SB 701 - This act modifies provisions relating to elementary and secondary education. SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT CARDS: Each school district may include the data from charter schools located within the district in its school accountability report card. The school board of the district and the charter school must reach a mutual agreement for the inclusion of the data. The agreement must be approved by the State Board of Education. Charter schools are not required to be part of the local education agency of the school district and may maintain a separate LEA status. (Section 160.522)
SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENTS: This act allows two or more school districts to share a superintendent who possesses a valid Missouri superintendent's license.
This section is identical to a provision contained in CCS/HCS/SCS/SBs 493, 485, 495, 516, 534, 545, 595, 616 & 624 (2104) and is similar to SB 503 (2009) and HB 2537 (2008). (Section 168.205)
FARM-TO-SCHOOL PROGRAM: This act creates the Farm-to-School Program within the Department of Agriculture to provide schools with locally grown agricultural products for inclusion in school meals and snacks and to strengthen local farming economies. (Section 262.960)
This act also creates the Farm-to-School Taskforce. The taskforce will include at least one representative from each of the following agencies: The University of Missouri extension service; the Department of Agriculture; the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education; and the Office of Administration. The director of the Department of Agriculture will appoint two persons actively engaged in the practice of small agribusiness. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will appoint two persons from schools who direct a food service program. (Section 262.962)
The task force mission is to provide recommendations for strategies that allow schools to more easily incorporate locally grown agricultural products into their food service and allow schools to work with food service providers to ensure greater use of locally grown agricultural products by developing standardized language for food service contracts. The taskforce must review various food service contracts to identify standardized language that could be included in contracts to allow schools to more easily procure and use locally grown agricultural products. (Section 262.962)
The taskforce must prepare a report with findings and recommendations and submit it to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the director of each agency on the taskforce by December 31, 2015. (Section 262.962)
The Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority may make grants, loans, or loan guarantees to Missouri businesses to access resources for accessing and processing locally grown agricultural products for use in schools. (Section 348.407)
These provisions are similar to provisions contained in CCS#2/HCS/SCS/SB 672 (2014), provisions contained in HCS/SCS/SB 824 (2014), provisions contained in HCS/SCS/SB 854 (2014) and is similar to HB 2088 (2014).
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION: This act prohibits the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education from penalizing school districts for students who complete approved career and technical education programs and fail to be placed in occupations directly relating to their training within six months of graduation.
The Department must revise its scoring guide to provide additional points to districts that partner with area career centers, comprehensive high schools, industry, and business to develop and implement a pathway for students to enroll in a program of career and technical education in high school, participate in an internship or apprenticeship in their senior year, and obtain the appropriate industry certification.
The Department must permit student scores on a nationally recognized exam that demonstrates achievement of workplace employability skills to count toward credit for college and career readiness standards on the Missouri School Improvement Program. (Section 1)
MICHAEL RUFF