Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

HCS/SS#2/SB 997 - This act modifies various provisions relating to public employees.

PAYMENT OF STATE SALARIES

(Section 33.100)

Current law requires the salaries of all elective and appointive officers and employees of the state shall be paid out of the state treasury, in semimonthly or monthly installments as designated by the commissioner of administration. This act allows salaries to additionally be paid out once every two weeks.

This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/HB 2090 (2022) and substantially similar to SB 316 (2021), a provision in the perfected SB 78 (2021), and a provision in HCS/HBs 846 & 407 (2021).

ELIMINATION OF THE PERSONNEL ADVISORY BOARD

(Various Sections)

This act eliminates the Personnel Advisory Board and gives all duties and responsibilities previously held by the board to the Director of the Personnel Division and the Commissioner of Administration. The act additionally makes the position of Director of the Personnel Division appointed by the Commissioner of Administration.

These provisions are identical to SB 996 (2022) and a provision in SCS/HB 2090 (2022).

This act establishes the Show Me Success Diploma Program, the Competency-Based Education Grant Program, the Competency-Based Education Task Force, and a competency-based credit system for high school students.

SHOW ME SUCCESS DIPLOMA PROGRAM

(Section 160.560)

This act establishes the Show Me Success Diploma Program as an alternative pathway to graduation for high school students. A student may earn the Show Me Success Diploma beginning at the end of the tenth grade. By July 1, 2023, 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 90% of the pupil's proportionate share of the state, local, and federal aid that the district or charter school receives for such student shall be deposited into a higher education savings account that lists the student as the beneficiary.

These provisions are identical to provisions in SB 660 (2022), substantially similar to provisions in HB 1956 (2022), and similar to provisions in SB 34 (2021), SCS/HCS/HB 320 (2021), and HB 624 (2021).

ADULT HIGH SCHOOLS

(Sections 160.2700 & 160.2705)

For a school to meet the definition of "adult high school" under current law, the school shall offer on-site childcare for children of enrolled students, in addition to other requirements provided in current law. This act repeals the on-site requirement for such childcare.

Additionally, current law prohibits adult high schools from offering a majority of instruction online or remotely. This act provides that synchronous instruction connecting students to a live class at a Missouri adult high school shall be treated as in-person instruction.

Further, current law prohibits any person from establishing, operating, maintaining, or advertising a childcare facility without a license, with an exception for any private, elementary, or secondary school system providing childcare to children under school age. This act provides that adult high schools shall be deemed a "secondary school system" for purposes of such exception.

These provisions are identical to a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 2304 (2022), HB 2325 (2022) and HB 2492 (2022) and are substantially similar to SB 1052 (2022), HB 2618 (2022), HB 151 (2021), HB 624 (2021), HCS/HB 733 (2021), and HCS/SB 323 (2021).

MISSOURI ADVISORY BOARD FOR EDUCATOR PREPARATION

(Section 161.097)

Under this act, the Missouri Advisory Board for Educator Preparation (MABEP) shall include at least three active elementary or secondary classroom teachers and at least three faculty members within approved educator preparation programs. The MABEP shall hold regular meetings that allow members to share needs and concerns and plan strategies to enhance teacher preparation.

Under the act, the State Board of Education shall, in consultation with MABEP, align literacy and reading instruction coursework for teacher education programs. All reading and special education certificates shall include training as outlined in the act.

This provision is identical to the perfected SS/SCS/SBs 681 & 662 (2022) and substantially similar to a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 2304 (2022).

SCHOOL INNOVATION WAIVERS

(Section 161.214)

Under this act, a school intervention team, which shall mean a group of persons representing certain schools as set forth in the act, may submit a state innovation waiver plan to the State Board of Education for certain purposes, including improving student readiness for employment, higher education, vocational training, technical training, or any other form of career and job training; increasing the compensation of teachers; or improving the recruitment, retention, training, preparation, or professional development of teachers.

The Board may grant school innovation waivers to exempt schools from requirements imposed by current law, or from any regulations promulgated by the Board or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. If a school innovation waiver is granted to a school district or group of school districts, the waiver shall be applicable to every elementary and secondary school within the school district or group of school districts unless the plan specifically provides otherwise.

Any plan for a school innovation waiver shall contain certain information as described in the act, including the specific provision of law for which a waiver is being requested and an explanation for why such provision of law inhibits the goal stated in the plan. The plan shall also demonstrate that the intent of the law can be addressed in a more effective, efficient, or economical manner and that the waiver or modification is necessary to implement the plan.

In evaluating a plan submitted by a school innovation team, the Board shall consider whether the plan meets certain criteria set forth in the act. The Board may propose modifications to the plan in cooperation with the school innovation team.

Any waiver granted under this act shall be effective for no longer than three school years, but school innovation waivers may be renewed. No more than one school innovation waiver shall be in effect with respect to any one elementary or secondary school at one time.

The Board shall not authorize the waiver of any statutory requirements relating to teacher certification, teacher tenure, or any requirement imposed by federal law.

These provisions are identical to provisions contained in SCS/HCS/HB 2304 (2022) and the perfected SS/SCS/SBs 861 & 662 (2022).

READING INTERVENTION

(Section 161.241)

The State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education and the Commissioner's advisory council established by the act, shall develop a plan to establish a comprehensive system of services for reading instruction. The State Board of Education shall also create an Office of Literacy and shall take other actions relating to improving literacy set forth in the act.

The act also creates the Evidence-based Reading Instruction Program Fund, to be used for purposes set forth in the act.

These provisions are identical to provisions contained in SCS/HCS/HB 2304 (2022) and the perfected SS/SCS/SBs 861 & 662 (2022).

COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION GRANT PROGRAM

(Section 161.380)

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.

These provisions are identical to provisions in SB 660 (2022) and SCS/HCS/HB 2304 (2022), substantially similar to provisions in HB 1956 (2022), and similar to provisions in SB 33 (2021), HCS/SS/SCS/SB 152 (2021), SCS/HCS/HB 320 (2021), and HB 520 (2021).

COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION TASK FORCE

(Section 161.385)

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 first 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.

These provisions are identical to provisions in SB 660 (2022) and SCS/HCS/HB 2304 (2022), substantially similar to provisions in HB 1956 (2022), and similar to SB 35 (2021) and provisions in SB 33 (2021), SB 34 (2021), HCS/SS/SCS/SB 152 (2021), SCS/HCS/HB 320 (2021), HB 520 (2021), HB 624 (2021), and HB 625 (2021).

GIFTED CHILDREN

(Section 162.720)

Under current law, when a sufficient number of children are determined to be gifted and their development requires programs or services beyond the level of those ordinarily provided in regular public school programs, school districts may establish special programs for such gifted children. Approval of such programs shall be made by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education based upon project applications submitted by July 15th of each year.

Under this act, if 3% or more of students enrolled in a school district are identified as gifted, the district is required to establish a state-approved gifted program for gifted children. If a school district has an average daily attendance of 350 students or fewer, the district's gifted program shall not be required to provide services by a teacher certified to teach gifted education. Any teacher who provides gifted services through the program, and is not certified, shall annually participate in at least 6 hours of professional development focused on gifted development. These provisions shall apply starting in the 2024-2025 school year.

Approval of such programs shall be made by the Department based upon project applications submitted at a time and in a form determined by the Department.

This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 2304 (2022) and the perfected HB 2366 (2022) and substantially similar to SB 806 (2022).

COMPETENCY-BASED HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS

(Section 162.1255)

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.

COMPETENCY-BASED HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS

(Section 162.1255)

These provisions are identical to provisions in SB 660 (2022) and SCS/HCS/HB 2304 (2022).

SCHOOL FOUNDATION FORMULA - COUNTY YIELDING HIGHEST DOLLAR VALUE MODIFIER

(Section 163.016)

The act provides that for any school district located in more than one county, and whose headquarters are located within the cities of Owensville, Bismarck, Leadwood, or Belle, the county signified in the school district number shall be the county in the district with the highest dollar value modifier.

READING INTERVENTION

(Sections 167.268, 167.640, 167.645, & 170.014)

The act changes the term "reading intervention plans" to "reading success plans" throughout the act and applies provisions regarding such plans to charter schools. The development of guidelines for formulating policies for such plans is changed from the State Board of Education to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Each school district and charter school shall have on file a policy for reading success plans. The reading success plans shall provide all parents and guardians of students with a plan that includes suggestions for regular parent-guided home reading.

Each school district and charter school shall provide intensive reading instruction to students as set forth in the act.

These provisions are identical to provisions contained in the perfected SS/SCS/SBs 861 & 662 (2022).

The act repeals provisions relating to reading assessments and now states that school districts and charter schools shall assess all students enrolled in kindergarten through 3rd grade at the beginning and end of each school year for their level of reading or reading readiness. Additionally, all school districts and charter schools shall assess any newly enrolled student in grades one through five for their level of reading or reading readiness.

At the beginning of the school year, each school district and charter school shall provide a reading success plan to any student who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading or has been identified as being at risk of dyslexia.

Each school district or charter school shall ensure the parent or guardian of any student in kindergarten through 3rd grade who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading and shall provide them information listed in the act.

If a student has a substantial reading deficiency at the end of 3rd grade, promotion or retention of the student shall be discussed by the student's parent or guardian and appropriate school staff. School districts and charter school shall provide students identified as having a substantial reading deficiency with certain services as set forth in the act.

Each school district and charter school shall ensure that intensive reading instruction is provided through a reading development initiative to each kindergarten through 5th grade student who is assessed as exhibiting a substantial reading deficiency. Such instruction shall comply with criteria listed in the act.

Each school district and charter school shall provide professional development services to enhance the skills of elementary teachers in responding to children's unique reading issues and needs to increase the use of evidence-based strategies.

These provisions have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2023.

These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/HCS/HB 2304 (2022).

EPINEPHRINE ADMINISTRATION BY PERSONS TRANSPORTING SCHOOL CHILDREN

(Section 167.630)

This act provides that a school's agent trained by a nurse and contracted for the transportation of school children shall have the discretion to administer an epinephrine auto syringe on any student who is having a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction. The act also provides that the agents shall be immune from civil liability for administering an auto syringe under the act.

These provisions are identical to provisions in SCS/HCS/HB 2304 (2022) and SCS/SB 958 (2022) and similar to SB 1170 (2022) and SB 1210 (2022).

RECOVERY PROGRAMS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

(Section 167.850)

Under this act, the Commissioner of Education may approve and authorize up to four pilot recovery high schools to be established and operated by individual public school districts or groups of such districts. Recovery high schools shall serve as an alternative public high school setting and recovery program for students in recovery from substance use disorder or substance dependency, or such a condition along with co-occurring disorders as described in the act, who would academically and clinically benefit from placement in the recovery high school and who are committed to working on their recovery.

Districts seeking to operate a recovery high school shall submit proposals to the Commissioner by December 1st in the year prior to the first school year in which the school would begin operation. The proposal shall detail how the school will comply with the existing requirements for public high schools as well as how the school will be accredited by a recovery school accreditation organization as described in the act.

The proposal must include a financial plan outlining anticipated public and private funding that will allow the recovery high school to operate and meet the school s educational and recovery criteria. The district or districts may partner with one or more local nonprofit organizations or other local educational agencies regarding the establishment and operation of a recovery high school. The proposal may contain requests for waivers of existing regulations, which shall be deemed granted if the proposal is approved by the State Board of Education with the recommendation of the Commissioner.

The Commissioner of Education may specify an authorization period for the recovery high school which shall be no less than four years. By June 30th annually, the school district or group of school districts, in consultation with the recovery high school, shall submit to the Commissioner an analysis of school outcomes, as described in the act. The Commissioner shall review the analysis, renew recovery high schools meeting the requirements of the act and the requirements of the school's proposal, and may include new terms and conditions to address areas needing correction or improvement. The Commissioner may revoke or suspend the authorization of a recovery high school not meeting such requirements.

Pupil attendance, dropout rate, student performance or statewide assessments, or other data considered in the Missouri school improvement program and school accreditation shall not be attributed to general accreditation of either a sending district or the district or districts operating the recovery high school and may only be used by the Commissioner in the renewal process for t