Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 168

Mo. Rev. Stat. ch. 168
in effect

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.011 Teachers - license required - teaching, and administration, to be ...

168.011. Teachers — license required — teaching, and administration, to be recognized as professions. — 1. No person shall be employed to teach in any position in a public school until he has received a valid certificate of license entitling him to teach in that position. 2. Teaching in the state of Missouri, performing other related education duties, school administration, and teacher education are hereby declared to be professions with all the appropriate rights, responsibilities and privileges accorded to other recognized professions. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-1, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1457 & 1501) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 168.010) Effective 9-1-88

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.014 Criminal background check, fingerprint submission.

168.014. Criminal background check, fingerprint submission. — 1. The state board of education may require that fingerprint submissions be made as part of an application seeking a certificate of license to teach or substitute teach in public schools, as provided in sections 168.011 , 168.021 , and 168.036 and as required by section 168.133 . 2. If the state board of education requires that fingerprint submissions be made as part of such application, the state board of education shall require applicants to submit the fingerprints to the Missouri state highway patrol for the purpose of conducting a state and federal fingerprint-based criminal history background check. 3. The fingerprints and any required fees shall be sent to the Missouri state highway patrol's central repository. The fingerprints shall be used for searching the state criminal records repository and shall also be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for a federal criminal records search under section 43.540 . The Missouri state highway patrol shall notify the state board of education of any criminal history record information or lack of criminal history record information discovered on the individual. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 610.120 to the contrary, all records related to any criminal history information discovered shall be accessible and available to the state board of education. (L. 2025 S.B. 71 merged with S.B. 81 & 174)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.015 Advisory council of certification for educators established - number - ...

168.015. Advisory council of certification for educators established — number — appointment — qualifications — powers — duties. — 1. There is hereby established within the department of elementary and secondary education, the "Missouri Advisory Council of Certification for Educators", hereinafter known as the "advisory council", which shall be composed of twenty-five members to be appointed by the state board of education on the recommendation of the commissioner of education. Of the twenty-five members of the council, fifteen must be active public school classroom teachers. 2. The duties and responsibilities of the advisory council shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Making recommendations for the criteria and procedures whereby the quality and effectiveness of teacher and school administrator education programs within the state shall be evaluated; (2) Making recommendations for the requirements for the certification of public school teachers and administrators; (3) Making recommendations for the standards for renewal of certificates for public school teachers and administrators using academic course work as well as other types of professional development; (4) Making recommendations concerning rules and regulations with respect to suspension and revocation of certificates of license to teach; (5) Requesting and receiving reports from committees consisting of representatives from various professional groups, qualified in respective curriculum areas and other specialized areas, to assist in the formulation of recommendations of the advisory committee to the commissioner of education with respect to certification of public school teachers and administrators; (6) Making recommendations for limiting the issuance of temporary certificates that are granted to those who do not meet the full requirements for certification. (L. 1984 H.B. 1457 & 1501) Effective 7-1-85

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.021 Issuance of teachers' licenses and scholars certificates, requirements, ...

168.021. Issuance of teachers' licenses and scholars certificates, requirements, procedure — fees — effect of certification in another state and subsequent employment in this state — certificate issuance for military members. — 1. Certificates of license to teach in the public schools of the state shall be granted as follows: (1) By the state board, under rules and regulations prescribed by it: (a) Upon the basis of college credit; (b) Upon the basis of examination; (2) By the state board, under rules and regulations prescribed by the state board with advice from the advisory council established by section 168.015 to any individual who presents to the state board a valid doctoral degree from an accredited institution of higher education accredited by a regional accrediting association such as North Central Association. Such certificate shall be limited to the major area of postgraduate study of the holder, shall be issued only after successful completion of the examination required for graduation pursuant to rules adopted by the state board of education, and shall be restricted to those certificates established pursuant to subdivision (2) of subsection 3 of this section; (3) By the state board, which shall issue the professional certificate classification in both the general and specialized areas most closely aligned with the current areas of certification approved by the state board, commensurate with the years of teaching experience of the applicant, and based upon the following criteria: (a) a. Recommendation of a state-approved baccalaureate-level teacher preparation program; b. The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop and maintain an eighteen-hour (one thousand eighty minutes) online teacher preparation program related to subjects appropriate for elementary and secondary education settings. Any charitable organization registered in Missouri that is exempt from federal taxation under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, may submit a teacher preparation program to the department of elementary and secondary education for approval. Once approved, the charitable organization shall be certified to develop and maintain a teacher preparedness program. Approved teacher preparedness programs created by a charitable organization shall be made available by the department of elementary and secondary education. An individual with a bachelor's degree may complete an eighteen-hour online training program, either created by the department or by a charitable organization, and receive a teacher certificate. Such certificate shall not be accepted by Missouri public schools but may be accepted by private schools and private school accrediting agencies; (b) a. Successful attainment of the Missouri qualifying score on the exit assessment for teachers or administrators designated by the state board of education; b. (i) Applicants who have not successfully achieved a qualifying score on the designated examinations will be issued a two-year nonrenewable provisional certificate; (ii) During the two-year nonrenewable provisional certification, an individual teacher may gain full professional certification by: i. Achieving a qualifying score on the designated exam; or ii. Successfully achieving an acceptable score on the state-approved teacher evaluation system from seven walk-through evaluations, two formative evaluations, and one summative evaluation for each of the two probationary years and being offered a third contract by the employing district. For any applicant who has a change in job status because of a reduction in the workforce or a change in life circumstances, the scores required under this item may be scores achieved in any school district during the two-year nonrenewable provisional certification period; and (iii) The employing school district shall recommend to the department of elementary and secondary education that the individual teacher be awarded a full professional certification by the state board under rules prescribed by the state board; and (c) Upon completion of a background check as prescribed in section 168.133 and possession of a valid teaching certificate in the state from which the applicant's teacher preparation program was completed; (4) By the state board, under rules prescribed by it, on the basis of a relevant bachelor's degree, or higher degree, and a passing score for the designated exit examination, for individuals whose academic degree and professional experience are suitable to provide a basis for instruction solely in the subject matter of banking or financial responsibility, at the discretion of the state board. Such certificate shall be limited to the major area of study of the holder and shall be restricted to those certificates established under subdivision (2) of subsection 3 of this section. Holders of certificates granted under this subdivision shall be exempt from the teacher tenure act under sections 168.102 to 168.130 and each school district shall have the decision-making authority on whether to hire the holders of such certificates; (5) By the state board, under rules and regulations prescribed by it, on the basis of certification by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) or Teachers of Tomorrow and verification of ability to work with children as demonstrated by sixty contact hours in any one of the following areas as validated by the school principal: sixty contact hours in the classroom, of which at least forty-five must be teaching; sixty contact hours as a substitute teacher, with at least thirty consecutive hours in the same classroom; sixty contact hours of teaching in a private school; or sixty contact hours of teaching as a paraprofessional, for an initial four-year ABCTE or Teachers of Tomorrow certificate of license to teach, except that such certificate shall not be granted for the areas of early childhood education, gifted education, or special education. For certification in the area of elementary education, ninety contact hours in the classroom shall be required, of which at least thirty shall be in an elementary classroom. Upon the completion of the following requirements, an applicant shall be eligible to apply for a career continuous professional certificate under subdivision (3) of subsection 3 of this section: (a) Completion of thirty contact hours of professional development within four years, which may include hours spent in class in an appropriate college curriculum; (b) Validated completion of two years of the mentoring program of the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, Teachers of Tomorrow, or a district mentoring program approved by the state board of education; (c) Attainment of a successful performance-based teacher evaluation; and (d) Participation in a beginning teacher assistance program; (6) (a) By the state board, under rules and regulations prescribed by the board, which shall issue an initial visiting scholars certificate at the discretion of the board, based on the following criteria: a. Verification from the hiring school district that the applicant will be employed as part of a business-education partnership initiative designed to build career pathways systems or employed as part of an initiative designed to fill vacant positions in hard-to-staff public schools or hard-to-fill subject areas for students in a grade or grades not lower than the ninth grade for which the applicant's academic degree or professional experience qualifies the applicant; b. Appropriate and relevant bachelor's degree or higher, occupational license, or industry-recognized credential; c. Completion of the application for a one-year visiting scholars certificate; and d. Completion of a background check as prescribed under section 168.133 . (b) The initial visiting scholars certificate shall certify the holder of such certificate to teach for one year. An applicant shall be eligible to renew an initial visiting scholars certificate a maximum of two times, based upon the completion of the requirements listed under subparagraphs a., b., and d. of paragraph (a) of this subdivision; completion of professional development required by the school district and school; and attainment of a satisfactory performance-based teacher evaluation; or (7) By the state board, which shall issue an additional professional subject-area certification for specific content knowledge or for a specialty area to a certificate holder who: (a) Applies for an additional professional subject-area certification; (b) Successfully achieves an acceptable score on the state-approved teacher evaluation system from seven walk-through evaluations, two formative evaluations, and one summative evaluation of the applicant teaching specific content knowledge or the specialty area for which the additional professional subject-area certification is sought; (c) Receives a recommendation from the applicant's employing school district that the applicant be awarded an additional professional subject-area certification by the state board under rules prescribed by the state board; and (d) Completes a background check as prescribed in section 168.133 . 2. All valid teaching certificates issued pursuant to law or state board policies and regulations prior to September 1, 1988, shall be exempt from the professional development requirements of this section and shall continue in effect until they expire, are revoked or suspended, as provided by law. When such certificates are required to be renewed, the state board or its designee shall grant to each holder of such a certificate the certificate most nearly equivalent to the one so held. Anyone who holds, as of August 28, 2003, a valid PC-I, PC-II, or continuous professional certificate shall, upon expiration of such person's current certificate, be issued the appropriate level of certificate based upon the classification system established pursuant to subsection 3 of this section. 3. (1) Certificates of license to teach in the public schools of the state shall be based upon minimum requirements prescribed by the state board of education which shall include completion of a background check as prescribed in section 168.133 . The state board shall provide for the following levels of professional certification: an initial professional certificate and a career continuous professional certificate. (2) The initial professional certificate shall be issued upon completion of requirements established by the state board of education and shall be valid based upon verification of actual teaching within a specified time period established by the state board of education. The state board shall require holders of the four-year initial professional certificate to: (a) Participate in a mentoring program approved and provided by the district for a minimum of two years; (b) Complete thirty contact hours of professional development, which may include hours spent in class in an appropriate college curriculum, or for holders of a certificate under subdivision (4) of subsection 1 of this section, an amount of professional development in proportion to the certificate holder's hours in the classroom, if the certificate holder is employed less than full time; and (c) Participate in a beginning teacher assistance program. (3) (a) The career continuous professional certificate shall be issued upon verification of completion of four years of teaching under the initial professional certificate and upon verification of the completion of the requirements articulated in paragraphs (a) to (c) of subdivision (2) of this subsection or paragraphs (a) to (d) of subdivision (5) of subsection 1 of this section. (b) The career continuous professional certificate shall be continuous based upon verification of actual employment in an educational position as provided for in state board guidelines and completion of fifteen contact hours of professional development per year which may include hours spent in class in an appropriate college curriculum. Should the possessor of a valid career continuous professional certificate fail, in any given year, to meet the fifteen-hour professional development requirement, the possessor may, within two years, make up the missing hours. In order to make up for missing hours, the possessor shall first complete the fifteen-hour requirement for the current year and then may count hours in excess of the current year requirement as make-up hours. Should the possessor fail to make up the missing hours within two years, the certificate shall become inactive. In order to reactivate the certificate, the possessor shall complete twenty-four contact hours of professional development which may include hours spent in the classroom in an appropriate college curriculum within the six months prior to or after reactivating the possessor's certificate. The requirements of this paragraph shall be monitored and verified by the local school district which employs the holder of the career continuous professional certificate. (c) A holder of a career continuous professional certificate shall be exempt from the professional development contact hour requirements of paragraph (b) of this subdivision if such teacher has a local professional development plan in place within such teacher's school district and meets two of the three following criteria: a. Has ten years of teaching experience as defined by the state board of education; b. Possesses a master's degree; or c. Obtains a rigorous national certification as approved by the state board of education. 4. Policies and procedures shall be established by which a teacher who was not retained due to a reduction in force may retain the current level of certification. There shall also be established policies and procedures allowing a teacher who has not been employed in an educational position for three years or more to reactivate the teacher's last level of certification by completing twenty-four contact hours of professional development which may include hours spent in the classroom in an appropriate college curriculum within the six months prior to or after reactivating the teacher's certificate. 5. The state board shall, upon completion of a background check as prescribed in section 168.133 , issue a professional certificate classification in the areas most closely aligned with an applicant's current areas of certification, commensurate with the years of teaching experience of the applicant, to any person who is hired to teach in a public school in this state and who possesses a valid teaching certificate from another state or certification under subdivision (4) of subsection 1 of this section, provided that the certificate holder shall annually complete the state board's requirements for such level of certification, and shall establish policies by which residents of states other than the state of Missouri may be assessed a fee for a certificate of license to teach in the public schools of Missouri. Such fee shall be in an amount sufficient to recover any or all costs associated with the issuing of a certificate of license to teach. The board shall promulgate rules to authorize the issuance of a provisional certificate of license, which shall be valid for three years and shall allow the holder to assume classroom duties pending the completion of a criminal background check under section 168.133 , for any applicant who: (1) Is the spouse of a member of the Armed Forces stationed in Missouri; (2) Relocated from another state within one year of the date of application; (3) Underwent a criminal background check in order to be issued a teaching certificate of license from another state; and (4) Otherwise qualifies under this section. 6. The state board may assess to holders of an initial professional certificate a fee, to be deposited into the excellence in education fund established pursuant to section 160.268 , for the issuance of the career continuous professional certificate. However, such fee shall not exceed the combined costs of issuance and any criminal background check required as a condition of issuance. Applicants for the initial ABCTE certificate shall be responsible for any fees associated with the program leading to the issuance of the certificate, but nothing in this section shall prohibit a district from developing a policy that permits fee reimbursement. 7. Any member of the public school retirement system of Missouri who entered covered employment with ten or more years of educational experience in another state or states and held a certificate issued by another state and subsequently worked in a school district covered by the public school retirement system of Missouri for ten or more years who later became certificated in Missouri shall have that certificate dated back to the member's original date of employment in a Missouri public school. 8. Within thirty days of receiving an application from a spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces of the United States who has been transferred or is scheduled to be transferred to the state of Missouri, or who has been transferred or is scheduled to be transferred to an adjacent state and is or will be domiciled in the state of Missouri, or has moved to the state of Missouri on a permanent change-of-station basis and has successfully completed the background check described under subsection 5 of this section and section 168.133 , the state board shall issue to such applicant a full certificate of license to teach, provided that the applicant has paid all necessary fees and has otherwise met all requirements to be issued such a certificate. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-2, A.L. 1973 H.B. 158, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1457 & 1501, A.L. 1988 S.B. 797, A.L. 1990 H.B. 1142, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1469, A.L. 2000 H.B. 1808, A.L. 2003 S.B. 296, A.L. 2008 H.B. 1678 merged with S.B. 1066, A.L. 2009 S.B. 291, A.L. 2011 S.B. 54, A.L. 2013 S.B. 17, A.L. 2014 S.B. 782, A.L. 2018 H.B. 1665, A.L. 2020 S.B. 656, A.L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662, A.L. 2024 H.B. 2287 merged with S.B. 727, A.L. 2025 S.B. 68) (Source: RSMo 1959 §§ 168.030 , 168.260)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.023 Contact hours included in professional development requirements for ...

168.023. Contact hours included in professional development requirements for vocational-technical certification. — Professional development requirements pursuant to section 168.021 for vocational-technical certification or successor certification shall include contact hours relating to the specific vocational-technical subject area for which the educator seeks certification. (L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969 § 2)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.024 Local business externship, count as contact hours of professional development.

168.024. Local business externship, count as contact hours of professional development. — 1. For purposes of this section, "local business externship" means an experience in which a teacher, supervised by his or her school or school district, gains practical experience at a business in the local community in which the teacher is employed through observation and interaction with employers and employees who are working on issues related to subjects taught by the teacher. 2. Any hours spent in a local business externship shall count as contact hours of professional development under section 168.021 . (L. 2018 H.B. 1415 merged with H.B. 1606 merged with S.B. 743)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.025 Teacher externships, requirements - rulemaking authority.

168.025. Teacher externships, requirements — rulemaking authority. — 1. For purposes of this section, "teacher externship" means an experience in which a teacher, supervised by his or her school or school district, gains practical experience at a business located in Missouri through observation and interaction with employers and employees. 2. The department of economic development and the department of elementary and secondary education shall develop and recommend: (1) Requirements for teacher externships that can be considered the equivalent of the completion of credit hours in graduate-level courses for purposes of salary schedules; and (2) An equivalency schedule that sets forth the number of credit hours in graduate-level courses that shall be considered equivalent to and awarded for each type of teacher externship. To classify teacher externships and determine the number of credit hours that would be appropriate for each type, the length of the teacher externship, the practical experience gained, or any other factor deemed relevant may be considered. 3. The department of economic development and the department of elementary and secondary education shall adopt and publish on their websites, before July 1, 2020, requirements for teacher externships that can be considered the equivalent of the completion of credit hours in graduate-level courses for purposes of salary schedules and an equivalency schedule as described in subsection 2 of this section. Any teacher externship that meets the published requirements shall be known as and considered a certified teacher externship for purposes of this section. 4. If a school district or charter school uses a salary schedule in which a teacher receives a higher salary if he or she has earned credit hours in graduate-level courses, the school district or charter school shall consider any teacher who has completed a certified teacher externship to have completed credit hours in graduate-level courses on its salary schedule in the manner prescribed by the equivalency schedule developed under this section and compensate the teacher accordingly. 5. The department of elementary and secondary education and the department of economic development may promulgate rules to implement 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, 2019, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2019 H.B. 604, A.L. 2025 S.B. 68)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.036 Substitute teacher certificates, issuance of - requirements - retired ...

168.036. Substitute teacher certificates, issuance of — requirements — retired teachers employed as substitutes, no loss of retirement, when — employment as a substitute teacher — orientation — background checks — rules. — 1. In addition to granting certificates of license to teach in public schools of the state under section 168.021 , the state board of education shall grant substitute teacher certificates as provided in this section to any individual seeking to substitute teach in any public school in this state. 2. (1) The state board shall not grant a certificate of license to teach under this section to any individual who has not completed a background check as required under section 168.021 . (2) The state board may refuse to issue or renew, suspend, or revoke any certificate sought or issued under this section in the same manner and for the same reasons as under section 168.071 . 3. The state board may grant a certificate under this section to any individual who has completed: (1) At least thirty-six semester hours at an accredited institution of higher education; or (2) The twenty-hour online training program required in this section and who possesses a high school diploma or the equivalent thereof. 4. The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop and maintain an online training program for individuals, which shall consist of twenty hours of training related to subjects appropriate for substitute teachers as determined by the department. 5. The state board may grant a certificate under this section to any highly qualified individual with expertise in a technical or business field or with experience in the Armed Forces of the United States who has completed the background check required in this section but does not meet any of the qualifications under subdivision (1) or (2) of subsection 3 of this section if the superintendent of the school district in which the individual seeks to substitute teach sponsors such individual and the school board of the school district in which the individual seeks to substitute teach votes to approve such individual to substitute teach. 6. (1) Notwithstanding any other provisions to the contrary, beginning on June 30, 2022, and ending on June 30, 2030, any person who is retired and currently receiving a retirement allowance under sections 169.010 to 169.141 or sections 169.600 to 169.715 , other than for disability, may be employed to substitute teach on a part-time or temporary substitute basis by an employer included in the retirement system without a discontinuance of the person's retirement allowance. Such a person shall not contribute to the retirement system, or to the public school retirement system established by sections 169.010 to 169.141 or to the public education employee retirement system established by sections 169.600 to 169.715 , because of earnings during such period of employment. (2) In addition to the conditions set forth in subdivision 1 of this subsection, any person retired and currently receiving a retirement allowance under sections 169.010 to 169.141 , other than for disability, who is employed by a third party or is performing work as an independent contractor may be employed to substitute teach on a part-time or temporary substitute basis, if such person is performing work for an employer included in the retirement system without a discontinuance of the person's retirement allowance. (3) If a person is employed pursuant to this subsection on a regular, full-time basis the person shall not be entitled to receive the person's retirement allowance for any month during which the person is so employed. The retirement system may require the employer, the third-party employer, the independent contractor, and the retiree subject to this subsection to provide documentation showing compliance with this subsection. If such documentation is not provided, the retirement system may deem the retiree to have exceeded the limitations provided in this subsection. 7. A certificate granted under this section shall be valid for four years. A certificate granted under this section shall expire at the end of any calendar year in which the individual fails to substitute teach for at least five days or forty hours of in-seat instruction. 8. (1) An individual to whom the state board grants a certificate under this section may be a substitute teacher in a public school in the state if the school district agrees to employ the individual as a substitute teacher and such individual has completed a background check as required in subsection 10 of this section. (2) No individual to whom the state board grants a certificate under this section and who is under twenty years of age shall be a substitute teacher in grades nine to twelve. 9. Each school district may develop an orientation for individuals to whom the state board grants a certificate under this section for such individuals employed by the school district and may require such individuals to complete such orientation. Such orientation shall contain at least two hours of subjects appropriate for substitute teachers and shall contain instruction on the school district's best practices for classroom management. 10. Beginning January 1, 2023, any substitute teacher may, at the time such substitute teacher submits the fingerprints and information required for the background check required under section 168.021 , designate up to five school districts to which such substitute teacher has submitted an application for substitute teaching to receive the results of the substitute teacher's criminal history background check and fingerprint collection. The total amount of any fees for disseminating such results to up to five school districts under this subsection shall not exceed fifty dollars. 11. The state board may exercise the board's authority under chapter 161 to promulgate all necessary rules and regulations necessary for the administration of this section. (L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662, A.L. 2025 H.B. 296 & 438 merged with S.B. 68)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.037 Web-based survey, substitute teachers, purpose - survey completion and contents.

168.037. Web-based survey, substitute teachers, purpose — survey completion and contents. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education shall create and maintain a web-based survey for collecting anonymous information from substitute teachers in Missouri public schools. The survey will collect anonymous, nonbiased, real-time data that school districts, charter schools, and the state can access to study and improve the effectiveness of substitute teachers in supporting instruction and learning and to improve circumstances that may cause a shortage of available substitute teachers. 2. (1) Each substitute teacher in a public school shall complete the survey described in subsection 1 of this section at the end of each day of teaching. The district or charter school in which the substitute teacher is teaching for that day shall provide, by email, a web link to the survey. If needed, the district or charter school shall also provide brief access to a computer or other connected device sufficient to allow the survey to be completed. The survey can also be completed on-site by the substitute teacher using a personal device. (2) The survey described in subsection 1 of this section shall include, at a minimum, questions regarding: the age and level of education of the substitute teacher, the date of teaching, the district and school, the grade or grades taught, information about support and interaction with school staff, any student health or safety issues experienced, and rate of substitute teacher pay. 3. Districts and charter schools shall annually provide information to the department of elementary and secondary education regarding: use of third-party employment agencies for substitute teachers, daily rate of substitute teacher pay, employment of full-time and part-time substitute teachers, substitute teacher recruitment efforts, the substitute teacher interview process, and use of current school staff as substitute teachers during other assigned time. (L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.071 Revocation, suspension or refusal of certificate or license, grounds - ...

168.071. Revocation, suspension or refusal of certificate or license, grounds — procedure — appeal. — 1. The state board of education may refuse to issue or renew a certificate, or may, upon hearing, discipline the holder of a certificate of license to teach for the following causes: (1) A certificate holder or applicant for a certificate has pleaded to or been found guilty of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude under the laws of this state, any other state, of the United States, or any other country, whether or not sentence is imposed; (2) The certification was obtained through use of fraud, deception, misrepresentation or bribery; (3) There is evidence of incompetence, immorality, or neglect of duty by the certificate holder; (4) A certificate holder has been subject to disciplinary action relating to certification issued by another state, territory, federal agency, or country upon grounds for which discipline is authorized in this section; or (5) If charges are filed by the local board of education, based upon the annulling of a written contract with the local board of education, for reasons other than election to the general assembly, without the consent of the majority of the members of the board that is a party to the contract. 2. A public school district may file charges seeking the discipline of a holder of a certificate of license to teach based upon any cause or combination of causes outlined in subsection 1 of this section, including annulment of a written contract. Charges shall be in writing, specify the basis for the charges, and be signed by the chief administrative officer of the district, or by the president of the board of education as authorized by a majority of the board of education. The board of education may also petition the office of the attorney general to file charges on behalf of the school district for any cause other than annulment of contract, with acceptance of the petition at the discretion of the attorney general. 3. The department of elementary and secondary education may file charges seeking the discipline of a holder of a certificate of license to teach based upon any cause or combination of causes outlined in subsection 1 of this section, other than annulment of contract. Charges shall be in writing, specify the basis for the charges, and be signed by legal counsel representing the department of elementary and secondary education. 4. If the underlying conduct or actions which are the basis for charges filed pursuant to this section are also the subject of a pending criminal charge against the person holding such certificate, the certificate holder may request, in writing, a delayed hearing on advice of counsel under the fifth amendment of the Constitution of the United States. Based upon such a request, no hearing shall be held until after a trial has been completed on this criminal charge. 5. The certificate holder shall be given not less than thirty days' notice of any hearing held pursuant to this section. 6. Other provisions of this section notwithstanding, the certificate of license to teach shall be revoked or, in the case of an applicant, a certificate shall not be issued, if the certificate holder or applicant has been found guilty of any of the following offenses established pursuant to Missouri law or offenses of a similar nature established under the laws of Missouri prior to January 1, 2017, any other state or of the United States, or any other country, whether or not the sentence is imposed: (1) Any dangerous felony as defined in section 556.061 , or murder in the first degree under section 565.020 ; (2) Any of the following sexual offenses: rape in the first degree under section 566.030 ; forcible rape; rape; statutory rape in the first degree under section 566.032 ; statutory rape in the second degree under section 566.034 ; rape in the second degree under section 566.031 ; sexual assault under section 566.040 * as it existed prior to August 28, 2013; sodomy in the first degree under section 566.060 ; forcible sodomy under section 566.060 as it existed prior to August 28, 2013; sodomy as it existed prior to January 1, 1995; statutory sodomy in the first degree under section 566.062 ; statutory sodomy in the second degree under section 566.064 ; child molestation in the first degree; child molestation in the second degree; child molestation in the third degree under section 566.069 ; child molestation in the fourth degree under section 566.071 ; sodomy in the second degree under section 566.061 ; deviate sexual assault under section 566.070 ** as it existed prior to August 28, 2013; sexual misconduct involving a child under section 566.083 ; sexual contact with a student under section 566.086 ; sexual misconduct in the first degree under section 566.093 ; sexual misconduct in the first degree under section 566.090 *** as it existed prior to August 28, 2013; sexual misconduct in the second degree under section 566.095 ; sexual misconduct in the second degree under section 566.093 as it existed prior to August 28, 2013; sexual misconduct in the third degree under section 566.095 as it existed prior to August 28, 2013; sexual abuse in the first degree under section 566.100 ; sexual abuse under section 566.100 as it existed prior to August 28, 2013; sexual abuse in the second degree under section 566.101 ; enticement of a child under section 566.151 ; or attempting to entice a child; (3) Any of the following offenses against the family and related offenses: incest under section 568.020 ; abandonment of child in the first degree under section 568.030 ; abandonment of child in the second degree under section 568.032 ; endangering the welfare of a child in the first degree under section 568.045 ; abuse of a child under section 568.060 ; child used in a sexual performance; promoting sexual performance by a child; or trafficking in children under section 568.175 ; and (4) Any of the following offenses involving child pornography and related offenses: promoting obscenity in the first degree under section 573.020 ; promoting pornography for minors or obscenity in the second degree when the penalty is enhanced to a class E felony under section 573.030 ; promoting child pornography in the first degree under section 573.025 ; promoting child pornography in the second degree under section 573.035 ; possession of child pornography under section 573.037 ; furnishing pornographic materials to minors under section 573.040 ; or coercing acceptance of obscene material under section 573.065 . 7. When a certificate holder is found guilty of any offense that would authorize the state board of education to seek discipline against that holder's certificate of license to teach, the local board of education or the department of elementary and secondary education shall immediately provide written notice to the state board of education and the attorney general regarding the finding of guilt. 8. The certificate holder whose certificate was revoked pursuant to subsection 6 of this section may appeal such revocation to the state board of education. Notice of this appeal must be received by the commissioner of education within ninety days of notice of revocation pursuant to this subsection. Failure of the certificate holder to notify the commissioner of the intent to appeal waives all rights to appeal the revocation. Upon notice of the certificate holder's intent to appeal, an appeal hearing shall be held by a hearing officer designated by the commissioner of education, with the final decision made by the state board of education, based upon the record of that hearing. The certificate holder shall be given not less than thirty days' notice of the hearing, and an opportunity to be heard by the hearing officer, together with witnesses. 9. In the case of any certificate holder who has surrendered or failed to renew his or her certificate of license to teach, the state board of education may refuse to issue or renew, or may suspend or revoke, such certificate for any of the reasons contained in this section. 10. In those cases where the charges filed pursuant to this section are based upon an allegation of misconduct involving a minor child, the hearing officer may accept into the record the sworn testimony of the minor child relating to the misconduct received in any court or administrative hearing. 11. Hearings, appeals or other matters involving certificate holders, licensees or applicants pursuant to this section may be informally resolved by consent agreement or agreed settlement or voluntary surrender of the certificate of license pursuant to the rules promulgated by the state board of education. 12. The final decision of the state board of education is subject to judicial review pursuant to sections 536.100 to 536.140 . 13. A certificate of license to teach to an individual who has been convicted of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude, whether or not sentence is imposed, shall be issued only upon motion of the state board of education adopted by a unanimous affirmative vote of those members present and voting. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-7, A.L. 1973 H.B. 158, A.L. 1978 H.B. 1634, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1457 & 1501, A.L. 1988 S.B. 797, A.L. 1993 S.B. 202, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1469, A.L. 2002 S.B. 722, A.L. 2003 S.B. 296, A.L. 2011 S.B. 54, A.L. 2013 H.B. 215, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 168.090) Effective 1-01-17 *Section 566.040 was transferred to 566.031, H.B. 215, 2013 **Section 566.070 was transferred to 566.061, H.B. 215, 2013 ***Section 566.090 was transferred to 566.101, H.B. 215, 2013

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.081 Teaching or acting as school administrator without certificate prohibited.

168.081. Teaching or acting as school administrator without certificate prohibited. — After September 1, 1988, no person without a valid Missouri certificate shall: (1) Engage in the practice of teaching or the performance of education duties in grades kindergarten through twelve in any public school in the state; (2) Act as a school administrator in any public school district. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-8, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1457 & 1501, A.L. 2002 S.B. 722, A.L. 2014 H.B. 1298 Revision) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 168.020)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.082 Retirement benefits, speech-language pathology assistant considered speech ...

168.082. Retirement benefits, speech-language pathology assistant considered speech implementer, when. — For the purposes of determining retirement benefits, any person who was employed as a speech implementer before August 1, 2022, that is employed in a position on or after August 28, 2023, as a speech-language pathology assistant, shall be considered a speech implementer for purposes of certification that the department of elementary and secondary education required such person to hold before August 1, 2022, and for purposes of consideration of Social Security coverage. Such person shall not be considered a speech implementer, as described in this section, when such person dies, retires, or no longer works in a speech-language pathology assistant position. The term "speech-language pathology assistant" as used in this section shall have the same meaning as such term is defined in section 345.015 . (L. 2023 S.B. 20 merged with S.B. 75)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.101 Employment of certificated teachers ineligible for permanent status under ...

168.101. Employment of certificated teachers ineligible for permanent status under the teacher tenure act (all districts except metropolitan). — 1. In addition to the employment of teachers as provided in section 168.104 , the school board or board of directors of a school district, except a metropolitan school district, may, at any regular or special meeting, contract and employ legally certificated teachers not employed as superintendent of the district and not eligible under section 168.104 to gain permanent status or tenure in the position held within the school system. The contract shall be made by the order of the board, shall specify the number of months the employee is to work and the wages per month to be paid, shall be signed by the employee and the president of the board, or a facsimile signature of the president may be affixed at his direction, and the contract shall be attested by the secretary of the board by signature or facsimile. 2. After the original employment of a certificated employee not employed as superintendent of the district under this section, his employment shall continue in the same staff position from year to year subject to the regulations hereinafter set forth. 3. Each school board having one or more certificated employees as described in subsection 1 of this section under contract shall notify each such certificated employee in writing concerning his reemployment in his present staff position or lack thereof on or before the fifteenth day of April of the year in which the contract then in force expires. Failure on the part of a board to give the notice constitutes reemployment on the same terms and in the same staff position as those provided in the contract of the current fiscal year; and not later than the fifteenth day of May of the same year the board shall present a contract to each such certificated employee notified of reemployment by the district. 4. Any motion regarding reemployment of such certificated employee shall include only one person and a motion to reemploy shall be made in the positive sense and a majority of the elected members voting in the affirmative shall constitute reemployment. 5. Any such certificated employee not employed as superintendent of the district who receives a contract shall within fifteen days thereafter present to the employing board a written acceptance or rejection of the employment tendered and his failure to present the acceptance within such time constitutes a rejection of the board's offer. 6. If such certificated employee has been reemployed five times within the district, the school board, if requested in writing by such certificated employee within ten days after receipt of notice of demotion or lack of reemployment on the same terms and in the same staff position, shall make available in writing a statement of reasons for demotion or lack of reemployment within ten days after receipt of the request. The board shall grant such certificated employee a hearing if requested in writing by him within ten days after the receipt of statement of reasons, the hearing to be held within ten days after the request therefor, and to be open at the request of the certificated employee. The certificated employee may have counsel at the hearing, may testify and offer testimony of witnesses as well as other evidence sustaining his defense and may cross-examine adverse witnesses. 7. A contract between the board of education and such certificated employee may be terminated at any time by mutual consent of the certificated employee and the board. 8. This section shall not affect the employment or reemployment of the superintendent of schools by a board of education. (L. 1973 H.B. 151 § 1, A.L. 1990 S.B. 740, A.L. 1992 S.B. 470 & 497)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.102 Short title.

168.102. Short title. — Sections 168.102 to 168.130 shall be known and may be cited as the "Teacher Tenure Act" and shall become effective July 1, 1970. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.101) CROSS REFERENCE: Suspension or termination of contracts of certificated staff and administrators, academically deficient schools, when, procedure, 160.540

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.104 Definitions.

168.104. Definitions. — The following words and phrases when used in sections 168.102 to 168.130 , except in those instances where the context indicates otherwise, mean: (1) "Board of education" , the school board or board of directors of a school district, except a metropolitan school district, having general control of the affairs of the district; (2) "Demotion" , any reduction in salary or transfer to a position carrying a lower salary, except on request of a teacher, other than any change in salary applicable to all teachers or all teachers in a classification; (3) "Indefinite contract" , every contract heretofore or hereafter entered into between a school district and a permanent teacher; (4) "Permanent teacher" , any teacher who has been employed or who is hereafter employed as a teacher in the same school district for five successive years and who has continued or who thereafter continues to be employed as a teacher by the school district or any supervisor of teachers who was employed as a teacher in the same school district for at least five successive years prior to becoming a supervisor of teachers and who continues thereafter to be employed as a certificated employee by the school district; except that, when a permanent teacher resigns or is permanently separated from employment by a school district, and is afterwards reemployed by the same school district, reemployment for the first school year does not constitute an indefinite contract but if he is employed for the succeeding year, the employment constitutes an indefinite contract; and except that any teacher employed under a part-time contract by a school district shall accrue credit toward permanent status on a prorated basis. Any permanent teacher who is promoted with his consent to a supervisory position including principal or assistant principal, or is first employed by a district in a supervisory position including principal or assistant principal, shall not have permanent status in such position but shall retain tenure in the position previously held within the district, or, after serving two years as principal or assistant principal, shall have tenure as a permanent teacher of that system; (5) "Probationary teacher" , any teacher as herein defined who has been employed in the same school district for five successive years or less. In the case of any probationary teacher who has been employed in any other school system as a teacher for two or more years, the board of education shall waive one year of his probationary period; (6) "School district" , every school district in this state, except metropolitan school district as defined in section 162.571 ; (7) "Teacher" , any employee of a school district, except a metropolitan school district, regularly required to be certified under laws relating to the certification of teachers, except superintendents and assistant superintendents but including certified teachers who teach at the prekindergarten level in a nonmetropolitan public school within a prekindergarten program in which no fees are charged to parents or guardians. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.102, A.L. 1983 H.B. 815, A.L. 1990 S.B. 740, A.L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969, A.L. 2005 H.B. 297 merged with S.B. 266) CROSS REFERENCE: Sexual contact with a student while on public school property, crime of, penalty, 566.086 (1974) Held teacher who was "full time" based on six periods a day for five years and was employed for sixth year on a five period and five-sixths pay scale failed to become tenured. Lopez v. Vance (A.), 509 S.W.2d 197. (1976) Held, that "year" means a school year beginning July 1 and ending June 30 next following. To qualify, the claimant must have been employed as a full-time teacher for the necessary number of full school years. Hirbe v. Hazelwood School District (A.), 532 S.W.2d 848. (1976) "Year" as used in the teacher tenure act means a school year commencing July 1 and ending June 30, next following: Valter v. Orchard Farm School Dist. (Mo.), 541 S.W.2d 550. (1977) Held, individual school board contract requiring a teaching certificate does not make employee under the contract a teacher for the purposes of the teacher tenure act. Hudson v. Marshall (A.), 549 S.W.2d 147. (1985) Definition of "demotion" means that if the board reduces the pay of all teachers in one classification, no teacher is demoted by reason of pay reduction. But it also means that if the board gives raises which are not applicable to all teachers in one classification, those who did not get raises are demoted by reason of the pay increase of their fellows. Vilelle v. Reorganized School District No. R-1 (Mo. App.W.D.), 689 S.W.2d 72.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.106 Indefinite contract, what affects.

168.106. Indefinite contract, what affects. — The contract between a school district and a permanent teacher shall be known as an indefinite contract and shall continue in effect for an indefinite period, subject only to: (1) Compulsory or optional retirement when the teacher reaches the age of retirement provided by law, or regulation established by the local board of education; (2) Modification by a succeeding indefinite contract or contracts in the manner hereinafter provided; (3) The death of the teacher; (4) Resignation of the teacher with the written consent of the school board; (5) Termination by the board of education after a hearing as hereinafter provided; and (6) The revocation of the teacher's certificate. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.103)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.108 Contract, form of - requirements.

168.108. Contract, form of — requirements. — 1. Every indefinite contract shall contain the following provisions in substantially the following form: "It is hereby agreed by and between ______, the teacher, and the Board of Education of ______ School District, the employer, that the teacher, beginning on the ______ day of ______, 20______, shall serve in the employ of the Board of Education and its successors for a term of ______ months (the number of school months of the school year in the school district) for an annual compensation of $ ______, to be paid to the teacher in equal installments according to local school board regulations less the contributions required by law." "It is further agreed by the parties hereto that this contract shall continue in force from year to year, until modified or terminated in accordance with the provisions of sections 168.102 to 168.130 , RSMo, and any amendments thereto prior to the date of this contract." 2. Every indefinite contract shall be made by the order of the board of education, shall be in writing and shall be signed by the permanent teacher and the president of the board of education, or a facsimile signature of the president may be affixed at his direction, and the contract shall be attested by the secretary of the board of education by signature or facsimile. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.104, A.L. 1992 S.B. 470 & 497)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.110 Contract modification, when - definitions - differential placement, when, ...

168.110. Contract modification, when — definitions — differential placement, when, requirements. — 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean: (1) "Hard-to-staff schools" , attendance centers where the percentage of certificated positions in the attendance center that were left vacant or were filled with a teacher not fully qualified in the prior academic year exceeds ten percent as reported to the department of elementary and secondary education; (2) "Hard-to-staff subject areas" , content areas for which positions were left vacant or were filled with a teacher not fully qualified in the prior academic year as reported to the department of elementary and secondary education. 2. The board of education of a school district may modify an indefinite contract annually on or before the fifteenth day of May in the following particulars: (1) Determination of the date of beginning and length of the next school year; (2) Fixing the amount of annual compensation for the following school year as provided by the salary schedule adopted by the board of education applicable to all teachers. 3. The board of education of a school district may include differentiated placement of teachers on the salary schedule to increase compensation in order to recruit and retain teachers in hard-to-staff subject areas or hard-to-staff schools. The board may annually review its hard-to-staff subject areas and hard-to-staff schools. No modifications to the identification of hard-to-staff subject areas or hard-to-staff schools, or both, for the purpose of placement on the salary schedule shall result in the demotion of a teacher in the salary schedule. 4. Any salary schedule that includes differentiated placement of teachers on the salary schedule under subsection 3 of this section for hard-to-staff subject areas or hard-to-staff schools, or both, shall be set prior to approval by such board of education. 5. The modifications shall be effective at the beginning of the next school year. All teachers affected by the modification shall be furnished written copies of the modifications within thirty days after their adoption by the board of education. 6. Each school district that includes differentiated placement of teachers on the district salary schedule shall annually provide to the department of elementary and secondary education a report containing the following information: (1) The salary schedule adopted by the district; (2) The number of positions filled by differentiated placement of teachers for hard-to-staff subject areas; (3) The number of positions filled with differentiated placement of teachers for hard-to-staff schools; (4) The number of steps and additional compensation that teachers with differentiated placement received for the school year; and (5) Any other relevant information required by the department. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.105, A.L. 1990 S.B. 740, A.L. 2024 S.B. 727) (1993) The protection of the Teacher Tenure Act extends to only those provisions in teacher-school district contracts that cover teaching duties, being only those duties that require a teaching certificate. This act does not prevent a school board from unilaterally eliminating from a teacher's contract his extra and extended duties and the pay therefor. Sadler v. Board of Education of Cabool School District R-4, 851 S.W.2d 707 (Mo. App. S.D.).

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.112 Modification or termination, how.

168.112. Modification or termination, how. — An indefinite contract between a permanent teacher and a board of education may be terminated or modified at any time by the mutual consent of the parties thereto. Any teacher who desires to terminate his contract at the end of a school term shall give written notice of his intention to do so and the reasons therefor not later than June first of the year in which the term ends. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.106, A.L. 1990 S.B. 740)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.114 Board may terminate, grounds for.

168.114. Board may terminate, grounds for. — 1. An indefinite contract with a permanent teacher shall not be terminated by the board of education of a school district except for one or more of the following causes: (1) Physical or mental condition unfitting him to instruct or associate with children; (2) Immoral conduct; (3) Incompetency, inefficiency or insubordination in line of duty; (4) Willful or persistent violation of, or failure to obey, the school laws of the state or the published regulations of the board of education of the school district employing him; (5) Excessive or unreasonable absence from performance of duties; or (6) Conviction of a felony or a crime involving moral turpitude. 2. In determining the professional competency of or efficiency of * a permanent teacher, consideration should be given to regular and special evaluation reports prepared in accordance with the policy of the employing school district and to any written standards of performance which may have been adopted by the school board. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.107) *Word "of" omitted in original rolls. CROSS REFERENCE: Suspension or termination of contracts of certificated staff and administrators, academically deficient schools, when, procedure, 160.540 (1975) Evidence held sufficient to justify dismissal for incompetency, insufficiency and insubordination. Saunders v. Reorganized School District No. 2 of Osage City (Mo.), 520 S.W.2d 29. (1976) School board is not required to have an official, published regulation on absences in order to discharge a permanent teacher for "excessive" and "unreasonable" absences. Aubuchon v. Gasconade Co. R-1 School District (A.), 541 S.W.2d 322. (1991) Where charges against teacher compromised teacher's integrity and respect in classroom, immoral conduct for purposes of statute providing for termination of teacher is not limited to sexual conduct but includes other conduct, such as theft of school property. Nexus must exist between teacher's fitness to teach and immoral conduct. Cochran v. Board of Education, 815 S.W.2d 55 (Mo.App.E.D.).

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.116 Termination by board - notice - charges.

168.116. Termination by board — notice — charges. — 1. The indefinite contract of a permanent teacher may not be terminated by the board of education until after service upon the teacher of written charges specifying with particularity the grounds alleged to exist for termination of such contract, notice of a hearing on charges and a hearing by the board of education on charges if requested by the teacher. 2. At least thirty days before service of notice of charges of incompetency, inefficiency, or insubordination in line of duty, the teacher shall be given by the school board or the superintendent of schools warning in writing, stating specifically the causes which, if not removed, may result in charges. Thereafter, both the superintendent, or his designated representative, and the teacher shall meet and confer in an effort to resolve the matter. 3. Notice of a hearing upon charges, together with a copy of charges, shall be served on the permanent teacher at least twenty days prior to the date of the hearing. The notice and copy of the charges may be served upon the teacher by certified mail with personal delivery addressed to him at his last known address. If the teacher or his agent does not within ten days after receipt of the notice request a hearing on the charges, the board of education may, by a majority vote, order the contract of the teacher terminated. If a hearing is requested by either the teacher or the board of education, it shall take place not less than twenty nor more than thirty days after notice of a hearing has been furnished the permanent teacher. 4. On the filing of charges in accordance with this section, the board of education may suspend the teacher from active performance of duty until a decision is rendered by the board of education but the teacher's salary shall be continued during such suspension. If a decision to terminate a teacher's employment by the board of education is appealed, and the decision is reversed, the teacher shall be paid his salary lost during the pending of the appeal. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.108) (1973) Held that the true purpose of the thirty-day notice requirement is to provide the teacher an opportunity to cure and remove the cause of the complaint. General charge of "violating school policies" is not specific enough charge on which to base a discharge. Blue Springs Reorganized School Dist. IV v. Landuyt (A.), 499 S.W.2d 33. (1974) Evidence held sufficient to sustain dismissal of tenured teacher. Merideth v. Board of Ed. Rockwood R-6 Sch. Dist. (A.), 513 S.W.2d 740. (1977) Held letter purporting to give "warning in writing" was not sufficiently specific to comply with statutory requirement. Dameron v. Board of Education of Lebanon School District R-3 (A.), 549 S.W.2d 671.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.118 Termination hearing, procedure, costs.

168.118. Termination hearing, procedure, costs. — If a hearing is requested on the termination of an indefinite contract it shall be conducted by the board of education in accordance with the following provisions: (1) The hearing shall be public; (2) Both the teacher and the person filing charges may be represented by counsel who may cross-examine witnesses; (3) Testimony at hearings shall be on oath or affirmation administered by the president of the board of education, who for the purpose of hearings held under sections 168.102 to 168.130 shall have the authority to administer oaths; (4) The school board shall have the power to subpoena witnesses and documentary evidence as provided in section 536.077 and shall do so on its own motion or at the request of the teacher against whom charges have been made. The school board shall hear testimony of all witnesses named by the teacher; however, the school board may limit the number of witnesses to be subpoenaed on behalf of the teacher to not more than ten; (5) The board of education shall employ a stenographer who shall make a full record of the proceedings of the hearings and who shall, within ten days after the conclusion thereof, furnish the board of education and the teacher, at no cost to the teacher, with a copy of the transcript of the record, which shall be certified by the stenographer to be complete and correct. The transcript shall not be open to public inspection, unless the hearing on the termination of the contract was an open hearing or if an appeal from the decision of the board is taken by the teacher; (6) All costs of the hearing shall be paid by the school board except the cost of counsel for the teacher; (7) The decision of the board of education resulting in the demotion of a permanent teacher or the termination of an indefinite contract shall be by a majority vote of the members of the board of education and the decision shall be made within seven days after the transcript is furnished them. A written copy of the decision shall be furnished the teacher within three days thereafter. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.109) (1974) Court rejected proposition that a breach of rules regarding sabbatical leave constituted an abandonment of his contract by a teacher and waived due process requirement of hearing. Lindberg School Dist. v. Syrewicz (A.), 516 S.W.2d 507.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.120 Appeal by teacher, procedure.

168.120. Appeal by teacher, procedure. — 1. The teacher shall have the right to appeal from the decision of the board of education to the circuit court of the county where the employing school district is located. The appeal shall be taken within fifteen days after service of a copy of the decision of the board of education upon the teacher, and if an appeal is not taken within the time, then the decision of the board of education shall become final. 2. The appeal may be taken by filing notice of appeal with the board of education, whereupon the board of education, under its certificate, shall forward to the court all documents and papers on file in the matter, together with a transcript of the evidence, the findings and the decision of the board of education, which shall thereupon become the record of the cause. Such appeal shall be heard as provided in chapter 536 . 3. Appeals from the circuit court shall be allowed in the same manner as in civil actions, except that the original transcript prepared and filed in the circuit court by the board of education, together with a transcript of the proceedings had in the circuit court, shall constitute the transcript on appeal in the appellate court. The board of education shall make available, to the parties, copies of any transcript prepared and filed by it in the circuit court and upon final determination of the cause in the appellate court the original record of the board of education filed as a part of the transcript on appeal shall be certified back to the board of education by the appellate court. In all appeals from the board of education or circuit court the costs thereof shall be assessed against the losing party as provided by law in civil cases. All appeals to the circuit court and appellate courts shall have precedence over all cases except election contests. 4. If the circuit court finds for the teacher, he shall be restored to permanent teacher status and shall receive compensation for the period during which he may have been suspended from work, and such other relief as may be granted by the court. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.110)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.122 Leaves of absence, board may establish policy - retention of permanent status.

168.122. Leaves of absence, board may establish policy — retention of permanent status. — A board of education may establish policies for granting leave of absence including sabbatical leave, maternity leave, sick leave, and military leave. The board of education of a school district may, upon the written request of a teacher, and for good cause shown, grant a leave of absence or place him on a part-time teaching schedule for a period of one year, subject to renewal from year to year. Leaves and military service shall not be counted as continuous full-time service in computing tenure but shall not impair the tenure previously acquired by teacher under sections 168.102 to 168.130 nor affect any credit toward tenure previously earned. Any teacher under sections 168.102 to 168.130 who is called into active military service with the Armed Forces of the United States is eligible for reinstatement upon his discharge from said service without loss of tenure. Any permanent teacher employed on a part-time basis, whether at his request or not, shall retain permanent status. Any probationary teacher employed on a part-time basis, whether at his request or not, shall retain all credit earned toward permanent status and shall continue to earn credit on a pro rata basis toward permanent status. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.111, A.L. 1990 S.B. 740)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.124 Board may place on leave - provisions governing - salary to be paid to ...

168.124. Board may place on leave — provisions governing — salary to be paid to affected teacher, when. — 1. The board of education of a school district may place on leave of absence as many teachers as may be necessary because of a decrease in pupil enrollment, school district reorganization or the financial condition of the school district. In placing teachers on leave, the board of education shall be governed by the following provisions: (1) No permanent teacher shall be placed on leave of absence while probationary teachers are retained in positions for which a permanent teacher is qualified; (2) Permanent teachers shall be retained on the basis of performance-based evaluations and seniority (however, seniority shall not be controlling) within the field of specialization; (3) Permanent teachers shall be reinstated to the positions from which they have been given leaves of absence, or if not available, to positions requiring like training and experience, or to other positions in the school system for which they are qualified by training and experience; (4) No appointment of new teachers shall be made while there are available teachers on unrequested leave of absence who are properly qualified to fill such vacancies; (5) A teacher placed on leave of absence may engage in teaching or another occupation during the period of such leave; (6) The leave of absence shall not impair the tenure of a teacher; (7) The leave of absence shall continue for a period of not more than three years unless extended by the board. 2. Should a board of education choose to utilize the mechanism for reducing teacher forces as provided in subsection 1 of this section in an attempt to manage adverse financial conditions caused at least partially by a withholding of, or a decrease or less than expected increase in, education appropriations, then the district additionally shall follow the provisions of subsection 3 of this section. 3. If a school district has an unrestricted combined ending fund balance of more than ten percent of current expenditures in its teachers' and incidental funds, and in the subsequent fiscal year such district, because of state appropriations, places a contracted teacher on leave of absence after forty days subsequent to the governor signing the elementary and secondary education appropriation bill, the district shall pay the affected teacher the greater of his or her salary for any days worked under the contract, or a sum equal to three thousand dollars. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.112, A.L. 1983 H.B. 38 & 783, A.L. 1984 H.B. 1456 & 1197, A.L. 1993 S.B. 49, A.L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.126 Probationary teachers, how terminated - notice, contents - reemployed, how.

168.126. Probationary teachers, how terminated — notice, contents — reemployed, how. — 1. A board of education at a regular or special meeting may contract with and employ by a majority vote legally qualified probationary teachers for the school district. The contract shall be made by order of the board; shall specify the number of months school is to be taught and the wages per month to be paid; shall be signed by the probationary teacher and the president of the board, or a facsimile signature of the president may be affixed at his discretion; and the contract shall be attested by the secretary of the board by signature or facsimile. The board shall not employ one of its members as a teacher; nor shall any person be employed as a teacher who is related within the fourth degree to any board member, either by consanguinity or affinity, where the vote of the board member is necessary to the selection of the person. 2. If in the opinion of the board of education any probationary teacher has been doing unsatisfactory work, the board of education, through its authorized administrative representative, shall provide the teacher with a written statement definitely setting forth his alleged incompetency and specifying the nature thereof, in order to furnish the teacher an opportunity to correct his fault and overcome his incompetency. If improvement satisfactory to the board of education has not been made within ninety days of the receipt of the notification, the board of education may terminate the employment of the probationary teacher immediately or at the end of the school year. Any motion to terminate the employment of a probationary teacher shall include only one person and must be approved by a majority of the members of the board of education. A tie vote thereon constitutes termination. On or before the fifteenth day of April in each school year, the board of education shall notify in writing a probationary teacher who will not be retained by the school district of the termination of his employment. Upon request, the notice shall contain a concise statement of the reason or reasons the employment of the probationary teacher is being terminated. If the reason for the termination is due to a decrease in pupil enrollment, school district reorganization, or the financial condition of the school district, then the district shall in all cases issue notice to the teacher expressly declaring such as the reason for such termination. Nothing contained in this section shall give rise to a cause of action not currently cognizant at law by a probationary teacher for any reason given in said writing so long as the board issues the letter in good faith without malice, but an action for actual damages may be maintained by any person for the deprivation of a right conferred by this act. 3. Any probationary teacher who is not notified of the termination of his employment shall be deemed to have been appointed for the next school year, under the terms of the contract for the preceding year. A probationary teacher who is informed of reemployment by written notice shall be tendered a contract on or before the fifteenth day of May, and shall within fifteen days thereafter present to the employing board of education a written acceptance or rejection of the employment tendered, and failure of such teachers to present the acceptance within such time constitutes a rejection of the board's offer. A contract between a probationary teacher and a board of education may be terminated or modified at any time by the mutual consent of the parties thereto. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.113, A.L. 1983 H.B. 38 & 783, A.L. 1990 S.B. 740, A.L. 1992 S.B. 470 & 497, A.L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.128 Teacher records, how maintained - evaluations, how performed and maintained.

168.128. Teacher records, how maintained — evaluations, how performed and maintained. — The board of education of each school district shall maintain records showing periods of service, dates of appointment, and other necessary information for the enforcement of sections 168.102 to 168.130 . In addition, the board of education of each school district shall cause a comprehensive, performance-based evaluation for each teacher employed by the district. Such evaluations shall be ongoing and of sufficient specificity and frequency to provide for demonstrated standards of competency and academic ability. All evaluations shall be maintained in the teacher's personnel file at the office of the board of education. A copy of each evaluation shall be provided to the teacher and appropriate administrator. The state department of elementary and secondary education shall provide suggested procedures for such an evaluation. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.114, A.L. 1983 H.B. 38 & 783)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.129 Board member exempt from civil liability resulting from charges against ...

168.129. Board member exempt from civil liability resulting from charges against teacher. — No member of a board of education or duly designated administrative officer of a board of education shall be liable in a civil action based on a statement of charges against a school teacher. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.115)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.130 Teachers not to participate in management of school board election, campaign.

168.130. Teachers not to participate in management of school board election, campaign. — No teacher shall take part in the management of the campaign for the election or defeat of members of a board of education by which he is employed. Any teacher who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to termination of his employment by the district with the right of a hearing and appeal as heretofore provided. (L. 1969 p. 275 § 168.116)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.133 Criminal background checks required for school personnel, when, procedure - ...

168.133. Criminal background checks required for school personnel, when, procedure — rulemaking authority. — 1. As used in this section, "screened volunteer" shall mean any person who assists a school by providing uncompensated service and who may periodically be left alone with students. The school district or charter school shall ensure that a criminal background check is conducted for all screened volunteers, who shall complete the criminal background check prior to being left alone with a student. Screened volunteers may only access student education records when necessary to assist the district and while supervised by staff members. Volunteers that are not screened shall not be left alone with a student or have access to student records. 2. (1) The school district or charter school shall ensure that a criminal background check is conducted on any person employed after January 1, 2005, authorized to have contact with pupils and prior to the individual having contact with any pupil. (2) The school district or charter school shall also ensure that a criminal background check is conducted for school bus drivers and drivers of other vehicles owned by the school district or charter school or operated under contract with a school district or charter school and used for the purpose of transporting school children. The school district or charter school may allow such drivers to operate buses pending the result of the criminal background check. The school district or charter school shall be responsible for conducting the criminal background check on drivers employed by the school district or charter school under section 43.540 . (3) For drivers employed or contracted by a pupil transportation company under contract with the school district or the charter school, the criminal background check shall be conducted by the pupil transportation company pursuant to section 43.539 and conform to the requirements established in the National Child Protection Act of 1993, as amended by the Volunteers for Children Act. (4) Personnel who have successfully undergone a criminal background check and a check of the family care safety registry as part of the professional license application process under section 168.021 and who have received clearance on the checks within one prior year of employment shall be considered to have completed the background check requirement. (5) A criminal background check under this section shall include a search of any information publicly available in an electronic format through a public index or single case display. 3. In order to facilitate the criminal history background check, the applicant shall submit a set of fingerprints collected pursuant to standards determined by the Missouri highway patrol. The fingerprints shall be used by the highway patrol to search the criminal history repository and shall be forwarded to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for searching the federal criminal history files. 4. The applicant shall pay the fee for the state criminal history record information pursuant to section 43.530 and sections 210.900 to 210.936 and pay the appropriate fee determined by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the federal criminal history record when he or she applies for a position authorized to have contact with pupils pursuant to this section. The department shall distribute the fees collected for the state and federal criminal histories to the Missouri highway patrol. 5. The department of elementary and secondary education shall facilitate an annual check of employed persons holding current active certificates under section 168.021 against criminal history records in the central repository under section 43.530 , the sexual offender registry under sections 589.400 to 589.426 , and child abuse central registry under sections 210.109 to 210.183 . The department of elementary and secondary education shall facilitate procedures for school districts to submit personnel information annually for persons employed by the school districts who do not hold a current valid certificate who are required by subsection 1 of this section to undergo a criminal background check, sexual offender registry check, and child abuse central registry check. The Missouri state highway patrol shall provide ongoing electronic updates to criminal history background checks of those persons previously submitted, both those who have an active certificate and those who do not have an active certificate, by the department of elementary and secondary education. This shall fulfill the annual check against the criminal history records in the central repository under section 43.530 . 6. The school district may adopt a policy to provide for reimbursement of expenses incurred by an employee for state and federal criminal history information pursuant to section 43.530 . 7. If, as a result of the criminal history background check mandated by this section, it is determined that the holder of a certificate issued pursuant to section 168.021 has pled guilty or nolo contendere to, or been found guilty of a crime or offense listed in section 168.071 , or a similar crime or offense committed in another state, the United States, or any other country, regardless of imposition of sentence, such information shall be reported to the department of elementary and secondary education. 8. Any school official making a report to the department of elementary and secondary education in conformity with this section shall not be subject to civil liability for such action. 9. For any teacher who is employed by a school district on a substitute or part-time basis within one year of such teacher's retirement from a Missouri school, the state of Missouri shall not require such teacher to be subject to any additional background checks prior to having contact with pupils. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as prohibiting or otherwise restricting a school district from requiring additional background checks for such teachers employed by the school district. 10. A criminal background check and fingerprint collection conducted under subsections 1 to 3 of this section shall be valid for at least a period of one year and transferrable from one school district to another district. A school district may, in its discretion, conduct a new criminal background check and fingerprint collection under subsections 1 to 3 of this section for a newly hired employee at the district's expense. A teacher's change in type of certification shall have no effect on the transferability or validity of such records. 11. Nothing in this section shall be construed to alter the standards for suspension, denial, or revocation of a certificate issued pursuant to this chapter. 12. The state board of education may promulgate rules for criminal history background checks made pursuant to 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 January 1, 2005, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2004 H.B. 1453 § 168.283, A.L. 2005 H.B. 487, A.L. 2006 H.B. 1449, A.L. 2009 S.B. 291, A.L. 2011 S.B. 54, A.L. 2019 H.B. 604, A.L. 2025 H.B. 296 & 438)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.151 Solicitation of or payment by teacher of expenses of school prohibited, ...

168.151. Solicitation of or payment by teacher of expenses of school prohibited, penalty. — It is unlawful for any school board or any member or employee of a school board to solicit or to receive any money from any teacher employed by their district for the purpose of paying tuition or any other expenses of the operation of schools. It is unlawful for any teacher to contribute or to agree to contribute any portion of his salary to his school board, or any member, or employee thereof, for the purposes stated above. Any person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not to exceed one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not more than one year or by both fine and imprisonment. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-15) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 163.380) CROSS REFERENCE: Exception to prohibition, certain districts, 167.151

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.171 Supervisor of physical education, supervisor of health and school nurses ...

168.171. Supervisor of physical education, supervisor of health and school nurses may be employed in certain districts. — Each school board employing thirty or more teachers may employ a supervisor of physical education for the schools under its jurisdiction whose qualifications for service shall be established by the state board of education. The supervisor of physical education, under the direction of the superintendent of schools of the district, shall supervise the teaching of all subjects related to physical education and the physical well-being of the children under his charge, direct the supervised play and gymnastics in the schools and control school athletics. School boards employing thirty or more teachers may employ, or otherwise provide or secure the service of, a supervisor of health and of one or more school nurses, who shall serve under the administration of the superintendent of schools of the district. If the supervisor of physical education is qualified to perform the duties of supervisor of health, he may perform the duties of both offices. All duties performed by the supervisor of health or the school nurses shall be performed with the advice and cooperation of the director of the state department of health and senior services. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-17) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 163.270)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.181 Business manager and clerical help may be employed in certain districts - ...

168.181. Business manager and clerical help may be employed in certain districts — duties. — The school board in every school district containing a city which has a population of not less than ten thousand inhabitants may: (1) Employ the clerical help and telephone service which the board, in its judgment, deems necessary to administer the affairs of the public school system in the school district. (2) Employ a business manager for the school district, at a salary to be fixed by the board for a term of not to exceed four years unless sooner removed for cause by the board, who shall, under the direction of the board, perform the duties delegated to him by the board relating to the business management of the school district. Under the direction of the board he shall have charge of the purchasing of all supplies and materials for the repair and maintenance of the school buildings and other buildings owned by the school district and the upkeep of all buildings and grounds of the school district. He shall, as far as possible, relieve the superintendent of schools of the business management of the school district, now delegated to superintendents of the school districts by school boards, so as to enable the superintendent to devote his full time to educational matters within the school district. The business manager shall at all times be subject to the direction and supervision of the school board in all duties he performs. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-18) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 165.153)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.191 Superintendent of schools, employment of authorized (first class charter ...

168.191. Superintendent of schools, employment of authorized (first class charter counties). — In all counties of the first class except counties of the first class not having a charter form of government, any board of education, other than boards in urban districts, in charge of a public school system maintaining a classified high school, previously approved by the state board of education, and employing a superintendent devoting his full time to supervisory and administrative work, may employ and enter into contract with a superintendent of schools for the school district for a period of not to exceed three years. This law shall not invalidate or repeal any other law of this state relating to the employment of teachers, principals or superintendents of public schools. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-19, A.L. 1973 H.B. 158) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 165.147) Effective 7-1-74

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.201 Superintendent of schools and other employees - employment of by all ...

168.201. Superintendent of schools and other employees — employment of by all districts except metropolitan authorized. — The board of education in all districts except metropolitan districts may employ and contract with a superintendent for a term not to exceed three years from the time of making the contract, and may employ such other servants and agents as it deems necessary, and prescribe their powers, duties, compensation and term of office or employment which shall not exceed three years. It shall provide and keep a corporate seal. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-20, A.L. 1973 H.B. 158) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 165.387) Effective 7-1-74

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.205 Superintendent, school districts may share, when - additional state aid.

168.205. Superintendent, school districts may share, when — additional state aid. — 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, two or more school districts may share a superintendent who possesses a valid Missouri superintendent's license. If any school districts choose to share a superintendent, they shall not be required to receive approval from the department of elementary and secondary education but may notify the department. 2. (1) Beginning July 1, 2023, subject to appropriation, a school district that enters into an agreement with another school district to share a superintendent shall receive additional state aid under this subsection. (2) The department of elementary and secondary education shall annually distribute thirty thousand dollars to any school district that shares a superintendent under this subsection. Any such amount distributed to a school district shall be in addition to and shall not be included in any calculation of state aid under chapter 163 . (3) To receive the additional thirty thousand dollars under this subsection, the school district shall provide proof to the department of elementary and secondary education that the school district will use all of the additional thirty thousand dollars received under this subsection and at least half of the amount saved as a result of participating in sharing a superintendent under this subsection to compensate teachers or to provide counseling services. (4) No school district that receives additional funding under this subsection shall receive such funding for more than five years. (L. 2014 S.B. 701, A.L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.211 Superintendent of schools, appointment, term - superintendent to appoint a ...

168.211. Superintendent of schools, appointment, term — superintendent to appoint a treasurer and commissioner of school buildings and associate and assistant superintendents — bond — powers of superintendent (metropolitan districts). — 1. In metropolitan districts the superintendent of schools shall be appointed by the board of education for a term of one to five years, during which term his compensation shall not be reduced. The superintendent of schools may appoint, with the approval of the board, a treasurer, a commissioner of school buildings and he shall serve at the pleasure of the superintendent of schools and as many associate and assistant superintendents as he deems necessary, whose compensation shall be fixed by the board. The superintendent of schools shall give bond in the sum that the board requires but not less than fifty thousand dollars. No employee or agent of the board shall be a member of the board. 2. The superintendent of schools shall have general supervision, subject to policies established by the board, of the school system, including its various departments and physical properties, courses of instruction, discipline and conduct of the schools, textbooks and studies. All appointments, promotions and transfers of teachers and all other employees, and introduction and changes of textbooks and apparatus, shall be made by the superintendent with the approval of the board. All appointments and promotions of teachers and all other employees shall be made upon the basis of merit, to be ascertained, as far as practicable, in cases of appointment, by examination, and in cases of promotion, by length and character of service. Examinations for appointment shall be conducted by the superintendent under regulations to be made by the board. He shall make such reports to the board that it directs or the rules provide. 3. The superintendent of schools shall have general supervision, subject to policies established by the board, of all school buildings, apparatus, equipment and school grounds and of their construction, installation, operation, repair, care and maintenance; the purchasing of all supplies and equipment; the operation of the school lunchrooms; the administration of examinations for the appointment and promotion of all employees of the school system; and the preparation and administration of the annual budget for the school system. Subject to the approval of the board of education as to number and salaries, the superintendent may appoint as many employees as are necessary for the proper performance of his duties. 4. The board may grant a leave of absence to the superintendent of schools, and may remove him from office by vote of a majority of its members. 5. Should the superintendent hire a commissioner of school buildings, said person shall be a person qualified by reason of education, experience and general familiarity with buildings and personnel to assume the following responsibilities and duties. Subject to the control of the superintendent of schools, he shall exercise supervision over all school buildings, machinery, heating systems, equipment, school grounds and other buildings and premises of the board of education and the construction, installation, operation, repair, care and maintenance related thereto and the personnel connected therewith; the purchasing of building supplies and equipment and such other duties as may be assigned to him by board rules or regulations. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-21, A.L. 1967 p. 238, A.L. 1995 S.B. 413, A.L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969, A.L. 2005 H.B. 297 merged with S.B. 298) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 165.587)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.221 Probationary period for teachers - removal of probationary and permanent ...

168.221. Probationary period for teachers — removal of probationary and permanent personnel — hearing — demotions — reduction of personnel (metropolitan districts). — 1. The first five years of employment of all teachers entering the employment of the metropolitan school district shall be deemed a period of probation during which period all appointments of teachers shall expire at the end of each school year. During the probationary period any probationary teacher whose work is unsatisfactory shall be furnished by the superintendent of schools with a written statement setting forth the nature of his or her incompetency. If improvement satisfactory to the superintendent is not made within one semester after the receipt of the statement, the probationary teacher shall be dismissed. The semester granted the probationary teacher in which to improve shall not in any case be a means of prolonging the probationary period beyond five years and six months from the date on which the teacher entered the employ of the board of education. The superintendent of schools on or before the fifteenth day of April in each year shall notify probationary teachers who will not be retained by the school district of the termination of their services. Any probationary teacher who is not so notified shall be deemed to have been appointed for the next school year. Any principal who prior to becoming a principal had attained permanent employee status as a teacher shall upon ceasing to be a principal have a right to resume his or her permanent teacher position with the time served as a principal being treated as if such time had been served as a teacher for the purpose of calculating seniority and pay scale. The rights and duties and remuneration of a teacher who was formerly a principal shall be the same as any other teacher with the same level of qualifications and time of service. 2. After completion of satisfactory probationary services, appointments of teachers shall become permanent, subject to removal for any one or more causes herein described and to the right of the board to terminate the services of all who attain the age of compulsory retirement fixed by the retirement system. In determining the duration of the probationary period of employment in this section specified, the time of service rendered as a substitute teacher shall not be included. 3. No teacher whose appointment has become permanent may be removed except for one or more of the following causes: immorality, incompetency, or inefficiency in line of duty, violation of the published regulations of the school district, violation of the laws of Missouri governing the public schools of the state, or physical or mental condition which incapacitates him for instructing or associating with children, and then only by a vote of not less than a majority of all the members of the board, upon written charges presented by the superintendent of schools, to be heard by the board after thirty days' notice, with copy of the charges served upon the person against whom they are preferred, who shall have the privilege of being present at the hearing, together with counsel, offering evidence and making defense thereto. At the request of any person so charged the hearing shall be public. During any time in which powers granted to the district's board of education are vested in a special administrative board, the special administrative board may appoint a hearing officer to conduct the hearing. Should the special administrative board relinquish power to the district's elected board of education, such board of education may also appoint a hearing officer to conduct the hearing. The hearing officer shall conduct the hearing as a contested case under chapter 536 and shall issue a written recommendation to the board rendering the charges against the teacher. The board shall render a decision on the charges upon the review of the hearing officer's recommendations and the record from the hearing. The action and decision of the board upon the charges shall be final. Pending the hearing of the charges, the person charged may be suspended if the rules of the board so prescribe, but in the event the board does not by a majority vote of all the members remove the teacher upon charges presented by the superintendent, the person shall not suffer any loss of salary by reason of the suspension. Incompetency or inefficiency in line of duty is cause for dismissal only after the teacher has been notified in writing at least thirty days prior to the presentment of charges against him by the superintendent. The notification shall specify the nature of the incompetency or inefficiency with such particularity as to enable the teacher to be informed of the nature of his or her incompetency or inefficiency. 4. No teacher whose appointment has become permanent shall be demoted nor shall his or her salary be reduced unless the same procedure is followed as herein stated for the removal of the teacher because of inefficiency in line of duty, and any teacher whose salary is reduced or who is demoted may waive the presentment of charges against him by the superintendent and a hearing thereon by the board. The foregoing provision shall apply only to permanent teachers prior to the compulsory retirement age under the retirement system. Nothing herein contained shall in any way restrict or limit the power of the board of education to make reductions in the number of teachers or principals, or both, because of insufficient funds, decrease in pupil enrollment, or abolition of particular subjects or courses of instruction, except that the abolition of particular subjects or courses of instruction shall not cause those teachers who have been teaching the subjects or giving the courses of instruction to be placed on leave of absence as herein provided who are qualified to teach other subjects or courses of instruction, if positions are available for the teachers in the other subjects or courses of instruction. 5. Whenever it is necessary to decrease the number of teachers because of insufficient funds or a substantial decrease of pupil population within the school district, the board of education upon recommendation of the superintendent of schools may cause the necessary number of teachers beginning with those serving probationary periods to be placed on leave of absence without pay, but only in the inverse order of their appointment. Nothing herein stated shall prevent a readjustment by the board of education of existing salary schedules. No teacher placed on a leave of absence shall be precluded from securing other employment during the period of the leave of absence. Each teacher placed on leave of absence shall be reinstated in inverse order of his or her placement on leave of absence. Such reemployment shall not result in a loss of status or credit for previous years of service. No appointment of new teachers shall be made while there are available teachers on unrequested leave of absence who are properly qualified to fill such vacancies. Such leave of absence shall not impair the tenure of a teacher. The leave of absence shall continue for a period of not more than three years unless extended by the board. 6. If any regulation which deals with the promotion of teachers is amended by increasing the qualifications necessary to be met before a teacher is eligible for promotion, the amendment shall fix an effective date which shall allow a reasonable length of time within which teachers may become qualified for promotion under the regulations. 7. A teacher whose appointment has become permanent may give up the right to a permanent appointment to participate in the teacher choice compensation package under sections 168.745 to 168.750 . 8. Should the state mandate that professional development for teachers be provided in local school districts and any funds be utilized for such, a metropolitan school district shall be allowed to utilize a professional development plan for teachers which is known within the administration as the "St. Louis Plan", should the district and the teacher decide jointly to participate in such plan. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-22, A.L. 1967 p. 238, A.L. 1998 H.B. 1469 merged with S.B. 781, A.L. 2005 H.B. 297 merged with S.B. 299, A.L. 2009 S.B. 291, A.L. 2010 H.B. 1543, A.L. 2013 S.B. 125, A.L. 2019 H.B. 604) (Source: RSMo 1959 § 165.590) (1984) Statute authorizing leaves of absence for probationary teachers deals with layoffs; it does not deal with nonrenewal of contracts. Nonrenewal is covered by separate statute. St. Louis Teachers Union Local 420 v. St. Louis Bd. of Educ. of the City of St. Louis, 666 S.W.2d 25 (Mo.App.E.D.). (1996) Semester means a period of time equal to one calendar semester. Soward v. Mahan, 926 S.W.2d 138 (Mo.App. E.D.).

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.232 Consequences of dissolution of St. Louis special school district.

168.232. Consequences of dissolution of St. Louis special school district. — 1. If the responsibility for teaching all or any group of students in a special school district located in a county of the first classification with a charter form of government and population of at least nine hundred thousand inhabitants is transferred or removed to one or more separate school districts by vote of the citizens, dissolution, annexation, court action, or any other authority under Missouri or federal laws, the latter school district or districts shall become the receiving or successor school district or districts. 2. The successor school district or districts shall honor the provisions of all teachers' contracts of teachers of the sending or prior school district who are employed by the successor school district pertaining to the tenure status or years of credit toward tenure or both of said teachers and their salary position on the salary schedule and fringe benefits. 3. This section shall only apply to the transfer of an * academic, special education, vocational education or technical education program or athletic program from one school district identified in subsection 1 of this section to one or more separate school districts. 4. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require a successor district to employ any person. (L. 1998 S.B. 781 § 168.231) *Word "a" appears in original rolls.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.251 Noncertificated employees - appointment, promotion, removal, suspension ...

168.251. Noncertificated employees — appointment, promotion, removal, suspension (metropolitan districts). — 1. All employees of a metropolitan school district shall be appointed and promoted under rules and regulations prescribed by the board of education of the school district. The rules shall be complementary to the provisions of sections 168.251 to 168.291 * as to the removal, discharge, suspension without pay or demotion of permanent employees and not in derogation thereof. The word "employee" or "employees" as used in this section means all employees, male or female, except certificated employees. 2. All appointments and promotions of noncertificated employees shall be made in the case of appointment by examination, and in case of promotion by length and character of service. Examinations for appointments shall be conducted by the director of personnel under regulations to be made by the board. 3. Sections 168.251 to 168.291 * shall not apply to employees hired after August 28, 2009. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-25, A.L. 2009 S.B. 291) (Source: L. 1961 p. 354 §§ 1, 3) *Section 168.291 was repealed by S.B. 125, 2013.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.261 Director of personnel, appointment - personnel committee, appointment ...

168.261. Director of personnel, appointment — personnel committee, appointment (metropolitan districts). — A director of personnel may be appointed by the superintendent of schools subject to the approval of the board of education of the metropolitan school district. The director of personnel shall be a member of a personnel committee representing certificated and noncertificated employees, the committee to be appointed in the manner that the rules of the board of education provide. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-26, A.L. 1967 p. 238, A.L. 2005 H.B. 297 merged with S.B. 298) (Source: L. 1961 p. 354 § 2)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.271 Probationary period for employees - discharge during (metropolitan districts).

168.271. Probationary period for employees — discharge during (metropolitan districts). — The first year of employment of all employees covered by sections 168.251 to 168.291 * shall be deemed a period of probation. During the probationary period, any probationary employee whose work is found to be unsatisfactory shall be furnished a written statement by the administrative officer of the department in which he is employed, setting forth the nature of his unsatisfactory work or incompetency and a copy of the statement shall be filed with the personnel director. If improvement satisfactory to the administrative officer of the department is not made within one month after the receipt of the statement, the probationary employee shall be discharged. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-27) (Source: L. 1961 p. 354 § 4) *Section 168.291 was repealed by S.B. 125, 2013.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.281 Permanent employees, removal, procedure - suspension, demotion - reduction ...

168.281. Permanent employees, removal, procedure — suspension, demotion — reduction of personnel (metropolitan districts). — 1. After completion of satisfactory probationary service, appointments of employees shall become permanent subject to removal for any one or more causes herein described as well as to the right of the board to terminate services of all who attain the age of compulsory retirement fixed by the retirement system. 2. (1) No employee whose appointment has become permanent may be removed, aside from compulsory retirement, except for one or more of the following causes: immorality, felony conviction of a crime under any state or federal criminal statute, inefficiency or incompetency in line of duty, violation of the published regulations of the school district, violation of the laws of Missouri governing the public schools of the state, or that his physical or mental condition is such that it incapacitates him from properly performing his duties or from properly associating with children, and then only after the personnel director has given written notice to the employee by registered mail with return receipt of his suspension and proposed discharge. The registered letter is to notify the employee: (a) Of the charges on which the suspension and proposed discharge is based; (b) Of the date, time, and place of the hearing of the charges by the personnel committee; (c) Of the employee's right to be present at the hearing and to have counsel or other representative of his choice; (d) Of his right to testify and to offer testimony of witnesses as well as other evidence sustaining his defense, and to cross-examine adverse witnesses and to generally conduct a defense; (e) And of the necessity, in order for him to avail himself of the aforesaid opportunity to defend himself against the charges, that he notify the personnel director in writing, at least three days before the date of the hearing, of his intention to offer the defense. (2) The hearing of the committee is to be held not less than ten nor more than fifteen days after the mailing date of the notice of hearing to the employee, except by mutual agreement of the committee and the employee. Failure of the employee to give the three days' notice in writing of his election to defend, or having given the notice, failure of the employee to appear at the hearing, shall each be considered by the committee as an admission of the truth of the charges and the committee may rule accordingly. The committee may, in its discretion, to avoid undue hardship, and upon a sufficient showing by the employee of valid and cogent reasons for his failure to notify the committee of his election to defend, or of his subsequent failure to appear at the hearing, reset the hearing in the same manner as before. (3) Upon conducting the hearing of the charges, or if no defense is offered, upon considering the charges, the personnel committee by majority vote shall make its decision as soon as practicable and shall immediately thereafter notify the employee of its decision by registered mail. The committee may rule (a) That the employee's suspension was justified and that he is discharged with loss of pay as of the date of his suspension; (b) That the suspension was unjustified and no grounds calling for his discharge have been proven and that the employee shall immediately be restored to his former position without any loss of pay; (c) That the proven charges are of such a nature that they can be removed or remedied by transferring the employee to a different position, grade, classification, school or building in which case the employee shall lose no pay during his suspension prior to the committee's decision; (d) Or the committee may make any ruling, less severe than that of discharge, which the committee may deem meet and just under the circumstances including suspension with the loss of pay. The decision of the personnel committee shall be final; provided, however, that upon the request of the employee affected the board shall review the record of the proceedings before the personnel committee and may, in its discretion, grant the employee a hearing before the board. Upon hearing the board may affirm, rescind or modify the decision of the committee and make any other orders in connection therewith that are appropriate under the circumstances. 3. No employee whose appointment has become permanent shall be suspended without pay, nor be demoted nor shall his salary be reduced unless the same procedure is followed as herein stated for the removal of the employee because of inefficiency in line of duty, and any employee whose salary is reduced or who is demoted may waive the presentment of charges against him and a hearing thereon by the committee. Nothing herein shall in any way restrict or limit the powers of the board of education to make reductions in the number of employees because of insufficient funds or decrease in pupil enrollment or lack of work. (L. 1963 p. 200 § 9-28, A.L. 2005 S.B. 287) (Source: L. 1961 p. 354 §§ 5, 6, 7) Effective 7-01-06 (2000) Certified school guidance counselor has no right to a hearing pursuant to this section. Cross v. Hammonds, 223 F.3d 867 (8th Cir.).

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.300 District employers may authorize contributions to credit unions and for ...

168.300. District employers may authorize contributions to credit unions and for other purposes, to be deducted and paid from compensation — procedure. — 1. Every school district in this state including special school districts may adopt policies and regulations providing for deductions from the compensation of the district's employees whenever a request to do so is presented to the board by a group of ten or more employees. 2. Deductions shall be made from compensation earned by the employee and shall be remitted to the appropriate company, association, or organization as authorized by the employee within fifteen days following the deduction. 3. Deductions may be made for, but not limited to, the following: credit unions, tax sheltered annuities, individual retirement accounts, membership dues, voluntary contributions, or group insurance premiums. 4. A board of education when deducting amounts from the compensation of employees as directed by the employee shall not be liable for any good faith error. 5. The school board shall determine the cost of compliance with this section and shall deduct, in addition to the amount to be paid to any entity for which deduction is authorized, the cost of compliance with the request of the employee. 6. The various subsections of this section shall be deemed severable and if a subsection of this section is declared invalid or unconstitutional, then such declaration shall not affect the remaining subsections. (L. 1983 H.B. 815 § 3)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.303 Job-sharing rules to be adopted by board, job sharing defined.

168.303. Job-sharing rules to be adopted by board, job sharing defined. — The state board of education shall adopt rules to facilitate job-sharing positions for classroom teachers, as the term "job-sharing" is defined in this section. These rules shall provide that a classroom teacher in a job-sharing position shall receive paid legal holidays, annual vacation leave, sick leave, and personal leave on a pro rata basis. "Job-sharing position" shall mean any position: (1) Shared with one other employee; (2) Requiring employment of at least seventeen hours per week but not more than twenty hours per week on a regular basis; and (3) Requiring at least seventy percent of all time spent in classroom instruction as determined by the employer; provided that, job-sharing position shall not include instructional support or school services positions including, but not limited to, school counselor, media coordinator, psychologist, social worker, audiologist, speech and language pathologist, and nursing positions. (L. 2003 H.B. 152 & 180 merged with H.B. 346 & 174 merged with S.B. 248, et al., A.L. 2016 H.B. 2428)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.400 Programs established for public school personnel - contents.

168.400. Programs established for public school personnel — contents. — 1. Sections 168.400 to 168.415 shall be known and may be cited as the "Missouri Professional Teacher and Administrator Act". This section shall become effective September 1, 1988, and shall establish programs for the following public school personnel: (1) The preservice teacher or student in training; (2) The beginning teacher; (3) The practicing teacher; and (4) The administrator. 2. The department of elementary and secondary education, with the advice of the advisory council as provided in section 168.015 , shall establish and monitor exit requirements from approved teacher education programs which shall be met by all preservice teacher education students seeking certification in Missouri, and specific criteria for a preservice teacher assessment that all candidates for certification shall meet. The preservice teacher assessment established under this subsection shall include, but need not be limited to, classroom achievement, practice teaching evaluation and observation, successful participation in assessment centers, interviews, tests and other evaluation measures. The department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate rules to allow all preservice teacher education students who have been employed for at least two years as teacher assistants to utilize their teacher assistant experience to bypass the practice teaching evaluation and observation process. These rules shall allow the certified teacher working with the teacher assistant to observe and evaluate the teacher assistant's practice teaching. 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 . The preservice teacher assessment shall be reviewed by the certifying authority prior to issuance of a certificate. An unsatisfactory assessment shall result in the nonissuance of a certificate. Persons who are aggrieved by the nonissuance of a certificate may appeal such nonissuance in the manner provided in section 168.071 . Any costs associated with the exit requirements established under this subsection shall be borne by each institution and costs defrayal included in the incidental fees charged to the student. 3. Each approved teacher education program shall require the faculty teaching preservice teacher education courses to further their professional development through direct personal involvement in the public schools in grades kindergarten through twelve on a periodic basis. As used in this subsection, the term "faculty" shall include, but need not be limited to, full- and part-time classroom instructors, and supervisors of practice teaching at institutions offering an approved teacher education program. 4. Beginning teacher assistance programs established under this section shall include, but need not be limited to, the following provisions: (1) Such programs shall require each school district to provide a plan of professional development for the first two years of teaching for any teacher who does not have prior teaching experience. The professional development plan shall include assistance from a professional development committee, which is hereby established in each school district, which committee shall work with beginning teachers and experienced teachers in identifying instructional concerns and remedies; serve as a confidential consultant upon a teacher's request; assess faculty needs and develop in-service opportunities for school staff; and present to the proper authority faculty suggestions, ideas and recommendations pertaining to classroom instruction within the school district. The members of each professional development committee shall be selected by the teachers employed by the school district in question. The professional development plan may include guidance from a district-designated faculty member employed at a grade level comparable to the instructional grade level of the beginning teacher, and such other forms of assistance which the school district may choose to offer. The professional development committee may apply to the state board of education for a grant, which shall be in addition to any state aid provided to the committee for activities identified in this subdivision. The grant thus awarded shall be used by the committee to provide in-service training to the teachers of the district on teaching children identified as at risk of failing in school as defined in section 167.273 . The department of elementary and secondary education shall provide resource materials and assist the committee if such assistance is requested; (2) Such programs shall include assistance from the teacher education program which provided the teacher's training if such training was provided in a Missouri college or university. Such assistance from the college or university may include retraining, internships, counseling, and in-service training. 5. The practicing teacher assistance programs established under this section shall include, but need not be limited to, programs of professional development and improvement as provided for experienced teachers by the professional development committee established under subsection 4 of this section, and in-service opportunities as provided by the local school district for all practicing teachers. 6. (1) The administrator assistance programs established under this section shall include, but shall not be limited to, programs of professional development and improvement for superintendents, principals, assistant principals, and other school district personnel charged with administrative duties. (2) Establishment of programs by local districts and organizations for the training of school board members are encouraged and recommended. (L. 1985 H.B. 463, A.L. 1990 S.B. 740, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1711, A.L. 2024 S.B. 727) Severability clause, see § 82.293.

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.405 Administrator assessment center established - certificate issued - ...

168.405. Administrator assessment center established — certificate issued — unsatisfactory assessment, hearing. — There is hereby established an "Administrator Assessment Center", which shall be organized and administered by the department of elementary and secondary education, either individually or through contract, for the purpose of assessing prospective school administrators. Beginning September 1, 1988, all prospective administrators seeking initial administration certification shall make application to and be approved by the department of elementary and secondary education for admission to the administrator assessment center. The assessment established under this section shall include, but need not be limited to, simulations, observations, evaluations and recommendations. The assessment shall be reviewed by the certifying authority prior to issuance of a certificate. An unsatisfactory assessment shall result in the nonissuance of a certificate. Persons who are aggrieved by the nonissuance of a certificate may appeal such nonissuance in the manner provided in section 168.071 . (L. 1985 H.B. 463 § 168.405 subsec. 1)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.407 Principal-administrator academy program for school leaders - programming ...

168.407. Principal-administrator academy program for school leaders — programming requirements. — 1. There is hereby created the "Principal-Administrator Academy" under the auspices of the department of elementary and secondary education. The academy is not a single institution, but is an organizational framework for a wide array of educational and training programs for school leaders in conjunction with statewide entities specifically established to support the development of principals and superintendents, which may be conducted at several sites in the state by the department of elementary and secondary education, individually or through contract. 2. Programming for the academy shall include the development of: (1) A review of all preparation programs of school administrators in the state of Missouri to ensure that the programs are of proper quality and the content of such programs are updated to reflect and educate students regarding the current academic, legal, financial, and societal realities in which administrators will be serving; (2) A mentoring program dedicated to supporting individuals serving in their first four years of employment as a principal in the state of Missouri; and (3) An early career coaching program dedicated to supporting and developing superintendents who are serving within their first four years as a superintendent in the state of Missouri. (L. 1985 H.B. 463 § 168.405 subsec. 2, A.L. 2025 S.B. 68)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.409 Fees and costs for assessment center - funding for principal-administrators ...

168.409. Fees and costs for assessment center — funding for principal-administrators academy. — 1. The department of elementary and secondary education may charge a reasonable fee to cover the expenses and costs related to the services provided at the assessment center established under section 168.405 . Such fees shall be deposited in the excellence in education fund. Participant travel, living and incidental costs shall be at the expense of the participant, or may be reimbursed by a local school district. 2. (1) Funding for programming within the principal-administrators academy established in section 168.407 may include: (a) Any federal funding made available that would support such programming; (b) Moneys appropriated or deposited into the excellence in education fund established in section 160.268 ; or (c) Up to five percent of any funding appropriated for payments authorized under sections 168.500 to 168.515 . (2) The department, where applicable, may require matching funds be provided either by individuals participating in the programming or by the school districts that employ the individuals participating in the program. (L. 1985 H.B. 463 § 168.405 subsec. 3, A.L. 2025 S.B. 68)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.410 Evaluations of school administrators and district superintendents - copy of ...

168.410. Evaluations of school administrators and district superintendents — copy of evaluation to person evaluated. — School administrators and school district superintendents shall be evaluated in the following manner: (1) The board of education of each school district shall cause a comprehensive performance-based evaluation for each administrator employed by the district. Such evaluation shall be ongoing and of sufficient specificity and frequency to provide for demonstrated standards of competency and academic ability; (2) All evaluations shall be maintained in the respective administrator's personnel file at the office of the board of education of the school district. A copy of each evaluation shall be provided to the person being evaluated and to the appropriate administrator; (3) The state department of elementary and secondary education shall provide suggested procedures for the evaluations performed under this section. (L. 1985 H.B. 463)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.450 Officer training, Missouri state training center to develop curriculum and ...

168.450. Officer training, Missouri state training center to develop curriculum and certification requirements. — The Missouri state training center for the D.A.R.E. program shall develop the curriculum and certification requirements for school resource officers. At a minimum, school resource officers must complete forty hours of basic school resource officer training to include legal operations within an educational environment, intruder training and planning, juvenile law, and any other relevant topics relating to the job and functions of a school resource officer. (L. 2013 H.B. 152 § 1 merged with H.B. 675 § 1)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.500 Career development and teacher excellence plan, career ladder forward ...

168.500. Career development and teacher excellence plan, career ladder forward funding fund established — model career plans, contents — criteria for career ladder — participation to be voluntary — qualifications — speech pathologists on career program, when — funding limitations. — 1. For the purpose of providing career pay, which shall be a salary supplement, for public school teachers, which for the purpose of sections 168.500 to 168.515 shall include classroom teachers, librarians, school counselors and certificated teachers who hold positions as school psychological examiners, parents as teachers educators, school psychologists, special education diagnosticians and speech pathologists, and are on the district salary schedule, there is hereby created and established a career advancement program which shall be known as the "Missouri Career Development and Teacher Excellence Plan", hereinafter known as the "career plan or program". Participation by local school districts in the career advancement program established under this section shall be voluntary. The career advancement program is a matching fund program. The general assembly may make an annual appropriation to the excellence in education fund established under section 160.268 for the purpose of providing the state's portion for the career advancement program. The "Career Ladder Forward Funding Fund" is hereby established in the state treasury. Beginning with fiscal year 1998 and until the career ladder forward funding fund is terminated pursuant to this subsection, the general assembly may appropriate funds to the career ladder forward funding fund. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, moneys in the fund shall not be transferred to the credit of the general revenue fund at the end of the biennium. All interest or other gain received from investment of moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. All funds deposited in the fund shall be maintained in the fund until such time as the balance in the fund at the end of the fiscal year is equal to or greater than the appropriation for the career ladder program for the following year, at which time all such revenues shall be used to fund, in advance, the career ladder program for such following year and the career ladder forward funding fund shall thereafter be terminated. 2. The department of elementary and secondary education, at the direction of the commissioner of education, shall study and develop model career plans which shall be made available to the local school districts. These state model career plans shall: (1) Contain three steps or stages of career advancement; (2) Contain a detailed procedure for the admission of teachers to the career program; (3) Contain specific criteria for career step qualifications and attainment. These criteria shall clearly describe the minimum number of professional responsibilities required of the teacher at each stage of the plan and shall include reference to classroom performance evaluations performed pursuant to section 168.128 . The criteria may include, but shall not be limited to, teacher externships as provided in section 168.025 ; (4) Be consistent with the teacher certification process recommended by the Missouri advisory council of certification for educators and adopted by the department of elementary and secondary education; (5) Provide that public school teachers in Missouri shall become eligible to apply for admission to the career plans adopted under sections 168.500 to 168.515 after two years of public school teaching in Missouri, except that such two-year requirement shall not apply to any member of the Armed Forces of the United States or such member's spouse who has teaching experience in another state and who has transferred to this state. All teachers seeking admission to any career plan shall, as a minimum, meet the requirements necessary to obtain the first renewable professional certificate as provided in section 168.021 ; (6) Provide procedures for appealing decisions made under career plans established under sections 168.500 to 168.515 . 3. School district career plans shall recognize additional responsibilities and volunteer efforts by teachers in formulating criteria for career ladder admission and stage achievement. Such additional responsibilities and volunteer efforts outside of the duties that require a teaching certificate under section 168.021 may include, but shall not be limited to: (1) Serving as a coach, supervisor, or organizer for any extracurricular activity for which the teacher does not already receive additional compensation; (2) Serving as a mentor for students or teachers, whether in a formal or informal capacity; (3) Receiving additional teacher training or certification outside of that offered by the school district; (4) Serving as a tutor or providing additional learning opportunities to students; and (5) Assisting students with postsecondary education preparation including, but not limited to, teaching an ACT or SAT preparation course or assisting students with completing college or career school admission or financial assistance applications. 4. The commissioner of education shall cause the department of elementary and secondary education to establish guidelines for all career plans established under this section, and criteria that must be met by any school district which seeks funding for its career plan. 5. A participating local school district may have the option of implementing a career plan developed by the department of elementary and secondary education or a local plan which has been developed with advice from teachers employed by the district and which has met with the approval of the department of elementary and secondary education. In approving local career plans, the department of elementary and secondary education may consider provisions in the plan of the local district for recognition of teacher mobility from one district to another within this state. 6. The career plans of local school districts shall not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, color, creed, or age. Participation in the career plan of a local school district is optional, and any teacher who declines to participate shall not be penalized in any way. 7. In order to receive funds under this section, a school district which is not subject to section 162.920 must have a total levy for operating purposes which is in excess of the amount allowed in Section 11(b) of Article X of the Missouri Constitution; and a school district which is subject to section 162.920 must have a total levy for operating purposes which is equal to or in excess of twenty-five cents on each hundred dollars of assessed valuation. 8. The commissioner of education shall cause the department of elementary and secondary education to regard a speech pathologist who holds both a valid certificate of license to teach and a certificate of clinical competence to have fulfilled the standards required to be placed on stage III of the career program, provided that such speech pathologist has been employed by a public school in Missouri for at least two years and is approved for placement at such stage III by the local school district. 9. Beginning in fiscal year 2012, the state portion of career ladder payments shall only be made available to local school districts if the general assembly makes an appropriation for such program. Payments authorized under sections 168.500 to 168.515 shall only be made available in a year for which a state appropriation is made. Any state appropriation shall be made prospectively in relation to the year in which work under the program is performed and, pursuant to section 168.409 , a portion of the moneys appropriated for the purposes of this section may be used to fund the principal-administrator academy program for school leaders established in section 168.407 . 10. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a local school district from funding the program for its teachers for work performed in years for which no state appropriation is made available. (L. 1985 H.B. 463, A.L. 1986 H.B. 1441, A.L. 1993 H.B. 354, A.L. 1996 S.B. 795, et al., A.L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969, A.L. 2010 H.B. 1543, A.L. 2016 H.B. 2428, A.L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662, A.L. 2024 S.B. 727, A.L. 2025 S.B. 68)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.505 Teacher receiving career pay not to affect district base pay.

168.505. Teacher receiving career pay not to affect district base pay. — 1. Any teacher receiving career pay pursuant to section 163.031 for entitlements authorized under any plan or program established under sections 168.500 to 168.515 shall continue to receive the district base pay to which he would be entitled if he were not receiving the career pay provided for in sections 168.500 to 168.515 . 2. Any teacher receiving career pay under any plan or program established under sections 168.500 to 168.515 shall receive any local pay to which teachers with similar training and experience are otherwise entitled. (L. 1985 H.B. 463, A.L. 1993 S.B. 380)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.510 Disqualified from participating in career plan, grounds.

168.510. Disqualified from participating in career plan, grounds. — After a teacher who is duly employed by a district qualifies and is selected for participation under a career plan established under sections 168.500 to 168.515 , such teacher shall not be denied the career pay authorized by such plan unless he: (1) Is dismissed for cause as established under section 168.114 ; or (2) Fails to maintain or renew any certificate required by the department of elementary and secondary education; or (3) Fails to maintain the performance level as required for the attainment of the career stage as set forth in the plan effective in the local district as provided in section 168.500 ; or (4) Fails to complete professional responsibilities required for the attainment of each stage; and (5) Has exhausted all due process procedures provided by subdivision (6) of subsection 2 of section 168.500 . (L. 1985 H.B. 463, A.L. 1996 S.B. 795, et al.)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.515 Salary supplement for participants in career plan - method of distribution ...

168.515. Salary supplement for participants in career plan — method of distribution — amounts — matching funds, contributions — review of career pay — tax levy authorized, when — use of funds. — 1. Each teacher selected to participate in a career plan established under sections 168.500 to 168.515 , who meets the requirements of such plan, may receive a salary supplement, the state's share of which shall be distributed under section 163.031 , equal to the following amounts applied to the career ladder entitlement of section 163.031 : (1) Career stage I teachers may receive up to an additional one thousand five hundred dollars per school year; (2) Career stage II teachers may receive up to an additional three thousand dollars per school year; (3) Career stage III teachers may receive up to an additional five thousand dollars per school year. All teachers within each stage within the same school district shall receive equal salary supplements. 2. The state may make payments pursuant to section 163.031 to the local school district for the purpose of providing funding to the local school district for the payment of any salary supplements provided for in this section, subject to the availability of funds as appropriated each year and distributed on a matching basis where the percentage of state funding shall be sixty percent and the percentage of local funding shall be forty percent. 3. Not less than every fourth year, beginning with calendar year 1988, the general assembly, through the joint committee established under section 160.254 , shall review the amount of the career pay provided for in this section to determine if any increases are necessary to reflect the increases in the cost of living which have occurred since the salary supplements were last reviewed or set. 4. To participate in the salary supplement program established under this section, a school district may submit to the voters of the district a proposition to increase taxes for this purpose. If a school district's current tax rate ceiling is at or above the rate from which an increase would require a two-thirds majority, the school board may submit to the voters of the district a proposition to reduce or eliminate the amount of the levy reduction resulting from section 164.013 . If a majority of the voters voting thereon vote in favor of the proposition, the board may certify that seventy-five percent of the revenue generated from this source shall be used to implement the salary supplement program established under this section. 5. In no case shall a school district use state funds received under this section nor local revenue generated from a tax established under subsection 4 of this section to comply with the minimum salary requirements for teachers established pursuant to section 163.172 . (L. 1985 H.B. 463, A.L. 1993 H.B. 354 merged with S.B. 380, A.L. 1996 S.B. 795, et al., A.L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969, A.L. 2005 H.B. 297 merged with S.B. 287, A.L. 2010 H.B. 1543, A.L. 2022 S.B. 681 & 662)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.520 Career advancement program for personnel of state schools for the blind, ...

168.520. Career advancement program for personnel of state schools for the blind, deaf and severely disabled — salary supplement for participants. — 1. For the purpose of providing career pay, which shall be a salary supplement for teachers, librarians, school counselors and certificated teachers who hold positions as school psychological examiners, parents-as-teachers educators, school psychologists, special education diagnosticians or speech pathologists in Missouri schools for the severely disabled, the Missouri School for the Blind and the Missouri School for the Deaf, there is hereby established a career advancement program which shall become effective no later than September 1, 1986. Participation in the career advancement program by teachers shall be voluntary. 2. The department of elementary and secondary education with the recommendation of teachers from the state schools, shall develop a career plan. This state career plan shall include, but need not be limited to, the provisions of state model career plans as contained in subsection 2 of section 168.500 . 3. After a teacher who is duly employed by a state school qualifies and is selected for participation in the state career plan established under this section, such a teacher shall not be denied the career pay authorized by such plan except as provided in subdivisions (1), (2), and (3) of section 168.510 . 4. Each teacher selected to participate in the career plan established under this section who meets the requirements of such plan shall receive a salary supplement as provided in subdivisions (1), (2), and (3) of subsection 1 of section 168.515 . 5. The department of elementary and secondary education shall annually include within its budget request to the general assembly sufficient funds for the purpose of providing career pay as established under this section to those eligible teachers employed in Missouri schools for the severely disabled, the Missouri School for the Deaf, and the Missouri School for the Blind. (L. 1985 H.B. 463, A.L. 1996 S.B. 795, et al., A.L. 2008 H.B. 1807, A.L. 2016 H.B. 2428)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.530 Reimbursement by department for coordinator, when.

168.530. Reimbursement by department for coordinator, when. — The department of elementary and secondary education shall not reimburse a school district for more than one A+ program coordinator per one thousand two hundred fifty students; however a school with up to one thousand five hundred students shall be reimbursed for only one A+ program coordinator. (L. 2004 S.B. 968 and S.B. 969 § 1)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.745 Compensation package created - fund created.

168.745. Compensation package created — fund created. — 1. There is hereby created the "Teacher Choice Compensation Package" to permit performance-based salary stipends upon the decision of the teacher in a metropolitan school district as described in section 168.747 to reward teachers for objectively demonstrated superior performance. 2. There is hereby created the "Teacher Choice Compensation Fund" in the state treasury. The fund shall be administered by the department of elementary and secondary education. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund and may approve disbursements from the fund in accordance with sections 30.170 and 30.180 . 3. The teacher choice compensation fund shall consist of all moneys transferred to it under this section, and all moneys otherwise appropriated to or donated to it. 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 general assembly shall annually appropriate five million dollars to the fund created in this section. (L. 2009 S.B. 291)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.747 Eligibility for compensation package.

168.747. Eligibility for compensation package. — 1. To be eligible for the teacher choice compensation package, all classroom personnel in a metropolitan school district reported as a code forty, fifty, or sixty through the core data system of the department of elementary and secondary education shall opt out of his or her indefinite contract under section 168.221 for the duration of employment with the district. A teacher may decide to end his or her eligibility for the teacher choice stipend but may not resume permanent teacher status with that district. A probationary teacher may opt out of consideration for a permanent contract in the second or subsequent years of employment by the district to participate in the teacher choice compensation package but may not return to permanent status in that district or resume the process for qualification for an indefinite contract in that district. A teacher who has chosen the teacher choice compensation package and changes employment to another district may choose to resume the process for qualification for an indefinite contract in that district. The teacher choice compensation package shall only be available for teachers in a metropolitan school district. 2. Teachers shall qualify annually in October for the stipends described in section 168.749 . Stipends shall be offered in five thousand dollar increments, up to fifteen thousand dollars, but shall not exceed fifty percent of a teacher's base salary, before deductions for retirement but including designated pay for additional duties such as coaching, sponsoring, or mentoring. Any stipend received under section 168.749 shall be in addition to the base salary to which the teacher would otherwise be entitled. Teachers receiving the stipend shall receive any pay and benefits received by teachers of similar training, experience, and duties. Such stipends shall not be considered compensation for retirement purposes. 3. Subject to appropriation, the department of elementary and secondary education shall make a payment to the district in the amount of the stipend, to be delivered as a lump sum in January following the October of qualification. If the amount appropriated is not enough to fund the total of five thousand dollar increment payments, the department may prorate the payments. 4. Every person employed by the district in a teaching position, regardless of the certification status of the person, who qualifies under any of the indicators listed in section 168.749 is eligible for the teacher choice compensation package. Teachers who are employed less than full-time are eligible for teacher choice stipends on a prorated basis. Any teacher who is dismissed for cause who has otherwise qualified for a teacher choice stipend shall forfeit the stipend for that year. (L. 2009 S.B. 291)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.749 Eligibility for stipends, criteria.

168.749. Eligibility for stipends, criteria. — 1. Beginning with school year 2010-11, teachers who elect to participate in the teacher choice compensation package shall be eligible for stipends based on the following criteria: (1) Score on a value-added test instrument or instruments. Such instruments shall be defined as those which give a reliable measurement of the skills and knowledge transferred to students during the time they are in a teacher's classroom and shall be selected by the school district from one or more of the following assessments: (a) A list of recognized value-added instruments developed by the department of elementary and secondary education; (b) Scores on the statewide assessments established under section 160.518 may be used for this purpose, and the department of elementary and secondary education shall develop a procedure for identifying the value added by teachers that addresses the fact that not all subjects are tested at all grade levels each year under the state assessment program; (c) Scores on annual tests required by the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act reauthorization of 2002 for third through eighth grade may be used as value-added instruments if found appropriate after consideration and approval by the state board of education; (d) A district may choose an instrument after a public hearing of the district board of education on the matter, with the reasons for the selection entered upon the minutes of the meeting; provided, however, that this option shall not be available to districts after scores are established for paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this subdivision; (2) Evaluations by principals or other administrators with expertise to evaluate classroom performance; (3) Evaluations by parents and by students at their appropriate developmental level. Model instruments for these evaluations shall be developed or identified by the department of elementary and secondary education. Districts may use such models, may use other existing models, or may develop their own instruments. A district that develops its own instrument shall not use that instrument as its sole method of evaluation. 2. The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop criteria for determining eligibility for stipend increments, including a range of target scores on assessments for use by the districts. The test-score options listed in subdivision (1) of subsection 1 of this section shall be given higher weight than the evaluation options listed in subdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection 1 of this section. The decision of individual districts about the qualifications for each increment based on the evaluations listed in subdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection 1 of this section and for value-added instruments for which target scores have not been developed by the department of elementary and secondary education may address the district's unique characteristics but shall require demonstrably superior performance on the part of the teacher, based primarily on improved student achievement while taking into account classroom demographics including but not limited to students' abilities, special needs, and class size. (L. 2009 S.B. 291)

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 168.750 Rulemaking authority.

168.750. Rulemaking authority. — 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 168.745 to 168.749 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. § 168.770 Library information and technology program recognized - rulemaking authority.

168.770. Library information and technology program recognized — rulemaking authority. — 1. For purposes of this section, the following terms mean: (1) "School librarian" , a teacher who holds a certificate of license to teach under section 168.021 and is certified as a library media specialist by the department of elementary and secondary education; (2) "School library information and technology program" , a school-based program that is staffed by a school librarian and that provides a broad, flexible array of services, resources, and instruction that support student mastery of the essential academic learning requirements and state standards in all subject areas and the implementation of any school improvement plan of the district. 2. Before July 1, 2019, the department of elementary and secondary education shall develop a process for recognition of a district's school library information and technology program. 3. The department of elementary and secondary education may promulgate rules to implement 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, 2018, shall be invalid and void. (L. 2018 S.B. 743)
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneChapter.aspx?chapter=168Fetched: 10/17/2026