-state undergraduate students at colleges and universities will increase 5 percent. EDUCATE 2000 legislation streamlines certification requirements for teachers; creates salary incentives for effective teachers in low-performing schools; authorizes bonuses to teachers of Advanced Placement courses; requires the Department of Education to develop a statewide program for alternative certification of teachers; and establishes the Florida Mentor Teacher School Program. The legislation also calls for a study comparing the performance of teachers who gained certification through state-approved teacher-preparation programs, through alternative-certification programs, and through standard certification programs in other states (HB 63). Legislation establishes a preliminary governance structure for the Florida On-Line High School, which will deliver online and distance learning education. The bill sets up a transitional governing board to adopt policies related to governance, personnel budget, administration, curricula and other areas (SB 2260). Funds for the Florida On-Line High School total $6.2 million. The Workforce Innovation Act implements a Senate committee’s recommendations by providing for better coordination of work force programs, creating innovative initiatives to address the state’s work-force needs and addressing the employment needs of low-income families (SB 2050). School-safety legislation implements the recommendations of the School Safety Task Force by establishing the Partnership for School Safety and Security. This partnership will share safety and security information; evaluate school-safety programs; provide school districts with assistance and advice; and encourage coordination with law enforcement personnel. Each school district will develop plans for transporting students safely and for handling emergencies, including specific life-threatening situations (SB 852). Another bill strengthens the educational services for children at juvenile justice facilities (SB 2464). Charter-school legislation streamlines and clarifies the procedures for applying to form charter schools, approving applications, and reporting requirements for charter schools. The bill allows parents at an existing school to apply for a charter, allows the State Board of Education to approve additional charter schools (above the cap set in law), increases the allocation for charter-school facilities and provides a tax exemption for facilities used to house charter schools. The bill also encourages existing schools to convert into charter schools by not counting these schools toward the total number of charter schools allowed in each district (SB 2087). Other legislation creates two law schools that will offer classes beginning fall 2003 (SB 68). In addition, budget language sets aside funds to establish a new medical school and to come up with an implementation plan for a chiropractic school. A task force on school funding will make recommendations about the state’s finance program for public schools by February 2002. This bill also revises the system for funding exceptional students (HB 701). A new task force will examine the state’s tax structure and make recommendations to the governor and Legislature by February 2001 (HB 1535). Georgia The legislature adopted a $14.5 billion budget for 2000-01 that increases state spending 8.9 percent above the budget originally adopted for 1999-2000. The budget provides a homestead exemption on the first $15,000 of property value (up from $10,000) as part of the governor’s plan to extend the exemption to $50,000 of property value by 2008. The General Assembly also increased the 1999-2000 budget by 4.9 percent — to $13.9 billion. The budget includes a 4.3 percent increase for education budgets. Education reform legislation creates an independent office of accountability. This office will develop and oversee accountability systems for prekindergarten through postsecondary education and will oversee new testing requirements for K-12 students. The office also will support a new coordinating council for education, which will consist of the governor; state superintendent of schools; chancellor of the University System; commissioner of technical and adult education; chairmen of the Board of Regents, state Board of Education, Board of Technical and Adult Education, and Professional Standards Commission; director of the Office of School Readiness; and executive secretary of the Professional Standards Commission. This coordinating council will foster cooperation among the state’s education entities in order to improve links throughout the public education system. It will oversee the new accountability office and the development of a data system containing student information. The bill also addresses several issues that affect teachers. For example, it eliminates tenure for new teachers, and it makes proficiency in using computers a requirement for teacher certification. Teachers who achieve national certification and teachers in subject areas where shortages exist will receive salary increases. Teachers who receive unsatisfactory ratings on two annual evaluations within five years will not receive a renewable certificate until they demonstrate that their deficiencies have been addressed satisfactorily. The bill creates an early intervention program for students in first through third grades and calls for phasing in smaller classes in kindergarten through third grade by 2003-04. The bill requires school attendance for children ages 6 (previously 7) to 16 and limits administrative spending. It also allows the state Board of Education to approve charter schools, requires school counselors to spend at least five of six periods a day counseling students and their families, and requires a school council at every school. These councils — which will consist of the principal, two parents, two teachers and two businesspeople — will provide advice, recommendations and assistance to the local school boards (HB1187). The budget for 2000-01 provides elementary and secondary schools with $5.5 billion, an increase of 4.4 percent. The total amount includes $279.7 million from the lottery. Teachers will receive pay increases averaging 3 percent. The budget increases the finance formula by 11 percent — to $4.6 billion — to support the education reform bill. It eliminates grant programs for middle schools, in-school suspension, and counselors in elementary schools and for students who have difficulty keeping up with their schoolwork. Two other grant programs — one for alternative schools and one for students who speak limited English — will become part of the finance formula. A $30 million allocation will provide each district with funding — $20,000 plus nearly $19 per student — for school nurses. Funds also are provided to increase the numbers of guidance counselors in middle schools, technology specialists, social workers and school psychologists. Colleges and universities will operate with $1.7 billion, an increase of 6.8 percent. This total includes $31.9 million from the lottery. Faculty pay raises will average 3 percent, and tuition for in-state undergraduate students will increase 3.8 percent. The Board of Regents froze most fees but will allow colleges and universities to assess a technology fee of up to $75 at research institutions and up to $38 at all other colleges and universities. The budget includes $52.6 million (an increase of 12 percent) for the fund that supports systemwide priorities, such as economic development, instructional technology, and efforts that link teachers with technology and students with university services. Funding for technical and adult institutions would decrease 2.1 percent to $251.6 million. These institutions also will receive $12.5 million from the lottery. The budget reflects the transfer of public libraries from the Department of Technical and Adult Education to the Board of Regents. The allocation for the lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship will decline 2.2 percent to $225.9 million because projections estimate a decrease in the number of eligible students. Through the program, students who graduate from high school with a B average and maintain that average in college receive money for tuition and required fees as well as a book allowance. It also provides scholarships for students at independent colleges and universities in the state, for prospective teachers and for teachers working on advanced degrees. The allocation includes $23 million to offset what previously had been covered by federally funded Pell Grants. In the past, all students were required to apply for Pell Grants, and the HOPE Scholarship covered the difference between the Pell Grant award and the cost of tuition and required fees. Eligible students now will receive a full HOPE award and can apply their Pell Grants to other educational costs.
The General Assembly adopted a state budget for the 2000-02 biennium that provides general funds of $7 billion (an increase of 6.8 percent) in the first year of the biennium and more than $7.3 billion (an increase of 4.2 percent) in the second year. An early tax proposal to expand sales taxes to some services, impose taxes on out-of-state companies that do business in Kentucky, and reduce inheritance taxes and some property taxes did not pass. The General Assembly did pass a 6 percent tax on out-of-state telephone calls; the tax will take effect this year. The budget adopted for the 2000-02 biennium for colleges and universities reflects the commitment to support the Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997. That legislation restructured the governance of higher education and created investment and incentive trust funds to advance the goals of postsecondary education. General funds for higher education will increase 8.1 percent to $1.1 billion in 2000-01 and another 10.1 percent to nearly $1.2 billion in 2001-02. Funding for institutional budgets will reach $949.5 million (up 5 percent) in the first year of the biennium and $1 billion (up another 8.5 percent) in the second year. These allocations include $48.6 million in the first year of the biennium and $104.7 million in the second year for the investment and incentive trust funds created in 1997. Allocations for financial aid to students will increase 81.4 percent in the first year of the biennium and will total $51.1 million. That funding will increase nearly 1 percent in the second year — to a total of $51.5 million. Tuition increases for in-state undergraduates will vary by institution and are estimated to range from 3 percent to 7.5 percent in each year of the biennium. Institutional boards determine raises for faculty. The budget also provides $120 million from a current-year surplus for endowment programs at institutions. Elementary and secondary schools will operate with $2.8 billion (an increase of 3 percent) in 2000-01 and nearly $2.9 billion (up another 2.3 percent) in 2001-02. This amount includes $2.2 billion (an increase of 1.1 percent) for the finance formula in the first year of the biennium and slightly more than $2.2 billion in the second year. Funds for Highly Skilled Educators who assist low-performing schools and those failing to improve will increase 1.6 percent in 2000-01 and another 3.2 percent in 2001-02. These increases will bring funding to $6.2 million in the first year of the biennium and $6.4 million in the second year. Family Resource and Youth Service Centers will expand with the $47.7 million provided in 2000-01, 9.4 percent more than is currently available ($52.9 million in 2001-02, up 10.9 percent). To support amendments made in 1998 to the 1990 Kentucky Education Reform Act, funding for assessment and accountability will increase 43 percent to $11.3 million in 2000-01 ($10.8 million in 2001-02). The 1998 amendments called for a new testing program and a new accountability formula for determining which schools qualify for rewards or for targeted assistance. Funding for rewards to high-performing and improving schools will continue at $10 million in each year of the biennium. Funding also will continue at current levels for professional development ($15.8 million in each year) and programs to recruit minority teachers ($2 million in each year). A bill regarding teacher preparation emphasizes the importance of teacher evaluations and professional growth. It creates the Teachers’ Professional Growth Fund ($750,000 in 2000-01 and $1.25 million in 2001-02) to provide teachers with support for approved postsecondary courses and professional-development activities. The growth fund initially will focus on strengthening teachers in middle schools. The new Center for Middle School Academic Achievement ($400,000 in 2001-02) will work to strengthen middle school teaching in mathematics, language arts, science and social studies. The bill also calls for a statewide teacher-recruitment plan ($515,000 in 2001-02), information on out-of-field teaching, and teacher academies in subject areas ($2.1 million in 2001-02). It authorizes tuition-free classes for supervising teachers and additional compensation for those who serve as classroom mentors or professional-development leaders ($500,000 in 2001-02) (SB 77). Other bills call for a report on teacher pay and benefits by September 2001, create an alternative certification program for retired military personnel (HB 76)and enable retired teachers to return to the classroom in critical areas (subjects, grade levels or geographic locations) without losing retirement benefits (HB 519 and HB 739). Another bill sets a goal of having a nationally certified teacher in every school by 2020 and specifies that each teacher with national certification will receive $2,000 annually for the life of the certificate (HB 25); the budget includes $400,000 in 2000-01 and $800,000 in 2001-02. Legislation created a fund for adult education services in
Kentucky ($5 million in 2000-01 and $10 million in 2001-02) (SB 1), a prepaid
tuition program that will allow parents to pay future college costs at current
rates (HB180), and a placement testing program. The placement testing program
will inform high school students about the mathematics standards at colleges and
universities; this information is designed to encourage additional study and
reduce remediation (HB 178). The Early Childhood Development Authority was
created to develop a state plan for funding priorities and programs and to
establish administrative rules for coordinating and improving educational and
health services for young children. The authority also will create community
councils to address topics related to early childhood; a business council to
involve the corporate community in supporting issues that affect working
families with young children; and a professional-development council to address
the credentials and professional development of child-care staff and education
staff (HB 706). Louisiana The 2000-01 budget continues $333 million in temporary sales taxes and includes more than $200 million in tax increases annually. Bills increase taxes on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco (HB 117) and on car rentals (HB 193). Another bill reduces excess itemized deductions on state income taxes by 50 percent and suspends the child-education tax credit for two years (HB 299). Two constitutional amendments will go before the voters. For either bill to take effect, both of them must be approved. The first (HB 98) creates sales tax exemptions for food for home consumption and utilities, effective July 2002. The second (HB 73) restructures income tax brackets and tax limits that last were amended in the 1970s. It also removes the requirement that federal income taxes paid appear as deductions on state personal-income tax returns. If both constitutional amendments are approved, additional tax bills will take effect. HB 30 and HB 295 revise personal-income tax rates and call for some of the increased revenue to be deposited into the new Education Enhancement Fund. This fund will support research, pay raises for teachers and faculty, and other educational needs. Other bills (HB 140 and HB 31) temporarily re-enact (through 2002) a one-penny sales tax on food and utilities that was suspended several years ago. This action will bring the sales tax on these items to 4 cents on the dollar. The 2000-01 budget provides $6.2 billion in general funds, 3.6 percent more than in 1999-2000. Funding for education budgets will increase 2 percent to $3.4 billion. Elementary and secondary schools will receive $2.4 billion, an increase of 1.4 percent. Schools will receive more than $2.2 billion (up 1.2 percent) through the funding formula, including $95.5 million from the lottery. No funds were provided for pay raises. Support for school accountability continues to increase. Funding for the state’s testing program will increase 30.5 percent to $10.7 million. Another $1.7 million (up 6.2 percent) will pay distinguished educators to work in low-performing schools. Remedial and summer-school programs will continue with $7.5 million, down from $8.7 million in 1999-2000. (The decrease is attributed to revised estimates of the number of students who need the services.) New efforts include funding for school improvement awards ($3 million), early intervention for students in the early grades ($2 million) and alternative educational programs for students retained in fourth or eighth grade. Higher education will operate with $865.1 million, an increase of 3.2 percent. The budget provides $11.9 million for enrollment growth and $10.3 million in Tobacco Settlement Funds for research grants in health care. An allocation of $5 million in general funds replaces $5 million in Tobacco Settlement Funds to continue cancer research. No funds were allocated for pay raises. An appropriation of $4.3 million will continue payments to independent colleges and universities for each Louisiana resident enrolled. Legislation allows Louisiana technical colleges to raise tuition and required fees by up to $100 per year; all other colleges and universities may increase fees for in-state undergraduates by up to $250 per year (HB 10). The bill requires college and university management boards to establish policies for waiving these increases in cases of financial hardship. In addition, Louisiana State University–Baton Rouge is authorized to assess an educational excellence fee of $125 per semester; some students are exempted from the fee (HB 186). Legislation exempts from public records laws the following: state tests used to assess individual students’ performance; the answers to the tests; and individual students’ scores (SB 33). Another bill removes the requirement that the state Department of Education monitor local schools’ evaluation programs for personnel but adds that, when necessary, the state Board of Education may request that the department monitor the programs. The bill also authorizes (rather than requires) the state board to establish teams to review local evaluation plans (SB 23). House Bill 27 allows teachers who have been retired for 12 months to return to teaching without losing retirement benefits. The state board is asked to suggest ways to include funds for at-risk 4-year-olds in the school finance formula (HCR 73).
The General Assembly adopted a state budget for 2000-01 that will increase general-fund spending by 12.1 percent to $10.1 billion. Funds for elementary and secondary education will increase 2.1 percent to $2.7 billion. This amount includes nearly $2.4 billion (up 7.2 percent) in direct aid to schools and $366.3 million (a decrease of 7.2 percent) for retirement contributions. The decrease in contributions is largely because of investment earnings on the retirement fund. Schools will receive nearly $2.4 billion (an increase of 3.4 percent) through the finance formula. Compensatory aid that is based on the numbers of low-income students will decline 5.3 percent to $113.5 million. Funding for services for disabled students will increase 8.9 percent to $172.8 million. Support for teacher development, mentoring and certification grants will reach $26.1 million — 27.3 percent more than is currently available. Funding for a multiyear plan to link schools to online computer resources will increase 32.1 percent to $10.4 million. The Maryland Learning Success Program — created in 1999 to limit first- and second-grade reading classes to 20 or fewer students — will receive $11.7 million, up from $1.4 million. To encourage local districts to raise teacher salaries, $35 million in new funding will support the Teacher Salary Challenge Program, which will provide 1 percent pay raises in districts that authorize a cost-of-living increase of at least 4 percent (SB 810/HB 1247). The goal is to increase teacher salaries by at least 10 percent over the next two years. New funding ($12 million) is allocated for programs to help students who are not performing at grade level. The budget includes $58 million (up from $50 million) for the fourth year in a five-year finance and accountability plan for the city of Baltimore. Nonpublic schools will receive $6 million to purchase textbooks. Support for community colleges will reach $163 million, an increase of 15 percent. Institutions will receive $134.9 million through the finance formula, 18.1 percent above the current-year budget. Funds for retirement contributions will decrease 8.8 percent to $14.7 million. Four-year colleges and universities will operate with $859.7 million, an increase of 10.8 percent. Most of this allocation ($798.3 million, up 10.9 percent) supports the University System of Maryland. Tuition increases will vary by institution and are estimated to range from 1.2 percent to 14.6 percent; two-thirds of institutions will increase tuition 3 percent to 5 percent. State assistance to independent colleges will increase 13.8 percent and reach $41.6 million. Legislation dealing with early childhood creates a program to promote school readiness by developing and expanding high-quality child-care and education programs and family support services. The $7 million included in the budget will support grants to create early childhood centers ($4 million), grants to child-care and education providers who are seeking accreditation ($1 million), an assessment system for early childhood ($1.3 million) and administrative expenses associated with the programs ($700,000) (SB 793/HB 1249). Another bill creates a commission on financing child-care programs and education programs for young children. The commission will examine the costs and availability of services and will report to the legislature in December 2000 and December 2001 (SB 869/HB 1284). In other legislation, the state Board of Education will solicit corporate funding for early childhood literacy and will distribute grants to organizations that promote literacy during well-child visits in health care settings (SB 750/HB 1172). The General Assembly created a college savings plan and amended the prepaid tuition program to increase participation (SB 140/HB 11). Amendments to the Maryland Teacher Scholarship Program will allow students at two-year colleges to receive annual awards of $2,000 (previously $1,000) and those at four-year institutions to receive $5,000 (previously $3,000) (SB 205/HB 201). Another merit-scholarship program will award $3,000 annually to students at two-year colleges who are completing their associate’s degrees and transferring to four-year colleges and universities (HB 476/SB 697). A new task force will study college readiness for disadvantaged students and will develop a strategy to ensure that these students have opportunities to graduate from colleges and universities. The task force will report to the governor and legislature in January and December 2001 (HB 1091).
Support for four-year colleges and universities will increase 1.7 percent to $745 million. This includes $585.7 million in general funds (an increase of 5.1 percent) and $59.3 million from the EEF (a decrease of 23.4 percent). Tuition increases for in-state undergraduates will range by institution from 3.3 percent to 3.9 percent. Funding for community colleges will decline 3.4 percent to $181.6 million. General funds will increase 8.6 percent to $144.7 million, but funding from the EEF will decline 32.5 percent to $36.9 million. Tuition will increase by an average of 6.6 percent for in-state students. Elementary and secondary schools will operate with $1.4 billion in general funds (an increase of 4.5 percent) and $225 million from the EEF (a decrease of 11.2 percent). Formula funding to schools will increase. The six-year phase-in of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, a funding formula adopted in 1997, will continue with $92.7 million, up 52 percent. That amount includes $83.3 million in general funds (an increase of 151.6 percent) and $9.4 million from the EEF (a decrease of 66.3 percent). Funds will continue to be distributed through the existing formula; total funding will remain nearly the same at $1.2 billion. The budget also provides for the Critical Teacher Shortage Act passed in 1998 (HB 609). The act authorized scholarships for college students who wish to teach in areas of the state where teachers are in short supply. It also authorized financial assistance for teachers who seek to become licensed administrators; payments of up to $1,000 for teachers’ moving expenses; and forgivable loans of up to $6,000 for teachers who purchase homes. Funding will increase 79.7 percent to $5.7 million. Laws provide a five-year plan to raise teachers’ salaries by 29 percent beginning in 2001-02 (HB 1134) and to establish new standards for school accountability (SB 2488). The accountability bill calls for the state Board of Education to establish a program to identify and reward high-performing and improving schools and a program to assist schools that do not meet accreditation standards. The state board will send evaluation teams to these “priority schools.” The state Department of Education and the evaluation team leader will assist the school principal and other local officials in developing an improvement plan, which will include a professional-development plan for school staff members who need to improve. Principals and teachers in priority schools that do not improve after two years will be dismissed. In any district where a priority school fails to improve within three years of implementing an improvement plan or where more than 50 percent of schools fail to make adequate improvement in any year, superintendents and school board members can be removed from office. Other legislation allows graduates with degrees that emphasize child development to teach prekindergarten and kindergarten (HB 419), creates a scholarship program for students who agree to practice family medicine in shortage areas of the state (HB 729), and creates a college-savings program in addition to the existing prepaid-tuition program (SB 2298). Another bill creates the Early Childhood Services Interagency Coordinating Council to ensure that state agencies coordinate their efforts to promote quality in all programs that serve preschool children (HB 418). Certified and uncertified school employees hired after July 2000 will be subject to state and federal criminal-background checks prior to employment. Applicants will pay the cost of the background checks, though local boards may choose to pay the fees, which are not to exceed $50 (SB 2658).
In 1999, the General Assembly passed a biennial budget that provided education with $7.5 billion in general funds in 2000-01, 0.5 percent more than the budget for 1999-2000. The original budget for 2000-01 allocated nearly $5.3 billion for public schools (up 0.3 percent from 1999-2000), $591 million for community colleges (an increase of 1.9 percent) and $1.66 billion for the University of North Carolina system (0.8 percent more). During the 2000 session, the General Assembly amended the budget for 2000-01 and provided education employees with salary increases. Funding for community colleges will total $608.8 million — 3 percent more than the original 2000-01 budget. This increase will support enrollment growth ($22.3 million), summer classes ($7.2 million) and continuing education classes ($3 million). The general fund budget was reduced to reflect higher projections for tuition receipts. Tuition will increase by 2.8 percent per credit-hour (from $26.75 to $27.50). The budget also increases faculty pay by 4.2 percent and provides one-time bonuses of $500. The revised 2000-01 budget increases general funds for the University of North Carolina system to nearly $1.7 billion, 2.5 percent more than in the original budget. Increased funding supports enrollment growth ($21.1 million) and need-based financial aid ($5 million). The budget also increases grants for students who attend independent colleges and universities. Legislative Tuition Grants will increase $50 — for a total of $1,800 per student annually. The State Contractual Scholarship Fund will increase $50 — for a total of $1,100 per full-time student. Colleges and universities determine the actual grant amounts awarded to students. Tuition for in-state undergraduates will increase 2.1 percent. The budget raises faculty pay by an average of 4.2 percent, and faculty also will receive bonuses of $500. The amended 2000-01 budget decreases slightly the funding for elementary and secondary schools. The amended budget provides nearly $5.3 billion for the operation of schools. Increases include $8 million to local school districts to improve student performance; $5 million for tech-nology needs; and supplemental funding for low-wealth and small districts, transportation, and programs to serve students who speak limited English. Decreases reflect changes in enrollment projections, in cost estimates for substitute teachers, and in necessary funding for the salaries of certified personnel. Funds also are provided for the final year in the four-year effort to raise teacher salaries to the national average. The allocation will increase the state’s salary schedule and will support raises for experienced teachers. It also will pay incentive awards to teachers in schools that exceed improvement goals and bonuses to mentor teachers and teachers with national certification. Pay raises will range from 2.5 percent to 13.8 percent and are expected to average 6.5 percent. The General Assembly adopted a bill to hold a referendum in November to determine whether there will be a $3.1 billion bond for construction projects in higher education (SB 912). The budget bill (HB 1840) includes several provisions that affect education. The state Board of Education is required to investigate potential causes for lower achievement by minority and at-risk students. In December 2000, the board must report on the performance of teacher education programs, and it must produce annual reports each October, beginning in 2001. The bill eliminates the caveat that retired teachers who return to full-time service must teach in designated geographic or subject areas in order to continue receiving retirement earnings without penalty. The Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee will study college and university salaries to determine whether legislation is needed to attract and retain quality faculty.
The Legislature adopted a state budget that increases spending by 8 percent to $5.3 billion. Elementary and secondary schools will operate with nearly $2 billion, 10.5 percent more than in 1999-2000. This amount includes the cost of HB 2653, which authorized teacher pay raises of $3,000 (an average of about 10 percent) in 2000-01. The minimum starting salary will be $27,060 (up from $24,060). Funding for vocational/technical schools will increase 7.3 percent — for a total of $125 million — and faculty at these schools also will receive $3,000 pay raises. The budget provides higher education with $812.1 million for 2000-01, an increase of 5.7 percent. Tuition for in-state undergraduates will not increase, but some required fees will go up. The additional cost to students for fees and tuition will be less than 1 percent. Faculty pay raises are estimated to average 3 percent. A bill authorizing $157.5 million for construction projects includes $30.8 million for higher education projects (SB 973); the allocation of $52 million of the total amount is left to the governor’s discretion and could result in additional funds for higher education projects. Education reform legislation (HB 2728) addresses some concerns with the graduation standards for high school and with the dual diploma system that was part of 1999 legislation (HB 1759). The bill replaces the diploma options (standard diploma or diploma with honors) with one standard diploma. It clarifies that students can meet requirements for each course by demonstrating proficiency on a set of competencies adopted by the state Board of Education, and it specifies that, in order to count toward the core curriculum, courses must be rigorous. The bill also adds to the statutory requirements for high school graduation two credits in the arts (currently required by the state Board of Education), encourages students to take two credits in foreign languages and requires all teachers of seventh- and eighth-grade math to be certified in middle or secondary mathematics by September 2003. Area vocational/technical schools will be allowed to sponsor charter schools in Oklahoma’s larger school districts. HB 2728 also raises to $50,000 (from $32,000) the maximum income for families to be eligible for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program, a need-based financial-aid program that requires students in the middle grades and high school to meet several requirements. These students, for example, must attend school regularly and refrain from substance abuse and crime. The law amends the Oklahoma Tuition Scholarship Program, which will provide the equivalent of two years’ tuition at an in-state college or university beginning in 2002-03. To qualify, a student must have graduated from high school within the previous three years (a new requirement); be ranked in the top 15 percent of his or her graduating class and have earned a 3.25 grade-point average (a new requirement); have a minimum ACT score of 26 (previously 22); and come from a family with annual income of less than $70,000. Another bill (SB 1393) establishes a program to repay the educational loans of students who major in math or science and who teach in Oklahoma public high schools for at least five years. The program will pay an amount that may not exceed the average cost of in-state tuition and fees for three years. Legislation (SB 491) adds a nationally normed test at third grade to the state’s testing program. School districts will administer this test annually until a criterion-referenced test can be implemented in 2002-03. The bill also delays until 2002-03 the implementation of the Biology I and Algebra I end-of-course tests. All results from the state testing program will be reported by ethnic group and gender for the state, districts and schools. The law redefines low-performing schools as those in which more than 30 percent of students score “unsatisfactory” on state tests or in which students’ average score is in the lowest 25 percent of student scores statewide and falls below the national average. Schools designated as low-performing for three consecutive years will be declared “high-challenge” schools. Other bills allow teachers to receive stipends for attending a professional-development institute in elementary reading during the summer or when school is not in session (HB 2000) and require teachers of honors courses to be certified in those subject areas (SB 1392). A law amending the Advanced Placement Incentive Program (SB 1015) allows districts that received one-year grants for developing AP courses to receive additional grants if they demonstrate that they successfully have implemented the courses. Grants also may be awarded for teacher training for International Baccalaureate courses and for courses that prepare students to take AP courses (previously, grants were limited to teachers of AP courses). Students who take International Baccalaureate examinations now will be eligible to receive help in paying the test fee (previously, only students taking AP exams were eligible). Schools will continue to receive $100 for each score of 3 or higher on AP tests and now will receive the same amount for each score of 4 or higher on IB exams.
The state budget increases general fund spending 9.9 percent to $5.9 billion. Several tax-relief bills passed. One increases the homestead exemption from $20,000 to $50,000 (HB 3699). Another bill eliminates 1 cent of sales tax on food and expresses the Legislature’s intent to elimi-nate an additional cent each year until all 5 cents are eliminated (HB 3649). The Legislature also authorized a sales-tax exemption on purchases of clothing and school supplies during a three-day period every August (HB 4775). Higher education will operate with $911.7 million in general funds, an increase of 5 percent. Colleges and universities determine faculty pay raises and tuition increases. Merit-based LIFE scholarships will increase to $3,000 (up from $2,000) annually for students at four-year colleges and universities. Students at two-year colleges will receive awards that cover tuition costs completely. The Legislature approved $95.6 million for building projects. Funding for elementary and secondary schools will reach $2.4 billion, an increase of 8.2 percent. This amount includes $541.2 million (up 9.6 percent) in Education Improvement Act funds, which come from an earmarked 1 cent of sales tax. Schools will receive nearly $1.5 billion through the finance formula, an increase of 2.7 percent. Funding for initiatives to attract and retain quality teachers will increase 27.7 percent to $231 million. These funds will raise the average salary for teachers by 4.6 percent. In addition, $2.4 million will support student loans for people in other careers who wish to become teachers, and $6.5 million (up from $369,000) will support teachers who seek national certification. Teachers can receive funds for the application fee, and those who earn certification will receive annual bonuses of $7,500. Funds to support the Education Accountability Act of 1998 will increase 52.2 percent to $115.5 million. This allocation provides increases for summer school for low-performing students ($18 million, up from $10 million), alternative schools ($15.6 million, up from $7 million), professional development for teachers ($7 million, up from $1 million) and student assessment ($17.8 million, up 15 percent). Another $1 million is available to assist low-performing school districts. Efforts to reduce class sizes in first through third grades will continue with $38.6 million, an increase of 3.6 percent. A total of $12.3 million (an increase of 75.2 percent) will support school-safety and discipline efforts. This amount includes new funding for safety officers at middle schools ($5 million) and for character education programs ($265,000). The budget includes increases for early childhood programs for 4-year-olds (total of $24.1 million, up 3.9 percent), for basic-skills academic assistance in the early grades (total of $125.2 million, up 5 percent), and for a multiyear effort to increase graduation requirements for high school students from 20 to 24 credits (total of $23.9 million, up 28.3 percent). Legislation (SB 1164) encourages parent-friendly school settings and emphasizes the importance of parents’ involvement in their children’s education. The bill calls for collaboration between schools and state agencies that serve families, and it requires schools and districts to include parent-involvement goals in their long-range improvement plans. Other legislation requires local school boards to develop policies that address character education (HB 3745). A comprehensive teacher-quality bill (SB 1111) addresses several issues, including out-of-field teaching, principal recertification, teacher incentives and middle school certification. The state Board of Education is required to revise as necessary out-of-field permit regulations, and school districts must report on teachers who are teaching subjects for which they are not certified. The state board will consider a recertification requirement that principals complete training on ways to support teachers professionally. The state board also must establish requirements for initial certification of middle grades teachers and must consider granting certification to out-of-state teachers who hold middle grades certification. Part-time teachers who work more than 15 hours per week now will qualify for state health and dental coverage. The bill also designates an honorarium of at least $25,000 for the state Teacher of the Year, at least $10,000 each for four other Teachers of the Year, and at least $1,000 for each district’s Teacher of the Year. The bill also provides incentives for teachers who serve as mentors to new teachers. Legislation revising the charter-school law failed to pass. The proposal would have relaxed or eliminated the requirement that enrollment at each charter school reflect the racial composition of the district in which it is located. A circuit court ruled that the racial-composition requirement made the charter-school law unconstitutional; that decision is being appealed. The Legislature likely will revisit the issue in the 2001 session.
Though proposals for tax reform were discussed at length, none was passed. Changes to the tax system likely will be debated again this year or in 2001. The budget adopted for 2000-01 provides $8.9 billion for state operations, an increase of 7.5 percent. Elementary and secondary education will receive nearly $2.6 billion (an increase of 3.5 percent) in general funds for 2000-01. The school finance formula also will grow by 3.5 percent — to nearly $2.4 billion. Teachers will receive pay raises of 3.5 percent. Funding will remain the same for school safety initiatives ($5.6 million) and for accountability ($13.8 million). The budget allocates more than $1 billion in general funds for higher education, 5.9 percent more than in 1999-2000. Colleges and universities will operate with $763.2 million in formula funding, an increase of 2.9 percent. Pay raises for faculty will average 3.5 percent. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission has recommended that tuition for in-state undergraduates increase by 8 percent. Higher education programs not funded through the formula will increase 12 percent to $268.7 million. This amount includes $14.7 million for the University of Tennessee veterinary medicine program (up 22.6 percent) and $29.8 million for need-based financial aid (an increase of 43.2 percent). New funding of $7.5 million will support research initiatives at the University of Tennessee. Legislation requires the Tennessee Higher Education Commission to develop a 60-hour core curriculum so that students at two-year colleges can transfer to public four-year colleges and universities as juniors without losing credits (HB 2318 and SB 2572). The commission now will have the authority to evaluate and approve new off-campus sites, where courses will be offered for credit (HB 2332 and SB 2166). Other legislation requires the commission, the state Board of Education and the Department of Education to work cooperatively to address reading and literacy issues (HB 2783 and SB 2485). The budget bill calls for a study to identify ways to measure the quality and effectiveness of the Tennessee system of higher education. Another bill allows former teachers who have been retired for at least one year to return to teaching without losing their retirement benefits (SB 2124). Local school districts are encouraged to extend conflict resolution programs, now only in first and second grades, to grades three through six (SB 2422).
The Texas General Assembly adopted a state budget for the 2000-01 biennium that increased spending 12.8 percent over the previous biennium. Total general funding is $55.1 billion, and funding for education budgets increased 15.6 percent to $34.6 billion. The budget includes $1.8 billion in tax cuts, most of which ($1.3 billion) is directed at reducing property taxes. General funds for higher education increased 11.3 percent to reach $7.8 billion for the biennium. Tuition for in-state undergraduate students will increase 5.3 percent. Elementary and secondary schools are operating with $23.3 billion for the biennium, an increase of 17.4 percent over the prior biennium.
The budget adopted for the 2000-02 biennium will provide $24.7 billion in general funds, an increase of 15.9 percent over the budget for the prior biennium. Education funding will reach $11.4 billion, an increase of 11.8 percent. General funds for elementary and secondary education will reach $8.1 billion. These funds include nearly $8 billion for direct aid to schools, a two-year increase of 13 percent. Teachers will receive pay raises averaging 2.4 percent. The budget adds $16.9 million for the biennium to the 1999-2000 allocation of $5.9 million to expand the early reading program. This program started in 1996 and was designed to provide additional instruction to kindergartners with reading deficiencies. The increase will fund services to students in first through third grades. A total of $9.8 million in 2001-02 will fund a new math program to assist students who are at risk of failing the Algebra I end-of-course test. The budget also includes $6.6 million in general funds ($4.2 million in 2000-01 and $2.4 million in 2001-02) and $13.8 million from a state trust fund for a new computerized system of instruction and testing that is to be fully implemented in high schools by 2003. The $13.8 million will support the payments over five years on $56.7 million of equipment for each year of the biennium. Funding of $4.2 million ($2.4 million in the first year of the biennium and $1.8 million in the second year) will support a new initiative to help low-performing schools improve student achievement. The budget addresses the state’s growing need for more teachers by allocating about $400,000 in each year of the biennium for an alternative-certification program to attract retired military personnel into teaching. The initiative will pay for their required schooling and will provide $2,000 for each of 100 mentors: $1,000 for a bonus and $1,000 for training and teaching materials. The higher education budget includes nearly $2.9 billion in general funds for the 2000-02 biennium, an increase of 17.8 percent over the 1998-2000 biennium. The budget includes funds for faculty pay raises that range by institution from 3 percent to 4.6 percent. These increases will allow each institution to maintain faculty salaries at the 60th percentile of its peer institutions. Also included are $17.3 million to support enrollment increases, $14.5 million to operate and maintain new facilities, $46.3 million for initiatives at the institutions, and $8.5 million for technology projects. Tuition grants for students at independent colleges and universities will increase to $2,850 in the first year of the biennium and $3,000 in the second year. Students now receive $2,700 per year. Tuition for in-state undergraduates will not increase. The legislature created the Commonwealth Technology Research Fund with $13 million in general funds and $13 million from a trust fund in 2001-02. The research fund will attract public and private research funding to the state. Participating institutions are required to provide matching funds. Legislation amends the state standards program to include guidance counselors for elementary schools (HB 245) and student proficiency in the use of educational technology (HB 203). Another bill calls for the development of standards for remedial programs by August 2000 (HB 975). Other bills call for reviews and revisions of the standards in all subject areas at least once every seven years (HB 633) and for the creation of the Center for School Safety in the Department of Criminal Justice Services to train school personnel in dealing with safety issues and to provide information on effective safety initiatives (HB 391). Charter-school bills permit the creation of residential charter schools for at-risk students (HB 742) and clarify that two or more local districts can establish regional charter schools (HB 785/SB 411). The bills remind districts that charter schools are subject to the state Standards of Quality, as are other public schools. Legislation permits a teacher who is certified in another state and has national certification to become certified in Virginia (HB 473/SB 298). Local school boards now are required to ensure that elementary teachers have at least three hours each week for planning (HB 1517). Another bill allows school boards to issue three-year teaching licenses that would be valid within the issuing districts. No more than 10 percent of a district’s classroom teachers may hold this nonrenewable local license. These probationary teachers will be eligible for a regular license issued by the Department of Education when they meet state certification requirements (SB 113). Other bills expand the Virginia Teaching Scholarship Loan Program to include scholarships for part-time students, disadvantaged students and graduate students and for prospective teachers in disciplines where shortages exist (HB 1405/HB 1408/SB 630/SB 652/SB 737). The bills also allow gifts and grants to support teacher scholarships. The legislature has called for a study of teacher shortages in Virginia (HJ 159). Another bill creates the Advantage Virginia Incentive Program (administered by the Virginia Workforce Council) to provide scholarships to postsecondary students seeking degrees in occupational fields where there are high demands for workers. Students can receive up to $3,000 annually for a maximum of four years. They will be required either to become employed in a shortage area or to repay the scholarships (HB 1528).
The Legislature passed a $2.7 billion general-fund budget that will raise state spending by 1.8 percent in 2000-01. Elementary and secondary schools will receive $1.3 billion through the finance formula, an increase of 2.2 percent. This amount includes the final part of a three-year plan to raise salaries by $2,268; teachers will receive raises of $756. Funding will continue for school safety ($2 million); a math initiative that provides instruction for students in kindergarten through fourth grade who are not performing at grade level ($300,000); and West Virginia READS, a similar program that focuses on reading ($300,000). Support for state testing programs will expand: Funding for nationally normed tests will increase 41 percent to $2.1 million, and the allocation for end-of-course tests in high school will increase 74.2 percent to $435,600. New funding of $500,000 will provide bonuses for teachers who agree to be mentors to new teachers. An allocation of $208,000 will pay the fees of teachers seeking certification through the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards as well as the annual bonuses of $1,000 for those who achieve certification. Lottery funding will provide $18 million to pay the debt on bonds issued through the School Building Authority, and $16.3 million will continue the program that puts computers in classrooms and improves students’ computer skills. New funds of $500,000 will go toward recruiting teachers into subject areas where shortages exist. Higher education will operate in 2000-01 with $372.4 million in general funds, an increase of 3.9 percent. This amount includes $11.4 million for institutions that meet the strategic-planning requirements of 1995 reform legislation. In addition, the budget includes $21.9 million from the lottery. Lottery funds will provide $15.6 million (up 16.6 percent) for the Higher Education Grant Program, which provides need-based grants to undergraduates. College and university system boards have approved tuition increases for in-state undergraduates; these increases average 4.1 percent at state universities and 4.4 percent at state colleges. Salary increases have not been determined. Legislation (SB 653) changes the governance of higher education by creating a policy commission (responsible for statewide policy development effective July 2001) and transferring governance responsibilities from the state level to the institutional level. The bill abolishes the governing boards of the college and university systems effective July 2000, creates an interim governing board to oversee the operation of colleges and universities during the one-year transition, and establishes institutional governing boards that will manage the day-to-day operation of colleges beginning July 2001. The interim governing board will recommend legislation to complete the transfer of powers, duties and responsibilities to the new governing boards. The bill also seeks to develop a system of independently accredited community colleges and technical colleges throughout the state. The new Higher Education Policy Commission will work to achieve the Legislature’s goals for the state and for higher education. For each West Virginia college or university, the policy commission will select at least 10 peer institutions to be used in comparisons on factors such as budget, levels of tuition, and faculty and staff requirements. The commission also will develop a multiyear, statewide master plan for higher education and will hold colleges and universities accountable for accomplishing their missions and goals. The commission will approve a “compact” developed by each college or university that clarifies its institutional mission and sets out a process to meet goals. Institutions that adopt "compacts" and meet the benchmarks established by them will receive operating funds and will be eligible for additional funding from one of four new investment accounts. Each new account serves a specific purpose: peer equity (to help institutions reach the funding levels of their peer institutions); development of independently accredited community and technical colleges (to help community and technical colleges gain accreditation independent of the four-year colleges and universities with which they are affiliated); research challenge (to allow institutions to compete for research funding); and incentives for institutional contributions to state priorities (to encourage colleges and universities to advance the state’s priorities). Legislation affecting elementary and secondary schools creates a virtual school to offer high-quality courses over the Internet (SB 584) and amends the school accreditation program to include a new standard for exemplary schools (HB 4674). For further information, please contact Gale Gaines, gale.gaines@sreb.org. |
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