CHARTER SCHOOL ADMISSION (Section 160.410)

Under this act, a charter school may give preference for admission to students who will be eligible for the free and reduced price lunch program in the upcoming school year.

This provision is substantially similar to a provision contained in HCS/SS/SB 218 (2019) and SS #2/SCS/SB 292 (2019), and is similar to a provision contained in SCS/HB 485 (2019), HCS/HB 581 (2019).

A+ Program (Section 160.545)

This act modifies the A+ Schools program by adding a requirement that high schools in the program shall demonstrate a commitment to ensure that all students earn credits towards any type of college degree while in high school. The Department of Higher Education shall establish a procedure for the reimbursement of the cost of tuition and fees for any dual-credit or dual-enrollment course offered to a student in high school in association with an institution of higher education or vocational or technical school.

Currently, to be eligible for the program, a student must have attended a high school in Missouri for at least three years prior to graduation. This act provides that the student must have attended a high school in the state for at least two years.

The Department shall, under this act, distribute reimbursements first to community college or vocational or technical school students, then to any dual-credit or dual-enrollment students, on the basis of financial need.

This act is identical to a provision contained in SCS/HB 485 (2019), SCS/SB 205 (2019), is substantially similar to HB 2412 (2018), and is similar to HB 221 (2019) and HB 454 (2019).

RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION BY SCHOOLS (Section 160.2500)

Under this act, no public school district shall discriminate against any person, rather than any student or parent, on the basis of a religious viewpoint for religious expression.

STUDENT TRANSFERS (Sections 160.410, 160.415, 162.081, 163.018, 167.131, 167.132, 167.151, 167.241, 167.890, 167.895, and 167.898)

STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION INTERVENTION POWERS (Section 162.081): This act allows the State Board of Education to lapse the corporate organization of all or part of an unaccredited school district. If the State Board appoints a special administrative board for the operation of a part of an unaccredited school district, the State Board shall determine an equitable apportionment of state and federal aid for the part of the district. In addition, the school district shall provide local revenue in proportion to the weighted average daily attendance of the part governed by the special administrative board.

The State Board may appoint members of the elected board to a special administrative board, but members of the elected board shall not comprise more than 49% of the special administrative board.

When the State Board determines another form of governance for an unaccredited district, that other form of governance shall be subject to the following provisions of law: it will retain the authority granted to a board of education; it will expire at the end of the third year of its appointment unless reauthorized; it will not be deemed to be the state or a state agency; and it will not be considered a successor entity for purposes of employment contracts, unemployment compensation, or any other purpose.

If the State Board reasonably believes that a school district is unlikely to provide for the minimum number of school hours required in a school term due to financial difficulty, the State Board may, prior to the start of the school term, allow continued governance by the existing district school board under terms and conditions established by the State Board. As an alternative, the State Board may lapse the corporate organization of the district and implement one of the options available to the State Board to intervene in an unaccredited district. However, this provision shall not apply to any district solely on the basis of financial difficulty resulting from paying tuition and providing transportation for transfer students.

These provisions are identical to SB 25 (2019), SB 587 (2018), is substantially similar to SCS/HB 485 (2019), and is similar to SB 23 (2017), SB 58 (2017), SS#2/SCS/SB 313 (2017), and HCS/HB 118 (2017).

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (Section 163.018):

This act allows children who attend early childhood education programs that are under contract with school districts or charter schools that have declared themselves as a local education agency to be included in the average daily attendance of the school district or charter school.

This provision is substantially similar to HB 594 (2019), HCS/SS/SB 218 (2019), SB 407 (2019), SCS/SB 485 (2019), and is similar to SB 25 (2019), SB 587 (2018), HCS/HB 118 (2017), SB 378 (2017), and HB 457 (2017).

TUITION (Section 167.131 and 167.132):

The board of education of each district in Missouri that does not maintain a high school offering work through the twelfth grade shall pay tuition as calculated by the receiving district, and provide transportation for each student resident therein who has completed the work of the highest grade offered in the schools of the district and who attends an accredited public high school.

This provision does not apply to students who attend an approved charter school in the same or adjoining county.

Under this act, the tuition rate paid by a sending school district to the receiving district is either the tuition rate set by the receiving district or the receiving approved charter school, or the state adequacy target plus the average sum produced per child by the local tax effort above the state adequacy target of the sending district, whichever is less.

These provisions are identical to SCS/HB 485 (2019), SB 25 (2019), SB 587 (2018) and SB 559 (2018).

TRANSPORTATION OF PUPILS TO ANOTHER DISTRICT (Section 167.241): For transferring students, the district of residence is required to provide transportation only to school districts or approved charter schools designated by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. DESE must designate at least one accredited district or approved charter school to which the district of residence shall provide transportation, but if the designated district or charter school reaches full student capacity and is unable to receive additional students, DESE shall designate at least one additional accredited district or approved charter school to which the district of residence must provide transportation.

These provisions are identical SCS/HB 485 (2019), SB 25 (2019), and SB 587 (2018).

TRANSFER AND TRANSIENT STUDENT DATA (Section 167.890):

DESE shall compile and maintain student performance data scores of all transient and transfer students enrolled in districts other than their resident districts and make the data available on the Missouri Comprehensive Data System. Personally identifiable information shall not be accessible on the database.

These provisions are identical to SCS/HB 485 (2019), SB 25 (2019), SB 587 (2018), HCS/HB 118 (2017), and are substantially similar to provisions contained in SB 23 (2017), SB 58 (2017), and SS#2/SCS/SB 313 (2017).

STUDENT TRANSFERS (Sections 167.895):

Any student may transfer to another public school in the student's district of residence if such student is enrolled and has attended, for the full semester immediately prior to requesting the transfer, an attendance center, as defined in the act, that is located within an unaccredited district and that has an annual performance report score consistent with a classification of unaccredited. However, such transfers shall not be allowed if the transfers result in a class size or assigned enrollment in a receiving school that exceeds the standards promulgated in the Missouri School Improvement Program resource standards. Any student wishing to transfer to a magnet school, an academically selective school, or a school with a competitive entrance process shall meet those admissions requirements in order to attend.

The school board of each unaccredited district shall determine the capacity at each of the district's attendance centers that have an APR score consistent with the classification of accredited. The district's school board is responsible for coordinating transfers within the district.

The school board of each unaccredited district shall annually make a report to DESE or its designee with the following information: the number of available slots in attendance centers that have APR scores consistent with the classification of accredited, the number of students who request to transfer within the district, and the number of such transfers that are granted.

Any student who is eligible to transfer within his or her district but who is unable to do so due to a lack of capacity in the attendance centers in his or her district of residence may apply to DESE or its designee to transfer to:

1) An attendance center that is located within an accredited district that is located in the same or an adjoining county and that has an APR score consistent with a classification of accredited; or

2) An approved charter school located in another district in the same or an adjoining county.

A student who is eligible to begin kindergarten or first grade at an attendance center located within an unaccredited district that has an APR score consistent with the classification of unaccredited and that offers classes above the second grade level may apply to DESE for a transfer to one of the two schools described immediately above. Such student is required to reside in the attendance area of the unaccredited school on March 1 preceding the school year of first attendance. A student who does not apply by March 1 is required to enroll and attend for one semester to become eligible.

Any student who does not maintain residency in the attendance area of his or her attendance center in the district of residence loses the eligibility to transfer. With exception as set forth in the act, a student who transfers but later withdraws shall also lose eligibility to transfer. No student enrolled in and attending an attendance center that does not offer classes above the second grade is eligible to transfer under these provisions.

An unaccredited district, provisionally accredited district, unaccredited attendance center, or provisionally accredited attendance center is not eligible to receive transfer students, except that, within an unaccredited district, students may transfer from unaccredited attendance centers to accredited attendance centers, and a transfer student who chooses to attend a provisionally accredited attendance center in the district of residence shall be allowed to transfer to the school if there is an available slot.

If a receiving district becomes unaccredited or provisionally accredited, or if an approved charter school loses such status, any students who previously transferred to the district or charter school shall have the opportunity to remain enrolled or to transfer to another district or approved charter school without losing their eligibility to transfer.

No attendance center that has received two consecutive APR scores consistent with a classification of provisionally accredited for the years immediately preceding the year in which it seeks to enroll transfer students may receive transfer students, regardless of its State Board classification designation, except that any student who was granted a transfer to the attendance center prior to the effective date of the act may remain enrolled in that attendance center.

Districts and charter schools that receive student transfers are not required to: exceed to class size and assignment enrollment standards of its approved policy on class size; hire additional classroom teachers; or construct additional classrooms unless the school board of the receiving district or the receiving approved charter school's governing board has approved the action.

By July 15, 2019, the board of education of each available receiving district and the governing board of each approved charter school shall set the number of transfer students they are able to receive for the 2019-20 school year. The board shall then set such numbers annually by February 1. They shall also publish such numbers and shall not be required to accept any transfer students that would cause it to exceed such number.

Available receiving districts and approved charter schools shall adopt a policy establishing a tuition rate annually for transfer students by February 1.

If an unaccredited school becomes provisionally accredited or accredited without provisions, any resident student who transferred under one of the transfer options shall be permitted to continue his or her educational program in that education option through the completion of middle school, junior high, or high school as specified in the act.

When costs associated with the provision of special education and related services to a student with a disability exceed the tuition amount, the transfer student's district of residence shall remain responsible for paying the excess cost to the receiving district or charter school. When the receiving district is a component district of a special school district, the transfer student's district of residence shall contract with the special school district for the entirety of the costs to provide special education and related services, excluding transportation. The special school district may contract with a district operating an unaccredited school for the provision of transportation of a student with a disability. A special school district shall continue to provide special education and related services, with the exception of transportation, to a student with a disability transferring from an unaccredited school within a component district to an accredited school within the same or a different component district within the special school district.

When the St. Louis City School District operates an unaccredited school, it shall remain responsible for the provision of special education and related services, including transportation, to students with disabilities. A special school district in an adjoining county may contract with the St. Louis City School District for the reimbursement of special education services provided by the special school district for transfer students who are residents of the unaccredited district.

Regardless of whether transportation is identified as a related service within a student's individualized education program, a receiving district that is not part of a special school district shall not be responsible for providing transportation to a student transferring under these provisions. A district operating an unaccredited school may contract with a receiving district that is not part of a special school district for transportation of students with disabilities. When a district other than St. Louis City operates an unaccredited school, it may contract with a receiving district that is not part of a special school district in the same or an adjoining county for the reimbursement of special education and related services provided by the receiving district for transfer students who are residents of the district operating an unaccredited school.

These provisions contain an emergency clause.

These provisions are substantially similar to SCS/HB 485 (2019), SB 25 (2019), SB 587 (2018), and are similar to provisions contained in SB 23 (2017), SB 58 (2017), HCS/HB 118 (2017), and SS#2/SCS/SB 313 (2017).

ELIGIBLE DISTRICTS (Section 167.898):

By July 15, 2019, and by January 1 annually, each district eligible to receive transfer students shall report to DESE the number of its available enrollment slots in accredited schools by grade level. Each unaccredited district shall report the number of available enrollment slots in the district's accredited attendance centers. Each approved charter school eligible to receive transfer students shall report the number of available enrollment slots by the same dates. DESE shall make information and assistance available to parents or guardians who intend to transfer their child using one of the transfer options. The parent or guardian who intends to transfer his or her child shall send initial notification to DESE by March 1 for enrollment in the subsequent school year. DESE shall assign transfer students as space allows.

When assigning students to approved charter schools, the DESE shall coordinate with each approved charter school and its admissions process if capacity is insufficient to enroll all students who submit a timely application. An approved charter school shall not be required to receive any transfer student that would require it to institute a lottery procedure for determining the admission of resident students. DESE shall give first priority to students who live in the same household with family members within the first or second degree of consanguinity or affinity who have already transferred and who apply to transfer to the same accredited school. If insufficient grade-appropriate enrollment slots are available for a student to transfer, that student shall receive first priority the following school year.

DESE shall consider the following factors in assigning school districts or charter schools: the student's or parent's choice of the receiving school district or charter school, which shall be the most important factor; the best interests of the student; availability of transportation funding; and distance and travel time. DESE shall not consider student academic performance; free and reduced price lunch status; or athletic ability in assigning a student to a school. The parent or guardian may make an application for a specific building assignment within the district or approved charter school. Final building assignment shall be determined by the receiving school district or approved charter school.

DESE may deny a transfer to a student, who in the most recent school year, has been suspended from school two or more times or has been suspended for an act of school violence, as specified in the act. A student who is denied a transfer for this reason has the right to an in-person meeting with a representative of DESE. DESE shall develop administrative guidelines to provide common standards for determining disruptive behavior that shall include criteria under the Safe Schools Act.

These provisions contain an emergency clause.

These provisions are substantially similar to SCS/HB 485 (2019), SB 25 (2019), HCS/HB 118 (2017), SB 587 (2018), and similar to provisions contained in SB 23 (2017), SB 58 (2017), and SS#2/SCS/SB 313 (2017).

HOLOCAUST EDUCATION AND AWARENESS (Section 161.700)

Under current law, as used in the Holocaust Education and Awareness Commission Act, the term "holocaust" is defined as the period from 1933 through 1945 when 6 million Jews and millions of others were murdered in Nazi concentration camps as part of a structured, state-sanctioned program of genocide. This act removes "in Nazi concentration camps" from the definition of "holocaust", and inserts "by Nazi Germany and its collaborators".

This provision is identical to a provision contained in SCS/HCS/HB 266 (2019), and HCS/SB 468 (2019), and is substantially similar to SB 373 (2019).

SCHOOL TURNAROUND ACT (Sections 161.1080, 161.1085, 161.1090, 161.1095, 161.1100, 161.1105, 161.1110, 161.1115, 161.1120, 161.1125, and 161.1130)

This act establishes the "School Turnaround Act", which requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish school turnaround programs to assist public and charter schools in need of intervention.

THE SCHOOL TURNAROUND FUND (Sections 161.090, 161.1095, 161.1105, 161.1110)

Beginning September 1, 2020, the Department shall use an outcome-based measure to set the criteria for the designation of schools in need of intervention. Such designations shall occur no later than one month following the release of the statewide assessment results. The Department shall use the same measure to determine the criteria a school must meet to exit the school turnaround program.

The Department shall designate a school as in need of intervention only if there are sufficient funds in the School Turnaround Fund, established in this act, to pay an independent school turnaround expert.

Prior to August 30, 2020, the Department is required to identify two or more approved independent school turnaround experts with who a school in need of intervention may partner. Such experts must meet the criteria set forth in the act.

The school turnaround committee, established by the governing board prior to October 1 of any year in which a school is designated as a school in need of intervention, shall partner with the governing board, before October 15, to select an independent school turnaround expert from the candidates identified by the Department. The committee shall be composed of one member of the governing board, the school principal, three parents of students enrolled in the school, four teachers at the school, and the district's chief financial officer, or equivalent.

The Department shall award contracts to school turnaround experts, and governing boards are not required to pay such experts. Contracts between the governing board and the expert are required to include specific elements set forth in the act.

SCHOOL TURNAROUND PLANS (Sections 161.1095, 161.1110)

The independent school turnaround expert shall, with the committee, develop and implement a school turnaround plan that includes certain elements set forth in the act. Such plan shall be submitted by the committee to the governing board for approval before March 1 of any initial remedial year. If the governing board does not approve the school turnaround plan, the committee may submit a new or revised school turnaround plan to the governing board for approval. The Department shall not approve a school turnaround plan unless such plan has been approved by the governing board of the school in need of intervention.

If the plan is approved by the governing board, such plan shall then be submitted to the Department for final approval before April 1 of an initial remedial year. The Department shall review a school turnaround plan submitted for approval within 30 days of submission, and shall approve a plan that is timely, well-developed, and meets the criteria set forth in the act.

The Department shall create an appeals process for a governing board that does not receive approval of its plan from the Department.

THE SCHOOL INTERVENTION FUND (Sections 161.1110 and 161.1115)

The Department, under this act, shall award grants from the School Intervention Fund, established in this act, to fund interventions identified in approved school turnaround plans. Local educational agencies shall only be eligible for a grant if the agency provides matching funds or an in-kind contribution of goods or services in the amount equal to the grant award.

A school in need of intervention that does not meet certain criteria, determined by the Department, within four school years after being designated a school in need of intervention may petition the Department for an extension to continue school improvement efforts for up to two additional years. Such extension shall be granted by the Department only if the school has demonstrated at least 50% of the improvement necessary to exit the turnaround process, or submits an appeal to the Department. A school that has been granted an extension is eligible for continued funding, and the Department may also extend the contract of an independent school turnaround expert.

Additional interventions for schools that do not meet the predetermined exit criteria in the required time frame shall be established by the Department.

THE SCHOOL RECOGNITION REWARD FUND (Section 161.1120, 161.1125)

Subject to appropriation, the Department shall establish a statewide program to be known as the "School Recognition and Reward Program" to provide incentives to schools and teachers to improve schools in need of intervention.

The Department shall award grants from the newly created School Recognition Reward Fund to local educational agencies with eligible schools, so long as the grant money is used to reward such schools or teachers.

Before November 30 2021, and before November 30 of each year thereafter, the Department shall report to the Joint Committee on Education on the implementation of this act.

These provisions are substantially similar to SB 365 (2019), and HCS/SB 218 (2019).

SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER SCHOOL EMPLOYMENT POLICIES (Section 162.068)

Current law requires every school district and charter school to adopt a written policy on information that the district provides about former employees to other public schools. Under this act, such policy shall require the district or charter school to disclose, to any public school that contacts such district or charter school about a former employee, information regarding any violation of the published regulations of the Board of Education of the district or the governing body of the charter school by the former employee, if such violation related to sexual misconduct with a student and was determined to be an actual violation after a contested case due process hearing.

Any school district or charter school shall, before offering employment to any teacher who was employed by a Missouri school district or charter school, contact the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the school district or charter school that previously employed such employee, and shall request information set forth in the act.

This provision is identical to provisions contained in SCS/HCS/HB 739 (2019).

SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER TRAINING (Section 162.203)

Current law requires board members to successfully complete orientation and training requirements within one year of the date of their election or appointment. Under this act, such orientation shall consist of at least 18 hours and 30 minutes, rather than 16 hours.

This act further requires such orientation and training to include 2 hours and 30 minutes of training that provides up-to-date and reliable information on identifying signs of sexual abuse in children and danger signals of potentially abusive relationships between children and adults. Such training shall emphasize how to establish an atmosphere of trust so that students feel their school has concerned adults with whom students can feel comfortable discussing matters related to abuse.

If, before August 28, 2019, a board member completed the orientation and training requirements, the board member shall not be required to complete any additional training, other than at least one hour of refresher training each year of any term in office. Such refresher training shall address concepts covered in the initial training, including, but not limited to, the prevention of sexual abuse of children.

This provision is identical to provisions contained in SCS/HCS/HB 739 (2019).

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (Section 163.018)

Under current law, pupils between the ages of three and five who are eligible for free and reduced price lunch and attend an early childhood education program that is operated by and in a district or by a charter school that has declared itself as a local educational agency providing full-day kindergarten and that meets standards established by the State Board of Education are included in the district's or charter school's calculation of average daily attendance.

Under this act, such students shall also be included in the calculation of average daily attendance if they attend an early childhood education program that is under contract with a district or charter school that has declared itself as a local educational agency and that meets standards established by the State Board.

In establishing such standards, the State Board shall consider certain factors set forth in the act. The staff members of an early childhood education program are required to undergo background checks.

This provision is substantially similar to HB 594 (2019), HCS/SS/SB 218 (2019), SB 407 (2019), SCS/SB 485 (2019), and is similar to SB 25 (2019), SB 587 (2018), HCS/HB 118 (2017), SB 378 (2017), and HB 457 (2017).

SCHOOL REVENUES FROM INCOME TAXES ON FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS (Section 163.031)

Under this act, beginning January 1, 2020, any school district that receives revenue from the income tax on banking institutions, credit institutions, credit unions and savings and loan associations shall report the amount of such revenue received by the district to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Using such data, the Department shall determine the amount of revenue the district would have received from the taxes but for the reduction in such income taxes, and remit said amount to each applicable district within 30 days of the end of each calendar year. The amount remitted to the district shall be the total of the revenue received by the district from the tax, times 1.5625, minus the total of the revenue received from the tax.

Such payments shall be in addition to payments made under the foundation formula.

This provision is identical to SCS/SB 475 (2019).

TRAVEL HARDSHIPS OF STUDENTS (Section 167.125)

Under current law, if any student in St. Elizabeth or St. Albans applies to attend another school district, the Commissioner of Education is required to assign such student to another district if the driving distance from the student's residence to the school in the student's district of residence is at least 15 miles, and if the school to which the student would be assigned is at least 5 miles closer to the student's residence than the school in the student's district of residence.

This act would also allow a student residing in an unincorporated area of Maries county to apply for a reassignment by the Commissioner.

A student will be eligible to apply to be reassigned by the Commissioner if the student has applied for enrollment in a public school in a district other than his or her district of residence, but was denied.

This provision is substantially similar to a provision contained in SCS/HB 485 (2019).

CERTIFIED TEACHER EXTERNSHIPS (Section 168.025)

This act requires the Department of Economic Development and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to develop and recommend requirements for teacher externships that can be considered the equivalent of the completion of credit hours in graduate-level courses for the purposes of salary schedules. Such requirements shall be adopted and published by July 1, 2020. Teacher externships shall mean an experience in which a teacher, under the supervision of his or her school district, gains practical experience through observation and interaction with employers and employees at a business located in Missouri.

A school district or charter school shall consider any teacher who has completed a certified teacher externship to have completed credit hours in graduate level courses on its salary schedule.

The program established under this act shall sunset on December 31, 2024, unless reauthorized by the General Assembly.

This provision is identical to HCS#2/HB 462 (2019).

SCHOOL BACKGROUND CHECKS ON VOLUNTEERS (Section 168.133)

Under this act, school districts are required to conduct a criminal background check on screened volunteers, which shall mean any person who assists a school by providing uncompensated service and who may be left alone with students. Volunteers that are not screened shall not be left alone with a student or have access to student records.

The provisions of this section are identical to a provision contained in SCS/HB 485 (2019), SCS/HCS/HB 739 (2019), and SB 295 (2019).

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS (Section 170.020)

This act requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to establish a voluntary pilot program, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, to provide for social and emotional health education in elementary schools in the state. The purpose of the program is to determine whether and how to implement an elementary social and emotional health education program statewide.

The Department shall select from among applications submitted by the public elementary schools a minimum of 16 public elementary schools for participation in the pilot program. If fewer than 16 schools apply to the program, the Department shall select as many eligible schools possible for participation in the pilot program. The Department is required to develop an application process for schools wishing to participate in the program.

The local school board for each elementary school selected to participate in the pilot program shall agree to implement and fully fund an elementary social and emotional health program in such school and to continue to provide such social and emotional health education program for a period of at least three years. The local school district may employ a social and emotional health teacher to provide such program for the elementary school.

The Department and the local school districts are required, under this act, to collaborate to establish the instructional models for each elementary social and emotional health education program. Such instructional model shall be grade-appropriate and include instruction on how to set and achieve positive goals, how to utilize coping strategies to handle stress, and shall have an increased emphasis on protective factors, such as problem-solving skills, social support, and social connectedness through positive relationships and teamwork.

The Department shall provide for a program evaluation regarding the success and impact of the pilot program, and shall report the results of such evaluation to the relevant House and Senate committees on health and mental health, and education.

The Department is required to maintain an adequate number of full-time employees, certified in social and emotional health education, and distributed regionally throughout the state.

Nothing in the act shall be construed to require public elementary schools to participate in the program.

This provision is substantially similar to a provision contained in HCS/SS/SB 218 (2019).

TRAUMA-INFORMED SEXUAL ABUSE TRAINING (Section 170.045)

Beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, and in each school year thereafter, each school district is required to provide trauma-informed, developmentally-appropriate sexual abuse training to students in all grades not lower than sixth grade. Such training shall include certain elements set forth in the act.

The Department shall provide guidance and training materials that school districts may use to comply with the act. Such training materials shall be developed in consultation with the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children.

The school district shall notify parents or guardians of the content of the training in advance, and shall inform the parents or guardians of their right to have the student excused from the instruction.

The provisions of this section are identical to provisions contained in SCS/HCS/HB 739 (2019).

REQUIRED LENGTH OF SCHOOL TERMS (Sections 171.031 and 171.033)

This act modifies provisions relating to the required length of school terms.

Under this act, each local school district may set its opening date each year, which shall be no earlier than 14, rather than 10, days prior to the first Monday in September. No public school district shall select an earlier start date unless, for school years before the 2020-2021 school year, the district follows the procedure set forth under current law. Such procedure shall be unavailable to school districts preparing their calendars for school year 2020-2021 and for subsequent years.

This act exempts school districts from the required number of days school districts are required to make up for days lost due to inclement weather for the 2018-2019 school year. Under this act, school districts would only be required to make up six days lost due to inclement weather, rather than six days plus half the number of days lost in excess of six days.

This provision has an emergency clause.

This provision is substantially similar to SCS/HCS/HB NOs 161 & 401 (2019), HCS/SS/SB 218 (2019), and SB 478 (2019).

ALTERNATIVE METHODS OF INSTRUCTION (Section 171.033)

Under this act, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, school districts shall not be required to make up any hours of school lost or cancelled due to exceptional or emergency circumstances, such as inclement weather, a utility outage, or an outbreak of a contagious disease, if the district has an alternative methods of instruction plan approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

If school is closed due to exceptional or emergency circumstances, and the district has an approved alternative methods of instruction plan, the district shall notify students and parents whether the plan is to be implemented on that day, and shall ensure that each student receives assignments for that day in hard copy form, through virtual learning, or through another method of instruction.

A district with an approved alternative methods of instruction plan shall not use such instruction for more than 36 hours during a school year. A district that has used alternative methods of instruction for 36 hours during a school year shall be required to make up any subsequent hours of school lost or cancelled due to exceptional or emergency circumstances.

The Department shall give districts with an approved alternative methods of instruction plan credit for the hours in which they use such plan, by considering such hours as hours in which the school was actually in session.

Any district wishing to use an alternative methods of instruction plan shall submit an application to the Department, which shall include certain information set forth in the act.

This act modifies the definition of "inclement weather" to include excessive heat.

This provision is substantially similar to HB NOS. 281 & 570, and is similar to HB 127 (2017).

SCHOOL DISTRICT BIDDING REQUIREMENTS (Section 177.086)

Currently, any school district authorizing the construction of facilities that may cost more than $15,000 shall advertise in a newspaper and comply with certain bidding requirements. This act increases that amount to $50,000.

This provision is identical to HB 453 (2019), and HCS/HB 2332 (2018), and is similar to SB 206 (2019).

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS (Section 178.530)

Under this act, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is authorized to develop a pilot program, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, to provide for agricultural education in elementary schools in the state. The purpose of the program is to determine whether and how to implement an elementary agricultural education program statewide.

The Department shall develop an application process for public elementary schools wishing to participate in the pilot program. The Department shall select a minimum of 16 public elementary schools that applied to participate in the program. The local school board for each elementary school selected to be in the pilot program shall agree to implement and fully fund an elementary agricultural education program in such school and to continue to provide such elementary agricultural education program for a period of at least 3 years. The local school district may employ an agricultural education teacher to provide such program for the elementary school.

The Department and local school districts shall collaborate to establish the instructional model for each elementary agricultural education program, and such instructional model must meet the criteria set forth in the act.

The Department shall provide for a program evaluation regarding the success and impact of the pilot program and shall report the results of such evaluation to the relevant House and Senate committees on agriculture and education.

The Department is required to maintain an adequate number of full-time employees, certified in agricultural education and distributed regionally throughout the state.

This provision is identical to a provision contained in HCS/SS/SB 218 (2019) and is similar to HB 1010 (2019).

THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CARE, CUSTODY, AND CONTROL OF THE CHILD (Section 210.110)

This act modifies the definition of "those responsible for the care, custody, and control of the child" to include school personnel, contractors, and volunteers, if the relationship with the child was established through the school or through school related activities, even if the alleged abuse or neglect occurred outside of school hours or off school grounds.

This provision is identical to provisions contained in SCS/HCS/HB 739 (2019).

JOSIE BUTLER