SCS/SB 381 - This act creates the Innovation Education Campus Fund to provide funding to innovation education campuses. An innovation education campus is defined as an educational partnership between high schools or school districts, a Missouri four-year public or private institution of higher education, a Missouri-based business or businesses, and either a Missouri public two-year institution of higher education or Linn State Technical College. An innovation education campus may receive moneys from the fund provided they demonstrate compliance to the Coordinating Board for Higher Education with the following criteria: they actively work to lower the cost for students to complete a college degree; the program decreases the amount of time required for a student to earn a college degree; the campus provides applied and project-based learning experiences for students, as described in the act; students graduate from the campus with direct access to certain opportunities with a Missouri-based business in partnership with the innovation education campus, as described in the act; and the innovation education campus engage and partners with industry stakeholders. The Coordinating Board for Higher Education must conduct a review every five years of any innovation education campus for compliance with the requirements. The Coordinating Board must consult with and take input from each entity that is a partner to an innovation education campus. Business and industry involved in an innovation education campus may provide feedback, as described in the act. An innovation education campus must annually verify to the Coordinating Board that it has satisfied the statutory criteria under the act.
Any moneys received by an innovation education campus will not be considered part of the annual appropriation to an institution of higher education or a school district. The Missouri Innovation Campus has already satisfied the eligibility requirements to receive moneys from the fund.
This act is similar to HB 746 (2013).
MICHAEL RUFF