Alabama	Arkansas	Delaware	Florida
Georgia	Kentucky	Louisiana	Maryland
Mississippi	North Carolina	Oklahoma	South Carolina
Tennessee	Texas	Virginia	West Virginia

Final Legislative Actions

Alabama (http://www.legislature.state.al.us)

The legislative session focused on balancing the state budget with lower-than-expected revenues. The governor initially called for 6.2 percent cuts to education budgets for 2000-01. As a result of a court challenge on behalf of elementary and secondary education, K-12 teachers’ salaries were exempted from the cuts and other areas of the budget, including higher education, received greater cuts. Under this plan, funding for elementary and secondary schools would decline by about 4 percent and higher education would operate with about 11 percent less. In response to a challenge filed on behalf of colleges and universities, the state Supreme Court ruled that K-12 and higher education cuts should be equal. The Legislature passed a bill (SB 626) authorizing a bond issue of up to $110 million to reduce the effect of the cuts. This effort should bring the across-the-board reductions down to about 4 percent (from 6.2 percent). 

The uncertainty of the impending cuts for 2000-01 made it difficult to compare current-year spending with the budget adopted for 2001-02. Other bills containing 2001-02 appropriations of about $92 million (down 5.2 percent from the allocations originally made for 2000-01) were left pending and are expected to pass during a special session. The Legislature also may cut the 2001-02 budget later in the summer if revenues continue to decline.

The main budget bill for 2001-02 includes nearly $4.1 billion for education — 3.4 percent less than the budget originally adopted for 2000-01. The elementary and secondary education budget for 2001-02 will provide about $2.8 billion — 3 percent less than the original appropriation for 2000-01. Funding to schools through the finance formula will decline by 3.1 percent to $2.7 billion. 

As expected, most other categories of funding decline, but increases are available for the Alabama Reading Initiative, which provides teacher training, and for programs for young children. Funding for the reading initiative will increase by 10.4 percent to $11.3 million. Preschool and early learning efforts will operate with $4.9 million — nearly twice the original allocation for the current year. The budget also increases support for teachers who earn national certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The $1.4 million allocated for 2001-02 represents an increase of 30.8 percent. This support covers fees and provides teachers with annual bonuses of $5,000.

Legislation passed in 2000 set the national average as the goal for Alabama’s average teacher salary and tied teacher pay raises to revenue growth of at least 3.5 percent. Because revenue growth was below the required threshold, no funds were earmarked for pay raises.

Funding for higher education will decline by about 4 percent to $1.1 billion. Four-year colleges and universities will receive $820.7 million — a decrease of 2.9 percent. Two-year colleges also will operate with 2.9 percent less; the budget provides $222.6 million. Funding for other higher education initiatives — such as dental and medical scholarships and various institutes and centers — will decline by 29 percent. Institutional boards will set tuition rates for 2001-02. No funds were allocated to increase the pay of faculty at two-year colleges. Individual boards determine pay raises for faculty at four-year colleges and universities.

Legislation passed during the 2001 session (SB 228) gives local school boards more flexibility to transfer funds among some budget categories so that districts can manage their budget reductions better. However, boards may not transfer funds designated for salaries and benefits, at-risk students, classroom supplies, specific building projects or debt payments. This flexibility is available in the 2000-01 and 2001-02 fiscal years. 

Another bill (SB 93) requires new district superintendents to satisfactorily complete a training program on school finances and education law before they assume office. The state superintendent of education and representatives from the state Department of Education, Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools, Alabama Education Association and Alabama Commission on Higher Education will constitute the committee charged with developing the training program. The state Board of Education also may provide for the participation of superintendents who were in office when the bill took effect.

Senate Bill 91 allows K-12 and higher education employees to accumulate an unlimited number of sick-leave days (previously limited to 225 days). The bill also allows accrued sick leave of one day per month of employment to apply toward credit for retirement.
Legislation affecting higher education creates the Joint Interim Legislative Committee on Higher Education Governance (Senate Joint Resolution 134). This committee will study and recommend ways to improve the governance of higher education; it will report to the Legislature during the 2002 regular session. Senate Bill 302 creates the Alabama College Education Savings Program to encourage parents and others to save for future college expenses. This program is in addition to the state’s existing prepaid tuition program.

Arkansas (http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us)

The General Assembly passed a general revenue budget for the 2001-03 biennium that provides maximums of nearly $3.5 billion in 2001-02 (an increase of 6.1 percent) and $3.6 billion in 2002-03 (up another 5 percent). Current revenue estimates should allow the state to spend $3.4 billion in 2001-02 and $3.5 billion in 2002-03, increases of 5 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively. Funding for education budgets will reach a maximum of $2.3 billion (up 6.5 percent) in the first year of the biennium and $2.4 billion (up another 5.2 percent) in the second year. In addition, funding from the Education Enhancement Fund (funded by the increase and expansion of sales taxes in 1991) is expected to reach $232.4 million in 2001-02 and $244.4 in 2002-03.

Elementary and secondary schools will operate with a maximum of $1.6 billion in 2001-02, an increase of 6.4 percent, and with $1.7 billion in 2002-03, 5.3 percent more than in 2001-02. This amount includes funds for teacher pay raises of $3,000 over the biennium and $6.7 million in each year of the biennium (up from $2.5 million) to implement the recommendations of a teacher licensure task force. The increase in funds will address initial licensure, mentoring, license renewal, professional development and professional standards.

Colleges and universities will receive a maximum of $544.6 million in the first year of the bien-nium, 5.8 percent more than in 2000-01. In 2002-03, funding will increase another 3.2 percent to $562.3 million. Four-year institutions will operate with $429.5 million (up 5.8 percent) in the first year of the biennium ($444.1 million in the second year, up another 3.4 percent). Two-year college funding will increase 4.6 percent to $89.2 million in 2001-02 (2.6 percent to $91.5 in 2002-03). Funding for technical colleges will rise 9.7 percent to $25.9 million in the first year of the biennium. In 2002-03, these schools will operate with a maximum of $26.6 million, an increase of another 2.7 percent. The institutions will determine tuition increases and faculty pay raises.

General funds for higher education tuition grants will increase 72.9 percent in 2001-02 to $34.2 million and another 11.2 percent to $38 million in 2002-03. Most of this increase is for Academic Challenge Grants for students who meet academic requirements and the limit on family income (SB 595 lowered the limit, for example, from $70,000 to $50,000 for a family with one child and increased the academic requirements).

Bills addressing the compensation of teachers provide teachers with pay increases of no less than $1,000 in 2001-02 and no less than $2,000 in 2002-03 (SB 598). These raises are not to supplant the raises normally given annually by local school districts. School districts will establish a set number of contract days for teachers. Teachers who are required to work more days than provided for in the contracts are entitled to additional pay (HB 2375).

Currently, teachers who earn national certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards receive an initial bonus of $2,000 and a yearly bonus of $2,000 for the 10-year life of the certificate. Senate Bill 245 calls for an additional $3,000 for the initial bonus (bringing the starting incentive bonus to $5,000) and an additional $1,000 for the yearly bonus (bringing the annual bonus to $3,000) in any year in which sufficient funds are appropriated for this purpose. (The budget includes $500,000 in each year of the biennium, up from $100,000.)

Several bills addressed ways to recruit and retain teachers. The new Arkansas Leadership Institute for Teachers of the Delta will provide teachers in the state’s Delta region with professional development activities and mentors to teachers pursuing national board certification (HB 2545). The University Assisted Teacher Recruitment and Retention Grant Program (HB 1939) will provide scholarships to students pursuing Master of Education degrees while they teach in geographically underserved areas of the state, including the Delta region.

Also created was a scholarship program for minority students who declare an interest in teaching in areas of the state where teachers are in short supply. Award recipients must teach in a critical shortage area for each year the scholarship is received (HB 1940). School boards in areas with critical shortages of teachers may reimburse applicants for expenses incurred while interviewing and moving (HB 2247). Retired teachers may return to teach in low-performing school districts or in subject areas where shortages of certified teachers exist without losing retirement benefits (HB 1272). 

Another bill (SB 416) limits to 30 the number of consecutive days a teacher, who is not certified for the grade level or subject matter, can teach in the same class during a school year. School districts may request a waiver from the state, but must provide parents with written notification that their child is being taught by a inappropriately certified teacher. 

Legislation (HB 1503) permits elementary schools to declare one week each fall as Gun Violence Prevention Week. Participating schools may use the opportunity to create awareness programs or other activities that diminish gun violence. False alarms or threats communicated to an educational institution will be considered a felony offense under certain conditions (HB 1504). Communicating a death threat to any school or college student or employee also will be considered a felony (SB 11). Persons who use profane or insulting language toward a school employee will be guilty of a misdemeanor charge and subject to a fine ranging from $100 to $1,500 (HB 2394). 

Another law (HB 1583) requires law enforcement agencies to notify school superintendents if a student is arrested for unlawful firearm possession, first degree battery or an offense that involves a deadly weapon. School principals must notify parents if a student’s misconduct is reported to the local law enforcement agency or if the student is interviewed by law officials or taken into custody while at school (HB 2275). 

Teachers applying for license renewal will undergo the same statewide and national criminal record check as teachers applying for new certification. The legislation (HB 1854) expands the authority of the state Board of Education to revoke, suspend or place on probation the license of teachers and prescribes hearing procedures.

Legislation (SB 322) allows charter schools to use a weighted lottery to determine admissions when necessary to comply with desegregation efforts. Another bill (SB 478) authorizes the creation of a new category of charter school known as a limited charter. The purpose of a limited charter is to institute alternative staffing and compensation practices designed to improve student and teacher performance, employee salaries and professional opportunities. (The budget includes $500,000 in each year of the biennium.) The state Board of Education may approve the initial charter for no more than three years and may renew the charter for a period of up to three years, however the state Department of Education will review the schools annually to determine progress in student achievement. 

The state Board of Education is directed to study the efficiency of public education, teachers’ salaries, certification and teacher education programs, and funding (HB 2169). A legislative committee known as the Arkansas Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Education will explore ways to improve public education. The commission will seek ways to involve private business in the improvement process; define an equitable, adequate and efficient system of public schools; assess current efforts to improve Arkansas’ schools; and recommend proposed legislation for the 2003 legislative session (SB 907). 

Delaware (http://www.state.de.us/delegis.htm)

House Bill 220 revises accountability legislation passed in 1998. The bill eliminates the accreditation classifications for schools and replaces them with four performance classifications (Superior Performance, Commendable Performance, Under School Improvement and Unsatisfactory Performance). The bill also amends the formula for school performance awards. Schools previously were eligible for a single award of $1,500 for superior performance in any of three categories: student performance on state tests (“absolute performance”); improvement in student scores on state tests (“improvement performance”); and improvement in the performance of low-performing students (“distributional performance”). A school now will receive $10,000 for each category in which it demonstrates superior performance. The state Department of Education will use all three measures to determine a school’s overall performance. 

Senate Bill 15 allows vocational/technical teachers to receive initial licenses for up to six years while they complete college courses required for certification. These teachers must pass a recognized certification exam for general knowledge, such as the Praxis I, before the initial license expires.

Senate Bill 176 calls for the Professional Standards Board, with the approval of the state Board of Education, to establish a timeline to implement certification requirements set out in 2000 legislation. The bill also permits a prospective teacher who meets all requirements except for passage of the Praxis I exam to receive an initial license, but he or she must pass the exam within a specified time. The initial license will be suspended on the last day of the school year for which it was issued unless there is proof that the applicant has met the testing requirement.

Senate Bill 106 creates the Student Assessment and Accountability Committee to monitor the state system of student assessment and accountability. Students in kindergarten through 10th grade now will participate in the state testing program (the law previously required testing in at least four grades).

The law amends student promotion and retention policies by providing procedures that differentiate between students who perform “below” and “well below” state standards. Students who perform “below” state standards on the third-, fifth- or eighth-grade reading assessment or on the eighth-grade math assessment will not advance to the next grade unless the parents and the school district agree to individual improvement plans for these students. 

The improvement plan may include, for example, summer school, tutoring or additional instruction before or after school. A student who is promoted because of an improvement plan must demonstrate proficiency by the end of the next year or be retained. If a student’s parents and the school district cannot agree to an improvement plan, the student will attend summer school. If he or she does not demonstrate proficiency before the next school year begins, he or she will be retained. 

Students who perform “well below” state standards will be retained unless they attend summer school and demonstrate reading proficiency before the next school year begins. Districts can retain students for two years. 

Another bill (SB 157) relating to assessment requires the state Department of Education to develop rules about the security of test materials, proper administration of tests, and procedures for collecting, storing and retrieving test materials and data.

Other legislation adds school board members to the list of state officials covered by the existing state code of conduct (HB 54) and allows retired teachers to serve as substitute teachers without losing retirement benefits (HB 17).

The budget provides $2.3 billion for state operations — an increase of 5.4 percent. Funding for education budgets will increase by 6 percent to $975.9 million. Elementary and secondary education will operate with $773.5 million, an increase of 7.4 percent. This amount includes pay raises averaging 2 percent for all teachers and an additional 2.5 percent for teachers who move up a step on the state’s salary schedule. 

Delaware is continuing to implement provisions of accountability programs for students and educators. Funding for the state testing program will expand to $8.8 million, an increase of 50 percent. The budget provides $6.4 million (up 28 percent) to support educator accountability. Funds are available for school performance rewards that can be used for salary supplements and bonuses to teachers who increase their skills and knowledge (bonuses of 2 percent to 6 percent), take on additional responsibilities (up to $1,500) or acquire national certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (12 percent). 

In addition, $8.3 million allocated to the Professional Accountability and Instructional Advancement Fund will support several initiatives: professional development, alternative certification, mentors for new teachers, and release time for exemplary teachers who help districts strengthen teaching practices and curricula. The funds also will defray the costs for teachers who seek national certification.

Several initiatives will benefit young children and at-risk students. Funding will increase for Read-Aloud Delaware, a program that encourages adults to prepare children for school by reading to them regularly ($240,000, up 4.3 percent). An allocation of $226,000 (up 28.4 percent) will provide school-age children with additional assistance in reading. Early childhood programs for 4-year-olds will receive $4.3 million, an increase of 2 percent. An allocation of $10.4 million (no change) will provide struggling K-12 students with extra instructional time in math, science, language arts and social studies. 

Higher education funding will increase by 1 percent to $202.4 million. The University of Delaware will operate with $110.7 million, an increase of 1.3 percent. Funding for Delaware State University will remain nearly the same at $34.3 million. Faculty will receive pay raises averaging 3.75 percent at the University of Delaware and 2 percent at Delaware State. Delaware Technical and Community College will receive $57.2 million — 1.1 percent more — including funds for faculty pay raises of 2.5 percent. Tuition increases for in-state undergraduate students vary by institution and range from 4.4 percent to 5.7 percent.

Florida (http://www.leg.state.fl.us)

During the 2000 session, the Legislature passed HB 2263 that changed the governance of education in Florida effective in January 2003. The bill called for a new Florida Board of Education to appoint a commissioner of education (currently an elected position) and oversee all levels of education (from kindergarten through graduate education). The duties of the Board of Regents and State Board of Community Colleges were to be transferred to the new education board in 2003 at which time both boards would be eliminated. New boards of trustees would govern individual colleges and universities beginning in 2003 (each community college already has a governing board).

Legislation passed in 2001 (SB 1162) accelerates the process and puts in place a transition system to oversee the changes. Beginning in July 2001, the transitional Florida Board of Education and its secretary (both appointed by the governor) will work with the current commissioner of education and State Board of Education to reorganize the Department of Education. The new department will comprise the Office of the Commissioner, other offices such as educational facilities and financial aid, and four divisions (colleges and universities, community colleges, public schools and independent education).

The Board of Regents and State Board of Community Colleges are abolished and their functions are transferred to the Florida Board of Education effective July 2001 (previously 2003). The governor will appoint the new boards of trustees for colleges and universities by November 2001. The permanent Florida Board of Education will be effective July 7, 2003. Its members will be appointed by the governor (he may keep the transitional board or appoint new members). The new Florida Board of Education will appoint the commissioner of education.

The Education Governance Reorganization Transition Task Force, comprised of gubernatorial and legislative appointees, has planned the transition to date. It will provide guidance during the implementation process and report to the governor, Legislature, Secretary of the Florida Board of Education and the public on the progress of the reorganization.

The same bill (SB 1162) creates a testing program for students seeking to qualify for the merit-based Bright Futures Scholarships. Beginning in 2002-03, students seeking a Bright Futures award must take at least five examinations for college credit through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), Advanced Placement Program or International Baccalaureate Program. Students will earn college credit by passing the exams; the credit earned will apply toward the 120 hours required for a Bachelor’s degree. The maximum award through the Bright Futures Scholarship program then will be reduced by the number of hours for which credit is awarded through the examination program. 

Also included in the bill are provisions allowing community colleges to offer a limited number of four-year degrees if approved by the Florida Board of Education. St. Petersburg College (formerly St. Petersburg Junior College) is authorized to offer baccalaureate degrees in certain areas of education and in nursing and technology. Two branch campuses of the University of South Florida will become more independent and the New College of Florida, currently a part of USF, will become the state’s eleventh university.

Senate Bill 302 creates the Higher Educational Facilities Financing Authority to assist independent colleges and universities with tax-exempt financing for construction projects. Senate Bill 2 allows employees participating in the Florida Retirement System to change from the employer-owned defined benefit plan to a personally-owned and portable defined contribution plan beginning in 2002.
The purpose of the Sharpen the Pencil Act (HB 269) is to promote accountability in the financial management of school districts by improving the use of resources and identifying potential cost savings. The law calls for reviews of all school districts’ financial management practices on a five-year cycle. These reviews will result in an action plan containing standards that districts are expected to meet within two years.

Another section of the same bill expands the purposes of charter schools to include competition within the public school system to stimulate improvement in all public schools, additional academic choices for parents and students and expanding the capacity of the public school system by creating additional schools. Funds generated through the finance formula by a public school that converts to a charter school must remain with the school. The Legislature encourages municipalities and developers of residential and other projects to incorporate neighborhood schools into their plans. 

Senate Bill 1684 creates the Transition to Teaching Program to recruit retiring or career-changing professionals into teaching. House Bill 1193 contains other provisions to enable the state to recruit and retain teachers such as creating a district certification program for “adjunct educators” — non-educators with bachelor’s degrees who wish to teach part-time in a field in which they possess expertise. 

In other legislation, schools are expected not only to improve overall student achievement but also to raise the achievement of students who score in the lowest quarter of students on the state assessment program (HB 1633). Districts not meeting academic standards through the state’s accountability program will have to meet minimum classroom expenditure requirements (HB 1545). House Bill 267 prohibits a student who has committed a felony offense against another student from attending the same school or riding on a school bus with the victim or the victim’s siblings.

The budget provides $20.1 billion in general funds for state operations, about 1.3 percent more than in 2000-01. The Legislature approved a week-long sales tax holiday toward the end of the summer for back-to-school clothing, school supplies and other items. It also reduced taxes on intangible personal property such as stocks, bonds and securities by raising the exemption to $250,000 (currently $20,000) for individuals and to $500,000 (currently $40,000) for married couples.

Education budgets will operate with nearly $10.9 billion in general funds, an increase of 1.3 percent. Schools, colleges and universities also will receive for operations $766 million from the lottery (up 3.3 percent), including $202 million for the merit-based Bright Futures scholarships, an increase of 41.2 percent. A total of $1.9 billion is available for education construction projects including $180 million from lottery funds. 

Total funding from all sources for public four-year colleges and universities will decline 2.4 percent to $2.4 billion. This amount includes the revenue from a 7.5 percent tuition increase. Of the $60.3 million decrease, $24.3 million is a transfer to another state agency of funding for graduate medical education and a teaching hospital. General Revenue funds will decline 1.1 percent to $1.7 billion. The $98.7 million from the lottery is a reduction of 3.4 percent. 

Most of the budget goes to colleges and universities through the finance formula. Total formula funding will increase 2.1 percent to $2 billion. This includes revenue from the tuition increase and funding for anticipated enrollment growth of 5,500 students.

Funding for contracts with independent colleges will total $108.6 million, down 2.6 percent. Community colleges will operate with $500.9 million in general funds, an increase of 7.2 percent. Most of these funds will go to colleges through the funding formula. In addition, the two-year colleges will receive the revenue from a 3.5 percent tuition increase. Lottery funds will decline 3.4 percent to $98.7 million. Pay raises for faculty at two- and four-year institutions are determined through collective bargaining.

Elementary and secondary schools will receive general funds of $7.5 billion, an increase of 2.6 percent. Most of these funds will be distributed to schools through the finance formula. Lottery funds will decline 7.2 percent to $347.2 million. The budget includes $113.5 million for awards to high-performing and improving schools (up from $60 million), $13 million for assistance to low-performing schools (down from $38.3 million), and $676.7 million (up 2.1 percent) in the finance formula to help low-performing students gain a year of knowledge for each year. Also $11 million is available for the second year of a three-year pilot project extending the school year at some schools (no change) and $11 million in new funding will support reading initiatives. 

Teachers will benefit from $36 million for teacher training (no change), $8.8 million for professional development (up from $1.4 million), and $152 million for $850 bonuses to help keep teachers in the profession. Funds not needed for teacher retention can be used for signing bonuses for new teachers or other awards. Also available is $40.7 million in general funds (nearly $50 million in total) for the state’s assessment program, up from $32.9 million (nearly $40 million in total). Funding for preschool projects will remain at $103.8 million. Teachers’ pay raises are determined through collective bargaining.

Georgia (http://www.state.ga.us/services/leg)

The General Assembly amended the 2000-01 state budget by increasing funds 5.5 percent to $15.3 billion. The 5.3 percent increase for education budgets brings the total budget to $8.4 billion and includes $108.6 million for enrollment growth in elementary and secondary schools and $110 million for school construction in rapidly growing school districts.

Colleges and universities will receive an additional $24 million in 2000-01 to meet budget shortfalls because of the conversion from quarter to semester terms, $202.8 million for construction projects and $37.1 million to create a cancer research center. The cancer center is part of the Georgia Cancer Coalition, a public-private partnership that will create a statewide network for the detection, prevention and treatment of the disease. In a separate bill (HB 139) $468 million was allocated for public school construction. Most of these funds are for 6,000 additional classrooms needed by 2004 to meet the class-size reductions in 2000 reform legislation. 

The budget for 2001-02 will reach $15.5 billion, a 6.8 percent increase over the budget originally adopted for 2000-01 (1.2 percent more than the amended 2000-01 budget). It continues the multi-year property-tax relief plan that will raise the homestead exemption to $50,000 by 2008. Education funding will reach $8.5 billion, an increase of 6.5 percent above the original 2000-01 budget. This amount includes $550 million from the lottery.

The 2001-02 budget provides elementary and secondary schools with $5.9 billion, an increase of 7.6 percent. This amount includes $38.2 million from the lottery primarily for classroom computers. Schools will receive $5.2 million through the finance formula, an increase of 11.2 percent, which includes funds for 4.5 percent pay raises for teachers, a 14 percent increase for grades 4 through 8 (the early intervention program will expand to fourth and fifth grades), 32 percent more for students with limited English proficiency, and new funds ($44.7million) for the additional instructional time for low-performing students that was included in 2001 education reform 
legislation.

Funding for charter schools will reach $7.2 million (up from $1.3 million). A total of $6 million (an increase of 58.2 percent) will support comprehensive school reform and new funding is provided for student testing ($5.6 million) and for school improvement teams that will assist low-performing schools ($11 million).

Colleges and universities will receive $1.5 billion from the funding formula, an increase of 6.2 percent. Lottery funds ($9 million) will support college and university priorities and an Internet connection initiative. Tuition for in-state undergraduates will increase 3 to 5 percent (averaging 3.7 percent) at four-year colleges and universities. Tuition will not increase at community colleges.

Mandatory fees increases vary by institution — of the state’s 34 colleges and universities, fees will not increase at 14 institutions and will decline at two. Fee increases range from 1.4 percent to 22.9 percent at the remaining 18 colleges and universities (two-thirds fall between 3.5 percent and 7 percent). Funding for adult and technical institutions will increase 10.2 percent to $277.3 million and includes $13.5 million (up 40.6 percent) for the Quick Start program. Quick Start provides employee training to new and expanding industries. Faculty will receive average pay raises of 4.5 percent.

Legislation (HB 656) amended provisions of the Education Reform Act of 2000 (HB 1187). The law addresses social promotion in grades 3, 5 and 8 by requiring that beginning in 2003-04, students in third grade who fail to perform at grade level on state tests will not be promoted to the next grade. This policy will apply to students in fifth grade beginning with the 2004-05 year and to students in eighth grade beginning in 2005-06. Local boards will identify students in kindergarten through fifth grades who are at risk of not reaching or maintaining grade-level standards and provide intervention programs for these students.

The act amends the finance formula to provide funding for kindergarten aides, expand the early intervention program to grades 4 and 5, provide 20 additional instructional days for at-risk students (estimated at 10 percent of students) and revise support for alternative education programs. Districts using prototype construction plans approved by the state will receive a greater share of state funding toward the project. The Georgia Closing the Achievement Gap Commission will review the achievement levels of at-risk students by ethnicity, gender, disability, language proficiency and socioeconomic status and will recommend actions to improve the achievement of these students.

The 2001 law requires students in middle grades to have a minimum of five instructional hours devoted to English and language arts, reading, math, science and social studies. Reading and math will be the priority for low-performing students. Each local board may schedule additional academic or exploratory classes above the five-hour minimum. Interdisciplinary teams of teachers in middle schools now will have a common planning period of at least 55 minutes. 

Other legislation creates a college tuition savings plan (HB 417) and excludes from public records school employees’ personal information such as social security numbers and financial and medical records (HB 65/SB 205). School employees who are assaulted while performing their duties will not be charged sick leave for up to the first seven days of absence due to injury (HB 164).

Kentucky (http://www.lrc.state.ky.us/home.htm)

A 2000 constitutional amendment created annual legislative sessions; previously, the General Assembly met every other year. The General Assembly will continue to adopt biennial budgets in even-numbered years. In odd-numbered years, bills raising revenue or making appropriations will not become law unless approved by three-fifths of the members of each house. 

The 2000 General Assembly adopted a biennial state budget for 2000-02 that provided general funds of $7.3 billion in 2001-02, an increase of 4.2 percent over 2000-01. General funds for higher education will increase 10.1 percent to $1.2 billion in 2001-02 and reflect the commitment to support the Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997. The budget included nearly 2.9 billion in general funds for elementary and secondary schools, an increase of 2.3 percent over 2000-01. Details on the 2000-02 biennial budget are available in SREB’s 2000 Final Legislative Actions (http://www.sreb.org/main/LegAction/legactions/2000legact.asp).

Legislation (HB 1) defines the term “terroristic threat” as it relates to schools and adds weapons of mass destruction to the current list of deadly weapons. Student teachers now will submit to criminal records checks, however, students enrolled in educational institutions who observe or participate in educational activities in a school under the supervision of a teacher or administrator are exempt (HB204). 

The Council on Postsecondary Education will administer a grant program (requiring local matching funds) to establish local P-16 councils. The councils will promote the successful transition of students from prekindergarten through higher education. Membership on the councils may include educators from public and private schools, representatives from postsecondary institutions, local school board members, and community and business leaders (HB17). 

A committee appointed to study Kentucky’s Advanced Placement Program will develop a plan to ensure every student access to Advanced Placement courses (SCR 2).

The governor reorganized the Education Professional Standards Board as an independent entity by executive order. Legislation (HB 78) establishes the reorganized board in law. Among its duties, the board establishes standards and requirements for obtaining and maintaining a teaching certificate, and oversees programs for the preparation of teachers. The majority of the board’s members will be teachers. Other members include two school administrators, a representative of local school boards and three representatives from postsecondary institutions. The members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate and House.

The Teachers’ Professional Growth Fund was created in 2000 to provide teachers with tuition reimbursements and stipends for college courses and professional-development activities. Priority for funding was given to middle school teachers through 2004; for the first two of these years (through 2002), mathematics teachers received priority. Legislation in 2001 (HB 66) retains the priorities but allows the state Department of Education to approve funding for teachers in other middle grade content areas if all funds are not needed for math teachers.

Legislation (HB 185) sets out the purpose of career and technical education and acknowledges that rigorous high-quality programs offer students the opportunity to develop skills in math, science, communication, problem-solving and career and technical areas that are essential to meet Kentucky’s goals for education. The law requires the Department of Education and the Department of Technical Education to jointly implement a comprehensive plan to ensure that career and technical programs are available to students in all school districts and to report annually on the achievement of technical education students. Technical assistance plans will help schools not meeting performance goals.

Louisiana (http://www.legis.state.la.us)

Several bills address recruiting and retaining teachers. The Legislature created the Critical Teacher Shortage Incentive Program (HB 651) to attract teachers into fields — such as math, science and special education — in which there are shortages. Teachers who earn certification will receive annual bonuses of $3,000 for the first four years they teach in the shortage areas. The state Board of Education will give the Legislature annual reports on the program and each year will identify the subject areas in which there are critical shortages.

House Bill 221 allows teachers who have licenses from other states to receive provisional, nonrenewable teaching certificates that are valid for three years (previously one year). Teachers who have out-of-state licenses, have taught for at least four years in another state and have taught for at least one year in Louisiana will not be required to take an exam for licensure. These teachers must meet all other requirements for certification, and their local superintendents must recommend them for Louisiana certification. 

Senate Concurrent Resolution 139 provides salary increases of $2,060 for teachers and other certified personnel in 2001-02. If there are no other pay raises in fiscal years through 2004-05, 50 percent of increases in funding for the finance formula (after allocations for enrollment growth) will be used to raise the pay of teachers and other certified staff. Several years ago, legislation tied teacher pay raises to additional professional-development days; House Bill 1447 suspends that requirement. Another bill (HB 458) increases the minimum number of instructional days from 175 to 177. About two-thirds of school districts meet this requirement. House Bill 245 exempts school personnel’s Social Security numbers from public records laws. House Bill 1358 raises the employee contribution to the teacher retirement system to 7.5 percent (previously 6.35 percent).

Senate Bill 114 allows a school administrator who was nationally certified as a teacher to con-tinue receiving the $5,000 annual bonus for the life of the certificate. A school counselor who earns national certification through the National Board for Certified Counselors also is eligible for a $5,000 annual bonus for the life of the certificate (SB 247).

School safety legislation (HB 364) requires local school boards to amend student codes of conduct to include policies prohibiting harassment, intimidation and bullying. Local boards are authorized to adopt zero-tolerance policies for fighting in schools. Violators may be required to attend conflict resolution classes with their parents. Each public school will prepare a crisis management and response plan for use at the school, on school buses or at school-sponsored events (SB 115). The plan should address how staff should respond to violence. Elementary schools are authorized to establish violence prevention programs and intervention strategies for violent and aggressive behavior in youths (SB 1035). Programs should identify and support students who are at risk for delinquency. Schools may collaborate with community-based organizations to develop and implement the programs.

Senate Bill 776 allows school districts to begin prekindergarten programs for 4-year-olds. Any district that chooses to provide a program must offer services to every child in the district. Children who qualify for the federal free and reduced-price meal program will attend at no cost; other children may be charged tuition. The state Department of Education will provide technical assistance to participating systems, will evaluate the programs’ effectiveness and will provide teachers with professional development.

Current law requires some charter schools to enroll a certain percentage of at-risk students. House Bill 796 exempts from this requirement charter schools that enroll primarily the children of military personnel. House Bill 1282 requires any group that applies for a charter to form a nonprofit corporation. The bill also sets a timeline for applying for charters, for approving the applications, for beginning new charter schools and for adjusting funding based on enrollment changes.

The state Board of Regents is required to establish a system for reporting information on the TOPS merit-based scholarship program (HB 2012). This information will be used in policy analysis and program evaluation. Secondary schools are required to provide ninth-graders with information on the TOPS program, including eligibility requirements. House Bill 1945 allows students who have taken at least 10 honors courses in high school to qualify for a full TOPS award if they have 3.0 grade-point averages (rather than 3.5) and ACT scores of 24 (rather than 23).

The Legislature has adopted a state general-fund budget for 2001-02 that totals $6.7 billion — an increase of 7.3 percent. Funding for education will increase by 9 percent to $3.7 billion. Elementary and secondary schools will receive nearly $2.6 billion — an increase of 7.6 percent. Schools will receive $2.4 billion through the finance formula (up 7 percent), including $99.8 million from the lottery and $96.8 million from the gaming industry. This amount includes $137 million (general funds and gaming funds) for teacher pay raises of $2,060 per year. 

Funding for accountability initiatives will reach $52 million — nearly double the 2000-01 allocation. General funds include $13.9 million — an increase of 29.9 percent — for the state testing program. An allocation of $4.3 million (up from $1.7 million) will support distinguished educators who assist low-performing schools. Remedial and summer school programs will operate with $20 million (up from $7.5 million). Funding for school improvement awards will increase to $13.8 million (from $3 million). 

Higher education will operate with $934.4 million in general funds — 8 percent more than in 2000-01. Institutions will receive an additional $15 million through the formula, part of which will go to all institutions. The other part will increase funding for the colleges and universities that are the furthest behind the average funding for comparable institutions. The budget includes $22.5 million for a technology initiative that is expected to increase economic development and expand computer-related research in public universities. Faculty will receive pay raises averaging 5 percent; $38.7 million in revenues from the gaming industry will be used for these raises. 

Higher education management boards were authorized to set tuition and required fees. Boards in the past have needed a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to raise tuition and required fees. House Bill 2007 allows the boards to raise these assessments by up to 3 percent annually with approval from the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget only.

The TOPS merit-based scholarship program is expected to provide more than 39,000 awards (up 11.8 percent) with the $102 million appropriated. This amount is an increase of 18.8 percent.

Maryland (http://mlis.state.md.us)

The General Assembly adopted a budget for 2001-02 that increases state spending 5.3 percent 
to $10.8 billion. Education budgets will receive $4.3 billion in general funds, 6.7 percent more than in 2000-01. In addition, cash and proceeds from the sale of bonds will provide elementary and secondary schools with $260.7 million for construction projects; higher education institutions will receive $448.1 million.

Elementary and secondary schools will receive nearly $2.6 billion in direct state aid, an increase of 8 percent. Another $328.2 million is available for employer contributions to the retirement system for education employees — this decrease of 10.4 percent is due to retirement fund investment earnings. Schools will receive nearly $1.7 billion through the finance formula, 3.7 percent more than in 2000-01, and $117.1 million (up 3.1 percent) for compensatory aid that is distributed to districts on the basis of their numbers of economically disadvantaged students. The budget includes $19 million in new funds for programs that improve the academic achievement of students in prekindergarten through third grade.

Funding will increase for a number of initiatives. Programs that strengthen teacher development, mentoring and certification will receive $35.5 million, an increase of 4.6 percent. The Education Modernization Initiative that links schools with online computer access will increase 29.5 percent to $13.4 million. The Maryland Learning Success Program, created in 1999 to reduce class sizes in the early grades to no more than 20 students, will continue with $17.3 million, an increase of 48.5 percent.

For the second year, funds are available to match local district support for teacher pay raises. Teachers in districts that provide 4 percent cost-of-living increases will receive an additional 1 percent through the Teacher Salary Challenge Program. Programs for students who are not performing at grade level will operate with $19.1 million, up 64.7 percent. The budget includes $70.5 million (up 6.4 percent) for what was to be the final year of a five-year finance and accountability plan for the city of Baltimore; however 2001 legislation (SB 719) extends funding through 2003.

General funds for higher education will increase 9.9 percent to nearly $1.2 billion. Community colleges will operate with $165.8 million, an increase of 8 percent. In addition, $12.7 million (a decrease of 13.5 percent) will pay the employer contributions to the retirement system. Four-year colleges and universities will receive $974.5 million, 10 percent more than in 2000-01. Most of this allocation ($877.2 million, an increase of 9.9 percent) supports the University System of Maryland. Faculty pay raises are estimated to average about 7 percent. Tuition and fee increases for in-state undergraduates are estimated to range from less than 1 percent to 8 percent. (Increases at two-thirds of the institutions range from 2.5 to 4 percent.) Funds for independent colleges and universities will reach $46 million, an increase of 10.6 percent.

Legislation passed in 1999 created the Commission on Education Finance, Equity and Excellence to review the state’s funding formula and accountability policies. The commission’s recommendations were incorporated into SB 719 (2001). The bill extends through 2002-03 funding for a number of programs that was scheduled to expire at the end of 2001-02. For example, funding will continue into 2002-03 for the finance and accountability plan for the Baltimore City School District (1997 SB 795), programs serving at-risk students (1998 HB 1/SB 171), the state portion of matching funds for districts that authorize 4 percent pay raises for teachers and assistance to low-performing students (2000 SB 810/HB 1247), and early education initiatives included in the 2001-02 budget.

Another bill (SB 713) allows information about student arrests to be exchanged by local super-intendents when a student transfers to another school district. The state Board of Education is required to establish the Juvenile Justice Disciplinary Alternative Education Pilot Program for students who have been or may be suspended or expelled (HB 825). The program may be admin-istered by a private agency and requires proof of student progress in reading and math. 

The General Assembly extended the Schools for Success Fund until the year 2007 (from 2002). Low-performing schools use grants from the fund to establish school improvement programs (SB 64). The state authorized a pilot program to deliver educational services to K-12 students in two counties during the summer (HB 53). Each of the two district boards will develop education curricula and activities and submit them to the state Board of Education for approval. 

Legislation passed in 1999 authorized a bonus of up to $2,000 (to be matched by local grants) for up to 300 teachers who receive national certification. SB 129 raises the eligibility to 500 teachers. Lawmakers established a task force to examine adult education issues including instruction for adults in basic skills, programs for people with limited English skills, family literacy and GED preparation (HB 775). 

Eligibility for the Maryland Teacher Scholarship Program will extend to part-time graduate students pursuing a degree in education. Recipients must agree to work as a teacher in Maryland one year for each year the scholarship was received. (SB 206/HB 299) The maximum family income for students receiving HOPE Scholarships was increased to $95,000 (from $80,000). The merit-based scholarships are granted to students attending four-year institutions or two-year colleges (with the intent to transfer to a four-year college or university) in the state (SB 213/HB 329). 

Mississippi (http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us)

Mid-year cuts to the state budget average about 3 percent for 2000-01, reducing the $3.6 billion budget by $120.5 million. Education’s share of the general fund cuts included 5 percent from university and community college support and 3 percent from the K-12 finance formula. The K-12 finance formula cut was replaced with funds diverted from other sources of revenue so there was no impact on current-year allocations. The state general fund budget for 2001-02 totals $3.5 billion, 2.5 percent less than the 2000-01 appropriation.

The budget adopted for 2001-02 provides the state’s four-year colleges and universities with $514.3 million in general funds, 12.2 percent less than the original 2000-01 appropriation and 7.8 percent less than the reduced current-year budget. The total higher education budget of $591.5 million, which includes $34.1 million in one-time funding to cushion the budget reductions and $43 million from the Education Enhancement Fund (from one cent of sales tax), is 8.3 percent less than the original appropriation for 2000-01.

General funds for student financial aid programs were not cut in 2000-01. Funding for 2001-02 will increase 4.8 percent to $29.2 million. The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning has authorized maximum tuition increases of 15 percent; institutional boards will determine actual increases. Community colleges will operate with $160.8 million, 11.5 percent below the original appropriation for 2000-01 and 3.9 percent below the reduced current-year budget. Community colleges boards will determine tuition increases. No funds were allocated for faculty pay raises.

State Department of Education programs will operate in 2001-02 with nearly $1.5 billion in general funds. This is 2.5 percent more than the original 2000-01 budget. Under the budget, general funds will increase, funds from the EEF will decline and one-time funds are used to cushion the effects of lower than expected revenues so that total state funds will remain nearly the same at $1.7 billion.

The six-year phase-in of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, a funding formula adopted in 1997, will continue — the budget allocates a total of $242.6 million, an increase of 18.6 percent. This amount includes a reduction in general funds and an increase in special funds (from a state trust fund and one-time money). Schools will receive $1.2 billion in general funds and $55.1 million from the EEF through the existing finance formula, an increase over the 2000-01 appropriation of nearly 1 percent. House Bill 1134, passed during the 2000 session, set out a five-year plan to raise teacher pay by 29 percent by 2005-06; teachers will receive pay raises averaging 2.7 percent in 2001-02.

The Mississippi School Safety Act of 2001 (SB 2239) establishes the School Safety Center and a crisis management program to provide assistance to schools in times of crisis and to aid in the development of required school safety plans. Any student over the age of 13 who is habitually disruptive and does not follow a discipline plan developed by the school’s principal, teacher and parents will be expelled after the third disruptive incident during the school year. A habitually disruptive student younger than 13 will be subject to psychological evaluation after the second incident. 

The act requires each local board to make its code of conduct available each year to teachers, parents and students. The code must recognize teachers as the authority in the classroom and that they may remove disruptive students as needed. A disruptive student may not return to the classroom until a parent conference has been held. A student will not be removed from the classroom if the principal does not approve; the teacher may request a written explanation from the principal. School districts may allow as an alternative to suspension that parents attend classes with their child for a specified length of time.

In other legislation, the state Board of Education is required to create a listing of conflict resolution and peer mediation materials and curricula for the local school boards. The materials should address school violence, harassment, decision making, cultural diversity and non-violent problem-solving methods including peer mediation (HB 2390). School superintendents are required to obtain criminal background and child abuse registry checks for anyone applying for employment (SB 2986).

The Education Employment Procedures Law of 2001 (HB527) establishes new guidelines to deny renewal of teacher licenses in a fair and timely manner. The decision to deny renewal of a license must be based on valid educational reasons or for failure to comply with school district personnel policies. School employees have a right to a hearing. Notice of non-renewal and hearing rights do not apply to probationary teachers who have taught less than two years in the state and less than one year in the district. Employees may request a hearing and must be given specific reasons for non-renewal, a list of witnesses, and a copy of the evidence to be presented. In turn, the employee must provide the district with a list of witnesses and evidence before the hearing. 

Retired teachers, and other former employees who are members of the state retirement system, may work up to one-half time (previously one-half of the normal working days for a position), collect up to one-half of the full-time salary and continue collecting their retirement benefits (HB 1182).

The Joint Committee on Establishing a Department of Children’s Affairs will study the possibility of creating an agency focusing on children’s affairs. The committee will study school attendance officers, alternative school programs, and other programs related to children. The committee will report to the Legislature and governor by December 2001 (SB 2503). House Bill 1275 establishes an interagency council to coordinate necessary services and care for disabled youth.

Other legislation authorizes local districts to establish vocational apprenticeship programs through which students can gain credits toward graduation (HB 52). Students still must complete the core curriculum defined by the state Board of Education. Another bill (HB 776) earmarks from the Education Enhancement Fund (EEF) until July 2002, $4.6 million for classroom supplies and instructional materials. The EEF has been supported by one-cent of sales tax and half of the state’s year-end cash balance; the bill deletes the requirement that excess year-end funds be deposited in the EEF.

Legislation affecting higher education expands the Medical Education Scholarship Program to include a loan repayment program for family medicine physicians who agree to serve in a primary care critical needs shortage area (SB 2916). A capital improvement bill (SB 3158) provides more than $61 million for construction, repair and renovation projects for colleges and universities. House Bill 1471 sets up the Ayers Settlement Fund to address the settlement of a lawsuit initiated in 1975 that claimed the existence of a racially segregated system of higher education.

North Carolina (http://www.ncga.state.nc.us)

The General Assembly finished its longest session in history and passed a biennial budget for 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 that will increase state spending by 3.8 percent in the first year and another 3.3 percent in the second year. Because of lower-than-expected revenues, most state agencies will have to return 4 percent of their appropriations at the end of 2001-2002. Elementary and secondary schools do not have to return appropriations, but colleges and universities will have to return 2.7 percent of their budgets. The $14.3 billion budget for the first year of the biennium includes nearly $8.4 billion for education budgets, an increase of 1.1 percent. In 2002-2003, the $14.8 billion budget earmarks nearly $8.5 billion for education — 1.2 percent more than the 2001-2002 budget.

The budget provides elementary and secondary schools with $5.9 billion in 2001-2002, 1.2 percent more than in the previous year. Funding for 2002-2003 will increase another 1.4 percent to $6 billion. In the first year of the biennium teachers will receive pay raises averaging 2.86 percent. Budget reductions reflect more accurate projections of budget requirements and administrative efficiencies. The General Assembly then added funds back into the budget to improve student achievement, particularly at low-performing schools.

Increased funding of $25.3 million in 2001-2002 (and another $15.5 million in 2002-2003) will reduce class sizes for kindergartners (from the current 20 students to 19 students in the first year of the biennium and to 18 students in the second year), will reduce class sizes in low-performing schools and in schools with high percentages of students from low-income families, and will provide additional instruction to low-performing students. These increases were partially offset by budget reductions of $8.1 million in both years of the biennium; this money had been intended for teacher assistants in low-performing schools.

The budget includes $93.1 million in 2001-2002 for bonuses of $750 to $1,500 for teachers in schools that meet or exceed goals for improving student achievement. The first year of the biennium contains a $4.6 million allocation to support a five-district pilot project created in 1999. The pilot project awards additional bonuses of $750 to teachers in schools where demographic groups of students (as designated by the state Board of Education) meet performance goals.

Funding for community colleges will decline slightly to $650.1 million in 2001-2002 and will increase slightly in 2002-2003 to reach $652.6 million. Universities will operate with $1.8 billion in the first year of the biennium — an increase of 1.4 percent — and slightly more in the second year. Faculty will receive pay raises of $625; faculty at community colleges will receive an additional 1.25 percent. In 2001-2002, tuition for in-state undergraduates will increase by 9 percent at universities and by 12.7 percent at community colleges.

The budget bill (SB 1005) requires schools to identify students at risk of academic failure and develop personal education plans for them as early as possible. Principals cannot base a student’s promotion to the next grade solely on his or her standardized test scores but also must consider the student’s schoolwork, grades and other factors. Beginning in 2002-2003, the state will expand the school accountability program to include "closing the gap" measures. These measures will compare the performance of groups of students within each school to ensure that all subgroups identified by the state Board of Education are meeting state standards.

The act defines a continually low-performing school as a school that has received state-mandated assistance and is designated as low-performing in at least two of three consecutive years. The state Board of Education is charged with developing and implementing actions to improve student achievement in these schools. As described above, additional funding is provided to raise student achievement in low-performing schools and in high-priority schools (elementary schools in which more than 80 percent of students are from low-income families and no more than 55 percent of students perform at or above grade level).

The appropriations act creates the Teacher Assistant Scholarship Fund to provide scholarships for teacher assistants to pursue bachelor’s degrees leading to teaching certificates. The act also authorizes the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina to give institutions management flexibility in three areas: information technology; tuition and fees; and the appointment and compensation of senior personnel.

Other legislation (HB 1285) allows new teachers additional time to complete the required specialty-area exam for certification. Teachers now will be required to pass the exam by the end of their second year of teaching, as long as they attempted the exam during their first year of teaching.

Senate Bill 803 requires the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina, the State Board of Community Colleges, and the Department of Public Instruction to work together to make teacher education programs more available to military personnel before they are discharged. This effort must include an expansion of courses and programs available on military bases, over the Internet and through cooperative education programs.

House Bill 1246 instructs the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina, the State Board of Education and the State Board of Community Colleges to study the criteria that universities use to make decisions about the admissions and placement of incoming freshmen as well as decisions about the acceptance of Advanced Placement credits. The bill also allows intellectually gifted students younger than 16 to enroll in courses at community colleges.

Oklahoma (http://www.lsb.state.ok.us)

The Legislature adopted a $5.6 billion state general-fund budget for 2001-02 — 4.9 percent more than the 2000-01 budget. Education budgets will increase by 3.9 percent to $3 billion.

Elementary and secondary schools will operate with $2 billion — an increase of 3.2 percent. No funds were earmarked for teacher pay raises (teachers received $3,000 pay raises in 2000-01), but $14 million was allocated to increase slightly the state’s portion of the cost of health insurance. The budget provides funds for bonuses to nationally certified teachers. The state has more than 260 nationally certified teachers, who receive annual bonuses of $5,000. The budget allocates nearly $2 million (up from $500,000) for the Virtual Internet School in Oklahoma to finish developing math courses for third- through 12th-graders statewide. 

The budget for career and technical education will increase by 5.5 percent to $131.8 million. Colleges and universities will operate with $860.5 million — an increase of 5.4 percent. Institutional boards determine faculty pay raises. Preliminary information from about two-thirds of the colleges and universities indicates that raises will range from 1 percent to 4 percent, with most institutions in the 3 percent to 4 percent range. 

Until now, the Legislature has set maximum tuition rates each year. Legislation (SB 596) authorizes the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to raise tuition annually within limits for the next five years. The regents are authorized to increase tuition by up to 7 percent each year for in-state undergraduate and graduate students; increases can be higher for out-of-state students and those in professional schools (such as law and medicine). Tuition for in-state undergraduates will increase by 7 percent in 2001-02.

Another bill (HB 1896) creates a state income-tax deduction for those who contribute to an Oklahoma College Savings Plan account. The new Task Force on State Scholarship and Student Aid Grant Programs (SB 149) will evaluate financial aid resources and their effectiveness in increasing the number of college graduates.

House Bill 1072 asks the University of Oklahoma to establish a cancer treatment and research program. (Georgia also is creating a cancer treatment and research initiative. For more information, see the summary of actions in Georgia.)

House Bill 1433 exempts some school districts from the state’s reporting requirements. Districts with no “low-performing” or “high-challenge” schools will not send to the state Board of Education the Comprehensive Local Education Plan or other plans regarding school improvement, professional development, capital improvement and reading. Districts still must prepare these plans; a regional accreditation officer will review them during regularly scheduled annual visits. 

Senate Bill 790 calls for the state Department of Education to report annually on the effectiveness of the Advanced Placement Incentive Program. The program supports grants to schools for equipment and instructional materials, teacher training, financial assistance for students’ examination fees, and school bonuses of $100 per passing test score. House Bill 1601 authorizes the Office of Accountability to review the effectiveness and efficiency of the budget operations of districts with high administrative costs.

Several bills related to school safety were passed. Among these bills, House Bill 1253 requires a state and national criminal-history check as a condition of licensure for each new teacher. Background checks previously were authorized but not required. House Bill 1765 strengthens provisions related to violence against school personnel as they perform school duties. Schools are required to report these incidents each year to the state Department of Education. 

Some bills addressed professional standards. Senate Bill 388 delays the professional-education portion of the teacher certification exam until new teachers complete residencies (one or two years of teaching). Teaching candidates still must complete the general-education and subject-area parts of the exam before their residencies. Teachers who have earned national certification will qualify for state certification. Candidates whom the Teacher Competency Review Panel does not recommend for licensure may appeal to the state Board of Education (SB 813).

Senate Bill 373 allows the state Board of Education to exempt superintendents in two large school districts from state certification requirements. House Bill 1044 ties the number of hours of continuing education required for members of local school boards to the length of their terms. Board members serving five-year terms are required to attend at least 15 hours of continuing education during their terms; those serving four-year terms must attend at least 12 hours. Three-year terms require nine hours of continuing education. 

Senate Bill 168 amends the 1997 Reading Sufficiency Act by establishing the following goal: Beginning in 2007, 90 percent of students will read at or above grade level by the end of their third-grade year. The state Department of Education will provide each school district with a list of approved reading assessments to be used in identifying students at risk of failure in reading. The bill also expands the information required in the annual report card on reading prepared by the state Department of Education.

In other legislation, the state Board of Education will determine by October 2001 a formula for the Academic Performance Index, which will be used to measure school improvement (SB 810). The API will include indicators such as student attendance and dropout rates, Advanced Placement participation, high school graduation rates, college remediation rates and scores on college entrance examinations. By the end of February 2002, the state board will determine the API baseline for the state and for each school and school district. Annual improvement on the API is expected to be at least five percentage points. The bill also makes the implementation of a nationally normed test for fourth-graders — which previously was required beginning in 2001-02 — contingent on available funding. 

South Carolina (http://www.state.sc.us/legislature.html)

The state budget passed by the Legislature for 2001-02 included cuts to the K-12 and higher education budgets and an allocation of $38.5 million from a special account to reduce the cuts’ impact. Most of the $38.5 million was earmarked for colleges and universities. The governor vetoed about $5 million in K-12 budget cuts and $89 million in cuts to the higher education budget. Because his veto restored funding to higher education, the governor requested that $28.5 million of the extra appropriation be returned and the governor transferred that allocation to the general fund. The governor also vetoed a reduction to the sales tax on food. The tax will return to 5 cents; the additional 1 cent will account for $50.3 million in revenue. A pending lawsuit questions whether the budget is balanced.

The state budget for 2001-02 (after the governor’s vetoes) provides $6.2 billion in state funds — 1.7 percent more than in 2000-01. This amount includes an increase of 1.6 percent in recurring general-fund money (for a total of $5.5 billion) and a decrease of 0.8 percent in one-time funds (for a total of $142.2 million). The state total also includes $547.8 million (up 2.9 percent) from Education Improvement Act funds, which come from an earmarked 1 cent of sales tax.

Funding for elementary and secondary education will increase by 3 percent to $2.5 billion. The $547.8 million in EIA funding will support ongoing initiatives and will provide teachers with pay raises averaging 3.8 percent. Recurring general funds will increase by 3.6 percent to more than $1.9 billion. One-time funds will decrease by 30.2 percent to $24.1 million.

Colleges and universities will operate with $616.2 million, down 0.5 percent. Funding for tech-nical colleges will remain $185.6 million. College and university boards determine faculty pay raises and tuition increases. 

House Bill 3529 creates the South Carolina College Investment Program to encourage individuals and families to plan for future college expenses. The state already has a prepaid tuition program.

House Bill 3534 calls for every college or university with a teacher education program to make preparing teachers a fundamental part of its mission. The bill calls for these institutions to fund professional development for practicing teachers and faculty members in teacher education programs. The Legislature wants teacher education programs to strengthen alliances with elementary and secondary education and with the business community. The Education Oversight Committee will review all professional development at the state and local levels. When the committee’s recommendations are received, the state Department of Education will develop an accountability system to ensure that professional-development standards are implemented effectively. School districts will be trained to design comprehensive professional-development programs that are consistent with the standards.

South Carolina voters in 2000 approved a constitutional amendment to allow the creation of a state lottery. The Education Lottery Act (SB 496) provides for the operation of the lottery. Proceeds will be used only for educational projects, including financial aid for college students, technology for elementary and secondary schools and for the state library, homework centers, education improvement efforts, and new initiatives in higher education. 

Prior to the 1999 legislative session, state law allowed retired employees (including teachers and other certified personnel) to return to work and earn up to $25,000 without jeopardizing their retirement benefits. Legislation passed in 1999 excluded from the income cap retired teachers who return to teaching in subject or geographic areas in which there are shortages. Two bills passed in 2001 affect retirees’ ability to return to work in schools. Senate Bill 163 allows members of the state retirement system who are retired for at least 60 days to return to work and earn up to $50,000 (up from $25,000) without losing their retirement benefits. House Bill 3175 exempts from the income cap any retired certified educator who returns to work in a school or district that is in a geographic area with a critical shortage of teachers or that has received an academic performance rating of “below average” or “unsatisfactory.” 

Tennessee (http://www.legislature.state.tn.us)

Discussions about tax reform dominated the legislative session. The governor vetoed the 2001-02 budget, which relies on the current tax structure, but the General Assembly overrode the governor’s veto. The governor may call a special session in the fall to address tax reform.

The General Assembly used all of the tobacco settlement funds available and some unused funds from 2000-01 to balance the 2001-02 budget. Several grant programs — with total funding of $41.8 million — will continue in 2001-02 using one-time funds. These programs are unlikely to receive funds in 2002-03. The “Rainy Day Fund” will remain at $178 million.

The total state budget is estimated to increase by about 5 percent to nearly $20 billion. This amount includes $9.2 billion in state general funds — about 3.5 percent more than in 2000-01. Elementary and secondary schools will operate with nearly $3.2 billion, an increase of 2.1 percent; general funds total $2.6 billion, up 2.5 percent. Funding for the finance formula will increase by 2.5 percent to $2.4 billion. Higher education is estimated to receive $2.1 billion (up 3 percent), including nearly $1.1 billion (an increase of 2.4 percent) in state general funds. The total funding includes the revenue from tuition increases of 15 percent for in-state undergraduates. Both teachers and faculty will receive pay raises averaging 2.5 percent. The governor recently announced cuts to help balance the budget: $15 million from the K-12 education budget and $12 million from the higher education budget. 

Higher education legislation (SB 58) calls for a review of the structure and responsibilities of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission. The governor and leaders of the House and Senate appointed a study group that will complete the review by January 2002. The Legislature intends the study to lead to an increase in the commission’s role in the state’s governance structure for public higher education. Under Senate Bill 1173, the annual report filed jointly by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, the Department of Education and the state Board of Education must include information on the number, status and funding of reading programs for kindergarten through third grade.

Senate Joint Resolution 1 calls for a constitutional amendment authorizing a state lottery to appear on the November 2002 ballot. If a lottery is approved, funds from it would support student financial aid, public school construction, and early-learning and after-school programs.

House Bill 1317 amends the college savings program to allow associations, corporations and other organized entities (previously limited to individuals) to create and fund college savings accounts. The law also clarifies who receives the refund when a savings contract is terminated.

The General Assembly passed the Education Reform Act of 2001 (SB 1881), but the bill will not become law because no funding was provided. The topics addressed by the bill included reading instruction, professional development, assistance for low-performing students, preschool programs, and the recruitment and retention of teachers. The bill will have to be re-enacted and funded to become law. 

Other bills addressed efforts to attract and retain teachers. House Bill 1922 authorizes the state Department of General Services to establish contracts so that public school teachers individually can purchase computers for use outside the classroom. House Bill 1039 requires local boards to provide teachers with at least 2.5 hours of duty-free planning time weekly.
Other legislation (HB 903) requires local school boards to adopt written policies that prohibit hazing. Senate Bill 188 requires the state Department of Education to release raw test scores from the state testing program no later than June 30 each year. House Bill 1301 requires the commissioner of education to report by race and gender the results from the state testing program.

Texas (http://www.capitol.state.tx.us)

The Legislature adopted a state budget for the 2002-03 biennium that will increase general funds by 9.1 percent to $61.7 billion. Education budgets will increase by 4.7 percent to $36.4 billion.

The 2002-03 biennial budget for elementary and secondary education will reach $26 billion in general funds — 2 percent more than in the current biennium. Most of these funds ($22.6 billion) will support the operation of schools through the finance formula. The budget includes $800 million for instructional materials (up 14.4 percent), $91.1 million (up 3 percent) for technology, and $140 million (up from $19.6 million) for professional development for educators. Teachers received $3,000 pay raises in the 2000-01 biennium. No funds were earmarked for pay raises in the 2002-03 biennium, but legislators created a state program to provide teachers with health insurance. The program will be implemented over the next several years. Local districts currently provide teachers’ health benefits.

Funding for the Governor’s Reading Initiative will decline to $34 million over the biennium. The $16 million decrease is attributed to lower-than-expected spending for the program during the current biennium. The Ready to Read Program for low-income preschool children will operate with $15 million (up from $2 million) over two years. Master reading teachers receive $5,000 stipends to work with other teachers and students to improve reading performance; funding will reach $20 million for the biennium (up from $12 million). 

Several efforts to help at-risk students will continue at current funding levels. The budget allocates $12.5 million in each year of the biennium for after-school programs for middle school students in districts with high rates of juvenile crime. Another program helps ninth-graders who may not meet the requirements to advance to 10th grade. These students receive assistance in mastering basic skills and can complete credits required for high school graduation. Funding will remain $42.5 million in each year of the biennium.

A student success initiative funds teacher training and research-based programs for students who are unlikely to achieve the state’s third-grade reading standard. The program initially targeted kindergartners and first-graders; it will expand to second-graders in 2001-02 and to third-graders in 2002-03. Beginning in 2002-03, third-graders must meet performance standards on the state’s testing program in order to be promoted to fourth grade. This class of third-graders will have to meet the criteria as fifth-graders in 2004-05 and as eighth-graders in 2007-08. Funding continues at current levels ($66 million in the first year of the biennium and $107.3 million in the second year of the biennium).

The budget allocates $100 million in each year of the biennium for school districts to implement and expand kindergarten and prekindergarten programs. Funding for the Advanced Placement Incentive Program will increase to $32 million for the biennium ($21 million was appropriated in the 2000-01 biennium). The goal of the program is to offer Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses at as many schools as possible — regardless of the students’ socio-economic characteristics or of whether the schools are urban or rural.

General funds for higher education will reach $10.4 billion for the 2002-03 biennium — 12 percent more than in the current biennium. This amount includes nearly $1.8 billion (22 percent more than in the current biennium) for employee benefits, $3.6 billion (up 6.9 percent) for the operation of four-year colleges and universities, $1.8 billion (up 7 percent) for health-related institutions and $1.6 billion (up 8.3 percent) for community colleges. No funds were earmarked for faculty pay raises. Tuition at four-year colleges and universities will increase by $2 per credit-hour, bringing the rate to $42 per credit-hour (an increase of 5 percent) in 2001-02 and to $44 per credit-hour (an increase of 4.8 percent) in 2002-03. 

Biennial funding will increase by $280.2 million for the TEXAS Grant Program, which provides need-based financial aid to students at four-year colleges who also meet certain academic requirements. The General Appropriations Act allocates $147.7 million in each year of the biennium. A supplemental appropriations bill earmarks another $39 million for 2001-02. The number of grant recipients will increase from 20,000 in 2000-01 to 44,844 in 2001-02 and to 60,879 in 2002-03. The budget allows unused funds from one year to carry into the next year.

The budget includes $2 million in each year of the biennium for Teach for Texas grants, which are awarded to college juniors and seniors who receive TEXAS grants and are interested in becoming teachers. Senate Bill 1596 creates TEXAS II grants, which are similar to TEXAS grants but are awarded to students at community and technical colleges. The budget allocates $10 million for the biennium; another $10 million may be allocated if revenues become available during the biennium. Students at independent colleges and universities are eligible for Tuition Equalization Grants; funding for these grants will be $82.2 million in each year of the biennium — $20 million more each year than in the current biennium. 

Teachers currently receive health insurance through local districts. House Bill 3343 creates a state health plan for teachers; this plan will be implemented over several years. Districts with fewer than 500 employees will participate in the new plan in the 2002-03 school year. Districts with 501 to 1,000 employees may choose to participate in 2002-03. Larger school districts may begin participating in September 2005. The state’s contribution for each employee ($75 per month) will be distributed to districts through the finance formula. Districts also are required to contribute at least $150 per month. Employees will pay the difference between the cost of the plan and the employer contribution; employees also will receive $1,000 each year to offset health care costs. 

Legislation passed in 1999 created the Master Reading Teacher Program to encourage teachers to seek advanced certification in reading, to mentor other teachers and to help students improve their reading skills. Two 2001 bills create new master teacher programs — one for math teachers and one for technology teachers. Master technology teachers (SB 1475) will mentor other teachers in integrating computers into the classroom. Master math teachers (HB 1144) will work with other teachers and students to improve math performance.

The state Board of Education sets high school graduation requirements for the minimum, recommended and advanced curricula. House Bill 1144 requires districts to ensure that each student enrolls in courses to complete the recommended or advanced curricula unless the parents and a school counselor or administrator agree to allow him or her to pursue the minimum curriculum. The bill also looks to improve student performance and to strengthen teacher training in math. Local districts are authorized to offer after-school and summer math programs for students who are not performing at grade level. The commissioner of education is required to develop an end-of-course test for Algebra I and is authorized to participate in multistate efforts to develop end-of-course tests. 

Texas law permits retired teachers to return to classrooms in geographic and subject areas in which there are critical shortages. Lawmakers approved House Bill 3147, which allows principals who have been retired for at least 12 months to return to schools as either principals or assistant principals without losing their benefits. The Careers to Classrooms Program (HB 704) will help professionals with college degrees who are interested in teaching to get certified and get teaching jobs in Texas school districts that are experiencing shortages. The state will give preference to ap-plicants who have career experience in science, math, engineering or another shortage area. In exchange for stipends of up to $5,000, award recipients agree to teach for at least two years in critical shortage areas. House Bill 1721 permits the state Board for Educator Certification to issue a certificate to an out-of-state teacher if the licensure examination that he or she took is similar to and as rigorous as the one used in Texas.

Amendments to the charter-school law (HB 6) increase to 215 (from 120) the number of open-enrollment charters that can be approved. However, the state no longer will grant an unlimited number of charters focusing on at-risk students. Open-enrollment charter schools are created by colleges, nonprofit organizations or government agencies. The bill specifies how state laws — including those related to public information and open records, conflicts of interest, the teacher retirement system and state funding apply to charter schools. A pilot program for alternative accreditation will assess the academic performance of students in districts or charter schools that serve primarily at-risk students. Participating schools and districts still will receive ratings under the state’s accountability system. The bill also authorizes the Texas Public Finance Authority to establish a nonprofit corporation to issue revenue bonds for building, repairing and renovating open-enrollment charter schools. 

Students who make terrorist threats or false reports will be placed in an alternative education program or expelled (HB 1088). The Legislature encourages school districts to implement character education programs in their schools. Districts should consult parents, educators and community leaders when selecting or designing such programs. The state will maintain a list of programs implemented in the districts and will use data from the districts to determine the programs’ impact on student discipline and academic achievement (HB 946). 

Other legislation requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to begin a statewide public-awareness campaign to promote the value and availability of higher education (SB 573). 

Virginia (http://leg1.state.va.us)

The General Assembly adopted in 2000 a budget for the 2000-02 biennium; no amendments were made to that budget during the 2001 session. The biennial budget is providing $24.7 billion in general funds, an increase of 15.9 percent over the budget for the prior biennium. This amount includes $11.4 billion for funding education, an increase of 11.8 percent. General funds of $8.1 billion are supporting elementary and secondary schools, a two-year increase of 13 percent. The higher education budget includes nearly $2.9 billion, an increase of 17.8 percent over the 1998-2000 biennium. Details on the biennial budget can be found in SREB’s 2000 Final Legislative Actions (http://www.sreb.org/main/LegAction/legactions/2000legact.asp).

Several bills addressed issues related to school safety and discipline including HB 2512, SB 1359, HB 1706, and HB 1707. School districts can deny admission to any student who has been expelled or suspended for more than 30 days if the board feels that the student presents a danger to other students or the school staff. A school board may take action against students who damage or fail to return school board property.

Identical bills (HB 1575/SB 789) add bomb threats to the list of offenses for which youth can lose their driving privileges for one year. The state’s threat statute was expanded to include written threats to someone on school property or at a school event. A written threat is a felony; oral threats are misdemeanors (HB 197/SB 847). Local boards may establish optional programs for students in kindergarten through fifth grade who need instruction in appropriate classroom decorum and acceptable personal behavior (SB 1144).

Other legislation prohibits the use of corporal punishment but excludes from its definition phy-sical contact or minor force necessary to maintain order or protect one’s self or others (HB 1866). House Bill 1996 expands the misdemeanor offenses reviewed during criminal background checks on potential employees. The bill also expands the offenses committed by a district employee that law-enforcement agencies must report to school districts. Local school boards may exchange criminal history information of potential employees (with the applicant’s permission) with another board to which the applicant has applied (HB 2588).

The state Board of Education will review the passing scores it has set for the professional teacher’s licensure examination and may modify the scores required for passing (HB 2123). House Bill 2514 and Senate Bill 1304 require teachers who are hired after July 2001 and seek a continuing contract to complete training in instructional strategies and techniques for assisting students who fail or who are at risk of failing the state assessments. Local school districts will provide this training at no cost to the teachers.

Retired members of the Virginia Retirement System may be rehired as teachers and administrators in critical geographic or subject areas without loss of benefits (HB 1589/HB 252). The state Board of Education must make information concerning federal laws and regulations about placement and withdrawal of students in special education programs to parents whose children are enrolled or who have been recommended for placement in special education programs (HB 1226). 

Legislation affecting higher education specifies that governing bodies of Virginia’s higher education institutions cannot consider the accreditation status of a public high school in making admission decisions for students who have met graduation requirements set by the state Board of Education (HB 2144/SB 1324).

West Virginia (http://www.legis.state.wv.us)

During the 2000 legislative session, the General Assembly passed Senate Bill 653 that changed the governance of higher education by creating a policy commission (responsible for statewide policy development) and transferring governance responsibilities from the two state governing boards to institutional boards effective July 2001. An interim governing board was created to oversee the one-year transition and boards of advisors were appointed for all institutions.

Senate Bill 703, passed during the 2001 session, completes the transfer of powers, duties and responsibilities to the new boards. The bill transfers to the Higher Education Policy Commission authority for statewide policy development and the property, contracts and bonds of the previous college and university system boards and the interim governing board. The bill gives the commission authority to develop rules under which institutional boards will adopt policies in the future and responsibility for the uniform employee classification system. It clarifies the retirement plan for higher education employees and authorizes the commission to adopt personnel rules and tuition and fee policies. 

The institutional boards of advisors assume their governance role on July 1, 2001. Any obligations or contracts previously transferred to the interim statewide governing board on behalf of a college or university is transferred to the institution’s board. These boards are authorized to issue revenue bonds for construction projects and enter into lease-purchase agreements for facilities with the approval of the policy commission.

The 2000 legislation sought to create an independently accredited system of community colleges and technical colleges throughout the state. Senate Bill 703 establishes the West Virginia Council for Community and Technical College Education to assist in the development and coordination of a strong system of community and technical education. Among its duties, the council will develop a plan for raising the educational attainment of the state’s adults, recommend to the policy commission a plan for funding, oversee the implementation of a process for achieving accreditation of the colleges, and approve master plans for community and technical colleges.

House Bill 2897 expands the programs for which part-time students can use a higher education tuition and fee grant. The programs approved by a commission for vocational-technical education include those leading to a postsecondary certificate, those for high-demand occupations, and those leading to an industry recognized credential. Other legislation authorizes the creation of a college savings program in addition to the existing prepaid tuition plan (HB 2527). House Bill 3238 abolishes the Board of the PROMISE Scholarship Program that was charged in 1999 with adopting rules for the merit-based scholarships and determining criteria for the awards. The bill creates the West Virginia PROMISE Scholarship Board of Control to implement the program.

The National Institute for Teaching Excellence (HB 3245) will be held annually to encourage and promote excellence and public awareness of the quality of West Virginia’s teacher preparation programs. The board of the institute will select annually a college or university in West Virginia to host the institute and will invite two recent education graduates from each of the 50 states to attend.

Several bills address school safety issues. House Bill 3049 requires applicants for an initial teaching license issued by the state Department of Education be fingerprinted for state and federal criminal records checks. House Bill 3023 requires each local board of education to establish policies that prohibit harassment, intimidation and bullying. The policies will include procedures for reporting incidents, notifying parents and disciplining the students involved. Public schools will now have to include character education into their curriculum (HB 2208).

Legislation (HB 102) provides a $1,000 pay raise for most teachers. More experienced teachers will receive an additional $534 for each year of experience between 31 and 35 years. Teachers with 31 years of experience will receive an extra $534; those with 35 years will receive $2,670. Teachers with certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards will receive annual bonuses of $2,500 (currently $1,000).

House Bill 2934 calls for the state Board of Education to appoint a monitor for any school designated as seriously impaired that fails to make improvements. The monitor will work with the school’s principal to improve the school’s performance so it can reach full accreditation status in a reasonable time period as determined by the state board. The bill calls for the state Board of Education to review the state’s system of education performance audits. Also it clarifies the autho-rity of the state board to void the district superintendent’s employment contract when it has to intervene in the operation of the system because of low performance on the state’s accountability measures. 

The 2001-02 state budget will reach $2.8 billion in general funds, an increase of 3.7 percent. Funding for elementary and secondary schools will increase 3 percent to $1.5 billion. This amount includes nearly $1.4 billion in state aid to schools, an increase of 2.9 percent. Funding will increase for bonuses for teachers who agree to be mentors to new teachers ($990,000, up 98 percent). Also increasing are funds to pay fees for teachers seeking certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and annual bonuses for those who achieve certification ($350,000, up 68.3 percent).

Lottery funds for state Department of Education programs will reach $34.7 million, an increase of 65.7 percent. This amount will continue to provide $18 million (no change) to pay debt on bonds issued by the School Building Authority, and $16.3 million (up slightly) for the program that puts computers in classrooms. A number of programs that were previously funded using general funds will continue at current levels but with lottery funding — a math initiative that provides instruction for students in kindergarten through fourth grade who are not performing at grade level ($300,000); West Virginia READS, a similar program that focuses on reading ($300,000); and school safety initiatives ($2 million). Funding for the state assessment program also will shift from general funds to the lottery and will increase 42.8 percent to $3.6 million.

The budget transfers all funds for higher education from the Secretary of Education and the Arts to the new Higher Education Policy Commission described above. Higher education budgets will increase 4.6 percent to $412.3 million, including $39.6 million from the lottery, an increase of 80.7 percent. In addition to these amounts, $5.5 million from the lottery is allocated in a new account for the Promise Scholarships mentioned above. Pay raises for faculty have not yet been determined. College and university boards are authorized to increase tuition up to 4 percent; community college fees will not change. The budget increases the Higher Education Grant Program to $18 million, up 15.6 percent. This program provides need-based grants to undergraduate students. Funding for financial aid for part-time students will reach $2 million, double what is available currently. 

Budget figures reported in the SREB Legislative Reports include only state general funds and selected funds from other state sources. Local taxes raised to support schools are not included.

Contact Gale F. Gaines for additional information. Christine Smith, an SREB research assistant, contributed to this report.