SB 272 - Under this act, upon classification of a school district as unaccredited, the State Board of Education may suspend the governing or managing authority of the elected school board members of the unaccredited district and take actions relating to special administrative boards as set forth in the act. Current law states that a special administrative board for a school district shall have no fewer than 5 members. Under this act, such board shall have 7 members, 4 of whom shall be residents of the district. Each member of the board shall serve for 3 years, and the qualifications of the members are listed in the act.
The special administrative board shall meet at least once per month and each member shall receive a salary of $500 a month.
Within 15 days after the vote to appoint a member to the special administrative board, if a member of the Missouri House of Representatives whose district touches the school district, in whole or in part, submits a request to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the appointment shall be subject to the advice and consent of the Senate.
The members of the district's elected school board shall be ex-officio non-voting members of the special administrative board. The act repeals a provision allowing the State Board of Education to appoint members of the district's elected board to the special administrative board.
Upon failure of the school district to be classified as provisionally or fully accredited for at least two successive academic years, the State Board of Education shall require the special administrative board to establish a specific plan and timeline for achieving accreditation and require the special administrative board to appoint a new superintendent of the school district every 3 years.
A special administrative board may be extended for no more than 3 years after its expiration date by the State Board of Education. Governance of the school district shall be returned to the elected school board upon the expiration of the authority of the special administrative board.
The act repeals a provision of law that allows the State Board of Education to appoint additional members to any special administrative board and set final terms of office for members of such board. Finally, no later than 6 full school years following appointment of the special administrative board, any district operating under the governance of a special administrative board shall return to local governance.
This act is identical to SB 951 (2022) and HB 1774 (2022) and similar to HB 63 (2023).
OLIVIA SHANNON