SB 987 - This act includes a number of provisions related to public schools.

LEGAL SUPPORT - The Attorney General shall advise school boards or superintendents, upon request, on personnel matters and shall appear on behalf of school boards, upon request, in cases regarding termination of employees.

CHEATING - School boards shall adopt a written policy on academic dishonesty. School staff who are found to have facilitated cheating or given answers for the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests may be terminated for cause.

TEACHERS - A district's state aid shall be reduced by 10% if the fraction of full-time teachers in the district who were required to take the National Teacher's Examination (NTE) and who scored at or above the 50th percentile on the test is less than 25%.

Teachers shall be reimbursed for the costs of application fees and substitute teaching costs incurred in obtaining National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Certification.

The act establishes a program of interdistrict teacher transfers.

Teacher evaluations shall be done by experienced teachers. Administrators may evaluate teachers for criteria other than teaching skill and expertise.

School boards shall adopt pay scales for teachers which provide that at least 20% of teachers shall receive at least 10% more than standard pay for a teacher.

WEIGHTED GRADES - The State Board of Education shall establish standards for weighted grades based upon academic content for high school grades.

DRESS CODES - School boards may adopt mandatory dress codes.

SUBPOENA FOR PARENT MEETING - A superintendent may seek a court- issued subpoena to compel a parent or guardian of a pupil to attend a meeting with the superintendent regarding the academic progress of the pupil.
OTTO FAJEN