MISSOURI EMPOWERMENT SCHOLARSHIP ACCOUNTS PROGRAM (Section 135.713)

The act makes technical modifications to provisions of law relating to the tax credits allocated under the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program.

MISSOURI COURSE ACCESS AND VIRTUAL SCHOOL PROGRAM (Section 161.670)

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 by dividing the total number of hours attended in a term by enrolled pupils between the ages of five and 21 years old by the actual number of hours that the program was in session in that term. Such calculation shall be generated by the virtual provider and provided to the host district for submission to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Full-time virtual school students may complete their instructional activities during any hour of the day and during any day of the week. The hours attended for each enrolled pupil shall be documented by the pupil's weekly progress in the educational program according to a process determined by the virtual program and published annually in the virtual program's enrollment handbook or policy. The full-time equivalent average daily attendance of summer school students shall be added to the average daily attendance of the following school term.

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 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.

The act specifies that student progress reports to the school district are necessary only for part-time virtual school program enrollees.

A host district may contract with a provider to perform any required services involved with delivering a full-time virtual education.

A full-time virtual school shall provide regular student progress reports to parents or guardians at least four times per school year.

This provision is substantially similar to a provision in SS#2/SCS/SB 727 (2024) and is similar to SB 780 (2024), SB 921 (2024), SB 1375 (2024), SB 545 (2023), and SS/HB 827 (2023).

FAMILY PACED EDUCATION (FPE) SCHOOLS (Sections 167.012 and 167.013)

The act defines a "Family Paced Education school" or "FPE school" as a school that enrolls any student who participates in the Missouri Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program and that satisfies certain other criteria relating to instruction. The current definition of "home school" is modified by specifying that a home school shall not enroll any student who participates in such Program, and a home school is not an FPE school.

These provisions are substantially similar to provisions in SS#2/SCS/SB 727 (2024).

TEACHER CERTIFICATION (Section 168.021)

Current law requires candidates for a teaching license to satisfy certain criteria, including obtaining the recommendation of a state-approved, baccalaureate-level teacher preparation program.

Under this act, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall develop an eighteen hour, online teacher preparation program related to subjects appropriate for teachers in different content areas determined by the Department. The Department may contract with an entity skilled in developing online teacher preparation programs or a charitable organization registered in Missouri to develop and maintain the online teacher preparation program. Such entity or charitable organization shall be certified to develop and maintain the program by the Department. An individual with a bachelor's degree may complete the online training program and receive a certificate of license to teach. Such certificate shall not be accepted by Missouri public schools, and non-public schools shall not be required to accept the certificate.

This provision is similar to a provision in SS#2/SCS/SB 727 (2024), and SB 1394 (2024).

WEAPONS OFFENSES IN SCHOOLS (Section 571.010)

The act adds a definition of "school" to provisions of law relating to weapons offenses. The definition specifies that for these provisions of law, "school" shall mean a charter school, a private school, or a public school, as such terms are defined in current law.

FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEK (SECTION 1)

The act exempts certain school districts from any state law that would require a school district to conduct an election of the voters of the school district in order to adopt a four-day school week.

OLIVIA SHANNON