YOU'LL find the winners of the blue ribbons for state policy right down the aisle from the prize-winning canned peaches and lattice-top cherry pies. Many more deserved blue ribbons, and the competition was fierce. Beefy intent and symmetry won out over pretty. The Beefiest Award. A number of states passed omnibus bills this year. The meatiest emerged from Iowa, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. Evenhandedness Award. Tough budgetary times call for fairness. Louisiana H.B. 573 requires that when education appropriations are reduced to avoid a deficit, the total dollar amount of the reductions must be split equally between the board of regents and the state board of elementary and secondary education. Good for Kids Awards. Connecticut S.B. 886 requires the State Prevention Council to determine long-term goals, strategies, and outcome measures related to the health and well-being of children and families. These include early intervention strategies, an increase in the proportion of healthy pregnant women and newborns, a decrease in child neglect and abuse, an increase in school-ready children, an increase in children who succeed in school, a decrease in children who are unsupervised after school, and a decrease in juvenile suicide and crime. The Carrot Award. Oklahoma H.B. 326 offers higher education assistance to eighth- to 10th-grade students who qualify on the basis of financial need, providing they 1) attend school regularly and do homework regularly; 2) refrain from substance abuse; 3) refrain from committing crimes or delinquent acts; 4) have schoolwork and school records reviewed by mentors designated by the program; 5) provide information requested by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education or by the state board of education; and 6) participate in program activities. Arts Supporters Awards. Kentucky S.B. 154 requires the education department to create a program to promote the integration of the arts and foreign languages into the elementary school program. Meanwhile, New Mexico enacted the Fine Arts Education Act (H.B. 12), which provides funding for fine arts in public schools. Care and Feeding Award. H.B. 1094 creates the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness Board. The board is to promote school readiness by supporting community-based efforts to increase the number of children who are ready to succeed by the time they enter school. Productive High School Awards. New Mexico H.B. 305 requires next-step plans for high school students in which the students set personal postgraduation goals. The law requires a final next-step plan as a prerequisite for graduation. North Carolina created the Innovative Education Initiatives Act to develop cooperative efforts between secondary schools and institutions of higher education. The goals are to reduce dropout rates, increase high school and college graduation rates, and decrease the need for remedial programs in higher education. In addition, H.B. 601 in North Carolina encourages early entry of motivated students into four-year college programs. Part of Texas S.B. 1108 requires staff members to identify each student who 1) hasn't performed well on assessments and 2) is not likely to receive a diploma before the fifth year of high school. For each such student, a graduation plan is to be developed that identifies educational goals and includes diagnostic information, appropriate monitoring and intervention, and so on. Connecticut H.B. 6391 acknowledges and addresses the educational needs of children in the juvenile justice system. Part of Texas S.B. 976 establishes the Middle College Education Pilot Program to serve students who are at risk of dropping out of school or who wish to complete high school at an accelerated pace. Yardstick Awards. North Dakota S.B. 2065 requires the state to develop and implement state assessments and specifies that the fiscal impact will fall entirely on the state. …