SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1183
91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR BENTLEY.
Read 1st time February 19, 2002, and 1,000 copies ordered printed.
TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.
4644S.01I
AN ACT
To repeal sections 160.011, 160.051, 160.530, 161.092, 163.011 and 166.260, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof seven new sections relating to family literacy programs.
Section A. Sections 160.011, 160.051, 160.530, 161.092, 163.011 and 166.260, RSMo, are repealed and seven new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 160.011, 160.051, 160.530, 160.531, 161.092, 163.011 and 166.260, to read as follows:
160.011. As used in chapters 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 167, 168, 170, 171, 177 and 178, RSMo, the following terms mean:
(1) "District" or "school district", when used alone, may include seven-director, urban, and metropolitan school districts;
(2) "Elementary school", a public school giving instruction in a grade or grades not higher than the eighth grade;
(3) "Family literacy programs", services of sufficient intensity in terms of hours, and of sufficient duration, to make sustainable changes in families that include:
(a) Interactive literacy activities between parents and their children;
(b) Training of parents regarding how to be the primary teacher of their children and full partners in the education of their children;
(c) Parent literacy training that leads to high school completion and/or economic self sufficiency; and
(d) An age-appropriate education to prepare children of all ages for success in school;
(4) "Graduation rate", the quotient of the number of graduates in the current year as of June thirtieth divided by the sum of the number of graduates in the current year as of June thirtieth plus the number of twelfth graders who dropped out in the current year plus the number of eleventh graders who dropped out in the preceding year plus the number of tenth graders who dropped out in the second preceding year plus the number of ninth graders who dropped out in the third preceding year;
[(4)] (5) "High school", a public school giving instruction in a grade or grades not lower than the ninth nor higher than the twelfth grade;
[(5)] (6) "Metropolitan school district", any school district the boundaries of which are coterminous with the limits of any city which is not within a county;
[(6)] (7) "Public school" includes all elementary and high schools operated at public expense;
[(7)] (8) "School board", the board of education having general control of the property and affairs of any school district;
[(8)] (9) "School term", a minimum of one hundred seventy-four school days, as that term is defined in section 160.041, and one thousand forty-four hours of actual pupil attendance as scheduled by the board pursuant to section 171.031, RSMo, during a twelve-month period in which the academic instruction of pupils is actually and regularly carried on for a group of students in the public schools of any school district. A "school term" may be within a school year or may consist of parts of two consecutive school years, but does not include summer school. A district may choose to operate two or more terms for different groups of children;
[(9)] (10) "Secretary", the secretary of the board of a school district;
[(10)] (11) "Seven-director district", any school district which has seven directors and includes urban districts regardless of the number of directors an urban district may have unless otherwise provided by law;
[(11)] (12) "Taxpayer", any individual who has paid taxes to the state or any subdivision thereof within the immediately preceding twelve-month period or the spouse of such individual;
[(12)] (13) "Town", any town or village, whether or not incorporated, the plat of which has been filed in the office of the recorder of deeds of the county in which it is situated;
[(13)] (14) "Urban school district", any district which includes more than half of the population or land area of any city which has not less than seventy thousand inhabitants, other than a city which is not within a county.
160.051. 1. A system of free public schools is established throughout the state for the gratuitous instruction of persons between the ages of five and twenty-one years. Any child whose fifth birthday occurs before the first day of August shall be deemed to have attained the age of five years at the commencement of the school year beginning in that calendar year or at the commencement of the summer school session immediately prior to the school term beginning in the school year beginning in that calendar year, whichever is earlier, for the purpose of apportioning state school funds and for all other purposes.
2. Public schools may establish family literacy programs for children of all ages and their families.
3. The department of elementary and secondary education shall not use school for kindergarten pupils in the summer preceding such pupils' regular fall starting date as an element of the standards of the Missouri school improvement program.
160.530. 1. Beginning with fiscal year 1994 and for all fiscal years thereafter, in order to be eligible for state aid distributed pursuant to section 163.031, RSMo, a school district shall allocate one percent of moneys received pursuant to section 163.031, RSMo, exclusive of categorical add-ons, to the professional development committee of the district as established in subdivision (1) of subsection 4 of section 168.400, RSMo. Of the moneys allocated to the professional development committee in any fiscal year as specified by this subsection, seventy-five percent of such funds shall be spent in the same fiscal year for purposes determined by the professional development committee after consultation with the administrators of the school district and approved by the local board of education as meeting the objectives of a school improvement plan of the district that has been developed by the local board. Moneys expended for staff training pursuant to any provisions of this act shall not be considered in determining the requirements for school districts imposed by this subsection.
2. Beginning with fiscal year 1994 and for all fiscal years thereafter, ninety percent of one percent of moneys appropriated to the department of elementary and secondary education otherwise distributed to the public schools of the state pursuant to the provisions of section 163.031, RSMo, exclusive of categorical add-ons, shall be distributed by the commissioner of education to address statewide areas of critical need for learning and development as determined by rule and regulation of the state board of education with the advice of the commission established by section 160.510 and the advisory council provided by subsection 1 of section 168.015, RSMo. The moneys described in this subsection may be distributed by the commissioner of education to colleges, universities, private associations, professional education associations, statewide associations organized for the benefit of members of boards of education, public elementary and secondary schools, and other associations and organizations that provide professional development opportunities for teachers, administrators, family literacy personnel and boards of education for the purpose of addressing statewide areas of critical need, provided that subdivisions (1), [and] (2) and (3) of this subsection shall constitute priority uses for such moneys. "Statewide areas of critical need for learning and development" shall include:
(1) Funding the operation of state management teams in districts with academically deficient schools and providing resources specified by the management team as needed in such districts;
(2) Funding for grants to districts, upon application to the department of elementary and secondary education, for resources identified as necessary by the district, for those districts which are failing to achieve assessment standards;
(3) Funding for family literacy programs;
(4) Ensuring that all children, especially children at risk, children with special needs, and gifted students are successful in school;
[(4)] (5) Increasing parental involvement in the education of their children;
[(5)] (6) Providing information which will assist public school administrators and teachers in understanding the process of site-based decision making;
[(6)] (7) Implementing recommended curriculum frameworks as outlined in section 160.514;
[(7)] (8) Training in new assessment techniques for students;
[(8)] (9) Cooperating with law enforcement authorities to expand successful antidrug programs for students;
[(9)] (10) Strengthening existing curricula of local school districts to stress drug and alcohol prevention;
[(10)] (11) Implementing and promoting programs to combat gang activity in urban areas of the state;
[(11)] (12) Establishing family schools, whereby such schools adopt proven models of one-stop state services for children and families;
[(12)] (13) Expanding adult literacy services; and
[(13)] (14) Training of members of boards of education in the areas deemed important for the training of effective board members as determined by the state board of education.
3. Beginning with fiscal year 1994 and for all fiscal years thereafter, ten percent of one percent of moneys appropriated to the department of elementary and secondary education otherwise distributed to the public schools of the state pursuant to the provisions of section 163.031, RSMo, exclusive of categorical add-ons, shall be distributed in grant awards by the state board of education, by rule and regulation, for the "Success Leads to Success" grant program, which is hereby created. The purpose of the success leads to success grant program shall be to recognize, disseminate and exchange information about the best professional teaching practices and programs in the state that address student needs, and to encourage the staffs of schools with these practices and programs to develop school-to-school networks to share these practices and programs.
160.531. 1. Beginning with fiscal year 2003 and for all fiscal years thereafter, an amount, as specified in subsection 2 of this section, of the appropriation to the department of elementary and secondary education otherwise distributed to the public schools of the state pursuant to the provisions of section 163.031, RSMo, shall be distributed by the department of elementary and secondary education to establish and fund family literacy programs in school attendance centers declared academically deficient by the state board of education as authorized by section 160.538 or school districts declared unaccredited or provisionally accredited by the state board of education pursuant to section 161.092, RSMo.
2. The amount to be distributed by the department of elementary and secondary education to establish and fund family literacy programs pursuant to subsection 1 of this section shall be the lesser of either:
(1) Five percent of any increase from the total line 14 revenue compared to the total line 14 revenue amount distributed to all school districts in fiscal year 2002; or
(2) One and one-half percent of the total line 14 distribution.
3. The department of elementary and secondary education shall promulgate rules for the distribution of family literacy funds.
4. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, RSMo, 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, RSMo, and, if applicable, section 536.028, RSMo. This section and chapter 536, RSMo, are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo, 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, 2002, shall be invalid and void.
161.092. The state board of education shall:
(1) Adopt rules governing its own proceedings and formulate policies for the guidance of the commissioner of education and the department of elementary and secondary education;
(2) Carry out the educational policies of the state relating to public schools that are provided by law and supervise instruction in the public schools;
(3) Direct the investment of all moneys received by the state to be applied to the capital of any permanent fund established for the support of public education within the jurisdiction of the department of elementary and secondary education and see that the funds are applied to the branches of educational interest of the state that by grant, gift, devise or law they were originally intended, and if necessary institute suit for and collect the funds and return them to their legitimate channels;
(4) Cause to be assembled information which will reflect continuously the condition and management of the public schools of the state;
(5) Require of county clerks or treasurers, boards of education or other school officers, recorders and treasurers of cities, towns and villages, copies of all records required to be made by them and all other information in relation to the funds and condition of schools and the management thereof that is deemed necessary;
(6) Provide blanks suitable for use by officials in reporting the information required by the board;
(7) When conditions demand, cause the laws relating to schools to be published in a separate volume, with pertinent notes and comments, for the guidance of those charged with the execution of the laws;
(8) Grant, without fee, certificates of qualification and licenses to teach in any of the public schools of the state, establish requirements therefor, formulate regulations governing the issuance thereof, and cause the certificates to be revoked for the reasons and in the manner provided in section 168.071, RSMo;
(9) Classify the public schools of the state, subject to limitations provided by law, establish requirements for the schools of each class, and formulate rules governing the inspection and accreditation of schools preparatory to classification;
(10) Make an annual report on or before the first Wednesday after the first day of January to the general assembly or, when it is not in session, to the governor for publication and transmission to the general assembly. The report shall be for the last preceding school year, and shall include: (a) a statement of the number of public schools in the state, the number of pupils attending the schools, their sex, and the branches taught; (b) a statement of the number of teachers employed, their sex, their professional training, and their average salary; (c) a statement of the receipts and disbursements of public school funds of every description, their sources, and the purposes for which they were disbursed; (d) suggestions for the improvement of public schools; and (e) any other information relative to the educational interests of the state that the law requires or the board deems important;
(11) Make an annual report to the general assembly and the governor concerning coordination with other agencies and departments of government that support family literacy programs and other services which influence educational attainment of children of all ages;
(12) Require from the chief officer of each division of the department of elementary and secondary education, on or before the thirty-first day of August of each year, reports containing information the board deems important and desires for publication;
[(12)] (13) Cause fifty copies of its annual report to be reserved for the use of each division of the state department of elementary and secondary education, and ten copies for preservation in the state library;
[(13)] (14) Have other powers and duties prescribed by law.
163.011. As used in this chapter unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) "Adjusted gross income":
(a) "District adjusted gross income per return" shall be the total Missouri individual adjusted gross income in a school district divided by the total number of Missouri income tax returns filed from the school district as reported by the state department of revenue for the second preceding year;
(b) "State adjusted gross income per return" shall be the total Missouri individual adjusted gross income divided by the total number of Missouri individual income tax returns, of those returns designating school districts, as reported by the state department of revenue for the second preceding year;
(c) "District income factor" shall be one plus thirty percent of the difference of the district income ratio minus one, except that the district income factor applied to the portion of the assessed valuation corresponding to any increase in assessed valuation above the assessed valuation of a district as of December 31, 1994, shall not exceed a value of one;
(d) "District income ratio" shall be the ratio of the district adjusted gross income per return divided by the state adjusted gross income per return;
(2) "Adjusted operating levy", the sum of tax rates for the current year for teachers' and incidental funds for a school district as reported to the proper officer of each county pursuant to section 164.011, RSMo;
(3) "Average daily attendance" means the quotient or the sum of the quotients obtained by dividing the total number of hours attended in a term by resident pupils between the ages of five and twenty-one by the actual number of hours school was in session in that term. To the average daily attendance of the following school term shall be added the full-time equivalent average daily attendance of summer school students. "Full-time equivalent average daily attendance of summer school students" shall be computed by dividing the total number of hours attended by all summer school pupils by the number of hours required in section 160.011, RSMo, in the school term. For purposes of determining average daily attendance under this subdivision, the term "resident pupil" shall include all children between the ages of five and twenty-one who are residents of the school district and who are attending kindergarten through grade twelve in such district. If a child is attending school in a district other than the district of residence and the child's parent is teaching in the school district or is a regular employee of the school district which the child is attending, then such child shall be considered a resident pupil of the school district which the child is attending for such period of time when the district of residence is not otherwise liable for tuition. Average daily attendance for students below the age of five years for which a school district may receive state aid based on such attendance shall be computed as regular school term attendance unless otherwise provided by law;
(4) "Current operating costs", all expenditures for instruction and support services excluding capital outlay and debt service expenditures less the revenue from federal categorical sources, food service, student activities and payments from other districts;
(5) "District's target rate", the district's average percentage of pupils from fiscal years 2000 to 2005 scoring at or above the proficiency level on the statewide assessment system on either mathematics or reading/communication arts plus one percentage point for each year after fiscal year 2005 except that the district's target rate shall not exceed the statewide average percentage from fiscal year 2000 to fiscal year 2005 scoring at or above the proficiency level on the statewide assessment system on either mathematics or reading/communication arts;
(6) "District's tax rate ceiling", the highest tax rate ceiling in effect subsequent to the 1980 tax year or any subsequent year. Such tax rate ceiling shall not contain any tax levy for debt service;
(7) "Eligible pupils" shall be the sum of the average daily attendance of the school term plus the product of two times the average daily attendance for summer school and family literary programs;
(8) "Equalized assessed valuation of the property of a school district" shall be determined by multiplying the assessed valuation of the real property subclasses specified in section 137.115, RSMo, times the percent of true value as adjusted by the department of elementary and secondary education to an equivalent sales ratio of thirty-three and one-third percent and dividing by either the percent of true value as determined by the state tax commission on or before March fifteenth preceding the fiscal year in which the valuation will be effective as adjusted by the department of elementary and secondary education to an equivalent sales ratio of thirty-three and one-third percent or the average percent of true value for the highest three of the last four years as determined and certified by the state tax commission, whichever is greater. To the equalized locally assessed valuation of each district shall be added the assessed valuation of tangible personal property. The assessed valuation of property which has previously been excluded from the tax rolls, which is being contested as not being taxable and which increases the total assessed valuation of the school district by fifty percent or more, shall not be included in the calculation of equalized assessed valuation under this subdivision;
(9) "Fiscal instructional ratio of efficiency", the quotient of the sum of the district's current operating costs for all kindergarten through grade twelve direct instructional and direct pupil support service functions plus the costs of improvement of instruction and the cost of purchased services and supplies for operation of the facilities housing those programs, excluding student activities, divided by the sum of the district's current operating cost for kindergarten through grade twelve, plus all tuition revenue received from other districts minus all noncapital transportation costs;
(10) "Free and reduced lunch eligible pupil count", the number of pupils eligible for free and reduced lunch on the last Wednesday in January for the preceding school year who were enrolled as students of the district, as approved by the department in accordance with applicable federal regulations;
(11) "Guaranteed tax base" means the amount of equalized assessed valuation per eligible pupil guaranteed each school district by the state in the computation of state aid. To compute the guaranteed tax base, school districts shall be ranked annually from lowest to highest according to the amount of equalized assessed valuation per pupil. The guaranteed tax base shall be based upon the amount of equalized assessed valuation per pupil of the school district in which the ninety-fifth percentile of the state aggregate number of pupils falls during the third preceding year and shall be equal to the state average equalized assessed valuation per eligible pupil for the third preceding year times two and one hundred and sixty-seven thousandths; except that, for the purposes of line 14(b) the guaranteed tax base shall be no greater than the guaranteed tax base used for the 1998-99 payment year. The average equalized assessed valuation per pupil shall be the quotient of the total equalized assessed valuation of the state divided by the number of eligible pupils;
(12) "Membership" shall be the average of (1) the number of resident full-time students and the full-time equivalent number of part-time students who were enrolled in the public schools of the district on the last Wednesday in September of the previous year and who were in attendance one day or more during the preceding ten school days and (2) the number of resident full-time students and the full-time equivalent number of part-time students who were enrolled in the public schools of the district on the last Wednesday in January of the previous year and who were in attendance one day or more during the preceding ten school days, plus the full-time equivalent number of summer school pupils. "Full-time equivalent number of part-time students" is determined by dividing the total number of hours for which all part-time students are enrolled by the number of hours in the school term. "Full-time equivalent number of summer school pupils" is determined by dividing the total number of hours for which all summer school pupils were enrolled by the number of hours required pursuant to section 160.011, RSMo, in the school term. Only students eligible to be counted for average daily attendance shall be counted for membership;
(13) "Operating levy for school purposes" for districts making transfers pursuant to subsection 4 of section 165.011, RSMo, based upon amounts multiplied by the guaranteed tax base, or making payments or expenditures related to obligations made pursuant to section 177.088, RSMo, or any combination of such transfers, payments or expenditures, means the sum of tax rates levied for teachers' and incidental funds plus the operating levy or sales tax equivalent pursuant to section 162.1100, RSMo, of any transitional school district containing the school district, in the payment year, and, for other districts, means the sum of tax rates levied for incidental, teachers', debt service and capital projects funds plus the operating levy or sales tax equivalent pursuant to section 162.1100, RSMo, of any transitional school district containing the school district, with no more than eighteen cents of the sum levied in the debt service and capital projects funds. Any portion of the operating levy for school purposes levied in the debt service and capital projects funds in excess of a sum of ten cents must be authorized by a vote of the people, after August 28, 1998, approving an increase in the operating levy, or a full waiver of the rollback pursuant to section 164.013, RSMo, with a tax rate ceiling in excess of the minimum tax rate or an issuance of general obligation bond. The operating levy shall be, after all adjustments and equalization of the operating levy, no greater than a maximum value of four dollars and ninety-five cents per one hundred dollars assessed valuation, except that the operating levy shall be no greater than a maximum value of four dollars and seventy cents per one hundred dollars assessed valuation for the purposes of line 2 of subsection 6 of section 163.031. To equalize the operating levy, multiply the aggregate tax rates for teachers' and incidental funds by either the percent of true value, as determined by the state tax commission on or before March fifteenth preceding the fiscal year in which the evaluation will be effective as adjusted by the department of elementary and secondary education to an equivalent sales ratio of thirty-three and one-third percent, or the average percent of true value for the highest three of the last four years as determined and certified by the state tax commission, whichever is greater, and divide by the percent of true value as adjusted by the department of elementary and secondary education to an equivalent sales ratio of thirty-three and one-third percent, provided that for any district for which the equivalent sales ratio is equal to or greater than thirty-three and one-third percent, the equalized operating levy shall be the adjusted operating levy. For any county in which the equivalent sales ratio is less than thirty-one and two-thirds percent, the state tax commission shall conduct a second study in that county and shall use a sample consisting of the parcels used as a sample in the original study combined with an equal number of newly selected parcels. If the new ratio is higher than the original ratio provided by this subdivision, the new ratio shall be used for the purposes of this subdivision and for determining equalized assessed valuation pursuant to subdivision (8) of this section. For the purposes of calculating state aid pursuant to section 163.031, for any district which has not decreased its tax rate from the previous year amount due to an increased amount of a voluntary tax rate rollback, the tax rate used to determine a district's entitlement shall be adjusted so that any decrease in the entitlement due to a decrease in the tax rate resulting from the reassessment shall equal the decrease in the deduction for the assessed valuation of the district as a result of the change in the tax rate due to reassessment. The tax rate adjustments required under this subdivision due to reassessment shall be cumulative and shall be applied each year to determine the tax rate used to calculate the entitlement;
(14) "School purposes" pertains to teachers' and incidental funds;
(15) "Teacher" means any teacher, teacher-secretary, substitute teacher, supervisor, principal, supervising principal, superintendent or assistant superintendent, school nurse, social worker, counselor or librarian who shall, regularly, teach or be employed for no higher than grade twelve more than one-half time in the public schools and who is certified under the laws governing the certification of teachers in Missouri.
166.260. There is hereby created the "Children At-Risk in Education Program" which shall be administered by the commissioner of education. The program shall be funded by moneys provided to school districts pursuant to line 14 of subsection 6 of section 163.031, RSMo, and used solely as determined by local boards of education for: reductions of class size in schools containing high concentrations of children who are least advantaged or who have specially identified educational needs according to rule and regulation of the state board of education; or the following:
(1) The program of half-day instruction for developmentally delayed and at-risk children established pursuant to section 167.260, RSMo;
(2) The program to provide teacher assistants in grades kindergarten through three established pursuant to section 167.263, RSMo;
(3) The program of family literacy for children and families of children at risk of dropping out of school pursuant to sections 160.531, RSMo;
(4) The program to provide guidance counselors in grades kindergarten through nine established pursuant to section 167.265, RSMo;
[(4)] (5) The programs for pupils at risk of becoming high school dropouts established pursuant to section 167.270, RSMo, including specialized courses of instruction, alternative education programs for pregnant teens and teen mothers and supplemental services for teen mothers;
[(5)] (6) The program of support services to pupils identified as having a high risk of dropping out of school established pursuant to section 167.280, RSMo;
[(6)] (7) The program of professional development committees for in-service training on teaching children identified as at risk of failing in school pursuant to section 168.400, RSMo;
[(7)] (8) A program to contract for mental health services to meet the needs of children who are identified as being at risk of failing school as a result of emotional or environmental factors. Eligible contractors shall be approved by the department of mental health;
[(8)] (9) The program of special education and other special services for at-risk and handicapped children in grades kindergarten through third grade emphasizing prevention and early intervention, rather than remediation, known as the "Success for All Program";
[(9)] (10) Paying for building site operating costs in the proportion that the free and reduced-price meal eligible student count is to the total enrollment in that building; and
[(10)] (11) Other programs as approved by the commissioner of education that are exclusively targeted to provide educational services for students who are least advantaged or who have specially identified educational needs.