SB 780 - Under this act, the average daily attendance of a student who is enrolled full-time in the Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program shall be calculated as if such attendance equaled the host district's or charter school's average attendance percentage for the previous year. Host districts that enroll one or more full-time virtual school students shall receive an amount of state aid specified in the act for such students on a monthly basis. The act provides that students who reside in Missouri may enroll in the virtual program of their choice. Provisions of current law regarding a school district's approval of a student's request to enroll in a virtual program shall not apply to full-time virtual program enrollment.
The act requires host districts to adopt student enrollment policies for full-time virtual students and allows virtual schools to mutually agree with resident and host districts on the services that the resident district might offer, including possible financial reimbursements for those services. For students with disabilities, the enrollment policy shall ensure the development of an individualized education program and related services agreement, as necessary. The act also specifies that student progress reports are necessary only for part-time virtual school program enrollees. The act requires a student's parent or guardian, if the student is not considered homeless, to apply for enrollment directly with the full-time virtual program.
Finally, the act provides that a host district may contract with a provider to perform any required services involved with delivering a full-time virtual education.
This act is identical to SB 1375 (2024), substantially similar to SB 921 (2024) and SS/HB 827 (2023), and similar to SB 545 (2023) and to provisions in SS#2/SCS/SB 727 (2024) and in SS/HB 2287 (2024).
OLIVIA SHANNON