SHOW ME SUCCESS DIPLOMA PROGRAM

This act establishes the Show Me Success Diploma Program as an alternative pathway to graduation for high school students. Students may earn the show me success diploma beginning at the end of a student's tenth grade year. By July 1, 2022, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall develop detailed requirements for students to become eligible for the show me success diploma.

Students who earn a show me success diploma may elect to remain in high school. Alternatively, a student having earned the diploma may instead enroll in a qualifying postsecondary educational institution. For each student enrolled in such an institution, an amount equal to ninety percent of the pupil's proportionate share of the state, local, and federal aid that the district or charter school receives for such pupil, shall be deposited into a higher education savings account that lists the pupil as the beneficiary. (Section 160.560)

These provisions are similar to provisions in SB 34 (2021).

COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION

This act establishes the Competency-Based Education Grant Program. By application, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall award grants from the fund to eligible school districts for the purpose of providing competency-based education programs. The Department shall facilitate the creation, sharing, and development of course assessments, curriculum, training and guidance for teachers, and best practices for the school districts that offer competency-based education courses. (Section 161.380)

This act establishes the Competency-Based Education Task Force to study and develop competency-based education programs in public schools. The Task Force shall conduct interviews and at least three public hearings to identify promising competency-based education programs and obstacles to implementing such programs. Before December 1 of each year, the Task Force shall present its findings and recommendations to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Joint Committee on Education, and the State Board of Education. (Section 161.385)

Under this act, school districts and charter schools shall receive state school funding under the foundation formula for high school students who are taking competency-based courses offered by their school district or charter school.

Attendance of a student enrolled in a competency-based course shall equal the product of the district or charter school's prior year average attendance percentage multiplied by the total number of attendance hours normally allocable to a non-competency-based course of equal credit value. (Section 162.1255)

These provisions are similar to provisions in SB 33 (2021), SB 34 (2021), and SB 35 (2021).

MISSOURI COURSE ACCESS AND VIRTUAL SCHOOL PROGRAM

This act modifies the definition of "full-time equivalent student" for purposes of the Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program by including all students served by the Program who are enrolled, rather than who have completed, the instructional equivalent of six credits per term. Such students shall not be required to be present at any specific physical location for any ongoing instructional activity.

If a school district or charter school fails to make any payment to a virtual program provider in full within sixty days of receiving an invoice, the provider may notify the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Upon notice of such nonpayment, the Department shall immediately pay the Missouri course access and virtual school program the total amount invoiced, to be withheld from the next disbursement of funding to the non-paying school district or charter school. By November 1st annually, the Department shall provide a written report to the Joint Committee on Education detailing each occasion during the prior school year that such an issue occurred.

A full-time virtual school program serving full time equivalent students shall participate in the statewide assessment system, with the results to be attributed to the virtual school program as an attendance center, rather than the local educational authority.

School districts and charter schools shall allow any eligible residential student to enroll in the Program as part of the student's course load if the student was enrolled in a charter or public school full-time for at least the semester immediately prior to enrolling in the Program, except for students with certain diagnoses or conditions preventing attendance.

The Department, rather than each school district or charter school, shall adopt a policy that delineates the process by which a student not enrolled in a full-time virtual program may enroll in courses provided by the Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program.

Current law allows any eligible student to enroll in Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program courses if, prior to enrolling in any such course, a student has received approval from his or her school resident school district or charter school. This act repeals the provision requiring a student to receive approval from his or her school district. If the school district or charter school believes a student's request to enroll in a virtual program is not in the best educational interest of the student, the reason shall be provided in writing to the student's parent or guardian, who shall have final decision-making authority. The reason shall not be based on financial considerations or the virtual course offerings of the school district, charter school, or preferred provider.

The costs associated with such virtual courses to be paid by the school district or charter school directly on a pro rata basis each semester, rather than monthly, based on a student's completion of assignments and assessments.

Current law also requires the Department to monitor student success and engagement and report such information to the school district or charter school. Under this act, the Department shall instead report the aggregate performance of providers to the public in the Program catalog and course listings required under current law.

The maximum total enrollment in all full-time virtual programs under this section shall be 2% of the total public school pupil enrollment in the state.

Each full-time virtual school program shall report current full-time enrollment on a weekly basis to the department. When the 2% maximum enrollment is reached, the Department shall notify all such programs to cease new enrollment. Even when new enrollment is prohibited, the siblings of current participants and students who have previously participated may continue to become enrolled. When enrollment falls below the 2% maximum, the Department shall assign new enrollment slots to virtual program that have created a waiting list, in proportion to each full-time virtual program's share of enrollment. A full-time virtual program may use new enrollment slots to enroll waitlisted students in the order enrollment requests or applications were received. (Section 161.670)

These provisions are similar to provisions in SCS/SB 95 (2021), HB 754 (2021) and SCS/SB 996 (2020).

SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY BOARD

This act establishes the School Accountability Board, composed of members as described in the act. Each member shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner or officer who appointed the member. The Board shall advise the State Board of Education and Department on matters pertaining to the development and implementation of the state's school improvement program through activities described in the act, including presenting findings and recommendations related to school and district accountability and improvement to the State Board of Education at least two times annually. (Section 161.890)

These provisions are similar to provisions in SCS/SB 400 (2021).

MISSOURI EDUCATION SAVINGS PROGRAM

Under this act, the Missouri Education Savings Program is renamed the Missouri Education Program.

This act modifies the definition of "eligible educational institution" to include all eligible educational institutions, as defined in Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, rather than just institutions of postsecondary education. (Sections 166.400, 166.410, 166.415, 166.420, 166.425, 166.435, 166.440, 166.456, 166.502, and 209.610)

These provisions are substantially similar to provisions contained in HS/HB 297 (2021), HB 627 (2021), SS/SCS/SBs 55, 23, & 25 (2021) and are similar to provisions contained in SCS/HCS/HB 1540 (2020), HCS/HB 2068 (2020) and HCS/HB 2261 (2020).

COMPUTER SCIENCE COURSES

This act modifies the definition of "computer science course" by including any elementary, middle, or high school course that embeds computer science content within other subjects.

This act requires, for all school years on or after July 1, 2022, certain coursework and instruction in computer science and computational thinking in public and charter high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools. Courses and instruction offered under this act must meet certain standards established by the State Board of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

This act requires school districts to submit to the Department certain information related to its computer science courses and demographic enrollment information for such courses.

On or before June 30th annually, the Department shall publish a list of computer science course codes and names with a course description and shall indicate which courses meet or exceed the Department's computer science performance standards.

The Department shall appoint a computer science advisor to implement these provisions of the act.

Beginning July 1, 2022, computer science courses successfully completed and counted toward state graduation requirements shall be equivalent to one science or practical arts credit for the purpose of satisfying admission requirements at any public institution of higher education in the state. (Section 170.018)

These provisions are substantially similar to SCS/SB 204 (2021).

COMPUTER SCIENCE TASK FORCE

This act established the Computer Science Education Task Force with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and comprised of members as described in the act. The Task Force shall develop a state strategic plan for expanding the statewide computer science education program. A chairperson and vice chairperson shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President Pro Tempore of the Senate, respectively. The Task Force shall hold its first meeting within one month of August 28, 2021. Before June 30, 2022, the Task Force shall present a summary of its activities and recommendations to the General Assembly. The Task Force shall dissolve on June 30, 2023. (Section 170.036)

COLLEGE ATHLETICS

Under this act, no postsecondary educational institution shall prevent a student from participating in intercollegiate athletics and earning compensation from the use of the student's name, image, likeness rights, or athletic reputation, and earning such compensation shall not affect the student's grant-in-aid or stipend eligibility, amount, duration, or renewal. No such institution shall prevent a student from obtaining professional representation in relation to contracts or legal matters.

Grant-in-aid and stipends from postsecondary educational institutions shall not be construed as compensation for use of a student's name, image, likeness rights, or athletic reputation under the act.

No student athlete shall enter into an apparel, equipment, or beverage contract if such contract requires the athlete to display a sponsor's apparel, equipment, beverage, or other advertisement during official team activities if doing so would be in conflict with a provision of the postsecondary institution's current licenses or contracts. A student athlete shall not enter into any contract for compensation for the use of such athlete's name, image, likeness rights, or athletic reputation if doing so would conflict with a contract to which the institution is a party without such institution's written consent. Prior to receiving compensation, the student athlete shall disclose in full any contract to use such athlete's name, image, likeness rights, or athletic reputation to an official designated by the postsecondary institution.

Postsecondary educational institutions, entities supporting or benefitting such institution or its intercollegiate sports, or any officer, director, or employee of such institution or entity shall not directly or indirectly compensate a student athlete or such athlete's family for the use of such athlete's name, image, likeness rights, or athletic reputation.

No team contract used by a postsecondary institution shall prevent a student athlete from receiving compensation for the use of the athlete's name, image, likeness rights, or athletic reputation for a commercial purpose outside of official, mandatory team activities recorded in writing and made publicly available.

Postsecondary institutions which enter into commercial agreements that directly or indirectly use a student athlete's name, image, likeness rights, or athletic reputation shall conduct a financial development program of up to 15 hours in duration once per year for such athletes. Such program shall not include marketing, advertising, referral, or solicitation by providers of financial products or services. Postsecondary institutions shall help distribute informational materials, inform their athletes of meetings for such programs, and provide a meeting space for such programs.

Any attorney representing a student athlete shall be licensed in Missouri.

Student athletes may enforce this act by bringing a civil action for injunctive relief or actual damages in the county where the violation occurred or is about to occur. The court shall award damages, court costs, and reasonable attorney's fees to a prevailing plaintiff. No legal settlement shall permit noncompliance with the act.

Legal settlements shall not permit noncompliance with this act.

This act shall becomes effective and shall only apply to agreements and contracts, as defined in the act, entered into, modified, or renewed on or after the effective date of the act, July 1, 2022. (Section 173.280)

These provisions are similar to HB 498 (2021) and HCS/HB 1564, 1792, & 1748 (2020).

REMOVING TUITION CAP RESTRICTION

This act authorizes community colleges and public universities to exceed the percentage change limitations for tuition currently established in current law after July 1, 2022. Public institutions of higher education that utilize differentiated tuition shall notify DHEWD and shall no longer utilize required course fees. (Section 173.1003)

These provisions are identical to provisions in HS/HB 297 (2021), substantially similar to provisions in HCS/SS/SCS/SB 152 (2021), and similar to SB 601 (2021).

SHELTERED WORKSHOPS

In order to prevent the curtailment of employment opportunities for disabled persons working at sheltered workshops, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall permit sheltered workshops to pay such disabled persons commensurate wages, defined as wages based on the disabled person's productivity in proportion to the productivity of an experienced non-disabled person in a similar job and that may be lower than the state minimum wage. The sheltered workshop shall provide written assurance to the Department that such wages shall be reviewed and adjusted periodically and no sheltered workshop shall be permitted to reduce the agreed-upon wage rate for a period of two years after approval without prior authorization from the Department. (Section 178.935)

These provisions are identical to SB 582 (2021).

MATT KIMMINAU