HOUSE BILL NO. 1767 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE LEWIS.
4307H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT To amend chapter 160, RSMo, by adding thereto four new sections relating to rights of parents and educators.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 160, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto four new sections, to 2 be known as sections 160.1052, 160.1053, 160.1054, and 160.1055, to read as follows: 160.1052. 1. Sections 160.1052 to 160.1055 shall be known and may be cited as 2 the "Missouri Educators and Parental Empowerment and Rights Act". 3 2. As used in sections 160.1052 to 160.1055, the following terms mean: 4 (1) "Local educational agency" or "LEA", each: 5 (a) School district as defined in section 160.011; 6 (b) Charter school as described in section 160.400; and 7 (c) Virtual school as described in section 161.670; 8 (2) "Parent", a child's parent, legal guardian, or other person having charge, 9 control, or custody of the child. 10 3. The general assembly hereby recognizes that: 11 (1) The collaboration of both parents and teachers has a profound effect on the 12 educational success of Missouri's children; 13 (2) Education is essential to the preservation of the rights and liberties of the 14 people; 15 (3) Considering that parents are the first teachers of their children and are 16 uniquely qualified to understand and advocate for their children, the state recognizes 17 the importance of parents in the education of their children; and
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language. HB 1767 2
18 (4) Considering the years of education and continuous updating of knowledge 19 that teachers undertake and achieve, it is important that teachers be given the respect 20 such teachers have earned and deserve. 160.1053. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Parents' Bill 2 of Rights". 3 2. To foster and maintain collaboration between parents and teachers, parents 4 shall have the following rights under this section: 5 (1) The right to receive information, upon request, regarding what their minor 6 child is being taught in school including, but not limited to, curricula adopted under 7 section 160.514; 8 (2) The right to review such curricula, upon request, free from any requirement 9 to agree to a nondisclosure agreement or other similar form, as allowed by law; 10 (3) The right to receive information, upon request, about who is teaching their 11 minor child including, but not limited to, guest lecturers and outside presenters; 12 (4) The right to receive information, upon request, about individuals and 13 organizations receiving LEA contracts and funding in the LEA in which their minor 14 child is enrolled, except that no personally identifiable information about any student 15 shall be released; 16 (5) The right to visit the school their minor child attends during school hours in 17 accordance with reasonable regulations created under section 160.1055; 18 (6) The right to view and, upon request, receive a copy of all school records, 19 medical or otherwise, concerning their minor child, in accordance with state and federal 20 law; 21 (7) The right to receive information, upon request, about the collection of their 22 minor child's data and the transmission of such data to entities outside the LEA; 23 (8) The right to have an LEA governing board that is open, transparent, and 24 accountable to the patrons of the LEA under state and federal laws; 25 (9) The right to be informed regarding situations affecting their minor child's 26 safety in school, in accordance with section 160.1055; 27 (10) The right to provide authorization for their minor child to participate in 28 field trips; and 29 (11) The right to be free from their minor child being encouraged or 30 experiencing any attempt at coercion to withhold information from such minor child's 31 parents by an LEA employee, except that any such employee required to report 32 suspected abuse or neglect under sections 210.109 to 210.183 may encourage a minor 33 child to withhold information where disclosure could reasonably result in abuse or 34 neglect. HB 1767 3
160.1054. 1. This section shall be known and may be cited as the "Educators' 2 Bill of Rights". 3 2. To foster and maintain collaboration between teachers and parents, each 4 teacher has the following rights under this section: 5 (1) The right to be free from physical abuse from a student. Such abuse is 6 grounds for the suspension or expulsion of the student as provided in chapter 167; 7 (2) The right to be free from physical abuse from a parent and to be protected 8 from oral, written, or electronically generated threats of harm. Such abuse is grounds 9 for the prohibition of the physical presence of the perpetrator of such abuse on the 10 LEA's property and at the LEA's events and may result in other legal actions taken by 11 such teacher; 12 (3) The right to be evaluated for competency by an administrator under board 13 policy and, upon request, to be assigned a peer mentor to observe and coach the teacher; 14 (4) The right to exercise the freedom of speech, religion, and the expression of 15 such teacher's opinions as is guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States; 16 (5) The right to be treated with civility and respect as a professional; 17 (6) The right to be given regularly scheduled preparation time during contract 18 hours; 19 (7) The right to teach protected by official immunity, as provided by state law, 20 and to be covered by LEA insurance for work-related duties; 21 (8) The right to have the opportunity to implement a discipline plan in the 22 classroom as allowed in section 160.1055 and to have the opportunity to provide the 23 administration with such teacher's professional opinion regarding the discipline of a 24 student; 25 (9) The right to be considered a professional, with all the appropriate rights, 26 responsibilities, and privileges afforded to other recognized professions, in accordance 27 with section 168.011; 28 (10) The right to teach in a safe, secure, and orderly environment that is 29 conducive to learning and to report any concerns regarding the safety and security of 30 the teaching environment and receive a response from the LEA; 31 (11) The right to intervene for the protection of pupils in incidents of school 32 violence and be entitled to all defenses to criminal charges available to the intervenor 33 under chapter 563; and 34 (12) If such teacher is a beginning teacher, the right to receive leadership and 35 support in accordance with beginning teacher assistance programs as provided in state 36 law. HB 1767 4
160.1055. 1. Each local educational agency shall develop policies and procedures 2 for such LEA to follow to accommodate and assist parents and teachers in the exercise 3 of the rights described in sections 160.1052 to 160.1055. 4 2. Each LEA's governing board shall affirm the board's commitment to ensuring 5 sufficient and effective accountability and transparency to parents in the LEA's 6 jurisdiction by adopting policies that: 7 (1) Recognize and affirm the protected right of parents to guide the education of 8 their minor child; 9 (2) Encourage communication between parents and the LEA relating to parental 10 rights and parental concerns about their minor child's education and educational 11 experience through the LEA's community engagement initiatives required under 12 162.058; and 13 (3) Collaborate with parents to identify ways in which parents can exercise 14 parental rights and communicate such ways to parents in a clear, consistent manner that 15 can be easily understood by all parents. 16 3. Each local educational agency shall notify parents in a timely manner if their 17 child is involved in a safety incident in which a school employee is charged with a crime. 18 4. Each local educational agency shall provide prompt notification to parents of 19 any serious disciplinary incidents involving their child and shall offer a meeting or 20 conference to discuss the behavior and outline steps for correction and improvement. 21 5. (1) Each local educational agency shall adopt reasonable procedures for 22 parents to follow when visiting their minor child during school hours. 23 (2) Each local educational agency shall adopt reasonable procedures for parents 24 to follow: 25 (a) During an emergency in which the safety of the students requires: 26 a. A lockdown to limit exposure of building occupants to an imminent hazard or 27 threat; or 28 b. A lockout to prevent an outside hazard or threat from entering the building; 29 or 30 (b) When such local educational agency is required to prohibit an individual 31 from having any interaction with a minor child due to an order entered under any 32 provision of state or federal law restricting or prohibiting such individual from 33 interacting with such minor child or the LEA has otherwise prohibited the individual 34 from accessing school property or events. 35 6. (1) Teachers, school administrators, parents, and students shall be fully 36 informed of the rights conferred upon parents and teachers under sections 160.1052 to HB 1767 5
37 160.1055. Each LEA shall provide a physical or electronic copy of sections 160.1052 to 38 160.1055 to each parent, teacher, and student at the beginning of each school year. 39 (2) Each local educational agency shall post the rights listed in sections 160.1052 40 to 160.1055 on such LEA's website or provide a printed copy if no website exists. 41 7. (1) Each local educational agency shall adopt, enforce, publicly post, and 42 annually review a code of student conduct as described in sections 160.1052 to 160.1055. 43 (2) Such code of conduct shall promote safe, respectful, and orderly learning 44 environments by reinforcing teacher authority in maintaining classroom discipline and 45 enhancing parental involvement in student behavioral issues and shall set forth 46 expectations for behavior consistent with ethical responsibility, community standards, 47 and regard for school authority. 48 (3) Each local educational agency shall adopt such code of student conduct for 49 the 2027-28 school year and all subsequent school years. 50 (4) The state department of elementary and secondary education may offer 51 guidance and technical assistance to local educational agencies to ensure compliance. 52 The department shall not impose undue burdens or mandates on such LEAs. 53 8. The code of student conduct required under subsection 7 of this section shall: 54 (1) Reinforce respect for teachers, administrators, and staff, emphasizing that 55 willful disobedience or disregard toward school personnel is not tolerated; 56 (2) Promote high expectations of personal responsibility, encouraging students to 57 uphold values such as honesty, diligence, and civility; 58 (3) Include measures to address and correct disruptive behavior promptly, 59 ensuring that teachers have the necessary authority and support to remove students 60 from classrooms when warranted, in accordance with training provided by the LEA; 61 (4) Outline a system of graduated consequences for misconduct, balanced by 62 opportunities for students to develop personal resilience and reflect on their actions 63 through LEA-approved interventions; 64 (5) Require parental notification and involvement in significant disciplinary 65 actions, ensuring that parents have timely information and opportunities to engage with 66 teachers and administrators; and 67 (6) Clearly prohibit any policy or program that differentiates treatment of 68 students primarily on the basis of race alone, ensuring that all disciplinary measures are 69 applied equally and fairly to every student. 70 9. (1) A local educational agency may, at such LEA's discretion and with the 71 LEA's governing board's approval, incorporate evidence-based training for teachers 72 and counselors on strategies to guide students toward personal resilience. 73 (2) Such strategies may include: HB 1767 6
74 (a) Encouraging personal responsibility and self-management; 75 (b) Providing students with opportunities to develop coping skills, conflict 76 resolution techniques, and appropriate responses to authority; and 77 (c) Using school counselors or other qualified personnel to offer supportive 78 interventions that emphasize respect for self and others, problem solving, and 79 perseverance. 80 (3) The content and method of delivering such strategies shall not reference or 81 require any training or curriculum primarily focused on race, gender, or other similar 82 classifications. Such strategies shall emphasize universal community standards that 83 benefit all students equally. 84 10. Each local educational agency shall ensure that teachers and staff are trained 85 in methods to maintain order, encourage compliance, foster civility, and encourage 86 personal responsibility. 87 11. Each local educational agency shall make efforts to facilitate parental 88 engagement through regular communication, opportunities for parents to review and 89 understand the policy handbook, and the provision of resources that support ethical 90 responsibility and community standards at home. 91 12. Each LEA's governing board shall adopt such policies and procedures 92 required by this section for the 2027-28 school year and all subsequent school years. 93 13. No LEA shall establish policies that prevent a parent or teacher from 94 exercising the applicable rights listed in sections 160.1052 to 160.1055 or any other 95 provision of law. 96 14. No provision of sections 160.1052 to 160.1055 shall be construed to supersede 97 any other federal or state law or any regulation or policy adopted by the state 98 department of elementary and secondary education or the state board of education. 99 15. No provision of sections 160.1052 to 160.1055 shall be construed to supersede 100 any LEA's order, ordinance, or policy relating to the discipline of students. ✔
Statutes affected: