Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 161

Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 161
in effect

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.020 Department of elementary and secondary education created - superintendents ...

161.020. Department of elementary and secondary education created — superintendents of schools for deaf and for blind students — appointment. — 1. There is hereby created a department of elementary and secondary education headed by a state board of education as provided in Article IX, Constitution of Missouri, and chapter 161 and others. The state board shall appoint a commissioner of education as the chief administrative officer of the department. 2. The department of education, chapter 161 and others, is abolished and its powers, duties, personnel and property are transferred as provided in this act * . 3. The division of public schools of the department of education, chapter 161 and others, is abolished and its powers, duties, personnel and property, with exceptions specified elsewhere in this act * , are transferred by type I transfer to the department of elementary and secondary education. 4. The Missouri School for the Deaf, chapter 178 and others, and the Missouri School for the Blind, chapter 178 and others, are transferred to the department of elementary and secondary education by a type I transfer. The commissioner of education shall appoint superintendents for these schools and members of the advisory boards, provided in chapter 178 and others. (L. 1973 1st Ex. Sess. S.B. 1 § 5) Effective 5-2-74 *"This act" refers to the Reorganization Act 1974 Appendix B.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.022 State board of education - appointment, terms, removal, compensation.

161.022. State board of education — appointment, terms, removal, compensation. — 1. The state board of education consists of eight lay members appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, after an open committee hearing. The term of office of each member is eight years. At the expiration of the term of each member, the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, shall appoint a successor. If the general assembly is not in session at the time for making an appointment, the governor shall make a temporary appointment as in the case of a vacancy. 2. No member may be removed by the governor except after written notice and hearing on charges of malfeasance, misfeasance, or nonfeasance in office. 3. Each member of the board shall receive as compensation for his services twenty-five dollars for each day actually spent in attendance at board meetings, and in addition shall be reimbursed for all necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his duties as a member of the board. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-2, A.L. 1967 p. 236) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.020)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.026 Teacher representative on state board of education, qualifications, term, ...

161.026. Teacher representative on state board of education, qualifications, term, vacancy. — 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 161.032 or any other provision of law, the governor shall, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, appoint a teacher representative to the state board of education who shall attend all meetings and participate in all deliberations of the board. The teacher representative shall not have the right to vote on any matter before the board or be counted in establishing a quorum under section 161.082 . 2. The teacher representative shall be an active classroom teacher. For purposes of this section, "active classroom teacher" means a resident of the state of Missouri who is a full-time teacher with at least five years of teaching experience in the state of Missouri, who is certified to teach under the laws governing the certification of teachers in Missouri, and who is not on leave at the time of the appointment to the position of teacher representative. The teacher representative shall have the written support of the local school board prior to accepting the appointment. 3. The term of the teacher representative shall be four years, and for the second and succeeding appointments, the newly appointed teacher representative shall not be appointed from the same congressional district as the two immediately preceding teacher representatives. 4. If a vacancy occurs for any reason in the position of teacher representative, the governor shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, a replacement for the unexpired term. Such replacement shall be a resident of the same congressional district as the teacher representative being replaced, shall meet the qualifications set forth under subsection 2 of this section, and shall serve until his or her successor is appointed and qualified. If the general assembly is not in session at the time for making an appointment, the governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next session of the general assembly, when the governor shall nominate a person to fill the position of teacher representative. 5. If the teacher representative ceases to be an active classroom teacher, as defined under subsection 2 of this section, or fails to follow the board's attendance policy, the teacher representative's position shall immediately become vacant unless an absence is caused by sickness or some accident preventing the teacher representative's arrival at the time and place appointed for the meeting. 6. The teacher representative shall receive the same reimbursement for expenses as members of the state board of education receive under section 161.022 . 7. At no time shall more than one nonvoting member serve on the state board of education. (L. 2018 H.B. 1606 and S.B. 743, A.L. 2025 S.B. 68)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.032 Qualifications of state board members.

161.032. Qualifications of state board members. — The members of the board shall be citizens of high moral standards and recognized ability in their respective business or profession, who have resided in the state for not less than five years immediately preceding their appointment, and not more than one of whom shall be a resident of the same county or congressional district. At no time shall more than four members be of the same political party. No member of the board shall be connected, either as an official or as an employee, with any public, private, or denominational school, college or university, nor be the holder of or a candidate for any public office. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-3) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.030)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.042 Oath of office.

161.042. Oath of office. — Each member shall take an oath to support the constitution of the United States and of this state and to faithfully demean himself in office. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-4) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.040)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.052 Vacancies in office.

161.052. Vacancies in office. — Any vacancy occurring in the term of office of any board member shall be filled by appointment by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, for the unexpired term. If a vacancy occurs while the general assembly is not in session, the governor shall make a temporary appointment until the next session of the general assembly, when he shall nominate some person to fill the office. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-5) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.050)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.062 Selection of officers of the board.

161.062. Selection of officers of the board. — The board shall elect one of its members president and one vice president and may appoint any other officers it deems necessary. The officers shall serve at the pleasure of the board. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-6) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.070)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.072 Meetings of board - records, electronic availability, when - closed ...

161.072. Meetings of board — records, electronic availability, when — closed meetings to teacher representative, when. — 1. The state board of education shall meet semiannually in December and in June in Jefferson City. Other meetings may be called by the president of the board on seven days' written notice to the members. In the absence of the president, the commissioner of education shall call a meeting on request of three members of the board, and if both the president and the commissioner of education are absent or refuse to call a meeting, any three members of the board may call a meeting by similar notices in writing. The business to come before the board shall be available by free electronic record at least seven business days prior to the start of each meeting. All records of any decisions, votes, exhibits, or outcomes shall be available by free electronic media within forty-eight hours following the conclusion of every meeting. Any materials prepared for the members of the board by the staff shall be delivered to the members at least five days before the meeting, and to the extent such materials are public records as defined in section 610.010 and are not permitted to be closed under section 610.021 , shall be made available by free electronic media at least five business days in advance of the meeting. 2. Upon an affirmative vote of the members of the board who are present and who are not teacher representatives, a given meeting closed under sections 610.021 and 610.022 shall be closed to the teacher representative. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-7, A.L. 1973 H.B. 158, A.L. 2009 S.B. 291, A.L. 2018 H.B. 1606 merged with S.B. 743) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.060 )

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.082 Board members may not act individually - quorum.

161.082. Board members may not act individually — quorum. — 1. The board may act only when lawfully convened in a regular or special meeting, and it may speak only through its official records. No member of the board has any authority as an individual by reason of his official position. 2. At all meetings of the board five members are necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but no official actions may be taken unless a majority of the whole board votes therefor. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-8) (Source: RSMo 1959 §§ 160.080, 160.090)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.092 Powers and duties of state board.

161.092. Powers and duties of state board. — The state board of education shall: (1) Adopt rules governing its own proceedings and formulate policies for the guidance of the commissioner of education and the department of elementary and secondary education; (2) Carry out the educational policies of the state relating to public schools that are provided by law and supervise instruction in the public schools; (3) Direct the investment of all moneys received by the state to be applied to the capital of any permanent fund established for the support of public education within the jurisdiction of the department of elementary and secondary education and see that the funds are applied to the branches of educational interest of the state that by grant, gift, devise or law they were originally intended, and if necessary institute suit for and collect the funds and return them to their legitimate channels; (4) Cause to be assembled information which will reflect continuously the condition and management of the public schools of the state; (5) Require of county clerks or treasurers, boards of education or other school officers, recorders and treasurers of cities, towns and villages, copies of all records required to be made by them and all other information in relation to the funds and condition of schools and the management thereof that is deemed necessary; (6) Provide blanks suitable for use by officials in reporting the information required by the board; (7) When conditions demand, cause the laws relating to schools to be published in a separate volume, with pertinent notes and comments, for the guidance of those charged with the execution of the laws; (8) Grant, without fee except as provided in section 168.021 , certificates of qualification and licenses to teach in any of the public schools of the state, establish requirements therefor, formulate regulations governing the issuance thereof, and cause the certificates to be revoked for the reasons and in the manner provided in section 168.071 ; (9) Classify the public schools of the state, subject to limitations provided by law and subdivision (14) of this section, establish requirements for the schools of each class, and formulate rules governing the inspection and accreditation of schools preparatory to classification, with such requirements taking effect not less than two years from the date of adoption of the proposed rule by the state board of education, provided that this condition shall not apply to any requirement for which a time line for adoption is mandated in either federal or state law. Such rules shall include a process to allow any district that is accredited without provision that does not meet the state board's promulgated criteria for a classification designation of accredited with distinction to propose alternative criteria to the state board to be classified as accredited with distinction; (10) Make an annual report on or before the first Wednesday after the first day of January to the general assembly or, when it is not in session, to the governor for publication and transmission to the general assembly. The report shall be for the last preceding school year, and shall include: (a) A statement of the number of public schools in the state, the number of pupils attending the schools, their sex, and the branches taught; (b) A statement of the number of teachers employed, their sex, their professional training, and their average salary; (c) A statement of the receipts and disbursements of public school funds of every description, their sources, and the purposes for which they were disbursed; (d) Suggestions for the improvement of public schools; and (e) Any other information relative to the educational interests of the state that the law requires or the board deems important; (11) Make an annual report to the general assembly and the governor concerning coordination with other agencies and departments of government that support family literacy programs and other services which influence educational attainment of children of all ages; (12) Require from the chief officer of each division of the department of elementary and secondary education, on or before the thirty-first day of August of each year, reports containing information the board deems important and desires for publication; (13) Cause fifty copies of its annual report to be reserved for the use of each division of the state department of elementary and secondary education, and ten copies for preservation in the state library; (14) Promulgate rules under which the board shall classify the public schools of the state; provided that the appropriate scoring guides, instruments, and procedures used in determining the accreditation status of a district shall be subject to a public meeting upon notice in a newspaper of general circulation in each of the three most populous cities in the state and also a newspaper that is a certified minority business enterprise or woman-owned business enterprise in each of the two most populous cities in the state, and notice to each district board of education, each superintendent of a school district, and to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president pro tem of the senate, and the members of the joint committee on education, at least fourteen days in advance of the meeting, which shall be conducted by the department of elementary and secondary education not less than ninety days prior to their application in accreditation, with all comments received to be reported to the state board of education; (15) Have other powers and duties prescribed by law. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-9, A.L. 1973 H.B. 158, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1711, A.L. 2003 S.B. 296, A.L. 2013 S.B. 125, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1490) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.090) CROSS REFERENCE: Multinational banks, securities and obligations of, investment in, when, 409.950

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.093 High school equivalency certificate may be issued by state board, when.

161.093. High school equivalency certificate may be issued by state board, when. — Any person who has not obtained a high school diploma or certificate of graduation and who is a resident of Missouri or who lives on a federal reservation within Missouri or who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed in Missouri may become an applicant for a high school equivalency certificate to be issued by the department of elementary and secondary education as provided under rules and regulations adopted by the state board of education. (L. 1977 H.B. 130 § 1)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.094 Examinations for high school equivalency certificate, what tests acceptable.

161.094. Examinations for high school equivalency certificate, what tests acceptable. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education shall provide for examination of such applicants at least twice each year at places reasonably convenient for the applicants. The examination shall be designed to test the applicant's knowledge of subject matter usually presented in the courses required to be successfully completed by those graduating from the public high schools of the state. The certificate of equivalence may also be issued on the basis of test scores certified to the state board of education by the United States Armed Forces Institute, or a similar agency approved by the state board of education. 2. At each place of examination established by the department of elementary and secondary education in accordance with subsection 1 of this section, each applicant shall be given the option of voluntarily submitting his or her contact information for the purposes of evaluating the college and career placement rates of high school equivalency certificate applicants. The department of elementary and secondary education shall not maintain the contact information of any applicant for longer than a period of two years, beginning on the date of examination. (L. 1977 H.B. 130 § 2, A.L. 2018 H.B. 1606)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.095 Fee for examination - subsidized when.

161.095. Fee for examination — subsidized when. — The state board of education may charge an examination fee of each applicant to cover the cost of administering the program. Subject to appropriation, the department of elementary and secondary education shall subsidize the examination fee for first-time examination takers. (L. 1977 H.B. 130 § 3, A.L. 2018 H.B. 1606)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.096 Statewide longitudinal data system, regulation on student data ...

161.096. Statewide longitudinal data system, regulation on student data accessibility, transparency, and accountability required — regulation requirements — data not to be reported — rulemaking authority — violation, penalty — attorney general to enforce. — 1. The state board of education shall promulgate a rule relating to student data accessibility, transparency, and accountability relating to the statewide longitudinal data system. This rule shall mandate that the department of elementary and secondary education do the following: (1) Create and make publicly available a data inventory and index of data elements with definitions of individual student data fields in the student data system to include, but not be limited to: (a) Any personally identifiable student data required to be reported by state and federal education laws; and (b) Any other individual student data which has been proposed for inclusion in the student data system with a statement regarding the purpose or reason for the proposed collection; (2) Develop policies to comply with all relevant state and federal privacy laws and policies, including but not limited to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other relevant privacy laws and policies. These policies shall include, but not be limited to the following requirements: (a) Access to personally identifiable student data in the statewide longitudinal data system shall be restricted to: a. The authorized staff of the department of elementary and secondary education and the contractors working on behalf of the department who require such access to perform their assigned duties as required by law; b. District administrators, teachers, and school personnel who require such access to perform their assigned duties; c. Students and their parents for their own data; and d. The authorized staff of other state agencies in this state as required by law and governed by interagency data sharing agreements; (b) The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop criteria for the approval of research and data requests from state and local agencies, researchers working on behalf of the department, and the public; (3) Shall not, unless otherwise provided by law and authorized by policies adopted pursuant to this section, transfer personally identifiable student data; (4) Develop a detailed data security plan that includes: (a) Guidelines for authorizing access to the student data system and to individual student data including guidelines for authentication of authorized access; (b) Privacy compliance standards; (c) Privacy and security audits; (d) Breach planning, notification and procedures; (e) Data retention and disposition policies; and (f) Data security policies including electronic, physical, and administrative safeguards, such as data encryption and training of employees; (5) Ensure routine and ongoing compliance by the department of elementary and secondary education with FERPA, other relevant privacy laws and policies, and the privacy and security policies and procedures developed under the authority of this section, including the performance of compliance audits; (6) Ensure that any contracts that govern databases, assessments, or instructional supports that include student or redacted data and are outsourced to private vendors include express provisions that safeguard privacy and security, including provisions that prohibit private vendors from selling student data or from using student data in furtherance of advertising, with penalties for noncompliance, except to a local service provider for the limited purpose authorized by the school or district whose access to student data, if any, is limited to "directory information" as that term is defined in the federal regulations implementing the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. Section 1232g; and (7) Notify the governor, the president pro tempore of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the joint committee on education annually of the following: (a) New student data proposed for inclusion in the state student data system; and (b) Changes to existing data collections required for any reason, including changes to federal reporting requirements made by the U.S. Department of Education. 2. Quantifiable student performance data shall only include performance on locally developed or locally approved assessments, including but not limited to formative assessments developed by classroom teachers. 3. The department of elementary and secondary education shall not collect nor shall school districts report the following individual student data: (1) Juvenile court delinquency records; (2) Criminal records; (3) Student biometric information; (4) Student political affiliation; or (5) Student religion. 4. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2014, shall be invalid and void. 5. Each violation of any provision of any rule promulgated pursuant to this section by an organization or entity other than a state agency, a school board, or an institution shall be punishable by a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars. A second violation by the same organization or entity involving the education records and privacy of the same student shall be punishable by a civil penalty of up to five thousand dollars. Any subsequent violation by the same organization or entity involving the education records and privacy of the same student shall be punishable by a civil penalty of up to ten thousand dollars. Each violation involving a different individual education record or a different individual student shall be considered a separate violation for purposes of civil penalties. 6. The attorney general shall have the authority to enforce compliance with this section by investigation and subsequent commencement of a civil action, to seek civil penalties for violations of this section, and to seek appropriate injunctive relief, including but not limited to a prohibition on obtaining personally identifiable information for an appropriate time period. In carrying out such investigation and in maintaining such civil action, the attorney general or any deputy or assistant attorney general is authorized to subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, examine them under oath, and require that any books, records, documents, papers, or electronic records relevant to the inquiry be turned over for inspection, examination, or audit. Subpoenas issued under this subsection may be enforced pursuant to the Missouri rules of civil procedure. (L. 2014 H.B. 1490)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.097 Evaluation of teacher education programs - advisory board established - ...

161.097. Evaluation of teacher education programs — advisory board established — literacy and reading instruction — rulemaking authority. — 1. The state board of education shall establish standards and procedures by which it will evaluate all teacher training institutions in this state for the approval of teacher education programs. The state board of education shall not require teacher training institutions to meet national or regional accreditation as a part of its standards and procedures in making those evaluations, but it may accept such accreditations in lieu of such approval if standards and procedures set thereby are at least as stringent as those set by the board. The state board of education's standards and procedures for evaluating teacher training institutions shall equal or exceed those of national or regional accrediting associations. 2. There is hereby established within the department of elementary and secondary education the "Missouri Advisory Board for Educator Preparation", hereinafter referred to as "MABEP". The MABEP shall advise the state board of education and the coordinating board for higher education regarding matters of mutual interest in the area of quality educator preparation programs in Missouri. The advisory board shall include at least three active elementary or secondary classroom teachers and at least three faculty members within approved educator preparation programs. The classroom teacher members shall be selected to represent various regions of the state and districts of different sizes. The faculty representatives shall represent institutions from various regions of the state and sizes of programs. The advisory board shall hold regular meetings that allow members to share needs and concerns and plan strategies to enhance teacher preparation. 3. Upon approval by the state board of education of the teacher education program at a particular teacher training institution, any person who graduates from that program, and who meets other requirements which the state board of education shall prescribe by rule, regulation and statute shall be granted a certificate or license to teach in the public schools of this state. However, no such rule or regulation shall require that the program from which the person graduates be accredited by any national or regional accreditation association. 4. The state board of education shall, in consultation with MABEP, align literacy and reading instruction coursework for teacher education programs in early childhood, kindergarten to fifth grade elementary teacher certification, middle school communication arts, high school communication arts, and all reading and special education certificates to include the following: (1) Teacher candidates shall receive classroom and clinical training in: (a) The core components of reading, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, comprehension, morphology, syntax, and vocabulary; (b) Oral and written language development; and (c) Identification of reading deficiencies, dyslexia, and other language difficulties; (2) Teacher candidates shall also have training on: (a) The selection and use of reading curricula and instructional materials; (b) The administration and interpretation of assessments; (c) How to translate assessment results into effective practice in the classroom specific to the needs of students; and (d) Additional best practices in the field of literacy instruction as recommended by the literacy advisory council pursuant to section 186.080 . 5. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2014, shall be invalid and void. (L. 1985 S.B. 154 § 1, A.L. 2014 S.B. 492, A.L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.098 Retention and recruitment of teachers, report required.

161.098. Retention and recruitment of teachers, report required. — Beginning December 15, 1999, and annually by that date in each following year, the state board of education shall report to the general assembly on the retention and recruitment of teachers in the state's schools. The report shall include, but not be limited to, information on the numbers of teachers entering and leaving employment in the public schools of the state, analysis of the issues affecting teacher recruitment, including the need for identifying African-American and other minority students, including males, who show potential or interest in becoming a teacher, recruiting such students as prospective teachers, and methods for providing financial aid to such students, and suggestions for meeting predicted needs of numbers of teachers and in areas of certification. (L. 1998 S.B. 781 § 161.220)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.099 Department to ensure that curriculum promotes preparation of teachers.

161.099. Department to ensure that curriculum promotes preparation of teachers. — Beginning July 1, 1998, when considering the evaluation and approval of teacher training programs of the state as authorized by section 161.097 , the state board of education shall take into account the curriculum of the institution containing the teacher training program to ensure that the curriculum promotes the preparation of teachers to instruct in and to assess for the knowledge, skills and competencies that students must demonstrate to successfully move through the public elementary and secondary education system of the state as determined by the state board of education and which eventually leads to, or qualifies a student for, high school graduation. (L. 1993 S.B. 380 § 10)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.101 Scoring rubric on performance not to be used, when - department to develop ...

161.101. Scoring rubric on performance not to be used, when — department to develop rubric, where. — 1. The Missouri school improvement program or successor accreditation program shall not use a scoring rubric on performance that requires a score for parents as teachers; except that, if on review deficiencies are noted, such deficiencies shall be listed as an area of concern. 2. The scoring rubric for advanced placement courses in the Missouri school improvement program or successor accreditation program shall recognize the difficulty of providing such courses in districts that have a sparse population. The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop such a rubric, taking into account population density in districts and localized teacher shortages in academic specializations, and differentially rewarding districts for accomplishing delivery of such courses through electronic media under such circumstances. (L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969 § 161.089)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.102 State board to adopt rules concerning courses in physical education and ...

161.102. State board to adopt rules concerning courses in physical education and provide manual — procedure. — 1. The state board of education shall: (1) Adopt and promulgate rules and regulations deemed necessary to secure courses in physical education to all pupils and students in all public schools and in all educational institutions supported in whole or in part by the state; and * (2) With the advice and cooperation of the director of the state department of health and senior services, compile and print a manual of physical education and health supervision and school nurse service to be distributed for use by the teachers, supervisors of physical education, school health supervisors and school nurses of the state. 2. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated under the authority of this chapter shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of section 536.024 . (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-10, A.L. 1993 S.B. 52, A.L. 1995 S.B. 3) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 163.250) *Word "and" does not appear in original rolls. CROSS REFERENCE: Teacher training institutions to provide physical education courses, 174.125

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.104 State board to adopt rules on instruction of etiquette concerning the U.S. ...

161.104. State board to adopt rules on instruction of etiquette concerning the U.S. flag. — 1. The state board of education shall provide by rule for a program of instruction relating to the flag of the United States of America and instruction in etiquette and in its correct use and display and such other patriotic exercises as may be expedient. Such instruction, at a minimum, shall include sections 36 U.S.C. 170 to 177. 2. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to the authority of this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of section 536.024 . (L. 1997 H.B. 630 § 1)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.106 Career and student organizations' activities, department to provide ...

161.106. Career and student organizations' activities, department to provide staffing support — handling of organization funds. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education shall provide staffing support including but not limited to statewide coordination for career and technical student organizations' activities that are an integral part of the instructional educational curriculum for career and technical education programs approved by the department. Such career and technical organizations shall include, but not be limited to, the nationally recognized organizations of DECA, FBLA, FFA, FCCLA, HOSA, SkillsUSA, and TSA. 2. The department of elementary and secondary education shall handle the funds from the career and technical student organizations, with department personnel maintaining responsibility for the receipt and disbursement of funds. The department may ensure accountability and transparency by requiring the career and technical student organizations to provide sworn affidavits annually by personnel in the organization who are responsible for such funds as to the proper receipt and disbursement of such funds. (L. 2012 S.B. 599 § 1, A.L. 2018 H.B. 1606 merged with S.B. 743)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.112 Commissioner of education - appointment - qualifications - compensation - ...

161.112. Commissioner of education — appointment — qualifications — compensation — removal. — The state board of education shall appoint a commissioner of education as its chief administrative officer. The commissioner shall be a citizen and resident of the state upon assumption of his or her duties, and shall possess an educational attainment and breadth of experience in the administration of public education. The board shall prescribe the duties of the commissioner and fix the commissioner's compensation, and may remove the commissioner at its discretion. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-11, A.L. 2001 H.B. 45) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.090)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.122 Duties of the commissioner.

161.122. Duties of the commissioner. — The commissioner of education shall supervise the department of elementary and secondary education. Either in person or by deputy, he or she shall confer with and advise county and school district officers, teachers, and patrons of the public schools on all matters pertaining to the school law; visit and supervise schools, and make suggestions in regard to the subject matter and methods of instruction, the control and government of the schools, and the care and keeping of all school property; attend and assist in meetings of teachers, directors, and patrons of the public schools; and seek in every way to elevate the standards and efficiency of the instruction given in the public schools of the state. The commissioner shall study and evaluate and test the progress, or lack thereof, in achieving these objectives and shall promptly make public by free electronic media the results of all studies and evaluations and tests insofar as consistent with student or parental privacy rights contained in federal or state law. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-12, A.L. 2009 S.B. 291) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.100) CROSS REFERENCE: Courses in United States and Missouri constitutions and in American history required, 170.011

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.132 Department includes what - employees, appointment and compensation.

161.132. Department includes what — employees, appointment and compensation. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education includes the commissioner of education, the members of the professional staff, and the other employees essential to the efficient operation of the department. 2. Upon the recommendation of the commissioner the board shall appoint the members of the professional staff and the other employees and fix their compensation. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-13) (Source: RSMo 1959 §§ 160.090, 160.110, 160.120)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.142 Offices of department - records.

161.142. Offices of department — records. — The headquarters of the department of elementary and secondary education shall be at the seat of government, where office space suitable and adequate for the work of the department shall be provided by the appropriate state agency. The records of the state board of education and the records, papers, and books belonging to the department of elementary and secondary education shall be kept there in charge of the state commissioner of education. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-14) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.130)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.152 Section of district reorganization created - duties.

161.152. Section of district reorganization created — duties. — The state board of education shall establish a section of district reorganization. The state board, through the section of district reorganization, shall advise and, upon request by any county board of education, cooperate with the various county boards of education in making plans for the enlargement and reorganization of school districts throughout the state and shall provide the technical and advisory assistance in connection therewith that, in the discretion of the board, will promote efficiency in school administration and the improvement of educational opportunities for the school children of the state. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-15) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.140) CROSS REFERENCE: State board duty to establish section of district reorganization, 162.152

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.162 Section of special education created - special education defined - ...

161.162. Section of special education created — special education defined — director, appointment, compensation. — 1. The state board of education shall establish a section of special education within the department of elementary and secondary education. "Special education" includes all schools and classes pertaining to the exceptional child. 2. The board shall appoint, upon the recommendation of the state commissioner, a director to head the section of special education. The board shall define his duties and fix his compensation. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-16) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 177.010)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.172 Veterans' training institutions, inspection and listing.

161.172. Veterans' training institutions, inspection and listing. — The state board of education shall employ a director, inspectors, and other employees for the purpose of complying with the acts of Congress pertaining to the training of returning war veterans, the inspection and listing of the educational and training institutions (including industrial establishments) within the state which are qualified and equipped to furnish education and training (including apprenticeships and refresher and retraining training) for returning veterans, and to the education of war orphans. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 2-17) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 160.150)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.184 Department shall not assist in placement of certain records upon certain ...

161.184. Department shall not assist in placement of certain records upon certain diplomas. — The department of elementary and secondary education shall be prohibited from establishing policies, creating projects, or in any way supplying resources to assist in the placement on high school diplomas any student's attendance records, grades, class rank or other information which was not previously placed on such diplomas made, printed or issued for students graduating in the 1988-89 school year. (L. 1990 S.B. 740 § 30)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.193 State council on vocational education established by executive order, ...

161.193. State council on vocational education established by executive order, assigned to department — reports, distribution. — 1. As used in this section, the word "council" means the state council on vocational education assigned to the department of elementary and secondary education by executive orders 85-3 and 85-5 in 1985. 2. The council shall provide to the department of economic development, the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate, and the appropriations committees of the house of representatives and the senate copies of all reports which the council is required to submit or does submit to the state board of education, the governor, the state job training coordinating council, the secretary of education and the secretary of labor, or any of the above. (L. 1990 S.B. 470 § 1)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.203 Videotape to be produced on prison conditions and the young offender - ...

161.203. Videotape to be produced on prison conditions and the young offender — rules for distribution to all districts — viewing required for all students and status offenders, exceptions. — 1. The department of corrections, in cooperation with the department of elementary and secondary education, shall prepare a film or videotape which relates to Missouri prisons and which specifically addresses prison conditions, young offenders and the liberties that are lost as a result of imprisonment. Funding for the film may be made from appropriations requested by the department of elementary and secondary education and approved by the Missouri general assembly from funding received from federal or private grants or donations received from private individuals or groups. No funding shall come from general revenue. 2. The department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate rules and regulations to provide for the viewing of the film, prepared pursuant to subsection 1 of this section. Such rules and regulations shall attempt to make available such video or film to all districts requesting it, and require viewing by all status offenders or students convicted of misdemeanors, excluding traffic violations. (L. 1992 S.B. 540 §§ 2, 3)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.209 Rules and policies, department has affirmative duty to seek comment on - ...

161.209. Rules and policies, department has affirmative duty to seek comment on — review of existing rules and policies, procedure — no penalty for failure to meet resource standards, when. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education has an affirmative duty to seek comment on its rules, regulations, and policies after their final approval or implementation. The department shall undertake such review on existing rules, regulations, and policies on an ad hoc, periodic basis with a priority given to such rules, regulations, and policies that could successfully be revised without affecting student achievement to accommodate periods when there is no increase in the appropriation for basic state aid funding pursuant to section 163.031 from one fiscal year to the next or when withholdings of appropriated funds result in a situation equivalent to no increase in such appropriation. 2. For fiscal years 2011, 2012, and 2013, if the appropriation for subsections 1 and 2 of section 163.031 is less than the annualized calculation of the amount needed for the phase-in required under subsection 4 for that fiscal year or the appropriation for transportation as provided in subsection 3 of section 163.031 is funded at a level that provides less than seventy-five percent of allowable costs, the department shall not penalize any district undergoing its accreditation review for a failure to meet resource standards under the Missouri school improvement program. If the governor withholds funds for the school funding formula basic apportionment under section 163.031 in fiscal years 2011, 2012, and 2013, school districts undergoing accreditation review in the fiscal year following the fiscal year of withholding shall not be penalized for failure to meet resource standards under the Missouri school improvement program. (L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969, A.L. 2010 H.B. 1543)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.210 State board may modify or waive rules, when.

161.210. State board may modify or waive rules, when. — 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the state board of education is hereby granted authority to waive or modify any administrative rule adopted by the state board or policy implemented by the department of elementary and secondary education. School districts may submit applications for a waiver or modification authorized pursuant to this section. Each application shall include a written request by the school district or school districts and shall demonstrate that the intent of the rule or policy can be addressed in a more effective, efficient or economical manner or that the waiver or modification is necessary to implement a specific plan for improved student performance and school improvement. Prior to an application for waiver, the school district shall hold a public hearing regarding such waiver. 2. The state board of education may grant waivers or modifications for a school district or school districts that successfully demonstrate the ability to address the intent of the rule or policy in a more effective, efficient or economical manner or when the waivers or modifications are demonstrated to be necessary to stimulate innovation or improve student performance, provided that the waiver or modification is based upon sound educational practices, does not endanger the health and safety of students or staff, and does not compromise equal opportunity for learning. Approved waivers or modifications shall remain in effect for a period not to exceed three school years and may be renewed by the state board of education upon application by the school district or school districts. 3. This section shall not be construed to allow the state board of education to authorize the waiver of any statutory requirements relating to teacher certification or teacher tenure. (L. 1996 H.B. 1301 & 1298 § 12)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.213 High-quality early childhood education standards required - rulemaking ...

161.213. High-quality early childhood education standards required — rulemaking authority. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop standards for high-quality early childhood education no later than June 30, 2007. The standards shall be applicable to all public school prekindergarten programs that receive Title I or Missouri preschool project funds. 2. Such standards shall include, but not be limited to, the following principles: (1) Access for all children whose parents or guardians choose to participate; (2) Focus on cognitive, language, physical, and social/emotional development; (3) Assessment of needs of children and their families; (4) Highly qualified and properly certified teachers; and (5) Delivery of comprehensive services supported by strong and accessible technical assistance and professional development. 3. In developing such standards, the department shall involve representatives of the business community, parents as teachers, head start, early childhood start, early childhood special education, Missouri preschool project, first steps, Title I preschools, school district personnel, private providers, and faith-based providers. 4. Unless otherwise prohibited by federal law, public school districts shall not be prohibited from charging tuition and related charges for early childhood education programs. 5. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2006, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2006 H.B. 1511)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.214 School innovation team - definitions - waiver granted, when, procedure - ...

161.214. School innovation team — definitions — waiver granted, when, procedure — annual report — rules. — 1. For purposes of this section, the following terms shall mean: (1) "Board" , the state board of education; (2) "Department" , the department of elementary and secondary education; (3) "School innovation team" , a group of natural persons officially authorized by: (a) A single elementary or secondary school; (b) A group of two or more elementary or secondary schools within the same school district that share common interests, such as geographical location or educational focus, or that sequentially serve classes of students as they progress through elementary and secondary education; (c) A group of two or more elementary or secondary schools not within the same school district that share common interests, such as geographical location or educational focus, or that sequentially serve classes of students as they progress through elementary and secondary education; (d) A single school district; or (e) A group of two or more school districts that share common interests, such as geographical location or educational focus, or that sequentially serve classes of students as they progress through elementary and secondary education; (4) "School innovation waiver" , a waiver granted by the board to a single school, group of schools, single school district, or group of school districts pursuant to this section, in which the school, group of schools, school district, or group of school districts is exempt from a specific requirement imposed by chapter 160 , 161, 162, 167, 170, or 171, or any regulations promulgated thereunder by the board or the department. Any school innovation waiver granted to a school district or group of school districts shall be applicable to every elementary and secondary school within the school district or group of school districts unless the plan specifically provides otherwise. 2. Any school innovation team seeking a school innovation waiver may submit a plan to the board for one or more of the following purposes: (1) Improving student readiness for employment, higher education, vocational training, technical training, or any other form of career and job training; (2) Increasing the compensation of teachers; or (3) Improving the recruitment, retention, training, preparation, or professional development of teachers. 3. Any plan for a school innovation waiver shall: (1) Identify the specific provision of law for which a waiver is being requested and provide an explanation for why the specific provision of law inhibits the ability of the school or school district to accomplish the goal stated in the plan; (2) Demonstrate that the intent of the specific provision of law can be addressed in a more effective, efficient, or economical manner and that the waiver or modification is necessary to implement the plan; (3) Include measurable annual performance targets and goals for the implementation of the plan; (4) Specify the innovations to be pursued in meeting one or more of the goals listed in subsection 2 of this section; (5) Demonstrate parental, school employee, and community and business support for, and engagement with, the plan; and (6) Be approved by at least the minimum number of people required to be on the school innovation team prior to submitting the plan for approval. 4. (1) In evaluating a plan submitted by a school innovation team under subsection 2 of this section, the board shall consider whether the plan will: (a) Improve the preparation, counseling, and overall readiness of students for postsecondary life; (b) Increase teacher salaries in a financially sustainable and prudent manner; or (c) Increase the attractiveness of the teaching profession for prospective teachers and active teachers alike. (2) The board may approve any plan submitted under subsection 2 of this section if it determines that: (a) The plan successfully demonstrates the ability to address the intent of the provision of law to be waived in a more effective, efficient, or economical manner; (b) The waivers or modifications are demonstrated to be necessary to stimulate improved student readiness for postsecondary life, increase teacher salaries, or increase the attractiveness of the teaching profession for prospective teachers and active teachers; (c) The plan has demonstrated sufficient participation from among the teachers, principals, superintendent, faculty, school board, parents, and the community at large; and (d) The plan is based upon sound educational practices, does not endanger the health and safety of students or staff, and does not compromise equal opportunity for learning. (3) The board may propose modifications to the plan in cooperation with the school innovation team. 5. Any waiver granted under this section shall be effective for a period of no longer than three school years beginning the school year following the school year in which the waiver is approved. Any waiver may be renewed. No more than one school innovation waiver shall be in effect with respect to any one elementary or secondary school at one time. 6. This section shall not be construed to allow the state board of education to authorize the waiver of any statutory requirements relating to teacher certification, teacher tenure, or any requirement imposed by federal law. 7. The department shall publish an annual report based on the school innovation waivers considered by the state board. The report shall document the waivers submitted and waivers approved, at the statewide, district, and school building levels, and provide data at the statewide, district, and school building levels of sufficient detail to allow analysis of trends regarding the purposes for waiver requests, the statutes waived or requested to be waived, any modifications approved by the state board, and the state board's actions to approve or deny waiver requests. 8. The board may promulgate rules implementing the provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2022, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.215 Early childhood development, education and care fund created, purpose, use ...

161.215. Early childhood development, education and care fund created, purpose, use of moneys — rulemaking authority — audit. — 1. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Early Childhood Development, Education and Care Fund" which is created to give parents meaningful choices and assistance in choosing the child-care and education arrangements that are appropriate for their family. All interest received on the fund shall be credited to the fund. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 , moneys in the fund at the end of any biennium shall not be transferred to the credit of the general revenue fund. Any moneys deposited in such fund shall be used to support programs that prepare children prior to the age in which they are eligible to enroll in kindergarten under section 160.053 to enter school ready to learn. All moneys deposited in the early childhood development, education and care fund shall be annually appropriated for voluntary early childhood development, education and care programs serving children in every region of the state not yet enrolled in kindergarten. For fiscal year 2013 and each subsequent fiscal year, at least thirty-five million dollars of the funds received from the master settlement agreement, as defined in section 196.1000 , shall be deposited in the early childhood development, education and care fund. 2. No less than sixty percent of moneys deposited in the early childhood development, education and care fund shall be appropriated as provided in this subsection to the department of elementary and secondary education and to the department of social services to provide early childhood development, education and care programs through competitive grants to, or contracts with, governmental or private agencies. Eighty percent of such moneys under the provisions of this subsection and additional moneys as appropriated by the general assembly shall be appropriated to the department of elementary and secondary education and twenty percent of such moneys under the provisions of this subsection shall be appropriated to the department of social services. The departments shall provide public notice and information about the grant process to potential applicants: (1) Grants or contracts may be provided for: (a) Start-up funds for necessary materials, supplies, equipment and facilities; and (b) Ongoing costs associated with the implementation of a sliding parental fee schedule based on income; (2) Grant and contract applications shall, at a minimum, include: (a) A funding plan which demonstrates funding from a variety of sources including parental fees; (b) A child development, education and care plan that is appropriate to meet the needs of children; (c) The identity of any partner agencies or contractual service providers; (d) Documentation of community input into program development; (e) Demonstration of financial and programmatic accountability on an annual basis; (f) Commitment to state licensure within one year of the initial grant, if funding comes from the appropriation to the department of elementary and secondary education and commitment to compliance with the requirements of the department of social services, if funding comes from the department of social services; and (g) With respect to applications by public schools, the establishment of a parent advisory committee within each public school program; (3) In awarding grants and contracts under this subdivision, the departments may give preference to programs which: (a) Are new or expanding programs which increase capacity; (b) Target geographic areas of high need, namely where the ratio of program slots to children under the age of six in the area is less than the same ratio statewide; (c) Are programs designed for special needs children; (d) Are programs that offer services during nontraditional hours and weekends; or (e) Are programs that serve a high concentration of low-income families. 3. No less than ten percent of moneys deposited in the early childhood development, education and care fund shall be appropriated to the department of social services to provide early childhood development, education and care programs through child development, education and care certificates to families whose income does not exceed one hundred eighty-five percent of the federal poverty level in the manner pursuant to 42 U.S.C. Section 9858c(c)(2)(A) and 42 U.S.C. Section 9858n(2) for the purpose of funding early childhood development, education and care programs as approved by the department of social services. At a minimum, the certificate shall be of a value per child which is commensurate with the per-child payment under paragraph (b) of subdivision (1) of subsection 2 of this section pertaining to the grants or contracts. On February first of each year the department shall certify the total amount of child development, education and care certificates applied for and the unused balance of the funds shall be released to be used for supplementing the competitive grants and contracts program authorized under subsection 2 of this section. 4. No less than ten percent of moneys deposited in the early childhood development, education and care fund shall be appropriated to the department of social services to increase reimbursements to child-care facilities for low-income children that are accredited by a recognized, early childhood accrediting organization. 5. No less than ten percent of the funds deposited in the early childhood development, education and care fund shall be appropriated to the department of social services to provide assistance to eligible parents whose family income does not exceed one hundred eighty-five percent of the federal poverty level who wish to care for their children under three years of age in the home, to enable such parent to take advantage of early childhood development, education and care programs for such parent's child or children. At a minimum, the certificate shall be of a value per child which is commensurate with the per-child payment under paragraph (b) of subdivision (1) of subsection 2 of this section pertaining to the grants or contracts. The department of social services shall provide assistance to these parents in the effective use of early childhood development, education and care tools and methods. 6. In setting the value of parental certificates under subsection 3 of this section and payments under subsection 5 of this section, the department of social services may increase the value based on the following: (1) The adult caretaker of the children successfully participates in the parents as teachers program under the provisions of sections 178.691 to 178.699 , a training program provided by the department on early childhood development, education and care, the home-based Head Start program as defined in 42 U.S.C. Section 9832 or a similar program approved by the department; (2) The adult caretaker consents to and clears a child abuse or neglect screening; and (3) The degree of economic need of the family. 7. The department of elementary and secondary education and the department of social services each shall by rule promulgated under chapter 536 establish guidelines for the implementation of the early childhood development, education and care programs as provided in subsections 2 to 6 of this section. 8. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly under chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2010, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2010 H.B. 1893, A.L. 2012 H.B. 1731, A.L. 2018 S.B. 975 & 1024 Revision) CROSS REFERENCE: Nonseverability clause, 313.836

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.217 Early learning quality assurance report--sunset provision.

161.217. Early learning quality assurance report--sunset provision. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education shall, in collaboration with the Missouri Head Start State Collaboration Office and the department of mental health and as part of a program, provide a continuous quality improvement process for early learning programs and present families with updated consumer education about the quality of early learning programs by producing an early learning quality assurance report. The early learning quality assurance report shall be developed based on evidence-based practices. 2. Participation in the early learning quality assurance report shall be voluntary for any licensed or license-exempt early learning providers that are center-based or home-based and are providing services for children from any ages from birth up to kindergarten. 3. The early learning quality assurance report may include, but is not limited to, information regarding staff qualifications, instructional quality, professional development, health and safety standards, parent engagement, and community engagement. 4. The early learning quality assurance report shall not be used for enforcement of compliance with any law or for any punitive purposes. 5. The department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate all necessary rules and regulations for the administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2016, shall be invalid and void. 6. Under section 23.253 of the Missouri sunset act: (1) The provisions of the program authorized under this section shall automatically sunset six years after August 28, 2022, unless reauthorized by an act of the general assembly; and (2) If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under this section shall automatically sunset three years after the effective date of the reauthorization of this section; and (3) This section shall terminate on September first of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the program authorized under this section is sunset. (L. 2016 S.B. 638, A.L. 2018 S.B. 743, A.L. 2022 H.B. 2365) Sunset date 8-28-28 Termination date 9-01-29

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.223 Grants from department of elementary and secondary education to local ...

161.223. Grants from department of elementary and secondary education to local school districts, preferences, discrimination prohibited. — 1. Subject to appropriation from general revenue, the department of elementary and secondary education shall provide grants to assist local public school districts, community-based organizations and nonprofit agencies, including resettlement programs, to provide instruction in the English language to individuals residing in the community or district who have language background other than English and who need assistance in learning English. Preference in grants shall be given to communities and districts demonstrating the most need. 2. Services provided through the grants authorized in this section shall be offered at times and locations designed to best assure access to the services and may include the provision of services at the individual's home, refugee resettlement center, community centers, adult basic education offices, schools, and other places where such individuals congregate. 3. An entity accepting a grant under this section shall not discriminate in the provision of English language services on the grounds of the individual's race, color, religion, gender, age or national origin. Such entity shall not discriminate against a child based upon the nature of the child's school. Any entity accepting a grant under this section may provide English language instruction to individuals of one specific language background. 4. As funds are appropriated by the Missouri general assembly, the department of elementary and secondary education shall implement classes and provide instructional material for all age groups to assist individuals who are not proficient in the English language. (L. 1998 S.B. 583 & 645 § 3)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.226 Foreign language materials to be provided to schools, when.

161.226. Foreign language materials to be provided to schools, when. — Subject to appropriation from general revenue, the department of elementary and secondary education shall provide technical assistance and educational materials, upon request, to public elementary and secondary schools teaching a foreign language to students. (L. 1998 S.B. 583 & 645 § 6)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.227 Adult basic education English language services.

161.227. Adult basic education English language services. — 1. The adult basic education programs administered by the department of elementary and secondary education shall include the provision of English language services to nonnative speakers who need assistance in learning English. 2. The local entity designated by the department of elementary and secondary education to offer adult basic education shall seek the assistance of local political subdivisions, community-based agencies and organizations, migrant worker groups, refugee resettlement programs, schools, churches and others in making nonnative speakers aware of the availability of English language services. 3. English language services provided through the adult basic education programs of the department of elementary and secondary education may include family and home-based curriculum and programs designed to enhance the English fluency of all family members and may include programs whereby family members teach each other the English language. (L. 1998 S.B. 583 & 645 § 2)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.239 Home reading program - definitions - fund created, use of moneys - program ...

161.239. Home reading program — definitions — fund created, use of moneys — program conditions. — 1. For purposes of this section, the following terms mean: (1) "Department" , the department of elementary and secondary education; (2) "Local educational agency" , as such term is defined in section 161.1085 . 2. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Elementary Literacy Fund", which shall consist of moneys appropriated by the general assembly from general revenue and any gifts, bequests, or donations. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180 , the state treasurer may approve disbursements. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and money in the fund shall be used solely for the purpose of providing grants to local educational agencies for home reading programs as provided in this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. 3. The general assembly shall annually appropriate to the fund an amount not to exceed five million dollars. The department shall develop a process by which a local educational agency may apply for a grant from the fund for an eligible home reading program that meets the conditions set forth in subsection 4 of this section, provided that the local educational agency shall match any such funds if such funds are granted. 4. A home reading program shall be considered eligible for a grant from the fund if the program is provided by a nonprofit organization that meets all of the following conditions: (1) The program's objective is to deliver an evidence-based reading program consisting of books that are individually mailed to the residences of students in kindergarten to grade five following the selection of such books by such students, provided that each student shall be allowed to select books that he or she can read on his or her own with ease; (2) The program incorporates at least weekly phone calls, texts, or application notifications in multiple languages to the parent or guardian of each participating student to increase parental and family engagement throughout the duration of the program; (3) The program provides at least six, but not more than nine, student-selected new books that students are allowed to keep; (4) The program builds on pedagogical and literacy principles to improve reading comprehension with student exercises; (5) The program includes a customizable portal that generates individualized data reports for analysis of student progress; (6) The program collects, disaggregates, and distributes detailed data on all metrics of the program, such as parental engagement, books read, and demographic data; (7) The program provides summary data to the general assembly and to the department for all students served by the program; (8) The program provider agrees to secure the required matching funds from the local educational agency, to maintain verification of the receipt of such matching funds, and to provide such verification in the event of an audit; and (9) The combined total cost of the program, including matching funds from the local educational agency, does not exceed sixty dollars per student per semester. (L. 2024 S.B. 727)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.241 Reading instruction, comprehensive system of services - office of literacy ...

161.241. Reading instruction, comprehensive system of services — office of literacy — department duties — fund created, use of moneys. — 1. The state board of education, in collaboration with the coordinating board for higher education and the commissioner's advisory council under section 186.080 , shall develop a plan to establish a comprehensive system of services for reading instruction. 2. The state board of education shall establish and periodically update a statewide literacy plan that supports high quality, evidence-based reading instruction for all students. 3. The state board of education shall create an office of literacy. The commissioner of education shall coordinate staff with roles relating to literacy and align staff work around supporting best practices in reading instruction. 4. The state board of education shall align literacy and reading instruction coursework for teacher education programs as required under subsection 4 of section 161.097 . 5. Subject to appropriation, the department of elementary and secondary education shall recruit and employ quality teacher trainers with expertise in reading instruction and provide opportunities for evidence-based professional development in reading instruction available for all active teachers. 6. The department shall maintain and publish data on reading outcomes, provided that the report shall not include individually identifiable student data. 7. The department shall publish criteria and examples to help districts and schools select and use evidence-based reading curricula and instructional materials. Additionally, the department shall publish a list of curricula that ensure instruction is explicit, systematic, diagnostic, and based on phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, morphology, syntax, and semantics. This shall be a resource to districts. 8. The department shall provide online tools and training for active teachers on evidence-based reading instruction. 9. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Evidence-based Reading Instruction Program Fund". The fund shall be administered by the department and used to reimburse school districts and charter schools for efforts to improve student literacy, including, but not limited to: initiatives that provide optional training and materials to teachers regarding best practices in reading pedagogies; resources for parents and guardians to assist them in teaching their children to read; funding for reading tutoring programs outside of regular school hours; stipends for teachers who undergo additional training in reading instruction, which may also count toward professional development requirements; and funding for summer reading programs. The fund shall consist of moneys appropriated annually by the general assembly from general revenue to such fund, any moneys paid into the state treasury and required by law to be credited to such fund, and any gifts, bequests, or donations to such fund. The fund shall be kept separate and apart from all other moneys in the state treasury and shall be paid out by the state treasurer pursuant to chapter 33 . Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, moneys in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not be transferred to the credit of the general revenue fund. All interest and moneys earned on the fund shall be credited to the fund. (L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.244 Early childhood education grants - definitions - standards.

161.244. Early childhood education grants — definitions — standards. — 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean: (1) "Early childhood education services" , programming or services intended to effect positive developmental changes in children prior to their entry into kindergarten; (2) "Private entity" , an entity that meets the definition of a licensed child care provider as defined in section 210.201 , license exempt as described * in section 210.211 , or that is unlicensed but is contracted with the department of elementary and secondary education. 2. Subject to appropriation, the department of elementary and secondary education shall provide grants directly to private entities for the provision of early childhood education services. The standards prescribed in section 161.213 shall be applicable to all private entities that receive such ** grant moneys. (L. 2023 H.B. 447 § 161.243 merged with S.B. 24) *Word "defined" appears here in original rolls of H.B. 447, 2023. **Word "these" appears here in original rolls of H.B. 447, 2023.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.249 Advisory council created, members, appointment, duties.

161.249. Advisory council created, members, appointment, duties. — 1. There is hereby created the "Advisory Council on the Education of Gifted and Talented Children" which shall consist of seven members appointed by the commissioner of education. Members shall serve a term of four years, except for the initial appointments, which shall be for the following lengths: (1) One member shall be appointed for a term of one year; (2) Two members shall be appointed for a term of two years; (3) Two members shall be appointed for a term of three years; (4) Two members shall be appointed for a term of four years. 2. Upon the expiration of the term of a member, that member shall continue to serve until a replacement is appointed. The council shall organize with a chairperson selected by the commissioner of education. Members of the council shall serve without compensation and shall not be reimbursed for travel to and from meetings. 3. The commissioner of education shall consider recommendations for membership on the council from organizations of educators and parents of gifted and talented children and other groups with an interest in the education of gifted and talented children. The members appointed shall be residents of the state of Missouri and selected on the basis of their knowledge of, or experience in, programs and problems of the education of gifted and talented children. 4. The commissioner of education shall seek the advice of the council regarding all rules and policies to be adopted by the state board of education relating to the education of gifted and talented children. A staff person appointed by the state board of education shall serve as the state board's liaison to the council. The state board of education shall provide necessary clerical support and assistance in order to facilitate meetings of the council. (L. 2013 S.B. 17)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.261 STEM career awareness, program established, purpose - online program, ...

161.261. STEM career awareness, program established, purpose — online program, criteria — fund created — rulemaking authority. — 1. Subject to appropriation, the department of elementary and secondary education shall establish a statewide program to be known as the "STEM Career Awareness Program" to increase STEM career awareness among students in grades six through eight. For purposes of this section, "STEM" means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 2. The department of elementary and secondary education shall promote the statewide program beginning in the 2019-20 school year. The program shall introduce students to a wide variety of STEM careers and technology through an online-based STEM curriculum. 3. By January 1, 2019, the department of elementary and secondary education shall solicit proposals for the online program. By March 1, 2019, the department of elementary and secondary education shall select a provider for the online program. The program selected shall meet a majority of the following criteria: (1) The program introduces students to a wide variety of STEM careers and technologies; (2) The curriculum is designed for flexible implementation in a wide variety of classrooms, including science, math, English, and social studies, through lessons that emphasize the application of STEM careers in such contexts; (3) The curriculum demonstrates how math and language arts skills appropriate to middle schools are used by STEM careers, making classroom instruction relevant to students interested in STEM careers; (4) The program produces analytic reports for individual students and for classes, including an analysis of performance against individual math and language arts skills objectives; (5) The curriculum is available in a self-paced online format; and (6) The program includes web-based professional development for school staff. 4. Notwithstanding subsections 2 and 3 of this section, the department of elementary and secondary education may choose a third-party nonprofit entity to implement the statewide program, solicit proposals, and select a provider as described under subsection 3 of this section. 5. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "STEM Career Awareness Program Fund". The fund shall consist of any appropriations, gifts, bequests, or public or private donations to such fund. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180 , the state treasurer may approve disbursements of public moneys in accordance with distribution requirements and procedures developed by the department of elementary and secondary education. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used solely for the administration of this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. 6. The department of elementary and secondary education may promulgate all necessary rules and regulations for the administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable, and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after December 18, 2018, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2018 1st Ex. Sess. H.B. 3) Effective 12-18-18

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.264 STEM career awareness activity program, purpose - providers, selection ...

161.264. STEM career awareness activity program, purpose — providers, selection procedure — fund created, use of moneys — rules. — 1. Subject to appropriation, the department of elementary and secondary education shall establish a statewide program to be known as the "STEM Career Awareness Activity Program" to increase STEM career awareness among students in grades nine through twelve. For the purposes of this section, "STEM" means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. 2. The department of elementary and secondary education shall promote the statewide program beginning in the 2026-27 school year. The program shall introduce students in grades nine through twelve to a wide variety of STEM careers and technology through an activity program that involves participating in STEM-related activities at state, national, or international competitions. 3. (1) By January 1, 2026, the department of elementary and secondary education shall solicit proposals to provide the activity program. By March 1, 2026, the department of elementary and secondary education shall select a provider for the program. (2) The department shall select a provider that presents quantitative or qualitative data demonstrating the effectiveness of the program in any of the following areas: (a) Helping teachers improve their instruction in STEM-related subjects; (b) Increasing the likelihood that students will go on to study a STEM-related subject at a four-year college upon graduation from high school; or (c) Increasing the likelihood that students will enter the STEM workforce upon graduation from high school or college. (3) The department shall select a provider that delivers a program that meets the following criteria: (a) Provides an activity program that is led by teachers who are fully certified to teach in STEM-related subjects in grades nine through twelve under the laws governing the certification of teachers in Missouri; and (b) Facilitates a cohort of students in grades nine through twelve to participate in STEM-related activities at state, national, or international competitions. 4. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsections 2 and 3 of this section to the contrary, the department of elementary and secondary education may choose a third-party nonprofit entity to implement the statewide program, solicit proposals, and select a provider as described under subsection 3 of this section. 5. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "STEM Career Awareness Activity Fund". The fund shall consist of any appropriations, gifts, bequests, or public or private donations to such fund. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180 , the state treasurer may approve disbursements of public moneys in accordance with distribution requirements and procedures developed by the department of elementary and secondary education. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used solely for the administration of this section. The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. 6. The department of elementary and secondary education may promulgate all necessary rules and regulations for the administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2025, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2025 S.B. 68 merged with S.B. 150)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.365 Department to establish guidelines and specifications for program - ...

161.365. Department to establish guidelines and specifications for program — districts to be provided with information — rulemaking authority. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education shall, in consultation with the department of health and senior services, and a panel of interested stakeholders, including cleaning product industry representatives, nongovernmental organizations, and others, establish and amend on an annual basis guidelines and specifications for green cleaning programs, including environmentally sensitive cleaning and maintenance products, paper product purchases, and equipment purchases for cleaning programs. The department shall provide multiple avenues by which cleaning products may be determined to be environmentally sensitive under the guidelines. Guidelines and specifications shall be established after a review and evaluation of existing research and shall be completed no later than February 24, 2009. Guidelines and specifications may include implementation practices, including inspection. The completed guidelines and specifications shall be posted on the department of elementary and secondary education's official website. 2. Upon completion of the guidelines and specifications required under subsection 1 of this section, the department of elementary and secondary education shall provide each district with a printed copy of the guidelines and specifications. Each district shall then immediately disseminate the guidelines and specifications to every school in the district. In the event the guidelines and specifications are updated by the department of elementary and secondary education, the department shall provide the updates to each district for immediate dissemination to each school. Additionally, the department of elementary and secondary education shall post all updated materials on the department's official website. 3. The department of elementary and secondary education may promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2008, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2008 S.B. 1181, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.371 School work construction projects, random drug and alcohol testing of ...

161.371. School work construction projects, random drug and alcohol testing of contractors permitted. — 1. The office of administration shall issue regulations in accordance with chapter 536 requiring that, as a condition of bidding as a contractor or subcontracting from a bidding contractor for public works construction projects on public and charter elementary and secondary education construction projects, each said contractor or subcontractor shall establish and implement a random drug and alcohol testing program. Said drug and alcohol testing program shall be administered by a laboratory duly certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, or similar agency approved by the office of administration. Such program shall require notification to the employer and employee of the results of any positive drug and alcohol test and the school district shall be notified of the action taken to protect the safety of students as a result of such positive test. 2. The office of administration shall ensure that rules promulgated to implement the provisions of this section shall not be in violation of any applicable federal law or regulation. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2010, shall be invalid and void. 3. All costs for the program of screening and testing workers for alcohol and controlled substances, as well as all costs for administration of such drug and alcohol testing program, shall be paid by the employer on the public works project. No costs under this section shall be paid by the state, any of its agencies, or any political subdivision thereof. 4. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable, and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly under chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2010, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2010 H.B. 1543)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.375 Teachers and principals, standards for high-quality mentoring to be developed.

161.375. Teachers and principals, standards for high-quality mentoring to be developed. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop standards for high-quality mentoring for beginning teachers and beginning principals no later than June 30, 2008. The standards shall be applicable to all public schools and shall be developed to ensure that the required district mentoring programs under subsection 3 of section 168.021 meet common objectives. 2. Such standards shall be established for both of the required years of mentoring under subsection 3 of section 168.021 and shall be based upon, but not be limited to, the following principles: (1) Every district shall have a teacher-driven mentor program in collaboration with and support of the administration; (2) Guidance and support are required for all beginning teachers, regardless of when they enter the profession; (3) Communication between mentors and beginning teachers is open and confidential; (4) Quality mentors are necessary to establish beginning teachers' trust and respect for their colleagues and profession; and (5) All staff members provide informal support for beginning teachers. 3. Quality mentor programs shall include, but not be limited to, the following: (1) An introduction to the cultural environment of the community and the school district; (2) A systemic and ongoing evaluation by all stakeholders; (3) An individualized plan for beginning teachers that aligns with the district's goals and needs; (4) Appropriate criteria for selecting mentors; (5) Comprehensive mentor training; (6) A complete list of responsibilities for the mentor, beginning teacher, and administrators; and (7) Sufficient time for mentors to observe beginning teachers and for the beginning teachers to observe master teachers, structured to provide multiple opportunities over time and to minimize the need to require substitute teachers to facilitate observation. 4. In developing such standards, the department shall involve representatives who are Missouri certified teachers, administrators, and others. (L. 2007 S.B. 64)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.380 Competency-based education grant program - fund created - awarding of ...

161.380. Competency-based education grant program — fund created — awarding of grants, requirements — rules. — 1. Subject to appropriations, the department of elementary and secondary education shall establish the "Competency-Based Education Grant Program". 2. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Competency-Based Education Grant Program Fund". The fund shall consist of any appropriations to such fund and any gifts, contributions, grants, or bequests received from private or other sources for the purpose of providing competency-based education programs. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180 , the state treasurer may approve disbursements of public moneys in accordance with distribution requirements and procedures developed by the department of elementary and secondary education. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used solely for the administration of this section. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. (3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. 3. The department of elementary and secondary education shall award grants from the competency-based education grant program fund to eligible school districts for the purpose of providing competency-based education programs. A school district wishing to receive such a grant shall submit an application to the department of elementary and secondary education addressing: (1) A core mission that competency-based education courses will help achieve; (2) A plan that outlines competency-based education courses and key metrics that will show success; (3) Resources available to the school and in the community that will assist in creating successful competency-based outcomes; and (4) Resources and support needed to help the school succeed in implementing competency-based education courses. 4. The department of elementary and secondary education shall facilitate the creation, sharing, and development of course assessments; curriculum; training and guidance for teachers; and best practices for the school districts that offer competency-based education courses. 5. For purposes of this section, the term "competency-based education program" means an educational program that: (1) Affords students flexibility to progress and earn course credit upon demonstration of mastery, including through early high school graduation; (2) Provides individual learning and assessment options, including through experiential and project-based learning, online or blended learning, additional remedial education time, and accelerated-pace curricula; (3) Assesses student proficiency based on graduate profiles describing meaningful and critical knowledge and skills that students should have upon graduation; or (4) Assesses student proficiency through tasks developed both locally and at the state level, performance of which demonstrates mastery. 6. The department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate all necessary rules and regulations for the administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2022, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.385 Competency-based education task force, members, duties - report.

161.385. Competency-based education task force, members, duties — report. — 1. There is hereby established the "Competency-Based Education Task Force" to study and develop competency-based education programs in public schools. Task force members shall be chosen to represent the geographic diversity of the state. Task force members shall be appointed for a term of two years and may be reappointed. All task force members shall be appointed before December 31, 2022, and every other year thereafter by December thirty-first of that year. The task force members shall be appointed as follows: (1) Two members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; (2) Two members of the senate appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate; (3) The commissioner of the department of elementary and secondary education or the commissioner's designee; and (4) Four members appointed by the governor. Two members shall each represent a separate school district that offers competency-based education courses. 2. The members of the task force established under subsection 1 of this section shall elect a chair from among the membership of the task force. The task force shall meet as needed to complete its consideration of its objectives as established in subsections 4 and 5 of this section. Any vacancy on the task force shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Members of the task force shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official duties. 3. The department of elementary and secondary education shall provide such legal, research, clerical, and technical services as the task force may require in the performance of official duties. 4. The task force shall: (1) Work toward implementing competency-based education courses statewide and devising a plan for Missouri to lead the way in competency-based education courses; (2) Solicit input from individuals and organizations with information or expertise relevant to the task force's objective, including experts and educators with experience related to competency-based education programs; (3) Hold at least three public hearings to provide an opportunity to receive public testimony including, but not limited to, testimony from educators, local school boards, parents, representatives from business and industry, labor and community leaders, members of the general assembly, and the general public; (4) Identify promising competency-based education programs, including programs that: (a) Afford students flexibility to progress and earn course credit upon demonstration of mastery, including through early high school graduation; (b) Provide individual learning and assessment options, including through experiential and project-based learning, online or blended learning, additional remedial education time, and accelerated-pace curricula; or (c) Assess student proficiency through tasks developed both locally and at the state level, performance of which demonstrates mastery; (5) Identify obstacles to implementing competency-based education programs in Missouri public schools; (6) Develop comprehensive graduate profiles that describe meaningful and critical knowledge skills that students should have upon graduation that can be implemented into a diploma designation; (7) Develop findings and recommendations for implementing competency-based education models and practices in Missouri public schools, including recommending changes to existing legislation, rules, and regulations; and (8) Develop findings and recommendations for implementing a competency-based performance assessment that: (a) Is consistent with the most effective competency-based education programs identified by the task force under subdivision (4) of this subsection; (b) Assesses students based on both locally developed and common statewide performance tasks tied to grade and course competencies aligned with state content standards; and (c) Complies with all applicable federal law, including 20 U.S.C. Section 6311(b)(1)(B), as amended. To the extent that implementing a competency-based performance assessment would require the department of elementary and secondary education to obtain innovative assessment and accountability demonstration authority under 20 U.S.C. Section 6364, as amended, the task force shall develop findings and recommendations for obtaining such authority. 5. Beginning in 2023, the task force shall present its findings and recommendations to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president pro tempore of the senate, the joint committee on education, and the state board of education by December first annually. (L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.396 Citation of law - definitions - deaf or hard of hearing children, parent ...

161.396. Citation of law — definitions — deaf or hard of hearing children, parent resource for ASL and English literacy — tools or assessments — department duties — ad hoc advisory committee, duties — annual report. — 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Language Equality and Acquisition for Deaf Kids (LEAD-K) Act". 2. As used in this section, the following terms mean: (1) "ASL" , American sign language as defined in section 209.285 ; (2) "Credentialed teacher" , a certificated teacher with a special education endorsement in deaf or hard-of-hearing education; (3) "Department" , the department of elementary and secondary education; (4) "English" , the English language including, but not limited to, spoken English, written English, and English with the use of visual supplements; (5) "IEP" , individualized education program; (6) "IFSP" , individualized family service plan; (7) "Language" , communication including, but not limited to, ASL and English; (8) "Language developmental milestones" , milestones of language development aligned with the existing state instrument used to meet the requirements of federal law for the assessment of children from birth to five years of age; (9) "Parent" , a parent, legal guardian, or other person having charge, custody, or control of the student. 3. The department shall select language developmental milestones from existing standardized norms as provided in subsection 6 of this section to develop a resource for use by parents to monitor and track expressive and receptive language acquisition and developmental stages toward ASL and English literacy of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Such parent resource shall: (1) Include the language developmental milestones selected under the process specified in subsection 6 of this section; (2) Be appropriate for use, in both content and administration, with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and who use ASL, English, or both; (3) Present the language developmental milestones in terms of typical development of all children by age range; (4) Be written for clarity and ease of use by parents; (5) Be aligned with the department's existing infant, toddler, and preschool guidelines; the existing instrument used to assess the development of children with disabilities under federal law; and state standards in English language arts; (6) Make clear that parents have the right to select ASL, English, or both for a child's language acquisition and developmental milestones; (7) Make clear that the parent resource is not a formal assessment of language and literacy development and that a parent's observations of a child may differ from formal assessment data presented at an IEP or IFSP meeting; (8) Make clear that parents may bring the parent resource to an IEP or IFSP meeting for purposes of sharing observations about a child's development; (9) Include fair, balanced, and comprehensive information about language and communication modes and about available services and programs; and (10) Include informational resources from Missouri hospitals, as such term is defined in section 197.020 , audiologists, otolaryngologists, and pediatricians. 4. The department shall select existing tools or assessments for educators that can be used to assess the language and literacy development of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Such tools or assessments selected under this subsection: (1) Shall be: (a) In a format that shows stages of language development; (b) Selected for use by educators to track the development of expressive and receptive language acquisition and developmental stages toward English literacy of children who are deaf or hard of hearing; (c) Selected from existing instruments or assessments used to assess the development of all children from birth to five years of age; and (d) Appropriate, in both content and administration, for use with children who are deaf or hard of hearing; and (2) May: (a) In addition to the assessment required by federal law, be used by the child's IEP or IFSP team, as applicable, to track the progress of the child who is deaf or hard of hearing and to establish or modify the child's IEP or IFSP; and (b) Reflect the recommendations of the advisory committee established in this section. 5. (1) The department shall: (a) Disseminate the parent resource developed under subsection 3 of this section to parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing; (b) Under federal law, disseminate the educator tools and assessments selected under subsection 4 of this section to local educational agencies for use in the development and modification of an IEP or IFSP; and (c) Provide materials and training on the use of the parent resource to assist children who are deaf or hard of hearing in becoming linguistically ready for kindergarten using ASL, English, or both. (2) If a child who is deaf or hard of hearing does not demonstrate progress in expressive and receptive language skills, as measured by one of the educator tools or assessments selected under subsection 4 of this section or by the existing instrument used to assess the development of children with disabilities under federal law, the child's IEP or IFSP team shall, as part of the process required by federal law, explain in detail the reasons the child is not progressing toward or meeting the language developmental milestones and shall recommend specific strategies, services, and programs that will be provided to assist with the child's success toward English literacy. 6. (1) Before March 1, 2024, the department shall provide the advisory committee established in this section with a list of existing language developmental milestones from existing standardized norms with any relevant information held by the department regarding those language developmental milestones for possible inclusion in the parent resource developed under subsection 3 of this section. The language developmental milestones shall be aligned to the department's existing infant, toddler, and preschool guidelines; the existing instrument used to assess the development of children with disabilities under federal law; and the state standards in English language arts. (2) Before June 1, 2024, the advisory committee shall recommend language developmental milestones for selection under subsection 3 of this section. (3) Before July 1, 2024, the department shall inform the advisory committee of which language developmental milestones the department selected. 7. (1) The commissioner of education shall, in consultation with the Missouri commission for the deaf and hard of hearing, establish an ad hoc advisory committee to solicit input from experts on the selection of language developmental milestones for children who are deaf or hard of hearing that are equivalent to milestones for children who are not deaf or hard of hearing for inclusion in the parent resource developed under subsection 3 of this section. The advisory committee may make recommendations on the selection and administration of the educator tools or assessments selected under subsection 4 of this section. The advisory committee may make recommendations on materials that are unbiased and comprehensive to add to the parent resource. (2) The majority of the advisory committee's members shall be individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The advisory committee shall consist of parents, advocates, and professionals from the field of education for the deaf and hard of hearing and shall have a balance of members who personally, professionally, or parentally use ASL and English and members who personally, professionally, or parentally use only spoken English. The advisory committee shall consist of the following members: (a) A credentialed teacher of the deaf who provides direct instruction in ASL; (b) A credentialed teacher of the deaf who provides direct instruction in listening and spoken language; (c) A credentialed teacher of the deaf who has expertise in curriculum development and instruction in ASL and English; (d) A credentialed teacher of the deaf who has expertise in assessing language development both in ASL and English; (e) A speech-language pathologist who has experience working with children from birth to five years of age who are deaf or hard of hearing and use listening and spoken language; (f) A speech-language pathologist who has experience working with children from birth to five years of age who are deaf or hard of hearing and use ASL; (g) A parent of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing who uses ASL; (h) A parent of a child who is deaf or hard of hearing who uses listening and spoken language; (i) A deaf or deaf-blind member of the community who uses ASL as the primary means of communication; or (j) A deaf or deaf-blind member of the community who uses spoken language as the primary means of communication; and (k) Seven members of the committee shall be ex officio members and shall be: a. The executive director of the Missouri commission for the deaf and hard of hearing, or the director's designee; b. The superintendent or assistant superintendent of the Missouri School for the Deaf, or the superintendent's designee; c. A representative of the Missouri Association of the Deaf; d. The person designated by the department of health and senior services to manage the Missouri newborn hearing screening program; e. A coordinator of the first steps early intervention program administered by the department, or such coordinator's designee; f. The person designated by the department of elementary and secondary education's office of childhood to manage Missouri's early care & education connections; and g. A representative of the department of elementary and secondary education's vocational rehabilitation program who works with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. (3) The advisory committee may advise the department or the department's contractor on the content and administration of the existing instrument used to assess the development of children with disabilities under federal law, as used to assess the language and literacy development of children who are deaf or hard of hearing to ensure the appropriate use of such instrument with such children, and may make recommendations regarding future research to improve the measurement of progress in language and literacy of children who are deaf or hard of hearing. 8. For the 2024-25 school year and all subsequent school years, the department shall produce an annual report that is specific to language and literacy development of children who are deaf or hard of hearing including, but not limited to, children who are deaf or hard of hearing and have other disabilities, from birth to five years of age relative to peers who are not deaf or hard of hearing. The report shall use existing data reported in compliance with the federally required state performance plan on pupils with disabilities. The department shall make the report available on the department's website before August first of each school year. 9. All activities of the department in implementing this section shall be consistent with federal law regarding the education of children with disabilities and federal law regarding the privacy of pupil information. 10. For the purposes of developing and using language as described in paragraph (a) of subdivision (1) of subsection 4 of this section, for a child who is deaf or hard of hearing the following modes of communication may be used as a means for acquiring language: (1) ASL services; (2) Spoken language services; (3) Dual-language services; (4) Cued speech; (5) Tactile sign as defined in section 209.285 ; and (6) Any combination of subdivisions (1) to (5) of this subsection. 11. This section shall apply only to activities of the department relating to children from birth to five years of age. 12. Implementation of this section shall be subject to appropriations for purposes of this section. (L. 2023 H.B. 447)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.400 Commission for the deaf and hard of hearing created - appointment - ...

161.400. Commission for the deaf and hard of hearing created — appointment — qualifications — terms — expenses — chairperson — deaf members to be provided with interpreters, cost for, how paid. — 1. As used in sections 161.400 to 161.405 , the term "commission" means the Missouri commission for the deaf and hard of hearing. 2. There is hereby established within the department of elementary and secondary education a commission, to be known as the "Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing", which shall be composed of nine members. Each member shall be appointed by the governor for a term of three years, except that, of the members first appointed, three shall be appointed for a term of three years, three for a term of two years and three for a term of one year. Of the members appointed, two shall be deaf or hard of hearing, one shall be a parent of a deaf or hard of hearing child, one shall be a representative of an organization representing the interests of the deaf or hard of hearing, one shall be a representative of the Missouri School for the Deaf or the department of elementary and secondary education, one shall be an interpreter for the deaf, one shall be a representative of the business community, one shall be a representative of local public school administration and one shall be a professional from one of the following fields: audiology, psychology, speech pathology, mental health or medicine. No person shall be eligible to serve more than two successive terms, except that a person appointed to fill a vacancy may serve two additional successive terms. The members shall receive no compensation for their services on the Missouri commission for the deaf and hard of hearing, but shall be reimbursed for ordinary and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The provisions of this subsection shall not prevent any person serving on the commission on August 28, 1994, from completing the term for which that person was appointed. 3. A chairperson shall be selected by the commission from among its members. The commission shall meet at the call of the chairperson, but not less than four times per year. Professional interpreting services for the deaf members shall be provided for at every meeting of the commission, with the expense of the services to be borne by the commission. (L. 1988 H.B. 1385 § 1, A.L. 1994 H.B. 1044 merged with S.B. 568, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1783)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.403 Executive director - qualifications - compensation, office space, staff, to ...

161.403. Executive director — qualifications — compensation, office space, staff, to be provided by department. — 1. The commission shall appoint an executive director, who shall serve as an executive officer of the commission. As a priority, the director shall be a deaf or hard of hearing person or shall have a background and knowledge of deafness and shall be fluent in using and reading American sign language or signed English as a means of communication. 2. Salary, office space and staff for the executive director shall be provided by the department of elementary and secondary education. (L. 1988 H.B. 1385 § 2, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1783)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.405 Commission to function as agency of state - purpose - powers and duties.

161.405. Commission to function as agency of state — purpose — powers and duties. — The commission shall function as an agency of the state to advocate public policies, regulations and programs to improve the quality and coordination of existing services for deaf and hard of hearing persons and to promote new services whenever necessary. The commission shall: (1) Promote deaf awareness to the general public and serve as a consultant to any public agency needing information regarding deafness; (2) Develop a system of state certification for those individuals serving as interpreters of the deaf by: (a) Conducting evaluations; and (b) Developing a fee scale for different classes of interpreters; (3) Maintain the quality of interpreting services by: (a) Conducting interpreter training workshops to update knowledge and skills; and (b) Working closely with the institutions of higher education which provide, or plan to provide, instructional programs for learning sign language; (4) Conduct and maintain a census of the deaf population in Missouri; (5) Promote the development of a plan which advocates the initiation of improved physical and mental health services for deaf Missourians; (6) Conduct or make available workshops or seminars as needed for educating nondeaf individuals of the problems associated with deafness and ways by which these groups or agencies can more effectively interact with those who are deaf; (7) Promote the development of services for deaf and hard of hearing adults, such as shelter homes, independent living skill training facilities and postschool educational training which will help provide for those deaf and hard of hearing individuals requiring such services an opportunity to live independently; (8) Establish a network for effective communication among the deaf adult community and promote the establishment of TDD relay services where needed; (9) Develop and establish interpreting services for state agencies. (L. 1988 H.B. 1385 § 3, A.L. 1994 H.B. 1044 merged with S.B. 568, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1783)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.407 Census of deaf population of state, purpose - census report content, filed when.

161.407. Census of deaf population of state, purpose — census report content, filed when. — 1. In order to conduct and maintain a census of the deaf population in Missouri as mandated in section 161.405 , the Missouri commission for the deaf and hard of hearing shall establish a census information system. The commission may also use the data collected by the census to determine needs of Missouri citizens who have a hearing loss. 2. Licensed professional clinical audiologists, licensed otolaryngologists, licensed hearing aid fitters and dealers or their designee shall inform all patients of the commission's purpose to maintain a census of the deaf population in Missouri and of the statutory requirement to file a report of deafness and hearing loss to the commission within one month of identification of such deafness or hearing loss. 3. To provide an accurate census of the deaf population in Missouri, the census report shall include the name of the patient, the patient's address, the patient's birth date, the type of hearing loss and, if known, the cause of the hearing loss being treated. The census report shall be on forms provided or approved by the commission. In order to protect identifying information, the commission shall assign a unique identifier for each report maintained in the census information system. 4. Nothing in sections 161.400 to 161.411 shall be construed to compel any individual to submit to any medical examination, treatment or supervision nor any examination, treatment or supervision by the commission of any kind. (L. 1994 H.B. 1044 merged with S.B. 568, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1783)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.409 Confidentiality of all reports and records maintained by commission - ...

161.409. Confidentiality of all reports and records maintained by commission — violation, penalty — release of information, no liability, exception. — 1. The commission shall ensure the confidentiality of all reports and records made pursuant to sections 161.400 to 161.411 and maintained by the commission. 2. Only designated staff of the commission shall have access to the reports and records in which a hearing loss was substantiated. 3. The commission shall not reveal the identity of a person diagnosed with a hearing loss, a reporting professional clinical audiologist, otolaryngologist, hearing aid fitter and dealer, hospital or clinic. 4. The data accumulated through the reporting system established in section 161.407 may be made public by the commission to advance research, education and services regarding persons with hearing loss. However, the data shall be organized in such a manner that no individual may be identified. 5. Any person who knowingly violates the provisions of this section, or who permits or encourages the unauthorized dissemination of information contained in the reports and records of the commission made pursuant to sections 161.400 to 161.411 , shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor. 6. No individual or organization providing information to the commission in accordance with sections 161.400 to 161.411 shall be held liable in a civil or criminal action for divulging confidential information unless such individual or organization acted in bad faith or with malicious purpose. (L. 1994 H.B. 1044 merged with S.B. 568)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.410 Missouri commission for the deaf and hard of hearing fund created in the ...

161.410. Missouri commission for the deaf and hard of hearing fund created in the state treasury, deposits and disbursements. — 1. The executive director of the Missouri commission for the deaf and hard of hearing shall administer a revolving fund to be known as the "Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Fund" which is hereby established in the state treasury. The fund shall consist of appropriations made by the general assembly, any gifts, contributions, grants, or bequests received from federal, private, or other sources, and moneys transferred or paid to the commission in return for goods and services provided by the commission to any governmental entity or the public. The state treasurer shall approve all disbursements from the fund for the purchase of goods or services at the request of the executive director of the commission. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, moneys in the fund shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. (L. 2002 H.B. 1783, A.L. 2006 S.B. 900)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.412 Issuance of grants to deaf-blind adults and children and their families.

161.412. Issuance of grants to deaf-blind adults and children and their families. — 1. Subject to appropriations, the Missouri commission for the deaf and hard of hearing shall provide grants to: (1) Organizations that provide services for deaf-blind children and their families. Such services may include providing family support advocates to assist deaf-blind children in participating in their communities and family education specialists to teach parents and siblings skills to support the deaf-blind children in their family; (2) Organizations that provide services for deaf-blind adults. Such grants shall be used to provide assistance to deaf-blind adults who are working towards establishing and maintaining independence; and (3) Organizations that train support service providers. Such grants shall be used to provide training that will lead to certification of support service providers in Missouri. 2. The commission shall use a request-for-proposal process to award the grants in this section. Organizations that receive grants under this section may expend the grant for any purpose authorized in this section. The total amount of grants provided under this section shall not exceed three hundred thousand dollars annually. (L. 2016 H.B. 1696)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.415 Minority teaching scholarships - amount - qualifications - matching funds - ...

161.415. Minority teaching scholarships — amount — qualifications — matching funds — renewability. — 1. Within the limits of amounts appropriated therefor, the department of higher education and workforce development shall make available up to one hundred one-year, renewable scholarships in an amount of two thousand dollars to minority students for the purpose of encouraging minority students to enter teaching. Such scholarships shall be available to minority high school graduates and college students who are residents of Missouri, and who enter and make a commitment to pursue a teacher education program approved by the department of elementary and secondary education and offered by a four-year college or university located in Missouri, or who after the completion of their baccalaureate degree enter teacher education and make a commitment to teach science or mathematics, and who have: (1) Achieved scores on an accepted standardized test of academic ability, including, but not limited to, the SAT, ACT, SCAT, which place them at or above the seventy-fifth percentile; and (2) A high school rank at or above the seventy-fifth percentile. 2. If the number of applicants exceeds the number of scholarships or revenues available, the department of higher education may consider the financial needs of the applicant. 3. Any college or university located in Missouri which offers a teacher education program approved by the department of elementary and secondary education, and wishes to have the scholarships provided pursuant to this section made available to eligible applicants for admittance to such college or university, must provide matching funds to match one dollar for every two dollars made available by the state pursuant to this section for students attending the college or university. Such matching funds shall not be taken from money made available to the college or university from state funds. The total scholarship available to any one student from state and from college and university sources pursuant to such match program shall be three thousand dollars per year. 4. A recipient shall be eligible for a renewed scholarship for a maximum of three additional years. Eligibility for renewed scholarships shall be based on criteria established by the colleges of education and the department of higher education and workforce development. 5. As used in this section the term "minority" includes Asian Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans and African Americans. 6. The scholarships provided in subsection 1 of this section shall be available to otherwise eligible students who are currently enrolled in a community college and make a commitment to pursue a teacher education program approved by the department of elementary and secondary education and offered by a four-year college or university located in Missouri. (L. 1990 H.B. 1142 § 4, A.L. 1996 H.B. 1166, A.L. 2010 H.B. 1858)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.418 Department to develop criteria - applicant preference of schools.

161.418. Department to develop criteria — applicant preference of schools. — 1. The department of higher education and workforce development shall develop criteria, with input from teacher educators in this state, to select which of the eligible applicants shall receive the scholarships made available under sections 161.415 to 161.424 . 2. Students making application for the scholarships provided under sections 161.415 to 161.424 shall indicate their first, second, and third preference as to which of the colleges and universities which have provided the necessary matching funds to participate in the scholarship program established under sections 161.415 to 161.424 they wish to attend. The department of higher education and workforce development, in conjunction with those colleges and universities which have provided the necessary matching funds, shall develop procedures for matching students eligible for the scholarships provided under sections 161.415 to 161.424 with such colleges and universities. (L. 1990 H.B. 1142 § 5, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.421 Cessation of study - effect.

161.421. Cessation of study — effect. — If a student ceases his study prior to receiving a degree, any scholarship received under the provisions of sections 161.415 to 161.424 shall be treated as a loan to the student and interest at the rate of nine and one-half percent per year shall be charged upon the unpaid balance of the amount received from the date the student ceases his study until the amount received is paid back to the state. (L. 1990 H.B. 1142 § 6)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.424 Recipients of scholarships to teach in this state - terms, conditions - ...

161.424. Recipients of scholarships to teach in this state — terms, conditions — deferral of payments. — 1. Every student receiving scholarships under the provisions of sections 161.415 to 161.424 shall teach in an elementary or secondary public school in this state for a period of five years after receiving a degree or the scholarship shall be treated as a loan to the student and interest at the rate of nine and one-half percent per year shall be charged upon the unpaid balance of the amount received from the date the student ceases to teach until the amount received is paid back to the state. For each year that the student teaches up to five years, one-fifth of the amount which was received under sections 161.415 to 161.424 shall be applied against the total amount received and shall not be subject to the repayment requirement of this section. 2. The department of higher education and workforce development shall have the power to and shall defer interest and principal payments under certain circumstances, which shall include, but need not be limited to, the enrollment in a graduate program, service in any branch of the Armed Forces of the United States, or teaching in areas of critical need as defined by the state board of education. (L. 1990 H.B. 1142 § 7, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.450 Physical fitness challenge for students, department to adopt rules - ...

161.450. Physical fitness challenge for students, department to adopt rules — rulemaking authority. — 1. This section shall be known as "Cade's Law". 2. The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop and adopt rules relating to a physical fitness challenge for elementary-, middle-, and high school-level students. The challenge shall include, but not be limited to, elements that address physical conditioning, flexibility, strength, and aerobic capacity and shall recognize individual, team, and school-wide performance. 3. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2013, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2013 H.B. 675)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.500 Citation of law.

161.500. Citation of law. — Sections 161.500 to 161.508 shall be known and may be cited as the "Drug-Free Schools Act". (L. 1990 S.B. 740 § 31)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.502 Definitions.

161.502. Definitions. — As used in sections 161.500 to 161.508 , the following terms mean: (1) "Department" , the department of elementary and secondary education; (2) "Drugs" includes, but is not limited to: (a) All controlled substances defined in chapter 195 ; and (b) Alcoholic beverages. (L. 1990 S.B. 740 § 32)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.504 Drug-free schools program created - department may apply for funding - ...

161.504. Drug-free schools program created — department may apply for funding — disbursement of funds — application for funding of prevention and suppression programs — interagency agreements — administrative guidelines — annual report, contents. — 1. There is hereby created in the department of elementary and secondary education the "Drug-Free Schools Program". The department of elementary and secondary education may apply for federal grants or other federal assistance as additional funding to appropriated state moneys in order to implement the provisions of sections 161.500 to 161.508 and the activities of the state drug-free school advisory committee. All funds made available to the department for the purposes of sections 161.500 to 161.508 shall be administered and disbursed by the department in consultation with the state drug-free school advisory committee established in section 161.508 . 2. The department, in consultation with the drug-free school advisory committee, is authorized to allocate and award funds to local law enforcement agencies and public schools working jointly to develop drug and alcohol use prevention and drug and alcohol trafficking suppression programs in substantial compliance with the policies and criteria set forth in sections 161.500 to 161.508 . 3. The allocation and award of funds shall be made upon the joint application by the chief law enforcement agency's legislative body and the superintendent and board of the school district coapplicant. The joint application of the law enforcement agency and the school district shall be submitted for review to the local drug-free school advisory committee established in section 161.506 . After review, the application shall be submitted to the department. Funds disbursed under sections 161.500 to 161.508 may enhance, but shall not supplant, local funds that would, in the absence of the drug-free school program, be made available to suppress and prevent drug and alcohol use among school-age children and to curtail drug and alcohol trafficking in and around schools, parks and playgrounds. 4. The coapplicant local law enforcement agency and coapplicant school district shall enter into interagency agreements between themselves which will allow the management and fiscal tasks created pursuant to sections 161.500 to 161.508 and assigned to both the law enforcement agency and the school district to be performed by only one of them. 5. Within one hundred twenty days of August 28, 1990, the department in consultation with the state drug-free school advisory committee shall prepare and issue administrative guidelines and procedures for the drug-free school program consistent with the provisions of sections 161.500 to 161.508 . In addition to all other formal requirements that may apply to the enactment of such guidelines and procedures, a complete and final draft shall be submitted within ninety days of the effective date of August 28, 1990, to the chairmen of the judiciary committees of the house of representatives and the senate. 6. After a full year of program operation, the department shall prepare and submit an annual evaluation report to the general assembly describing in detail the operation of the program and the results obtained from the drug-free school program receiving funds under sections 161.500 to 161.508 . The report also shall list the full costs applicable both to the department for processing the reviewing application, and to the state and local agencies for obtaining grants, from any source, to support the program. The purpose of the program evaluation shall be to identify successful methods of preventing drug and alcohol trafficking and use in schools. Ongoing evaluation findings shall be used to replicate proven successful methods, identify, implement, and refine new methods. (L. 1990 S.B. 740 § 33)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.506 Concentration of program - elements - enhanced efforts - use of funds - ...

161.506. Concentration of program — elements — enhanced efforts — use of funds — advisory committee. — 1. Law enforcement agencies and school districts receiving funds under sections 161.500 to 161.508 shall concentrate enhanced apprehension, prevention and education efforts and resources on drug and alcohol use and drug trafficking in and around schools, parks and playgrounds. Such enhanced apprehension, prevention, and education efforts shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Drug and alcohol traffic intervention programs; (2) School- and classroom-oriented programs, using tested drug and alcohol education curriculum that provides in-depth and accurate information on drugs and alcohol, which may include the participation of local law enforcement agencies and qualified drug and alcohol use prevention specialists and which are designed to increase teachers' and students' awareness of drugs and alcohol and their effects; (3) Family-oriented programs aimed at preventing drug and alcohol use, which may include the participation of community-based organizations experienced in the successful operation of such programs; (4) The establishment of a local drug-free school advisory committee. The committee shall be established and appointed by the school board of each school district. The committee may be a newly created committee or an existing local drug and alcohol use committee as designated by the appointing authority. The committee shall be composed of, at a minimum, the following: (a) Local and law enforcement executives; (b) School district administrators; (c) School-site staff, which includes administrators, teachers and certified personnel; (d) Parents; (e) Students; (f) School peace officers; (g) State, county, or local drug and alcohol program administrators designated pursuant to chapter 195 ; and (h) Drug and alcohol prevention program executives; (5) Development and distribution of appropriate written and audiovisual aids for training of school and law enforcement staff for handling drug- and alcohol-related problems and offenses. Appropriate existing aids may be used in lieu of the development of new materials; (6) Development of prevention and intervention programs for elementary school teachers and students, including utilization of existing prevention and intervention programs; (7) Development of a coordinated intervention system that identifies students with chronic drug and alcohol abuse treatment programs. 2. Enhanced apprehension, prevention, and education efforts commenced under this section shall be a joint effort between law enforcement agencies and local school districts. These efforts shall include, but are not limited to, the concentration of apprehension efforts in problem areas cooperatively identified by local school and law enforcement authorities. 3. Funds appropriated pursuant to sections 161.500 to 161.508 may be used in part to support state-level development and statewide distribution of appropriate written and audiovisual aids for public awareness and training of school and law enforcement staff for handling drug- and alcohol-related problems and offenses. When existing aids can be identified, these aids may be used in lieu of the development of new aids. (L. 1990 S.B. 740 § 34)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.508 Criteria for rating grant applications to be developed by committee - ...

161.508. Criteria for rating grant applications to be developed by committee — membership of committee — staff services — compensation — duties — guidelines and procedures to be developed — department to administer and monitor — personnel costs — administrative costs. — 1. Criteria for rating the grant applications of cooperating pairs of clusters of law enforcement agencies and school districts to receive drug-free school program funding shall be developed by the state drug-free school advisory committee. 2. The state drug-free school advisory committee shall be composed of one police chief, one sheriff, one district attorney, one attorney primarily engaged in criminal defense, one representative of parent groups, one representative of the state department of public safety, a school peace officer, a representative of community-based prevention of drug and alcohol use programs, one member from the attorney general's office, four members from the department of elementary and secondary education, one drug and alcohol prevention specialist representing the department of elementary and secondary education, and three school-site personnel, all of whom are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. Staff services to the committee shall be provided by the department of elementary and secondary education. Committee members shall receive no compensation but shall be reimbursed for actual expenses involved in the conduct of committee business. The committee shall review applications for grant awards and shall recommend approval for those applications which are deemed appropriate and are consistent with the guidelines and administrative procedures established pursuant to this section and sections 161.500 to 161.508 . 3. Each state drug-free school advisory committee member shall be personally present to cast a vote or be counted toward a quorum. An appointed member of the committee unable to attend any meeting may designate a representative to attend such meetings on his behalf. Such a representative shall be accorded full privilege to address the committee on any matter under consideration but shall not have the right to vote on any motions entertained by the committee. 4. The state drug-free school advisory committee shall develop specific guidelines and administrative procedures for the drug-free school program. The program developed by the state drug-free school advisory committee may be utilized by the local school districts or such districts may develop programs based on the unique needs and resources of such districts. 5. Administration of the overall program and the evaluation or * monitoring of all grants made under sections 161.500 to 161.508 shall be performed by the department. 6. The department shall, to the extent possible, coordinate the administration of the drug-free school program with those of other state and federal agencies. 7. Funds disbursed under sections 161.500 to 161.508 shall not be used for the acquisition of equipment. 8. Funds disbursed under sections 161.500 to 161.508 shall not be used to purchase information on drugs or alcohol. 9. In the interest of maximizing the use of funds for program support and implementation, local law enforcement agencies and school districts receiving funds under sections 161.500 to 161.508 are expressly discouraged from using drug-free school program funds for personnel costs. Where it can be demonstrated that personnel costs are essential to the success of the program and that sufficient law enforcement and school personnel are not available to carry out the program, exceptions to this section may be requested through the department. 10. No more than ten percent of the total amount of funds disbursed under this section shall be used for administrative costs. (L. 1990 S.B. 740 § 35) *Word "of" appears in original rolls, an apparent typographical error.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.520 Districts in financial stress, factors determining - notification to ...

161.520. Districts in financial stress, factors determining — notification to district school board, contents — board to prepare budget and education plan, contents. — 1. By October 1, 1992, and by each October first thereafter, the department of elementary and secondary education shall identify any school district experiencing financial stress. The commissioner of elementary and secondary education or his designee shall review the information submitted on the report required by section 162.821 to identify school districts experiencing financial stress. Further, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education shall be authorized to obtain such additional information from public school districts as may be necessary to determine school districts experiencing financial stress. Annually, a listing of school districts identified as experiencing financial stress according to the provisions of this section shall be provided to the governor, speaker of the house and president pro tem of the senate by the commissioner of elementary and secondary education. For the purposes of this section, a school district shall be identified as experiencing financial stress if it: (1) Has a negative balance in its teachers' or incidental funds at the end of the most recently completed fiscal year and is not in compliance with the provisions of section 165.021 ; (2) Has a combined balance remaining in teachers' and incidental funds of less than three percent at the end of the most recently completed fiscal year of the amount expended from such funds during the previous fiscal year; or (3) Did tax anticipation borrowing during the most recently completed fiscal year for the period February first through June thirtieth to meet expenditures of the district because of insufficient fund balances or reserves. 2. For the purposes of this section, a school district may be identified as experiencing financial stress if three or more of the following conditions exist: (1) For any of the district's funds for the most recently completed fiscal year, expenditures exceeded receipts because of costs to the district that are recurring; (2) Has declining fund balances while the district is receiving state aid under the provisions of section 163.172 for the sole purpose of increasing salaries of teachers of the district; (3) Has engaged in tax anticipation borrowing to meet obligated expenditures for the period October first to December thirty-first of the most recently completed fiscal year, and interest expense to the district exceeded interest revenue on district funds; (4) For the most recently completed three tax years, there is a decline in the collection rate for current and delinquent taxes paid to the district; (5) For the most recently completed three fiscal years, there is a declining trend of student enrollment without a proportionate decline in the number of professional staff, except in such districts where professional staff have been reassigned to reduce pupil teacher ratios in the elementary grades; (6) For the most recently completed three fiscal years, there is a static or an increasing trend of student enrollment while the number of professional staff has been reduced; (7) For the most recently completed three fiscal years, salaries paid to nonadministrative staff have not increased; (8) For the most recently completed three fiscal years, administrative costs in the district have increased as measured by the percentage of total district expenditures; or (9) Has a declining trend or recent significant loss of assessed valuation. 3. The department of elementary and secondary education shall notify by November first the board of education and chief operating officer of any school district identified as experiencing financial stress according to the provisions of this section. The notification shall be accompanied by a copy of the provisions contained in sections 161.520 to 161.529 . Upon receiving the notification, the board of education shall develop, or cause to have developed, and shall approve a budget and education plan on forms provided by the department of elementary and secondary education. The budget and education plan shall be submitted to the department of elementary and secondary education, signed by the officers of the board of education, within forty-five calendar days of notification that the district has been identified as experiencing financial stress. Minimally, the budget and education plan submitted by the board of education shall: (1) Give assurances that adequate educational services to students of the district will continue uninterrupted for the remainder of the current school year, and that the district can provide a minimum school term required by section 163.021 ; (2) Outline a procedure to be followed by the district to report to district patrons about the financial condition of the district; (3) Outline a procedure to be followed by the district to report to district patrons about the impact of the financial condition of the district on the educational services provided to students; and (4) Detail the expenditure reduction measures, revenue increases or other actions to be taken by the school district to address its condition of financial stress. If requested, the department of elementary and secondary education shall assist a board of education in the development of a budget and education plan required by this section. Upon receipt and following review of any budget and education plan, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or his designee may make suggestions to improve the plan. Nothing in the law shall exempt a board of education from submitting a budget and education plan to the department of elementary and secondary education according to the provisions of this section following each such notification that a district has been identified as experiencing financial stress; except that, the commissioner of elementary and secondary education may permit a board of education to make amendments to or update a budget and education plan previously submitted to the department of elementary and secondary education. (L. 1992 S.B. 581 § 2, A.L. 1993 S.B. 380)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.525 Fiscal year ending with balance of less than one percent in teachers' and ...

161.525. Fiscal year ending with balance of less than one percent in teachers' and incidental funds — notice requirements. — If at the end of a fiscal year a school district has a combined balance remaining in its teachers' and incidental funds of less than one percent of the amount expended from the funds during the previous fiscal year, the department of elementary and secondary education shall send a notice advising the board of education and the chief operating officer of the district of such fact. The department of elementary and secondary education shall send a copy of such notice to the boards of education and chief operating officers of all adjoining school districts. (L. 1992 S.B. 581 § 3 subsec. 1) Effective 4-17-92

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.527 District not required to reduce operating levy, when - restrictions on ...

161.527. District not required to reduce operating levy, when — restrictions on administrative costs and salaries — exemptions from restrictions, limitation — extension on exemptions may be submitted to voters. — 1. If a school district, which has an assessed valuation per average daily attendance equal to or less than the state average assessed valuation per average daily attendance, has transmitted by July fifteenth to the department of elementary and secondary education the report required by section 162.821 and such school district has received a notice pursuant to section 161.525 , such school district is not required to reduce its operating levy pursuant to section 164.013 when the district next determines its tax rate in accordance with the provisions of section 164.011 . However, if a school district does not reduce its operating levy as permitted in this subsection, the school district shall not in the current and next school year increase: (1) Its administrative costs; or (2) The aggregate amount of funds paid for salaries of employees of the district. 2. The restrictions on increasing administrative costs and funds paid for salaries as provided for in subsection 1 of this section shall continue in the district for each subsequent school year until combined balances in the teachers' and incidental funds at the end of a fiscal year are equal to or exceed three percent of the amount expended from the funds during the previous fiscal year as determined by the department of elementary and secondary education. Such restrictions provided for in subsection 1 of this section shall not apply to increased expenditures of the district necessary to maintain health insurance coverage for district employees at the same level that may have been provided by the district prior to implementation of the restrictions. Further, the restrictions shall not apply to increased expenditures of the district necessary to meet the district's share of contributions for employees who are members of the public school retirement system of Missouri, the public school retirement system of the school district of Kansas City, or the public school retirement system of the city of St. Louis. 3. The exemption from reduction authorized by subsection 1 of this section shall be limited to two tax years, at which time the district may submit to the voters of the district the question of whether to continue such exemption. (L. 1992 S.B. 581 § 3 subsecs. 2, 3, 4, A.L. 1998 S.B. 781, A.L. 2005 S.B. 287) Effective 7-01-06

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.529 Duties imposed on boards of education, how enforced.

161.529. Duties imposed on boards of education, how enforced. — Duties and requirements imposed on members of boards of education by section 161.520 , 161.525 , or 161.527 , either expressed or implied, shall be enforceable by the provisions contained in section 162.091 . (L. 1992 S.B. 581 § 4) Effective 4-17-92

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.610 Procedure for reporting performance of high school graduates completing ...

161.610. Procedure for reporting performance of high school graduates completing vocational education programs — procedure — data included — public reports. — 1. By July 1, 1994, the state board of education, within existing resources provided to the department of elementary and secondary education, shall have established and implemented a procedure for annually reporting the performance of public high school students who have completed a vocational education program in their high school or at an area vocational school. The purpose of such report shall be to assist in determining how schools are preparing students for success in the job market or for advanced postsecondary education. 2. The procedures shall be designed so that the reporting is made by the name of each high school that offers a vocational education program and by each area vocational school. The procedures shall not be designed so that the reporting contains the name of any student. 3. The data reported shall include the percentage of vocational education students who obtained employment in a job related to the training they received, obtained a job unrelated to the training received, entered military service, continued their education at the postsecondary level; and other data as determined by rule and regulation of the state board of education. 4. The state board of education shall annually prepare a report that combines information assembled pursuant to section 173.750 and subsection 1 of this section. The state board of education shall make this report available to the public and shall annually provide the report to public high schools of the state. (L. 1993 S.B. 380 § 19 subsecs. 4 to 7)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.625 Citation of law - postsecondary information, education costs and ...

161.625. Citation of law — postsecondary information, education costs and alternative career paths — report to department, contents. — 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Students' Right to Know Act". 2. Beginning on January 1, 2022, to help each high school student make more informed decisions about the student's future and ensure that the student is adequately aware of the cost of four-year college and other alternative career paths, the department of higher education and workforce development shall collect and compile the following information on an annual basis: (1) The most in-demand jobs in the state, including starting salary and education level required for such jobs; (2) The average cost for each public institution of higher education and vocational school in the state; (3) The average monthly student loan payment of all students in attendance at a public institution of higher education or vocational school in the state, for each public institution of higher education or vocational school in the state; (4) The average three-year student loan default rate for each public institution of higher education and vocational school in the state; (5) The average graduation rate for each public institution of higher education and vocational school in the state; (6) The completion rates for apprenticeship programs, high school credential programs, career and technical education programs, and military first-term enlistments; (7) The average starting salary for individuals graduating from each public institution of higher education in the state; and (8) The average starting salary for individuals graduating from each vocational school in the state. 3. Each public institution of higher education and vocational school shall report to the department the information listed in subsection 2 of this section that relates to the particular institution. The department shall collect, compile, and add the information on the department's website. On or before October fifteenth of each year, the link and all relevant instruction material shall be distributed to the department of elementary and secondary education for dissemination to public high schools in the state for public distribution to students by school counselors. 4. The department may execute a memorandum of understanding with any department, agency, or division for information required to be collected by this section. 5. To comply with the requirements of this section, any public institution of higher education, vocational school and the department may use preexisting databases including, but not limited to, the College Scorecard operated by the United States Department of Education and MoJobs. (L. 2021 H.B. 297)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.650 Department to identify and adopt violence prevention program, district to ...

161.650. Department to identify and adopt violence prevention program, district to administer — state board to adopt violence prevention program — duties — administered how — funding. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education shall identify and adopt an existing program or programs of educational instruction regarding violence prevention to be administered by public school districts pursuant to subsection 2 of this section, and which shall include, but shall not be limited to, instructing students of the negative consequences, both to the individual and to society at large, of membership in or association with criminal street gangs or participation in criminal street gang activity, as those phrases are defined in section 578.421 , and shall include related training for school district employees directly responsible for the education of students concerning violence prevention and early identification of and intervention in violent behavior. The state board of education shall adopt such program or programs by rule as approved for use in Missouri public schools. The program or programs of instruction shall encourage nonviolent conflict resolution of problems facing youth; present alternative constructive activities for the students; encourage community participation in program instruction, including but not limited to parents and law enforcement officials; and shall be administered as appropriate for different grade levels and shall not be offered for academic credit. 2. All public school districts within this state with the approval of the district's board of education may administer the program or programs of student instruction adopted pursuant to subsection 1 of this section to students within the district starting at the kindergarten level and every year thereafter through the twelfth-grade level. 3. Any district adopting and providing a program of instruction pursuant to this section shall be entitled to receive state aid pursuant to section 163.031 . If such aid is determined by the department to be insufficient to implement any program or programs adopted by a district pursuant to this section: (1) The department may fund the program or programs adopted pursuant to this section or pursuant to subsection 2 of section 160.530 , or both, after securing any funding available from alternative sources; and (2) School districts may fund the program or programs from funds received pursuant to subsection 1 of section 160.530 . 4. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to chapter 536 . (L. 1996 H.B. 1301 & 1298 § 3, A.L. 2000 S.B. 944, A.L. 2010 H.B. 1543)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.670 Course access and virtual school program established, eligibility for ...

161.670. Course access and virtual school program established, eligibility for enrollment — state aid calculation — enrollment process, payment by district — instructional activities, requirements — department duties, annual report — statewide assessments — rulemaking authority. — 1. Notwithstanding any other law, prior to July 1, 2007, the state board of education shall establish the "Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program" to serve school-age students residing in the state. The Missouri course access and virtual school program shall offer nonclassroom-based instruction in a virtual setting using technology, intranet, or internet methods of communication. Any student under the age of twenty-one in grades kindergarten through twelve who resides in this state shall be eligible to enroll in the Missouri course access and virtual school program pursuant to subsection 3 of this section. 2. (1) For purposes of calculation and distribution of state school aid, students enrolled in the Missouri course access and virtual school program shall be included in the student enrollment of the school district in which the student is enrolled under the relevant provisions of subsection 3 of this section for such enrollment. Student attendance for full-time virtual program students shall only be included in any district pupil attendance calculation under chapter 163 using current-year pupil attendance for such full-time virtual program pupils. For the purpose of calculating average daily attendance in full-time virtual programs under this section, average daily attendance shall be defined as the quotient or the sum of the quotients obtained by dividing the total number of hours attended in a term by enrolled pupils between the ages of five and twenty-one by the actual number of hours that the program was in session in that term, and the provisions of section 162.1250 shall not apply to such funding calculation. Such calculation shall be generated by the virtual provider and provided to the host district for submission to the department of elementary and secondary education. Such students may complete their instructional activities, as defined in subsection 4 of this section, during any hour of the day and during any day of the week. The hours attended for each enrolled pupil shall be documented by the pupil's weekly progress in the educational program according to a process determined by the virtual program and published annually in the virtual program's enrollment handbook or policy. To the average daily attendance of the following school term shall be added the full-time equivalent average daily attendance of summer school students. In the case of a host school district enrolling one or more full-time virtual school students, such enrolling district shall, as part of its monthly state allocation, receive no less under the state aid calculation for such students than an amount equal to the state adequacy target multiplied by the weighted average daily attendance of such full-time students. Students residing in Missouri and enrolled in a full-time virtual school program operated by a public institution of higher education in this state shall be counted for a state aid calculation by the department, and the department shall pay, from funds dedicated to state school aid payments made under section 163.031 , to such institution an amount equal to the state adequacy target multiplied by the weighted average daily attendance of such full-time students. (2) The Missouri course access and virtual school program shall report to the district of residence the following information about each student served by the Missouri course access and virtual school program: name, address, eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch, limited English proficiency status, special education needs, and the number of courses in which the student is enrolled. The Missouri course access and virtual school program shall promptly notify the resident district when a student discontinues enrollment. A "full-time equivalent student" is a student who is enrolled in the instructional equivalent of six credits per regular term. Each Missouri course access and virtual school program course shall count as one class and shall generate that portion of a full-time equivalent that a comparable course offered by the school district would generate. (3) Pursuant to an education services plan and collaborative agreement under subsection 3 of this section, full-time equivalent students may be allowed to use a physical location of the resident school district for all or some portion of ongoing instructional activity, and the enrollment plan shall provide for reimbursement of costs of the resident district for providing such access pursuant to rules promulgated under this section by the department. (4) In no case shall more than the full-time equivalency of a regular term of attendance for a single student be used to claim state aid. Full-time equivalent student credit completed shall be reported to the department of elementary and secondary education in the manner prescribed by the department. Nothing in this section shall prohibit students from enrolling in additional courses under a separate agreement that includes terms for paying tuition or course fees. (5) A full-time virtual school program serving full-time equivalent students shall be considered an attendance center in the host school district and shall participate in the statewide assessment system as defined in section 160.518 . The academic performance of students enrolled in a full-time virtual school program shall be assigned to the designated attendance center of the full-time virtual school program and shall be considered in like manner to other attendance centers. The academic performance of any student who disenrolls from a full-time virtual school program and enrolls in a public school or charter school shall not be used in determining the annual performance report score of the attendance center or school district in which the student enrolls for twelve months from the date of enrollment. (6) For the purposes of this section, a public institution of higher education operating a full-time virtual school program shall be subject to all requirements applicable to a host school district with respect to its full-time equivalent students. 3. (1) A student who resides in this state may enroll in Missouri course access and virtual school program courses of his or her choice as a part of the student's annual course load each school year, with any costs associated with such course or courses to be paid by the school district or charter school if: (a) The student is enrolled full-time in a public school, including any charter school; and (b) Prior to enrolling in any Missouri course access and virtual school program course, a student has received approval from his or her school district or charter school through the procedure described under subdivision (2) of this subsection. (2) Each school district or charter school shall adopt a policy that delineates the process by which a student may enroll in courses provided by the Missouri course access and virtual school program that is substantially similar to the typical process by which a district student would enroll in courses offered by the school district and a charter school student would enroll in courses offered by the charter school. The policy may include consultation with the school's counselor and may include parental notification or authorization. The policy shall ensure that available opportunities for in-person instruction are considered prior to moving a student to virtual courses. The policy shall allow for continuous enrollment throughout the school year. If the school district or charter school disapproves a student's request to enroll in a course or courses provided by the Missouri course access and virtual school program, the reason shall be provided in writing and it shall be for good cause. Good cause justification to disapprove a student's request for enrollment in a course shall be a determination that doing so is not in the best educational interest of the student, and shall be consistent with the determination that would be made for such course request under the process by which a district student would enroll in a similar course offered by the school district and a charter school student would enroll in a similar course offered by the charter school, except that the determination may consider the suitability of virtual courses for the student based on prior participation in virtual courses by the student. Appeals of any course denials under this subsection shall be considered under a policy that is substantially similar to the typical process by which appeals would be considered for a student seeking to enroll in courses offered by the school district and a charter school student seeking to enroll in courses offered by the charter school. (3) For students enrolled in any Missouri course access and virtual school program course in which costs associated with such course are to be paid by the school district or charter school as described under this subdivision, the school district or charter school shall pay the content provider directly on a pro rata monthly basis based on a student's completion of assignments and assessments. If a student discontinues enrollment, the district or charter school may stop making monthly payments to the content provider. No school district or charter school shall pay, for any one course for a student, more than the market necessary costs but in no case shall pay more than fourteen percent of the state adequacy target, as defined under section 163.011 , as calculated at the end of the most recent school year for any single, year-long course and no more than seven percent of the state adequacy target as described above for any single semester equivalent course. (4) (a) A student who lives in this state may enroll in a virtual program of their choice as provided in this subdivision, and the provisions of subdivisions (1) to (3) of this subsection shall not apply to such enrollment in a full-time virtual program. Each host school district operating a full-time virtual program under this section shall adopt, operate and implement an enrollment policy as specified by the provisions of this subdivision. The student, the student's parent or guardian if the student is not considered homeless, the virtual program, the host district, and the resident district shall collaborate in good faith to implement the enrollment policy regarding the student's enrollment, and the resident school district and the host school district may mutually agree that the resident district shall offer or continue to offer services for the student under an agreement that includes financial terms for reimbursement by the host school district for the necessary costs of the resident school district providing such services. An enrollment policy specified under this subsection shall: a. Require a student's parent or guardian, if the student is not considered homeless, to apply for enrollment in a full-time virtual program directly with the virtual program; b. Specify timelines for timely participation by the virtual program, the host district, and resident district; provided that the resident district shall provide any relevant information and input on the enrollment within ten business days of notice from the virtual program of the enrollment application; c. Include a survey of the reasons for the student's and parent's interests in participating in the virtual program; d. Include consideration of available opportunities for in-person instruction prior to enrolling a student in a virtual program; e. Evaluate requests for enrollment based on meeting the needs for a student to be successful considering all relevant factors; f. Ensure that, for any enrolling student with a covered disability, an individualized education program and a related services agreement, in cases where such agreement is needed, are created to provide all services required to ensure a free and appropriate public education, including financial terms for reimbursement by the host district for the necessary costs of any virtual program, school district, or public or private entity providing all or a portion of such services; g. Require the virtual program to determine whether an enrolling student will be admitted, based on the enrollment policy, in consideration of all relevant factors and provide the basis for its determination and any service plan for the student, in writing, to the student, the student's parent or guardian, the host district, and the resident district; and h. Provide a process for reviewing appeals of decisions made under this subdivision. (b) The department shall publish an annual report based on the enrollments and enrollment surveys conducted under this subdivision that provides data at the statewide and district levels of sufficient detail to allow analysis of trends regarding the reasons for participation in the virtual program at the statewide and district levels; provided that no such survey results will be published in a manner that reveals individual student information. The department shall also include, in the annual report, data at the statewide and district levels of sufficient detail to allow detection and analysis of the racial, ethnic, and socio-economic balance of virtual program participation among schools and districts at the statewide and district levels, provided that no such survey results will be published in a manner that reveals individual student information. (5) In the case of a student who is a candidate for A+ tuition reimbursement and taking a virtual course under this section, the school shall attribute no less than ninety-five percent attendance to any such student who has completed such virtual course. (6) The Missouri course access and virtual school program shall ensure that individual learning plans designed by certified teachers and professional staff are developed for all students enrolled in more than two full-time course access program courses or a full-time virtual school. (7) Virtual school programs shall monitor individual student success and engagement of students enrolled in their program and, for students enrolled in virtual courses on a part-time basis, the virtual school program shall provide regular student progress reports for each student at least four times per school year to the school district or charter school, provide the host school district and the resident school district ongoing access to academic and other relevant information on student success and engagement, and shall terminate or alter the course offering if it is found the course is not meeting the educational needs of the students enrolled in the course. (8) The department of elementary and secondary education shall monitor the aggregate performance of providers and make such information available to the public under subsection 11 of this section. (9) Pursuant to rules to be promulgated by the department of elementary and secondary education, when a student transfers into a school district or charter school, credits previously gained through successful passage of approved courses under the Missouri course access and virtual school program shall be accepted by the school district or charter school. (10) Pursuant to rules to be promulgated by the department of elementary and secondary education, if a student transfers into a school district or charter school while enrolled in a Missouri course access and virtual school program course or full-time virtual school, the student shall continue to be enrolled in such course or school. (11) Nothing in this section shall prohibit home school or FPE school students, private school students, or students wishing to take additional courses beyond their regular course load from enrolling in Missouri course access and virtual school program courses under an agreement that includes terms for paying tuition or course fees. (12) Nothing in this subsection shall require any school district, charter school, virtual program, or the state to provide computers, equipment, or internet access to any student unless required under the education services plan created for an eligible student under subdivision (4) of this subsection or for an eligible student with a disability to comply with federal law. An education services plan may require an eligible student to have access to school facilities of the resident school district during regular school hours for participation and instructional activities of a virtual program under this section, and the education services plan shall provide for reimbursement of the resident school district for such access pursuant to rules adopted by the department under this section. (13) The authorization process shall provide for continuous monitoring of approved providers and courses. The department shall revoke or suspend or take other corrective action regarding the authorization of any course or provider no longer meeting the requirements of the program. Unless immediate action is necessary, prior to revocation or suspension, the department shall notify the provider and give the provider a reasonable time period to take corrective action to avoid revocation or suspension. The process shall provide for periodic renewal of authorization no less frequently than once every three years. (14) Courses approved as of August 28, 2018, by the department to participate in the Missouri virtual instruction program shall be automatically approved to participate in the Missouri course access and virtual school program, but shall be subject to periodic renewal. (15) Any online course or virtual program offered by a school district or charter school, including those offered prior to August 28, 2018, which meets the requirements of section 162.1250 shall be automatically approved to participate in the Missouri course access and virtual school program. Such course or program shall be subject to periodic renewal. A school district or charter school offering such a course or virtual school program shall be deemed an approved provider. (16) A host district may contract with a provider to perform any required services involved with delivering a full-time virtual education. 4. (1) As used in this subsection, the term "instructional activities" means classroom-based or nonclassroom-based activities that a student shall be expected to complete, participate in, or attend during any given school day, such as: (a) Online logins to curricula or programs; (b) Offline activities; (c) Completed assignments within a particular program, curriculum, or class; (d) Testing; (e) Face-to-face communications or meetings with school staff; (f) Telephone or video conferences with school staff; (g) School-sanctioned field trips; or (h) Orientation. (2) A full-time virtual school shall submit a notification to the parent or guardian of any student who is not consistently engaged in instructional activities and shall provide regular student progress reports for each student at least four times per school year. (3) Each full-time virtual school shall develop, adopt, and post on the school's website a policy setting forth the consequences for a student who fails to complete the required instructional activities. Such policy shall state, at a minimum, that if a student fails to complete the instructional activities after receiving a notification under subdivision (2) of this subsection, and after reasonable intervention strategies have been implemented, that the student shall be subject to certain consequences which may include disenrollment from the school. Prior to any disenrollment, the parent or guardian shall have the opportunity to present any information that the parent deems relevant, and such information shall be considered prior to any final decision. (4) If a full-time virtual school disenrolls a student under subdivision (3) of this subsection, the school shall immediately provide written notification to such student's school district of residence. The student's school district of residence shall then provide to the parents or guardian of the student a written list of available educational options and promptly enroll the student in the selected option. Any student disenrolled from a full-time virtual school shall be prohibited from reenrolling in the same virtual school for the remainder of the school year. 5. School districts or charter schools shall inform parents of their child's right to participate in the program. Availability of the program shall be made clear in the parent handbook, registration documents, and featured on the home page of the school district or charter school's website. 6. The department shall: (1) Establish an authorization process for course or full-time virtual school providers that includes multiple opportunities for submission each year; (2) Pursuant to the time line established by the department, authorize course or full-time virtual school providers that: (a) Submit all necessary information pursuant to the requirements of the process; and (b) Meet the criteria described in subdivision (3) of this subsection; (3) Review, pursuant to the authorization process, proposals from providers to provide a comprehensive, full-time equivalent course of study for students through the Missouri course access and virtual school program. The department shall ensure that these comprehensive courses of study align to state academic standards and that there is consistency and compatibility in the curriculum used by all providers from one grade level to the next grade level; (4) Within thirty days of any denial, provide a written explanation to any course or full-time virtual school providers that are denied authorization; (5) Allow a course or full-time virtual school provider denied authorization to reapply at any point in the future. 7. The department shall publish the process established under this section, including any deadlines and any guidelines applicable to the submission and authorization process for course or full-time virtual school providers on its website. 8. If the department determines that there are insufficient funds available for evaluating and authorizing course or full-time virtual school providers, the department may charge applicant course or full-time virtual school providers a fee up to, but no greater than, the amount of the costs in order to ensure that evaluation occurs. The department shall establish and publish a fee schedule for purposes of this subsection. 9. Except as specified in this section and as may be specified by rule of the state board of education, the Missouri course access and virtual school program shall comply with all state laws and regulations applicable to school districts, including but not limited to the Missouri school improvement program (MSIP), annual performance report (APR), teacher certification, curriculum standards, audit requirements under chapter 165 , access to public records under chapter 610 , and school accountability report cards under section 160.522 . Teachers and administrators employed by a virtual provider shall be considered to be employed in a public school for all certification purposes under chapter 168 . 10. The department shall submit and publicly publish an annual report on the Missouri course access and virtual school program and the participation of entities to the governor, the chair and ranking member of the senate education committee, and the chair and ranking member of the house of representatives elementary and secondary education committee. The report shall at a minimum include the following information: (1) The annual number of unique students participating in courses authorized under this section and the total number of courses in which students are enrolled in; (2) The number of authorized providers; (3) The number of authorized courses and the number of students enrolled in each course; (4) The number of courses available by subject and grade level; (5) The number of students enrolled in courses broken down by subject and grade level; (6) Student outcome data, including completion rates, student learning gains, student performance on state or nationally accepted assessments, by subject and grade level per provider. This outcome data shall be published in a manner that protects student privacy; (7) The costs per course; (8) Evaluation of in-school course availability compared to course access availability to ensure gaps in course access are being addressed statewide. 11. (1) The department shall be responsible for creating the Missouri course access and virtual school program catalog providing a listing of all courses authorized and available to students in the state, detailed information, including costs per course, about the courses to inform student enrollment decisions, and the ability for students to submit their course enrollments. (2) On or before January 1, 2023, the department shall publish on its website, and distribute to all school districts and charter schools in this state, a guidance document that details the options for virtual course access and full-time virtual course access for all students in the state. The guidance document shall include a complete and readily understood description of the applicable enrollment processes including the opportunity for students to enroll and the roles and responsibilities of the student, parent, virtual provider, school district or districts, and charter schools, as appropriate. The guidance document shall be distributed in written and electronic form to all school districts, charter schools, and virtual providers. School districts and charter schools shall provide a copy of the guidance document to every pupil and parent or legal guardian of every pupil enrolled in the district or charter school at the beginning of each school year and upon enrollment for every pupil enrolling at a different time of the school year. School districts and charter schools shall provide a readily viewable link to the electronic version of the guidance document on the main page of the district's or charter school's website. 12. Any virtual school or program may administer any statewide assessment required pursuant to the provisions of section 160.518 , except for college readiness or workforce readiness assessments provided by a national college and career readiness assessment provider, in a virtual setting that aligns with the student's regular academic instruction. Any administration of a virtual statewide assessment shall meet the following conditions: (1) The assessment shall be administered to the student at an assigned date and time; (2) The assessment shall be administered during a synchronous assessment session initiated and managed by an employee of the virtual school; (3) The student shall be monitored by an assessment proctor via a camera for the duration of the assessment. If the assessment platform does not allow for integrated camera proctoring, the student shall use two devices during the assessment. The first device shall be used to take the assessment and the second device shall have a functioning camera and be used to monitor the student during the assessment. However, if the assessment platform allows for the proctor to view the student and background, then a second device shall not be required; (4) The virtual school or program shall make every reasonable effort to maintain a student assessment taker to assessment proctor ratio of ten to one or lower; (5) The student shall not exit the assessment platform until instructed to do so by the assigned assessment proctor; and (6) The student's submission of the completed assessment shall be verified by the assessment administrator. 13. The state board of education through the rulemaking process and the department of elementary and secondary education in its policies and procedures shall ensure that multiple content providers and learning management systems are allowed, ensure digital content conforms to accessibility requirements, provide an easily accessible link for providers to submit courses or full-time virtual schools on the Missouri course access and virtual school program website, and allow any person, organization, or entity to submit courses or full-time virtual schools for approval. No content provider shall be allowed that is unwilling to accept payments in the amount and manner as described under subdivision (3) of subsection 3 of this section or does not meet performance or quality standards adopted by the state board of education. 14. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2006, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2006 S.B. 912, A.L. 2018 H.B. 1606 merged with S.B. 603, et al., A.L. 2022 H.B. 1552, A.L. 2024 H.B. 2287 merged with S.B. 727, A.L. 2025 S.B. 68)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.700 Citation of law - commission created, members - Holocaust defined - ...

161.700. Citation of law — commission created, members — Holocaust defined — executive director may be employed — Holocaust education week. — 1. This section shall be known as the "Holocaust Education and Awareness Commission Act". 2. There is hereby created a permanent state commission known as the "Holocaust Education and Awareness Commission". The commission shall be housed in the department of elementary and secondary education and shall promote implementation of Holocaust education and awareness programs in Missouri in order to encourage understanding of the Holocaust and discourage bigotry. 3. The commission shall be composed of twelve members to be appointed by the governor with advice and consent of the senate. The makeup of the commission shall be: (1) The commissioner of higher education; (2) The commissioner of elementary and secondary education; (3) The president of the University of Missouri system; and (4) Nine members of the public, representative of the diverse religious and ethnic heritage groups populating Missouri. 4. The Holocaust education and awareness commission may receive such funds as appropriated from public moneys or contributed to it by private sources. The commission may sponsor programs or publications to educate the public about the crimes of genocide in an effort to deter indifference to crimes against humanity and human suffering wherever they occur. 5. The term "Holocaust" shall be defined as the systematic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime and its allies and collaborators during the period from 1933 through 1945. 6. The commission may employ an executive director and such other persons to carry out its functions. 7. (1) To educate students about the Holocaust and inspire in students a sense of responsibility to recognize and uphold human value and to prevent future atrocities, the second week in April shall be designated as "Holocaust Education Week". (2) Holocaust education shall be taught during a week as determined by each school district and shall include age-appropriate instruction to elementary school students not lower than the sixth grade and high school students as determined by each school district. Such instruction shall include, but not be limited to: (a) Information providing a historical understanding of the Holocaust to offer context for the discussion of how and why the Holocaust happened; (b) Participation, in person or using technology, in learning projects about the Holocaust; and (c) The use of materials developed or supported by the Holocaust education and awareness commission, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, or the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum. (3) Based on the instructional materials provided under paragraph (c) of subdivision (2) of this subsection, the department of elementary and secondary education shall develop a curriculum framework of instruction for studying the Holocaust. The department shall make such curriculum framework available to up to twenty-five school districts or schools within a district, with at least one district or school within each of the nine regional professional development centers, as defined by the department, as a pilot program in consultation with the Holocaust education and awareness commission beginning in the 2023-24 school year. (4) Each school district participating in the pilot program shall adopt the curriculum framework provided by the department under subdivision (3) of this subsection in the 2023-24 school year. Each school district shall determine the minimum amount of instruction time that qualifies as a unit of instruction satisfying the requirements of this subsection. (5) Each participating school district shall provide a plan of professional development for teachers to ensure such teachers are adequately prepared to provide the instruction required under this subsection. (6) This subsection shall apply to schools participating in the pilot program starting in the 2023-24 school year and the program shall be expanded in all subsequent school years, with all school districts participating by the 2025-26 school year. (7) The department shall provide for a program evaluation regarding the success and impact of the pilot program upon completion of the first year of the pilot program and shall report the results of such evaluation to the general assembly. The department may consult with organizations including, but not limited to, the Holocaust education and awareness commission, the United States Holocaust Museum, or the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum to develop the evaluation. (L. 2006 S.B. 1189, A.L. 2019 H.B. 266 merged with H.B. 604, A.L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.825 Citation of law - definitions - master list of autism spectrum disorder ...

161.825. Citation of law — definitions — master list of autism spectrum disorder resources required — scholarship granting organizations, requirements, duties — department duties — sunset provision. — 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as "Bryce's Law". 2. As used in this section, the following terms mean: (1) "Autism spectrum disorder" , pervasive developmental disorder; Asperger syndrome; childhood disintegrative disorder; Rett syndrome; and autism; (2) "Contribution" , a donation of cash, stock, bonds, or other marketable securities, or real property; (3) "Department" , the department of elementary and secondary education; (4) "Director" , the commissioner of education; (5) "Dyslexia therapy" , an appropriate specialized dyslexia instructional program that is systematic, multisensory, and research-based offered in a small group setting to teach students the components of reading instruction including but not limited to phonemic awareness, graphophonemic knowledge, morphology, semantics, syntax, and pragmatics, instruction on linguistic proficiency and fluency with patterns of language so that words and sentences are carriers of meaning, and strategies that students use for decoding, encoding, word recognition, fluency and comprehension delivered by qualified personnel; (6) "Educational scholarships" , grants to students or children to cover all or part of the tuition and fees at a qualified nonpublic school, a qualified public school, or a qualified service provider, including transportation; (7) "Eligible child" , any child from birth to age five living in Missouri who has an individualized family services program under the first steps program, sections 160.900 to 160.933 * , and whose parent or guardian has completed the complaint procedure under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C, and has received an unsatisfactory response; or any child from birth to age five who has been evaluated for qualifying needs as defined in this section by a person qualified to perform evaluations under the first steps program and has been determined to have a qualifying need but who falls below the threshold for eligibility by no less than twenty-five percent; (8) "Eligible student" , any elementary or secondary student who attended public school in Missouri the preceding semester, or who will be attending school in Missouri for the first time, who has an individualized education program based on a qualifying needs condition or who has a medical or clinical diagnosis by a qualified health professional of a qualifying needs condition which in the case of dyslexia, may be based on the C-TOPP assessment as an initial indicator of dyslexia and confirmed by further medical or clinical diagnosis; (9) "Parent" , includes a guardian, custodian, or other person with authority to act on behalf of the student or child; (10) "Program" , the program established in this section; (11) "Qualified health professional" , a person licensed under chapter 334 or 337 who possesses credentials as described in rules promulgated jointly by the department of elementary and secondary education and the department of mental health to make a diagnosis of a student's qualifying needs for this program; (12) "Qualified school" , either an accredited public elementary or secondary school in a district that is accredited without provision outside of the district in which a student resides or an accredited nonpublic elementary or secondary school in Missouri that complies with all of the requirements of the program and complies with all state laws that apply to nonpublic schools regarding criminal background checks for employees and excludes from employment any person not permitted by state law to work in a nonpublic school; (13) "Qualified service provider" , a person or agency authorized by the department to provide services under the first steps program, sections 160.900 to 160.933 * , and in the case of a provider offering dyslexia therapy, the term also includes a person with national certification as an academic language therapist; (14) "Qualifying needs" , an autism spectrum disorder, Down Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, cerebral palsy, or dyslexia; (15) "Scholarship granting organization" , a charitable organization that: (a) Is exempt from federal income tax; (b) Complies with the requirements of this program; (c) Provides education scholarships to students attending qualified schools of their parents' choice or to children receiving services from qualified service providers; and (d) Does not accept contributions on behalf of any eligible student or eligible child from any donor with any obligation to provide any support for the eligible student or eligible child. 3. The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop a master list of resources available to the parents of children with an autism spectrum disorder or dyslexia and shall maintain a web page for the information. The department shall also actively seek financial resources in the form of grants and donations that may be devoted to scholarship funds or to clinical trials for behavioral interventions that may be undertaken by qualified service providers. The department may contract out or delegate these duties to a nonprofit organization. Priority in referral for funding shall be given to children who have not yet entered elementary school. 4. The director shall determine, at least annually, which organizations in this state may be classified as scholarship granting organizations. The director may require of an organization seeking to be classified as a scholarship granting organization whatever information that is reasonably necessary to make such a determination. The director shall classify an organization as a scholarship granting organization if such organization meets the definition set forth in this section. 5. The director shall establish a procedure by which a donor can determine if an organization has been classified as a scholarship granting organization. Scholarship granting organizations shall be permitted to decline a contribution from a donor. 6. Each scholarship granting organization shall provide information to the director concerning the identity of each donor making a contribution to the scholarship granting organization. 7. (1) The director shall annually make a determination on the number of students in Missouri with an individualized education program based upon qualifying needs as defined in this section. The director shall use ten percent of this number to determine the maximum number of students to receive scholarships from a scholarship granting organization in that year for students with qualifying needs who have at the time of application an individualized education program, plus a number calculated by the director by applying the state's latest available autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, and dyslexia incidence rates to the state's population of children from age five to nineteen who are not enrolled in public schools and taking ten percent of that number. The total of these two calculations shall constitute the maximum number of scholarships available to students. (2) The director shall also annually make a determination on the number of children in Missouri whose parent or guardian has enrolled the child in first steps, received an individualized family services program based on qualifying needs, and filed a complaint through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Part C, and received an unsatisfactory response. In addition to this number, the director shall apply the latest available autism, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, and dyslexia incidence rates to the latest available census information for children from birth to age five and determine ten percent of that number for the maximum number of scholarships for children. (3) The director shall publicly announce the number of each category of scholarship opportunities available each year. Once a scholarship granting organization has decided to provide a student or child with a scholarship, it shall promptly notify the director. The director shall keep a running tally of the number of scholarships granted in the order in which they were reported. Once the tally reaches the annual limit of scholarships for eligible students or children, the director shall notify all of the participating scholarship granting organizations that they shall not issue any more scholarships and any more receipts for contributions. If the scholarship granting organizations have not expended all of their available scholarship funds in that year at the time when the limit is reached, the available scholarship funds may be carried over into the next year. These unexpended funds shall not be counted as part of the requirement in subdivision (3) of subsection 8 of this section for that year. Any receipt for a scholarship contribution issued by a scholarship granting organization before the director has publicly announced the student or child limit has been reached shall be valid. Beginning with school year 2016-17, the director may adjust the allocation of the proportion of scholarships using information on unmet need and use patterns from the previous school years. The director shall provide notice of the change to the state board of education for its approval. 8. Each scholarship granting organization participating in the program shall: (1) Notify the department of its intent to provide educational scholarships to students attending qualified schools or children receiving services from qualified service providers; (2) Provide a department-approved receipt to donors for contributions made to the organization; (3) Ensure that at least ninety percent of its revenue from donations is spent on educational scholarships, and that all revenue from interest or investments is spent on educational scholarships; (4) Ensure that the scholarships provided do not exceed an average of twenty thousand dollars per eligible child or fifty thousand dollars per eligible student; (5) Inform the parent or guardian of the student or child applying for a scholarship that accepting the scholarship is tantamount to a parentally placed private school student pursuant to 34 CFR 300.130 and, thus, neither the department nor any Missouri public school is responsible to provide the student with a free appropriate public education pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; (6) Distribute periodic scholarship payments as checks made out to a student's or child's parent and mailed to the qualified school where the student is enrolled or qualified service provider used by the child. The parent or guardian shall endorse the check before it can be deposited; (7) Cooperate with the department to conduct criminal background checks on all of its employees and board members and exclude from employment or governance any individual who might reasonably pose a risk to the appropriate use of contributed funds; (8) Ensure that scholarships are portable during the school year and can be used at any qualified school that accepts the eligible student or at a different qualified service provider for an eligible child according to a parent's wishes. If a student moves to a new qualified school during a school year or to a different qualified service provider for an eligible child, the scholarship amount may be prorated; (9) Demonstrate its financial accountability by: (a) Submitting a financial information report for the organization that complies with uniform financial accounting standards established by the department and conducted by a certified public accountant; and (b) Having the auditor certify that the report is free of material misstatements; (10) Demonstrate its financial viability, if the organization is to receive donations of fifty thousand dollars or more during the school year, by filing with the department before the start of the school year: (a) A surety bond payable to the state in an amount equal to the aggregate amount of contributions expected to be received during the school year; or (b) Financial information that demonstrates the financial viability of the scholarship granting organization. 9. Each scholarship granting organization shall ensure that each participating school or service provider that accepts its scholarship students or children shall: (1) Comply with all health and safety laws or codes that apply to nonpublic schools or service providers; (2) Hold a valid occupancy permit if required by its municipality; (3) Certify that it will comply with 42 U.S.C. Section 1981, as amended; (4) Provide academic accountability to parents of the students or children in the program by regularly reporting to the parent on the student's or child's progress; (5) Certify that in providing any educational services or behavior strategies to a scholarship recipient with a medical or clinical diagnosis of or an individualized education program based upon autism spectrum disorder it will: (a) Adhere to the best practices recommendations of the Missouri Autism Guidelines Initiative or document why it is varying from the guidelines; (b) Not use any evidence-based interventions that have been found ineffective by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as described in the Missouri Autism Guidelines Initiative guide to evidence-based interventions; and (c) Provide documentation in the student's or child's record of the rationale for the use of any intervention that is categorized as unestablished, insufficient evidence, or level 3 by the Missouri Autism Guidelines Initiative guide to evidence-based interventions; and (6) Certify that in providing any educational services or behavior strategies to a scholarship recipient with a medical or clinical diagnosis of, or an individualized family services program based upon Down Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, cerebral palsy, or dyslexia, it will use student, teacher, teaching, and school influences that rank in the zone of desired effects in the meta-analysis of John Hattie, or equivalent analyses as determined by the department, or document why it is using a method that has not been determined by analysis to rank in the zone of desired effects. 10. Scholarship granting organizations shall not provide educational scholarships for students to attend any school or children to receive services from any qualified service provider with paid staff or board members who are relatives within the first degree of consanguinity or affinity. 11. A scholarship granting organization shall publicly report to the department, by June first of each year, the following information prepared by a certified public accountant regarding its grants in the previous calendar year: (1) The name and address of the scholarship granting organization; (2) The total number and total dollar amount of contributions received during the previous calendar year; and (3) The total number and total dollar amount of educational scholarships awarded during the previous calendar year, including the category of each scholarship, and the total number and total dollar amount of educational scholarships awarded during the previous year to students eligible for free and reduced lunch. 12. The department shall adopt rules and regulations consistent with this section as necessary to implement the program. 13. The department shall provide a standardized format for a receipt to be issued by a scholarship granting organization to a donor to indicate the value of a contribution received. 14. The department shall provide a standardized format for scholarship granting organizations to report the information in this section. 15. The department may conduct either a financial review or audit of a scholarship granting organization. 16. If the department believes that a scholarship granting organization has intentionally and substantially failed to comply with the requirements of this section, the department may hold a hearing before the director or the director's designee to bar a scholarship granting organization from participating in the program. The director or the director's designee shall issue a decision within thirty days. A scholarship granting organization may appeal the director's decision to the administrative hearing commission for a hearing in accordance with the provisions of chapter 621 . 17. If the scholarship granting organization is barred from participating in the program, the department shall notify affected scholarship students or children and their parents of this decision within fifteen days. 18. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2013, shall be invalid and void. 19. The department shall conduct a study of the program with funds other than state funds. The department may contract with one or more qualified researchers who have previous experience evaluating similar programs. The department may accept grants to assist in funding this study. 20. The study shall assess: (1) The level of participating students' and children's satisfaction with the program in a manner suitable to the student or child; (2) The level of parental satisfaction with the program; (3) The percentage of participating students who were bullied or harassed because of their special needs status at their resident school district compared to the percentage so bullied or harassed at their qualified school; (4) The percentage of participating students who exhibited behavioral problems at their resident school district compared to the percentage exhibiting behavioral problems at their qualified school; (5) The class size experienced by participating students at their resident school district and at their qualified school; and (6) The fiscal impact to the state and resident school districts of the program. 21. The study shall be completed using appropriate analytical and behavioral sciences methodologies to ensure public confidence in the study. 22. The department shall provide the general assembly with a final copy of the evaluation of the program by December 31, 2016. 23. The public and nonpublic participating schools and service providers from which students transfer to participate in the program shall cooperate with the research effort by providing student or child assessment instrument scores and any other data necessary to complete this study. 24. The general assembly may require periodic updates on the status of the study from the department. The individuals completing the study shall make their data and methodology available for public review while complying with the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, as amended. 25. Under section 23.253 of the Missouri sunset act: (1) The provisions of the new program authorized under this section shall sunset automatically on December 31, 2019, unless reauthorized by an act of the general assembly; and (2) If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under this section shall sunset automatically on December 31, 2031; and (3) This section shall terminate on December thirty-first of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the program authorized under this section is sunset. (L. 2013 S.B. 17 § 135.1220, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1614) *Section 160.933 was repealed by H.B. 1298 Revision, 2014. Sunset date 12-31-19 Termination date 12-31-20

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.850 Publication to be produced, purpose, content - copy to be provided to ...

161.850. Publication to be produced, purpose, content — copy to be provided to parents — rulemaking authority. — 1. By January 1, 2010, the department of elementary and secondary education shall develop and produce a publication entitled "The Parents' Bill of Rights" that shall be designed to inform parents of children with an individualized education program of their educational rights provided under federal and state law. The content of the publication shall not confer any right or rights beyond those conferred by federal or state law and shall state that it is for informational purposes only. The department shall post a copy of this publication on its website. The publication shall contain the department's contact information. 2. The publication shall contain, but may not be limited to, the following general information presented in a clear and concise manner and the department shall ensure the content is consistent with legal interpretations of existing federal and state law and provides equitable treatment of all disability groups and interests: (1) The right of parents to attend individualized education program meetings and represent their child's interests; (2) The right of parents to have an advocate or expert present at an individualized education program meeting; (3) The right of parents to receive a copy of the child's evaluation and to disagree with its results and request one independent educational evaluation at public expense; (4) The right of parents to provide a written report from outside sources as part of the evaluation process; (5) The right of parents to examine all school records pertaining to the child and be provided with a copy of the individualized education program; (6) The right of parents to disagree with the decision of the school district and the individualized education program team and to pursue complaint procedures, including a child complaint filed with the department of elementary and secondary education, state-paid mediation, and other due process rights; (7) The right of parents with a child with an individualized education program to participate in reviews of such program, participate in any decision to change any aspects of the individualized education program, and meet with school officials whenever a change occurs in their child's education program or classroom placement; (8) The right of a child to be placed in the least restrictive environment and be placed in a general education classroom, to the greatest extent appropriate; (9) The right of parents with limited English language proficiency to request an accommodation to provide effective communications; (10) The right of parents to have a free appropriate public education for their child with an individualized education program designed to meet their child's unique needs, which may include, but not be limited to, special education and related services such as assistive technology devices and services, transportation, speech pathology services, audiology services, interpreting services, psychological services, including behavioral interventions, physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreation, including therapeutic recreation, early identification and assessment of disabilities in children, counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling, orientation and mobility services, school health services, school nurse services, social work services, parent counseling and training, and medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes. 3. Each school district shall provide the parent or parents of a child with a copy of this publication upon determining that a student qualifies for an individualized education program, and at any such time as a school district is required under state or federal law to provide the parent or parents with notice of procedural safeguards. 4. The department of elementary and secondary education shall review and revise the content of the publication as necessary to ensure the content accurately summarizes current federal and state law and shall promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this section, including but not limited to the manner in which the publication described in this section shall be distributed. 5. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2009, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2009 S.B. 291)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.855 Work groups to convene, members, recommendations - state board to adopt and ...

161.855. Work groups to convene, members, recommendations — state board to adopt and implement standards, when — pilot assessments — certain persons performing work to be employees of the district. — 1. By October 1, 2014, the state board of education shall convene work groups composed of education professionals to develop and recommend academic performance standards. The work groups shall be composed of individuals as provided in section 160.514 . The state board of education and the work groups shall follow the procedures and conduct the public hearings required by section 160.514 . The state board of education shall convene separate work groups for the following subject areas: English language arts; mathematics; science; and history and governments. For each of these four subject areas, the state board of education shall convene two separate work groups, one work group for grades kindergarten through five and another work group for grades six through twelve. 2. The work groups shall develop and recommend academic performance standards to the state board of education by October 1, 2015. The work groups shall report on their progress in developing the academic performance standards to the president pro tempore of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives on a monthly basis. 3. The state board of education shall adopt and implement academic performance standards beginning in the 2016-17 school year. The state board of education shall align the statewide assessment system to the academic performance standards as needed. 4. The department of elementary and secondary education shall pilot assessments from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium during the 2014-15 school year. Notwithstanding any rules adopted by the state board of education or the department of elementary and secondary education in place on August 28, 2014, for the 2014-15 school year, and at any time the state board of education or the department of elementary and secondary education implements a new statewide assessment system, develops new academic performance standards, or makes changes to the Missouri school improvement program, the first year of such statewide assessment system and performance indicators shall be utilized as a pilot year for the purposes of calculating a district's annual performance report under the Missouri school improvement program. The results of a statewide pilot shall not be used to lower a public school district's accreditation or for a teacher's evaluation. 5. Any person performing work for a school district or charter school for which teacher certification or administrator certification is regularly required under the laws relating to the certification of teachers or administrators shall be an employee of the school district or charter school. All evaluations of any such person shall be maintained in the teacher's or administrator's personnel file and shall not be shared with any state or federal agency. (L. 2014 H.B. 1490)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.900 Definitions.

161.900. Definitions. — As used in sections 161.900 to 161.945 , the following terms mean: (1) "Accessibility" , compliance with nationally accepted accessibility and usability standards, such as those established in Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and Section 508 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998; (2) "Assistive technology device" , any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities; (3) "Assistive technology service" , any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in the selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device. Such term includes: (a) The evaluation of the needs of an individual with a disability, including a functional evaluation of the individual in the individual's customary environment; (b) Purchasing, leasing or otherwise providing for the acquisition of assistive technology devices by individuals with disabilities; (c) Selecting, designing, fitting, customizing, adapting, applying, maintaining, repairing or replacing assistive technology devices; (d) Coordinating and using other therapies, interventions or services with assistive technology devices, such as those associated with existing education and rehabilitation plans and programs; (e) Training or technical assistance for an individual with disabilities, or, where appropriate, the family of an individual with disabilities; and (f) Training or technical assistance for professionals, including individuals providing education and rehabilitation services, employers, or other individuals who provide services to, who employ, or who are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of individuals with disabilities; (4) "Individual with disabilities" , any individual who is considered to have a disability or handicap for the purposes of any federal or Missouri law; (5) "Information technology" , any electronic information equipment or interconnected system that is used in the acquisition, storage, manipulation, management, movement, control, display, switching, interchange, transmission, or reception of data or information, including audio, graphic and text; (6) "State department or agency" , each department, office, board, bureau, commission, or other unit of the executive, legislative or judicial branch of state government, including public four-year and two-year colleges and universities; (7) "Undue burden" , significant difficulty or expense, including, but not limited to, difficulty or expense associated with technical feasibility. (L. 1993 H.B. 589 § 1, A.L. 1999 H.B. 201, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision) Transferred 2014; formerly 191.850

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.905 Assistive technology council established - members, qualifications, terms, ...

161.905. Assistive technology council established — members, qualifications, terms, chairperson how selected — meetings. — 1. The "Missouri Assistive Technology Advisory Council" is hereby established, as created pursuant to the Missouri state grant under Title I of the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988, P.L. 100-407. 2. The voting membership of the advisory council shall be composed of twenty-three members. The successors to each of the original twenty-one members shall serve a three-year term and until his or her successor is appointed by the governor. The members appointed by the governor shall include twelve consumer representatives, the group consisting of individuals with disabilities, parents, spouses, or guardians of individuals with disabilities and shall include a variety of types of disabilities across the age span from all geographic areas of the state, and nine agency representatives, the group consisting of one representative of the division of vocational rehabilitation, one representative of the division of special education, one representative of the department of commerce and insurance, one representative of rehabilitation services for the blind, one representative of the MO HealthNet division, one representative of the department of health and senior services, one representative of the department of mental health, and two representatives of other agencies or organizations responsible for the service delivery, policy implementation, and funding of assistive technology. In addition, one member who is a member of the house of representatives shall be appointed by the speaker of the house and one member who is a member of the senate shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate. The appointment of individuals representing state agencies shall be conditioned on their continued employment with their respective agencies. 3. A chairperson shall be elected by the council. The council shall meet at the call of the chairperson, but not less often than four times each year. (L. 1993 H.B. 589 § 2 subsecs. 1, 2, 3, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision) Transferred 2014; formerly 191.853

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.910 Bylaws to be adopted by council, no compensation but to be paid expenses.

161.910. Bylaws to be adopted by council, no compensation but to be paid expenses. — 1. The council shall adopt written bylaws to govern its activities. 2. Members shall receive no additional compensation for their service to the council, but shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses actually incurred in the performance of official duties. (L. 1993 H.B. 589 § 2 subsecs. 4, 5, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision) Transferred 2014; formerly 191.855

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.915 Council assigned to agency for technological-related assistance to ...

161.915. Council assigned to agency for technological-related assistance to individuals with disabilities. — The Missouri assistive technology advisory council is assigned to the lead agency for the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act as designated by the governor so long as funds are available under such act. (L. 1993 H.B. 589 § 2 subsec. 6, A.L. 1999 H.B. 201, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision) Transferred 2014; formerly 191.857

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.920 Council assigned to department of elementary and secondary education, when ...

161.920. Council assigned to department of elementary and secondary education, when — appropriation required for continued actions and staff. — At such time that federal funds are no longer provided pursuant to the Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act, as amended, the council shall be assigned to the department of elementary and secondary education as if by a type III transfer, as this term is defined in paragraph (c) of subdivision (1) of subsection 7 of section 1 of the omnibus state reorganization act of 1974. The council may not take any official action after the assignment to the department of elementary and secondary education unless or until funds are specifically appropriated by line item to fund the actions of the council and to provide the staff and expenses necessary to carry out the official duties and responsibilities of the council. (L. 1993 H.B. 589 § 2 subsec. 7, A.L. 1999 H.B. 201, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision) Transferred 2014; formerly 191.858

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.925 Duties of council.

161.925. Duties of council. — The council shall advocate for assistive technology policies, regulations and programs, and shall establish a consumer-responsive, comprehensive assistive technology service delivery system. The council shall: (1) Promote awareness of the needs of individuals with disabilities for assistive technology devices and services and the efficacy of providing such devices and services to allow persons with disabilities to be productive and independent; (2) Gain an understanding of current policies, practices, and procedures that facilitate or impede the availability or provision of assistive technology and recommend methods to streamline such policies; (3) Research and study data from the major public and private providers of assistive technology regarding numbers and types of devices and services delivered; (4) Establish interagency coordination mechanisms among state agencies and public and private entities that provide assistive technology devices and services in an effort to eliminate gaps and reduce duplication of such services to individuals with disabilities; (5) Foster the capacity of public and private entities to provide assistive technology devices and services so that individuals with disabilities of all ages will, to the extent appropriate, be able to secure and maintain possession of assistive technology as needed to function independently and productively; (6) Recommend and implement specific methods and programs to increase availability of and funding for assistive technology devices and assistive technology services for individuals with disabilities; (7) Employ staff necessary to implement assistive technology services and programs assigned to the council, with all employees exempt from the state merit system under chapter 36 ; (8) Enter into grants or contracts with public or private agencies, schools, or qualified individuals or organizations to deliver federally required or otherwise necessary assistive technology programs and services, including but not limited to assistive device demonstration programs, device recycling programs, device loan programs, financial loan programs, and assistive technology assessments, installation, and usage training for individuals with disabilities, with or without utilizing the procurement procedures of the office of administration; (9) Administer the assistive technology trust fund created in section 161.930 , including the formation of a not-for-profit corporation that qualifies as a Section 501(c)(3) organization under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (10) Accept, administer, and disburse federal moneys as the lead agency for the federal Assistive Technology Act of 2004, P.L. 108-364, and any amendments or successors thereto, as well as moneys from the assistive technology trust fund created in section 161.930 , and any other moneys appropriated, granted, or given for the purpose of implementing assistive technology programs and services; and (11) Report annually by January first to the governor and the general assembly on council activities and the results of its studies, programs, services, and recommendations to increase access to assistive technology. (L. 1993 H.B. 589 §§ 3, 4, A.L. 1999 H.B. 201, A.L. 2005 S.B. 518, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision) Transferred 2014; formerly 191.859

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.930 Assistive technology trust fund created, use of moneys.

161.930. Assistive technology trust fund created, use of moneys. — 1. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Assistive Technology Trust Fund" which shall be a public/private partnership fund administered by the advisory assistive technology council. The fund shall consist of gifts, donations, grants, and bequests from individuals, private organizations, foundations, or other sources granted or given for the specific purpose of assistive technology, and moneys transferred or paid to the council in return for goods and services provided by the council. 2. Upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used to establish and maintain assistive technology programs and services provided by the council under section 161.925 and shall not be used to supplant any existing program or service. 3. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. 4. The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. (L. 2005 S.B. 518, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision) Transferred 2014; formerly 191.861

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.935 Council to assure compliance with federal accessibility laws - duties of ...

161.935. Council to assure compliance with federal accessibility laws — duties of council to assure accessibility. — 1. The council shall work in conjunction with the office of information technology services division to assure state compliance with the provisions of Section 508 of the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 regarding accessibility of information technology for individuals with disabilities. 2. When developing, procuring, maintaining or using information technology, or when administering contracts or grants that include the procurement, development, or upgrading of information technology, each state department or agency shall ensure, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the department or agency, that the information technology allows employees, program participants and members of the general public access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access by individuals without disabilities. 3. To assure accessibility, the council and the office of information technology services division shall: (1) Adopt accessibility standards to be used by each state department or agency in the procurement of information technology, and in the development and implementation of custom-designed information technology systems, websites and other emerging information technology systems; (2) Establish and implement a review procedure to be used to evaluate the accessibility of custom-designed information technology systems proposed by a state department or agency prior to expenditure of state funds; (3) Review and evaluate accessibility of information technology commonly purchased by state departments and agencies, and provide accessibility reports on such products to those responsible for purchasing decisions; (4) Provide training and technical assistance for state departments and agencies to assure procurement of information technology that meets adopted accessibility standards; (5) Involve individuals with disabilities in accessibility reviews of information technology and in the delivery of training and technical assistance; (6) Establish complaint procedures, consistent with Section 508 of the Workforce Development Act of 1998 to be used by an individual with a disability who alleges that a state department or agency fails to comply with the provisions of this section. (L. 1999 H.B. 201, A.L. 2002 H.B. 2117, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision) Transferred 2014; formerly 191.863

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.940 Assistive technology loan program created - council to promulgate rules to ...

161.940. Assistive technology loan program created — council to promulgate rules to enforce. — 1. The Missouri assistive technology advisory council, established in section 161.905 , shall establish an assistive technology loan program. The loan program shall be funded from the assistive technology loan revolving fund established pursuant to section 161.945 . The fund shall receive any appropriation and grant moneys received pursuant to subsection 2 of this section to provide loans for the purchase of assistive technology devices and services, as defined in section 161.900 . 2. The loan program shall provide loans for the first fiscal year following appropriation. Any matching grant moneys received by the state pursuant to Title III of the federal Assistive Technology Act of 1998 or through any other applicable sources shall be used to fund the loan program. The state treasurer shall provide the assistive technology advisory council with information on the amount of moneys in the assistive technology loan revolving fund at the beginning of each fiscal year. The council shall quarterly expend such moneys in four equal shares to ensure that the loan program will provide loans throughout the entire fiscal year. Any repayments or interest earned during a fiscal year shall not be used for loans in the current fiscal year, but shall be carried over for use in the next fiscal year. 3. The interest rates for loans shall be lower than comparable commercial lending rates and shall be established by the council based on the borrower's ability to pay. Loans may be made with no interest. Loan repayment periods shall not exceed ten years. 4. The council shall: (1) Promulgate rules relating to borrower eligibility, interest rates, repayment terms and other matters necessary to implement the purpose of this section, including limits on the number and amounts of loans to assure the continued solvency of the fund; and (2) File annual reports with the governor and general assembly which shall include an accounting of the loans and repayments to the fund during the preceding fiscal year. 5. The council may enter into contracts as necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, including but not limited to contracts with disability organizations and lending institutions. 6. By no later than January 1, 2001, the council shall submit a report to the general assembly regarding any rules proposed or promulgated for the implementation of this program. 7. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to the authority of this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to chapter 536 . (L. 2000 S.B. 721 § 191.862, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision) Transferred 2014; formerly 191.865

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.945 Assistive technology loan revolving fund established.

161.945. Assistive technology loan revolving fund established. — 1. In order to allow Missourians with disabilities to take advantage of Title III of the federal Assistive Technology Act of 1998, there is hereby created in the state treasury the "Assistive Technology Loan Revolving Fund" which shall be administered by the Missouri assistive technology advisory council and the state treasurer. 2. Moneys in the fund shall, upon appropriation, be used to establish and maintain the assistive technology loan program established in section 161.940 . 3. The fund shall consist of any moneys appropriated to the fund, repayments of principal and interest by qualified borrowers, and interest earned on the moneys in the fund. 4. The fund may accept federal, state and other public funds, public or private grants, contributions and loans to the fund with the approval of the Missouri assistive technology advisory council. 5. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, moneys in the fund shall not revert to the general revenue fund at the end of the biennium. (L. 2000 S.B. 721 § 191.865, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1299 Revision) Transferred 2014; formerly 191.867

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1050 Initiative established, department duties - definitions.

161.1050. Initiative established, department duties — definitions. — 1. There is hereby established within the department of elementary and secondary education the "Trauma-Informed Schools Initiative". 2. The department of elementary and secondary education shall consult the department of mental health and the department of social services for assistance in fulfilling the requirements of this section. 3. The department of elementary and secondary education shall: (1) Provide information regarding the trauma-informed approach to all school districts; (2) Offer training on the trauma-informed approach to all school districts, which shall include information on how schools can become trauma-informed schools; and (3) Develop a website about the trauma-informed schools initiative that includes information for schools and parents regarding the trauma-informed approach and a guide for schools on how to become trauma-informed schools. 4. Each school district shall provide the address of the website described under subdivision (3) of subsection 3 of this section to all parents of the students in its district before October first of each school year. 5. For purposes of this section, the following terms mean: (1) "Trauma-informed approach" , an approach that involves understanding and responding to the symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan; (2) "Trauma-informed school" , a school that: (a) Realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; (b) Recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in students, teachers, and staff; (c) Responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into its policies, procedures, and practices; and (d) Seeks to actively resist retraumatization. (L. 2016 S.B. 638) Effective 7-01-17

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1055 Pilot program established, selection of schools - fund created - definitions.

161.1055. Pilot program established, selection of schools — fund created — definitions. — 1. Subject to appropriations, the department of elementary and secondary education shall establish the "Trauma-Informed Schools Pilot Program". 2. Under the trauma-informed schools pilot program, the department of elementary and secondary education shall choose five schools to receive intensive training on the trauma-informed approach. 3. The five schools chosen for the pilot program shall be located in the following areas: (1) One public school located in a metropolitan school district; (2) One public school located in a home rule city with more than four hundred thousand inhabitants and located in more than one county; (3) One public school located in a school district that has most or all of its land area located in a county with a charter form of government and with more than nine hundred fifty thousand inhabitants; (4) One public school located in a school district that has most or all of its land area located in a county with a charter form of government and with more than six hundred thousand but fewer than seven hundred thousand inhabitants; and (5) One public school located in any one of the following counties: (a) A county of the third classification without a township form of government and with more than forty-one thousand but fewer than forty-five thousand inhabitants; (b) A county of the third classification without a township form of government and with more than six thousand but fewer than seven thousand inhabitants and with a city of the fourth classification with more than eight hundred but fewer than nine hundred inhabitants as the county seat; (c) A county of the third classification with a township form of government and with more than thirty-one thousand but fewer than thirty-five thousand inhabitants; (d) A county of the third classification without a township form of government and with more than fourteen thousand but fewer than sixteen thousand inhabitants and with a city of the third classification with more than five thousand but fewer than six thousand inhabitants as the county seat; (e) A county of the third classification without a township form of government and with more than eighteen thousand but fewer than twenty thousand inhabitants and with a city of the fourth classification with more than three thousand but fewer than three thousand seven hundred inhabitants as the county seat; (f) A county of the third classification without a township form of government and with more than eighteen thousand but fewer than twenty thousand inhabitants and with a city of the third classification with more than six thousand but fewer than seven thousand inhabitants as the county seat; (g) A county of the third classification without a township form of government and with more than fourteen thousand but fewer than sixteen thousand inhabitants and with a city of the fourth classification with more than one thousand nine hundred but fewer than two thousand one hundred inhabitants as the county seat; (h) A county of the third classification without a township form of government and with more than thirty-seven thousand but fewer than forty-one thousand inhabitants and with a city of the fourth classification with more than eight hundred but fewer than nine hundred inhabitants as the county seat; (i) A county of the third classification with a township form of government and with more than twenty-eight thousand but fewer than thirty-one thousand inhabitants; or (j) A county of the third classification without a township form of government and with more than twelve thousand but fewer than fourteen thousand inhabitants and with a city of the fourth classification with more than five hundred but fewer than five hundred fifty inhabitants as the county seat. 4. The department of elementary and secondary education shall: (1) Train the teachers and administrators of the five schools chosen for the pilot program regarding the trauma-informed approach and how to become trauma-informed schools; (2) Provide the five schools with funds to implement the trauma-informed approach; and (3) Closely monitor the progress of the five schools in becoming trauma-informed schools and provide further assistance if necessary. 5. The department of elementary and secondary education shall terminate the trauma-informed schools pilot program on August 28, 2019. Before December 31, 2019, the department of elementary and secondary education shall submit a report to the general assembly that contains the results of the pilot program, including any benefits experienced by the five schools chosen for the program. 6. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Trauma-Informed Schools Pilot Program Fund". The fund shall consist of any appropriations to such fund. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180 , the state treasurer may approve disbursements of public moneys in accordance with distribution requirements and procedures developed by the department of elementary and secondary education. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used solely for the administration of this section. (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. (3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. 7. For purposes of this section, the following terms mean: (1) "Trauma-informed approach" , an approach that involves understanding and responding to the symptoms of chronic interpersonal trauma and traumatic stress across the lifespan; (2) "Trauma-informed school" , a school that: (a) Realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; (b) Recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma in students, teachers, and staff; (c) Responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into its policies, procedures, and practices; and (d) Seeks to actively resist retraumatization. 8. The provisions of this section shall expire December 31, 2019. (L. 2016 S.B. 638) Expires 12-31-19

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1080 Citation of law.

161.1080. Citation of law. — Sections 161.1080 to 161.1130 shall be known and may be cited as the "School Turnaround Act". (L. 2019 H.B. 604)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1085 Definitions.

161.1085. Definitions. — For purposes of sections 161.1080 to 161.1130 , the following terms mean: (1) "Department" , the department of elementary and secondary education; (2) "Governing board" , the board of education of a district or the governing board of a charter school that has declared itself a local educational agency; (3) "Initial remedial year" , the year in which a district school or charter school is designated as a school in need of intervention under section 161.1090 ; (4) "Local educational agency" , any school district and any charter school that has declared itself a local educational agency; (5) "School" , a public school under the control of a local educational agency; (6) "School in need of intervention" , a school that has been designated as in need of intervention by the department according to an outcome-based measure as determined by the department under section 161.1090 , which may include, but shall not be required to include, schools identified for intervention under the state's every student succeeds act plan; (7) "Statewide assessment" , any test of student achievement in English language arts, mathematics, or science, including any such test administered in a computer-adaptive format, that is administered statewide under section 160.518 . (L. 2019 H.B. 604)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1090 School turnaround program, purpose - criteria, designation of schools in need.

161.1090. School turnaround program, purpose — criteria, designation of schools in need. — 1. Subject to appropriation, the department shall establish a school turnaround program to assist schools designated by the department as in need of intervention in accordance with the provisions of sections 161.1080 to 161.1130 . 2. The department shall use an outcome-based measure to set criteria for the designation of schools in need of intervention. 3. No more than one month after statewide assessment results are made public, the department shall designate specific schools as in need of intervention. The department shall designate a school as in need of intervention only if sufficient funds are available in the school turnaround fund established in section 161.1105 to pay an independent school turnaround expert. 4. The department shall determine the specific criteria that a school shall be required to meet in order to exit the school turnaround program based on the same outcome-based measure that was used to designate the school as in need of intervention. 5. The department shall not designate any school as in need of intervention before September 1, 2020. 6. Nothing in this section shall prohibit the criteria established under this section from satisfying a school's requirement for intervention under the every student succeeds act. (L. 2019 H.B. 604)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1095 School turnaround committee, members - expert - plan, contents - local ...

161.1095. School turnaround committee, members — expert — plan, contents — local educational agency duties — approval of plan, procedure. — 1. Before October first of an initial remedial year, the governing board of any local educational agency with a school in need of intervention shall establish a school turnaround committee composed of the following members: (1) One member of the governing board; (2) The school principal; (3) Three parents of students enrolled in the school, appointed by the local parent-teacher association; (4) Four teachers at the school, appointed by the principal; and (5) The district's chief financial officer or equivalent. 2. Before October fifteenth of an initial remedial year, the governing board of any local educational agency with a school in need of intervention shall partner with the school turnaround committee to select an independent school turnaround expert from the experts identified by the department under section 161.1100 . 3. The governing board shall not select an independent school turnaround expert that is: (1) The local educational agency with the school in need of intervention; or (2) An employee of the local educational agency with the school in need of intervention. 4. A school turnaround committee shall partner with the independent school turnaround expert selected under subsection 2 of this section to develop and implement a school turnaround plan that includes: (1) The findings of the analysis conducted by the independent school turnaround expert on the data described in subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of section 161.1100 ; (2) Recommendations regarding changes to the school's personnel, culture, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, digital tools and other methods for teaching and learning, governance, leadership, finances, policies, or other areas that may be necessary to implement the school turnaround plan; (3) Measurable student achievement goals and objectives; (4) A professional development plan that identifies a strategy to address problems of instructional practice; (5) A leadership development plan focused on proven strategies to turn around schools in need of intervention that align with administrator standards developed under section 168.410 ; (6) A detailed budget specifying how the school turnaround plan will be funded; (7) A plan to assess and monitor progress; (8) A plan to communicate and report data on progress to stakeholders; and (9) A time line for implementation. 5. Any local educational agency with a school in need of intervention shall: (1) Prioritize funding and resources to the school in need of intervention; and (2) Grant the school in need of intervention streamlined authority over staff, schedule, policies, budget, and academic programs to implement the school turnaround plan. 6. Before March first of an initial remedial year, a school turnaround committee shall submit the school turnaround plan to the governing board for approval. 7. Except as provided in subsection 8 of this section, before April first of an initial remedial year, the governing board shall submit the school turnaround plan to the department for approval. 8. If the governing board does not approve the school turnaround plan submitted under subsection 6 of this section, the school turnaround committee may submit a new or revised school turnaround plan to the governing board for approval. In order to allow additional time for the governing board to consider a new or revised school turnaround plan, the rules may extend the April first deadline for the governing board to submit the school turnaround plan to the department. The department shall not approve a school turnaround plan unless such plan has been approved by the governing board of the school in need of intervention. (L. 2019 H.B. 604)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1100 Independent school turnaround experts identified by department, duties - ...

161.1100. Independent school turnaround experts identified by department, duties — qualifications for experts. — 1. Before August 30, 2020, the department shall identify two or more approved independent school turnaround experts, through a request for proposals process, that a school in need of intervention may select from to partner with, to: (1) Collect and analyze data on the school's student achievement, personnel, culture, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, digital tools and other methods for teaching and learning, governance, leadership, finances, and policies; (2) Recommend changes to the school's culture, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, governance, finances, policies, or other areas based on data collected under subdivision (1) of this subsection; (3) Develop and implement, in partnership with the school turnaround committee, a school turnaround plan that meets the criteria described in section 161.1095 ; (4) Monitor the effectiveness of a school turnaround plan through reliable means of evaluation including, but not limited to, onsite visits, observations, surveys, analysis of student achievement data, and interviews; (5) Provide ongoing implementation support and project management for a school turnaround plan; (6) Provide high-quality professional development and coaching personalized for school staff that is designed to build: (a) The leadership capacity of the school principal; (b) The instructional capacity of school staff; and (c) The collaborative practices of teacher and leadership teams; (7) Provide job-embedded professional learning and coaching for all instructional staff on a weekly basis, at a minimum; (8) Provide job-embedded professional learning and coaching for the school principal at least twice monthly, focused on proven strategies to turn around schools in need of intervention that are aligned with administrator standards developed under section 168.410 ; and (9) Leverage support from community partners to coordinate an efficient delivery of supports to students both inside and outside the classroom. 2. In identifying independent school turnaround experts under subsection 1 of this section, the department shall identify experts who: (1) Have a credible track record of improving student academic achievement in public schools with various demographic characteristics, as measured by statewide assessments; (2) Have experience designing, implementing, and evaluating data-driven instructional systems in public schools; (3) Have experience coaching public school administrators and teachers on designing and implementing data-driven school improvement plans; (4) Have experience collaborating with the various education entities that govern public schools; (5) Have experience delivering high-quality professional development and coaching in instructional effectiveness to public school administrators and teachers; (6) Are willing to be compensated for professional services based on performance as described in section 161.1105 ; and (7) Are willing to partner with any school in need of intervention in the state, regardless of location. (L. 2019 H.B. 604)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1105 Contracts awarded for experts, criteria - negotiation of contracts, ...

161.1105. Contracts awarded for experts, criteria — negotiation of contracts, department duties — fund created, use of moneys. — 1. The department shall award contracts to independent school turnaround experts. Governing boards shall not be required to pay independent school turnaround experts. 2. When awarding a contract to an independent school turnaround expert selected by the governing board under section 161.1095 , the department shall ensure that a contract between the governing board and the independent school turnaround expert specifies that the department shall: (1) Pay an independent school turnaround expert no more than fifty percent of the expert's professional fees during the time period the school turnaround expert is providing services to the school in need of intervention; and (2) Pay the remainder of the independent school turnaround expert's professional fees upon the independent school turnaround expert successfully helping a school in need of intervention meet exit criteria as determined by the department under section 161.1090 within four school years after a school is designated as needing intervention. 3. In negotiating a contract with an independent school turnaround expert, the department shall offer: (1) An average of six hundred and fifty thousand dollars for the entirety of the project; (2) Differentiated amounts of funding based on student enrollment; and (3) A higher amount of funding for schools that are in the lowest-performing one percent of schools statewide according to the outcome-based measure determined by the department under section 161.1090 . 4. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "School Turnaround Fund". The fund shall consist of all moneys that may be appropriated to it by the general assembly and any gifts, contributions, grants, or bequests received from federal, private, or other sources. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180 , the state treasurer may approve disbursements of public moneys in accordance with distribution requirements and procedures developed by the department of elementary and secondary education. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used solely for payments to independent school turnaround experts and for administrative expenses for the school turnaround program. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. (L. 2019 H.B. 604)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1110 Review of school turnaround plan - approval criteria - rulemaking authority ...

161.1110. Review of school turnaround plan — approval criteria — rulemaking authority — fund created, use of moneys — grants awarded. — 1. The department shall review a school turnaround plan submitted for approval under section 161.1095 within thirty days of submission. 2. The department shall approve a school turnaround plan that: (1) Is timely; (2) Is well-developed; and (3) Meets the criteria described in section 161.1095 . 3. The department shall promulgate rules to establish an appeals process for a governing board that does not receive approval of its school turnaround plan from the department under section 161.1095 . 4. The department shall ensure that the rules require the appeals process, described in subsection 3 of this section, be resolved before May fifteenth of the initial remedial year. 5. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "School Intervention Fund". The fund shall consist of all moneys that may be appropriated to it by the general assembly and any gifts, contributions, grants, or bequests received from federal, private, or other sources for the purpose of distributing grants to local educational agencies as described in this section. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180 , the state treasurer may approve disbursements of public moneys in accordance with distribution requirements and procedures developed by the department of elementary and secondary education. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used solely for the administration of grants to local educational agencies as described in this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. 6. The department shall award grants from the school intervention fund to local educational agencies for the purpose of funding interventions identified in approved school turnaround plans. A local educational agency shall be eligible for a grant only if it provides matching funds or an in-kind contribution of goods or services in an amount equal to the grant award it would receive from the department. (L. 2019 H.B. 604)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1115 Extension granted, when - rulemaking authority.

161.1115. Extension granted, when — rulemaking authority. — 1. A school in need of intervention that does not meet the exit criteria determined by the department under section 161.1090 within four school years after the day on which the school is designated a school in need of intervention may petition the department for an extension to continue school improvement efforts for up to two years. 2. The department shall grant an extension under subsection 1 of this section only if the school in need of intervention: (1) Has demonstrated at least fifty percent of the improvement necessary to exit the turnaround process; or (2) Submits an appeal to the department. 3. The department may extend the contract of an independent school turnaround expert for a school in need of intervention that is granted an extension under this section. 4. A school that has been granted an extension under this section is eligible for continued funding under subsection 3 of this section. 5. The department shall promulgate rules establishing additional interventions for: (1) A school in need of intervention that: (a) Does not meet the predetermined exit criteria within four school years after the day on which the school is designated in need of intervention; and (b) Is not granted an extension under this section; and (2) A school in need of intervention that: (a) Is granted an extension under this section; and (b) Does not meet the predetermined exit criteria within four school years after the day on which the school in need of intervention is granted an extension. (L. 2019 H.B. 604)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1120 School recognition and reward program established, purpose - fund created, ...

161.1120. School recognition and reward program established, purpose — fund created, use of moneys — grants awarded. — 1. For purposes of this section, the term "eligible school" means a school in need of intervention that: (1) Meets predetermined exit criteria within four school years after the day on which the school is designated a school in need of intervention; or (2) If granted an extension under section 161.1115 , meets predetermined exit criteria within the extension period. 2. Subject to appropriation, the department shall establish a statewide program to be known as the "School Recognition and Reward Program" to provide incentives to schools and teachers to improve schools in need of intervention. 3. There is hereby created in the state treasury the "School Recognition and Reward Fund". The fund shall consist of all moneys that may be appropriated to it by the general assembly and any gifts, contributions, grants, or bequests received from federal, private, or other sources for the purpose of distributing grants to local educational agencies as described in this section. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180 , the state treasurer may approve disbursements of public moneys in accordance with distribution requirements and procedures developed by the department of elementary and secondary education. The fund shall be a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used solely for the administration of grants to local educational agencies as described in this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general revenue fund. The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to the fund. 4. The department shall award grants from the school recognition and reward fund to local educational agencies with eligible schools. The department shall require, as a condition of awarding a grant, that the local educational agency use the grant moneys to reward eligible schools, teachers employed by eligible schools, or both the eligible schools and the teachers. (L. 2019 H.B. 604)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1125 Report to joint committee on education.

161.1125. Report to joint committee on education. — Before November 30, 2021, and before November thirtieth of each year thereafter, the department shall report to the joint committee on education on the implementation of sections 161.1080 to 161.1130 . (L. 2019 H.B. 604)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 161.1130 Rulemaking authority.

161.1130. Rulemaking authority. — The department shall promulgate rules to implement the provisions of sections 161.1080 to 161.1130 . Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010 , that is created under the authority delegated in sections 161.1080 to 161.1130 shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028 . Sections 161.1080 to 161.1130 and chapter 536 are nonseverable, and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2019, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2019 H.B. 604)
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneChapter.aspx?chapter=161Fetched: 10/17/2026