MINIMUM SCHOOL TERM

This act provides that, beginning in school year 2017-18, the minimum school term shall be 1,044 hours with no minimum number of school days. (Sections 160.011 and 171.031)

This act also provides that, beginning in school year 2017-18, each school district shall define for itself the term "school day" and "minimum school day". (Section 160.041)

This act requires that each school district shall provide a minimum of five hundred twenty-two hours of actual pupil attendance in a term for kindergarten pupils. (Section 163.021)

This act also requires each school district's calendar to include thirty-six make-up hours for possible loss of attendance due to inclement weather. Each district shall be required to make up the first thirty-six hours of school lost or cancelled due to inclement weather, and half the number of hours lost in excess of thirty-six hours if the make-up of the hours is necessary to ensure that the district meets the minimum number of school hours for a term. (Sections 171.031 and 171.033)

These provisions are identical to provisions contained in CCS #2/SCS/SB 650 (2016).

This act also repeals section 171.029, which allowed school districts to establish a four-day school week. This provision shall be effective July 1, 2017.

CHARTER SCHOOLS

This act provides that in addition to sections 160.400 to 160.425, charter schools are subject to the laws and rules relating to schools as specifically provided in other sections of law. (Section 160.405)

STATEWIDE ASSESSMENTS

Starting in school year 2017-18, no student shall spend more than two percent of the school term taking required state assessments. (Section 160.518)

GIFTED EDUCATION

This act prohibits a school district from making a determination as to whether a child is gifted based on the child's participation in an advanced placement course or international baccalaureate course. (Section 162.720)

This act also provides that, beginning in the 2017-18 school year, a district shall receive reduced funding, as described in the act, when it experiences a decrease in its gifted program enrollment of 20% or more from the previous school year. This provision shall not apply to school districts with an average daily attendance of three hundred or less. This provision shall be effective July 1, 2017. (Section 163.031)

These provisions are substantially similar to SCS/SB 904 (2016) and HCS/HB 1419 (2016), and to provisions contained in HCS/SCS/SB 996 (2016), CCS/SCS/SB 638 (2016), HCS/SB 113 (2015), SB 290 (2015), and HB 637 (2015).

STATE AID FOR SCHOOLS

This act reinstates the five percent growth cap in the definition of "current operating expenditures", which was removed beginning in 2010.

This act also provides that the "free and reduced lunch threshold" shall be calculated using the average daily attendance during the regular term for all included performance districts. The act also creates a calculation for a "free and reduced lunch threshold for the district", which is calculated by multiplying the "free and reduced lunch threshold" by the district's regular term average daily attendance, as defined in the act.

The act also provides that the "limited English proficiency threshold" shall be calculated using the average daily attendance during the regular term for all included performance districts. The act also creates a calculation for a "limited English proficiency threshold for the district", which is calculated by multiplying the "limited English proficiency threshold" by the district's regular term average daily attendance, as defined in the act.

The act also provides that the "special education threshold" shall be calculated using the average daily attendance during the regular term for all included performance districts. The act also creates a calculation for a "special education threshold for the district", which is calculated by multiplying the "special education threshold" by the district's regular term average daily attendance, as defined in the act.

This act also changes the "weighted average daily attendance" calculation by making free and reduced lunch, limited English proficiency, and special education thresholds specific to each district. (Section 163.011)

This act requires the Joint Committee on Education to hold a public hearing by December 31, 2016, to receive testimony on the continuing viability of the foundation formula. (Section 163.019)

For state aid for education programs provided by the Division of Youth Services, beginning in the 2017-18 school year the number of full-time equivalent students shall be calculated by dividing the number of student-hours of education service provided by one thousand forty-four hours. (Section 163.073)

This act also limits state aid for reimbursement of summer school hours to two hundred forty hours per student. (Section 167.228)

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

This act provides that charter schools shall receive early childhood education funds at the same time as the district in which the charter school is located. The act also includes early childhood programs that are under contract with a district or charter school that has declared itself as a local educational agency. (Section 163.018)

This provision is substantially similar to HB 1667 (2016) and to a provision contained in SCS/SB 586 & 651 (2016), SB 764 (2016), and HCS/HB 1451 (2016).

This act contains an emergency clause for certain sections.

JOSHUA NORBERG