SCS/SB 759 - This act creates the Missouri Parent/Teacher Involvement Program to provide grant awards to schools to develop and build trusting relationships between families and school staff. The goal of the program is to improve the academic and social success of pupils. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must coordinate and administer the program. Priority for distribution of grant moneys will be given to unaccredited and provisionally accredited school districts. Schools serving grades K-12 must operate programs that meet the following requirements: at least fifty percent of the staff employed at the school site must voluntarily agree to participate in home visits; prior to the commencement of home visits, a school must establish a compact in which parents and legal guardians agree to participate in periodic home visits; a teacher who participates in the program must receive certain training, as described in the act; school personnel must be compensated for their participation in home visits, as described in the act; and all home visits must be conducted by a pair or team that includes the pupil's classroom teacher and one other full-time school employee.
Beginning with school year 2015-2016, each school board must adopt a policy on parental involvement in the schools of the district. The policy must be designed to build consistent and effective communication between the parents and guardians of district pupils and the teachers and administrators. The policy must provide the opportunity for parents and guardians to be actively involved in the pupil's education, as described in the act.
The provisions of this act will sunset in six years unless reauthorized.
This act is similar to HB 1170 (2014) and HB 904 (2013).
MICHAEL RUFF