| HB 0635 | Promotes College Level Instruction in Secondary Schools |
| Sponsor: | STOLL | Handling House Bill: | |
| Committee: | EESC | LR Number: | L1417.01I |
| Last Action: | 02/23/95 - Reported Do Pass w/HCA 1 H Education-Elementary & Secondary Comm. | ||
| Title: | |||
| Effective Date: | |||
HB0635 Stoll, Steve
C O M M I T T E E
HB 635, HCA 1 -- COLLEGE LEVEL INSTRUCTION IN HIGH SCHOOLS
SPONSOR: Stoll
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education by a vote of 22 to 0.
This bill encourages high schools to offer college level courses that give students the opportunity of taking nationally recognized standardized examinations that can lead to college credit. Students whose performance on 4 such examinations meets or exceeds qualifying levels established by the State Board of Education will be eligible for a renewable "bright flight" scholarship of $1,000.
The bill explicitly permits school professional development committees to spend professional development funds on teacher training in instructional methods for college level courses. The bill also directs school districts to substitute active teaching of college level courses for all professional development responsibilities that districts otherwise require teachers to perform to attain or maintain various stages on "career ladder" career plans.
HCA 1 -- permits, rather than requires school districts to substitute active teaching of college level courses for all professional development responsibilities necessary to attain or maintain a particular step on a district's career ladder.
FISCAL NOTE: Cost to General Revenue Fund of $528,303 to $1,028,303 in FY 96, $1,029,086 to $2,029,086 in FY 97, & $1,529,890 to $3,029,890 in FY 98.
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that this bill encourages students to perform rigorous college-level work while increasing high schools' accountability for student performance through the use of national standardized examinations. The bill offers scholarship rewards to students who may not test well on the SAT or ACT but who work hard and demonstrate mastery in these challenging courses.
Testifying for the bill were Representative Stoll; College Board; Coordinating Board of Higher Education; Missouri State Teachers Association; Missouri Association of Secondary Principals; Missouri Coalition of School Administrators; and Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
OPPONENTS: There was no opposition voiced to the committee.
Brian K. Long, Research Analyst