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 SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 604 (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 SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 604 (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 SB 295 (2019), SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 604 (2019), SCS/HB 485 (2019), and HCS/HB 739 (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.

This provision is identical to SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 604 (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 SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 604 (2019)

JOSIE BUTLER