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Topic Descriptions

Accountability

Includes legislation relating to establishing a state or local framework for school accountability.

Aftermath

Includes legislation relating to addressing the aftermath of incidents of school violence, including counseling and other supports for affected schools.

Afterschool

Includes legislation relating to programs outside regular school hours. May be referred to as out-of-school time or extended learning.

Alternative Schools

Includes legislation relating to programs outside of general, choice, special or vocational education.

Apprenticeships

Includes legislation relating to establishing apprenticeship opportunities for middle and high school students and teacher apprenticeship programs.

Appropriation

Includes legislation relating to appropriations for basic elementary and secondary education or its component parts.

Arming School Personnel

Includes legislation relating to explicitly permitting or prohibiting the possession of firearms by school personnel, including teachers.

Assessment and Intervention (Early Education)

Includes legislation relating to required or suggested assessments or education interventions for PreK to third grade students.

Assessments

Includes legislation relating to state and local student assessments or tests.

At Risk

Includes legislation relating to at-risk students, encompassing rules, support systems, and interventions designed to address the challenges and educational needs of students who face factors that may hinder their academic success.

Attendance

Includes legislation relating to school attendance, absenteeism and truancy.

Bonds

Includes legislation relating to bonding or debt service for capital improvement projects.

Budget Augmentation

Includes legislation relating to an appropriation above the prior fiscal year's appropriation.

Budget Reduction

Includes legislation relating to an appropriation below the prior fiscal year's appropriation.

Building Security

Includes legislation relating to addressing school building infrastructure as it relates to improving security and response.

Bullying

Includes legislation relating to rules, policies, and interventions addressing bully, harassment or discriminatory behavior among students.

Career and Technical Education

Includes legislation relating to teaching academic and technical skills to middle and high school students to prepare them for high-demand careers. Includes industry certifications and apprenticeships.

Charter School Accountability

Includes legislation relating to charter school accountability measures and reporting.

Charter School Expansion

Includes legislation relating to permitting additional charter schools within a city and additional campuses for existing charter schools.

Charter School Facilities

Includes legislation relating to charter school buildings and facilities.

Charter School Funding

Includes legislation relating to funding and appropriations for charter schools.

Charter School Governance

Includes legislation relating to charter school oversight, governance and authorizers.

Charter School Performance

Includes legislation relating to how well charter schools meet their accountability standards, how well charter students perform in assessments and graduation rates.

Charter School Teachers

Includes legislation relating to charter school teachers, including credentials, compensation, recruitment and retention efforts, evaluation and staffing policies.

Charter Schools

Includes legislation relating to charter schools broadly, including whether states permit them.

Civic Education

Includes legislation relating to curriculum and school programs that teach political science, law, American history, and related subjects such as media literacy and civic skills and values.

Class Size

Includes legislation relating to school class size.

Classified Staff

Includes legislation relating to classified staff, including paraprofessionals, teaching assistants, bus drivers, etc.

Communications

Includes legislation relating to addressing communication systems between schools and other stakeholders in the event of an emergency.

Community Schools

Includes legislation relating to the structure and requirements for schools actively engaging with community resources and partnerships. Similar terms: collaborative schools, community-based learning.

Community Schools Funding

Includes legislation relating to funding for or related to community schools.

Compensatory Aid

Includes legislation relating to state aid to students living in poverty or learning English.

Computer Science

Includes legislation relating to computer science requirements, coding, digital literacy and other related subjects.

Consolidation

Includes legislation relating to the consolidation of school districts.

Curriculum

Includes legislation relating to requiring or encouraging the development or implementation of standards or curriculum related to school safety.

Curriculum

Includes legislation relating to what is taught in classrooms, materials used by educators, and prohibited concepts.

Data Privacy

Includes legislation relating to protecting the privacy of K-12 student and staff data.

Data Security

Includes legislation relating to security of education data collected by local and state actors.

Data Visualizations

Includes legislation relating to data systems, reporting requirements, governance and visualizations.

Distance and Virtual Learning

Includes legislation relating to digital, online, hybrid, and blended learning.

Dual Enrollment and IB/AP

Includes legislation relating to secondary courses that can earn students college-level credits, as well as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate.

Dual Language Learners (Early Education)

Includes legislation relating to dual language and English second language students.

Early Education Workforce

Includes legislation relating to the early education workforce including compensation and benefits, training, certification, licensing and requirements.

Early Mathematics and STEM

Includes legislation relating to PreK to third grade Science Technology Engineering and Math education programs, requirements and standards.

Early Social Emotional Learning

Includes legislation relating to education programs related to mental and emotional health for early learners.

Education Savings Accounts

Includes legislation relating to publicly funded, government-authorized accounts for families to use for specified educational expenses.

Education Service Agencies

Includes legislation relating to funding for or related to education service agency finance.

Emergency Aid

Includes legislation relating to continuing appropriation or aid in the event of an emergency impacting the operation of schools.

Emergency Drills

Includes legislation relating to encouraging or mandating regular school safety drills, excluding fire and extreme weather drills.

Emergency Response Plan

Includes legislation relating to mandating the development of an emergency response plan or provides a framework for such plans. 

English Language Learners

Includes legislation relating to funding for English language learners.

English Learners

Includes legislation relating to English language learners.

Est. Study Committee/Task Force (School Safety)

Includes legislation relating to establishing a study committee or task force to research school safety for the purpose of making policy recommendations.

Expanded Firearm Carry

Includes legislation relating to expanding an individual’s right to carry a firearm into K-12 schools. 

Facilities

Includes legislation relating to funding for capital outlays, debt service, technology, supplies and building maintenance.

Facilities and School Conditions

Includes legislation relating to capital outlays, debt service, technology, supplies, building maintenance.

Family Engagement (Early Education)

Includes legislation relating to the parents of PreK to third grade students.

Federal Funds

Includes legislation relating to matters related to funding from federal sources.

First Amendment

Includes legislation relating to free speech, including prayer in schools, display of the national motto, and the pledge of allegiance.

Fiscal Transparency

Includes legislation relating to requirements to make public elements of state and district budgeting.

Flexibility

Includes legislation relating to flexibility in use of categorical funding.

Funding

Includes legislation relating to appropriations for school safety activities.

Funding Formula

Includes legislation relating to intergovernmental aid formulas relied upon to distribute state aid to local education agencies.

Funding Reform

Includes legislation relating to major changes to the existing funding formula.

General PreK to 3rd Grade

Includes legislation relating to students PreK to third grade.

Geographic Cost Adjustment

Includes legislation relating to adjustments for hard-to-staff locations, locations with diseconomies of scale or for cost of living factors.

Governance

Includes legislation relating to local and state boards of education, state departments of education, and other K-12 school governance matters.

Governance (Early Education)

Includes legislation relating to the state entities or established structure for implementing state early education programs and policies.

Grant Programs

Includes legislation relating to an appropriation for a specific grant or categorical program.

Guns in K-12

Includes legislation relating to the possession of firearms in K-12 schools. 

High School Dropout Prevention

Includes legislation relating to strategies to support students who are at risk of dropping out.

High School Graduation Rates

Includes legislation relating to the percentage of high school students who graduate.

High School Graduation Requirements

Includes legislation relating to state course requirements for high school graduation.

Higher Education

Includes legislation relating to funding for higher education.

Hold Harmless

Includes legislation relating to hold harmless provisions in the funding formula.

Homeschooling

Includes legislation relating to homeschooling, including regulations, hybrid models, and whether choice programs can be used towards homeschool expenses.

K-12 Finance

Includes legislation relating to appropriations for basic elementary and secondary education or its component parts.

K-12 School Safety

Includes legislation relating to K-12 school safety. 

Kindergarten

Includes legislation relating to kindergarten and kindergarten readiness programs and assessments.

Law Enforcement

Includes legislation relating to the role of law enforcement in assisting with school safety measures. Legislation may include collaboration in the development of school safety plans, the assignment of an active duty officer as an SRO or reporting requirements that include reporting to law enforcement. Legislation amending criminal penalties is also included.

Leader Compensation

Includes legislation relating to compensation of school leaders, including pay, loan forgiveness and scholarships, tax incentives, etc.

Leader Employment

Includes legislation relating to requirements and policies around the employment of school leaders such as principals, assistant principals, deans, superintendents, school board members, etc.

Leader Induction and Mentoring

Includes legislation relating to induction programs, early career supports for school leaders, mentoring, including requirements and training for mentors.

Leader Licensing and Certification

Includes legislation relating to the certification of school leaders, including types of licenses or certifications, fingerprinting, background checks, education/preparation requirements, renewal timeline and requirements, revocation, etc.

Leader Preparation

Includes legislation relating to school leader preparation, including authorization and reauthorization of educator preparation programs, traditional and alternative pathways, program or curricular requirements and clinical experiences.

Leader Professional Development

Includes legislation relating to professional learning opportunities and training requirements for school leaders, including in relation to licensure renewal requirements.

Leader Recruitment and Retention

Includes legislation relating to explicit recruitment and retention efforts regarding school leaders, which may include expanded pathways into the profession, monetary incentives, changes to licensure requirements, efforts to increase diversity, etc.

LGBTQ+

Includes legislation relating to policies around LGBTQ+ individuals within educational settings. Similar terms: gender diversity, sexual orientation inclusion.

Literacy

Includes legislation relating to literacy, early literacy and the Science of Reading.

Local Taxation

Includes legislation relating to local tax policy that generates local revenue for public education.

Mathematics

Includes legislation relating to K-12 math curriculum and instruction.

Mental Health

Includes legislation relating to strategies, resources, and support systems addressing the mental well-being of students and staff within schools.

Online Learning

Includes legislation relating to private online learning, including whether choice programs and funds can be used for online schooling.

Open Enrollment

Includes legislation relating to whether students can attend a different public school, either in the same district or in a different district, than where they are geographically assigned to enroll.

Other (Finance)

Includes legislation relating to miscellaneous categories related to education finance.

Parental Involvement

Includes legislation relating to family engagement and parental notification.

Partnership

Includes legislation relating to mandating, encouraging, or allowing collaboration with a private consultant or partner.

Personal Income Tax

Includes legislation relating to changes to personal income tax policy for purposes of funding public education.

Personalized/Competency Based Learning

Includes legislation relating to personalized, competency-based, and deeper learning, among other related concepts.

Prekindergarten

Includes legislation relating to education programs prior to kindergarten.

Private Schools

Includes legislation relating to addressing private school safety requirements.

Productivity

Includes legislation relating to actions taken to improve efficiency, ROI or productivity in the delivery of public education.

Property Tax

Includes legislation relating to changes to property tax policy for purposes of funding public education.

Pupil Count

Includes legislation relating to methods for counting students for purposes of funding.

Reading

Includes legislation relating to curriculum, instruction and standards for reading and literacy.

Reparations

Includes legislation relating to funding intended to provide reparations for historically marginalized populations.

Reporting

Includes legislation relating to outlining reporting requirements related to mental health, firearms, etc. 

Restricted Carry

Includes legislation relating to restricting an individual right to carry a firearm into K-12 schools. 

Revenue

Includes legislation relating to policies impacting the revenue sources used on state and local levels for public education.

Risk Assessment

Includes legislation relating to requiring districts or third parties to conduct an assessment of potential threats to the safety of the school.

Safety Center

Includes legislation relating to state or regional school safety center establishment, requirements, funding or other programs. 

Salaries and Benefits

Includes legislation relating to fiscal policies impacting the compensation for individuals in the education workforce.

Sales and Use Tax

Includes legislation relating to changes to sales, use or excise tax policy for purposes of funding public education.

School Calendar

Includes legislation relating to school calendar including year-round school and four-day school weeks.

School Choice

Includes legislation relating to education choice, including charter schools, education savings accounts, vouchers, tax credits and open enrollment.

School Climate

Includes legislation relating to policies and practices shaping the overall atmosphere and environment within schools to promote a positive and safe setting.

School Discipline

Includes legislation relating to rules, procedures, and alternatives for discipline within educational institutions.

School District Boundaries

Includes legislation relating to the boundaries relied upon for purposes of the intergovernmental aid formula.

School Identification

Includes legislation relating to addressing student and staff identification requirements.

School Meals

Includes legislation relating to school meal programs, including in relation to food sources, services, and waste.

School Resource Officers

Includes legislation relating to school resource officer requirements, regulations, training and assignment.

School Safety Audits

Includes legislation relating to requiring a review of school safety measures including building security and emergency response plans.

Science

Includes legislation relating to K-12 science curriculum and instruction.

Social and Emotional Learning

Includes legislation related to the integration of educational programs and resources for developing students' social and emotional skills.

Social Studies

Includes legislation relating to K-12 social studies curriculum, including history, geography, and political science. Also includes curriculum about specific people groups.

Special Education (Finance)

Includes legislation relating to funding for special education activities.

Special Education

Includes legislation relating to special education.

Special Services Providers

Includes legislation relating to school audiologists, counselors, nurses, physical or occupational therapists, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, social workers, etc.

Standards

Includes legislation relating to state or local curricular standards establishing what students should be taught and demonstrate mastery.

STEM

Includes legislation relating to science, technology, engineering, and math.

Student Athletics

Includes legislation relating to K-12 student athletics, including in relation to coaches, athletic trainers, student participation and eligibility, and sports-related emergencies.

Student Health

Includes legislation relating to physical health of students within the school environment.

Study Committee

Includes legislation relating to establishment of a formal committee or task force to review state education funding and finance.

Summer Programs

Includes legislation relating to guidelines, funding, and objectives for educational initiatives provided during the summer break. Similar terms: summer enrichment.

Task Forces, Pilot Programs, and Committees (Early Education)

Includes legislation relating to early education task forces, pilot programs and committees.

Tax and Expenditure Limit

Includes legislation relating to limits on tax rates or expenditures of specific revenue streams.

Tax Credits and Deductions

Includes legislation relating to tax credit ESAs, tax credit scholarships, and individual and business tax credits and deductions as they relate to education choice.

Tax Policy

Includes legislation relating to tax policy broadly impacting funding for public education.

Tax Swap

Includes legislation relating to the reliance on one tax revenue source for another.

Teacher Compensation

Includes legislation relating to compensation of K-12 teachers, including pay, loan forgiveness and scholarships, post-retirement employment and pay, tax incentives, etc.

Teacher Employment

Includes legislation relating to the employment of K-12 teachers, including staffing policies, employment requirements and other teacher policies.

Teacher Evaluation

Includes legislation relating to K-12 teacher evaluations, including system requirements and use of evaluation data.

Teacher Induction and Mentoring

Includes legislation relating to induction programs, early career supports for teachers, and mentoring, including requirements and training for mentors.

Teacher Licensing and Certification

Includes legislation relating to the certification of K-12 teachers, including types of licenses or certifications, fingerprinting, background checks, education/preparation requirements, renewal timeline and requirements, revocation, etc.

Teacher Preparation

Includes legislation relating to K-12 teacher preparation, including authorization and reauthorization of educator preparation programs, traditional and alternative pathways, program or curricular requirements and student teaching or clinical experiences.

Teacher Professional Development

Includes legislation relating to professional learning opportunities and requirements for K-12 teachers, including in relation to licensure renewal requirements.

Teacher Recruitment and Retention

Includes legislation relating to explicit recruitment and retention efforts regarding K-12 teachers, which may include expanded pathways into the profession, monetary incentives, changes to licensure requirements, efforts to increase diversity, programs targeting specific grade levels or subject areas, etc.

Teacher Substitutes

Includes legislation relating to substitute teachers, including employment, pay and credentialing.

Technology in Education

Includes legislation relating to the internet, digital devices, artificial intelligence, and the use of other technologies in education.

Threat Penalty

Includes legislation relating to addressing the penalty or reporting requirements for a threat against a school.

Time and Learning

Includes legislation relating to policies impacting the school day (or year) and the length thereof, or out-of-school learning.

Training

Includes legislation relating to requiring completion of a training program related to school safety.

Transportation (Finance)

Includes legislation relating to funding of transportation of students.

Transportation

Includes legislation relating to school transportation services, safety, and staffing.

Tutoring

Includes legislation relating to rules, standards, and support mechanisms for the provision of instructional support for students. Similar terms: academic support, individualized instruction.

Unhoused Youth

Includes legislation relating to funding for youth experiencing homelessness.

Vouchers

Includes legislation relating to programs that permit families to use funds typically spent by a school district on a student's private school tuition.

Whole Child

Includes legislation relating to policies and practices encompassing comprehensive development, covering academic, social, emotional and physical well-being.

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Related Resources

Teacher and Principal Policy Toolkit

This policy toolkit provides a wide variety of resources around the recruitment, preparation and retention of educators as well as information on teacher shortages and preparation program terminology.