This bill modifies Missouri's compulsory school attendance law to require parents or guardians to enroll children aged 5-17 in an educational program (public, private, parochial, home, or full-time equivalent) and ensure regular attendance. It adds new exemptions allowing excused absences for mental health concerns (with professional documentation), 14+ year olds with legal employment (after parental notice), and children with mental/physical incapacities. The law sets the compulsory attendance age at 17 for most districts (with metro districts able to set it at 16), clarifies that private/religious schools cannot be forced to adopt state-mandated curricula, and defines home school credits as 100+ hours of instruction. It directly affects all Missouri families with school-aged children and educational institutions.
SJR 92 proposes a constitutional amendment to increase Missouri school districts' maximum allowable debt from 5% to 20% of their taxable property value. This change would directly affect all public school districts in Missouri, allowing them to borrow more for capital projects like building construction or renovations. The bill modifies Article VI of the Missouri Constitution to set this new 20% debt limit, while maintaining existing voter approval requirements (4/7 at general elections). This is a straightforward policy change to expand school districts' financing capacity for infrastructure needs.
HB 1784 amends Missouri's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program by changing the definition of "qualified student" to expand eligibility. It allows students with a special education plan under federal law (IDEA) or those from households earning below 300% of the income standard for free/reduced-price lunches to qualify. To qualify under the income rule, students must have recently attended public school, be kindergarten-eligible, or have a sibling already receiving a scholarship. The bill directly affects Missouri students seeking scholarship funds for private, charter, or virtual schools. This change modifies existing eligibility criteria without altering the program's core structure.
HB 2426 establishes that parents have fundamental rights to direct their child's education, healthcare, and upbringing without government interference. It grants specific rights including choosing schools (public, private, homeschool, or faith-based), accessing educational and medical records, consenting to medical treatments (except abortions, which require parental consent), and opting children out of school data collection. The bill prohibits government restrictions unless necessary to serve a compelling interest, with explicit exceptions for life-threatening medical care and child safety. It applies to all state and local laws and allows parents to seek legal remedies if their rights are violated.
SB 1378 requires Missouri public school districts and charter schools to provide cursive writing instruction in elementary schools. It mandates that students achieve readable cursive writing by fifth grade and pass a teacher-created test demonstrating proficiency in both reading and writing cursive. The bill directly affects elementary students in Missouri public and charter schools by adding cursive writing as a required skill. It does not change existing curriculum standards but specifies a measurable outcome for cursive competency before fifth grade.
HB 2613 establishes Missouri's "Free School Meals Program," requiring qualifying schools to provide free breakfasts and lunches to all students. It applies to public, charter, private, religious, and parochial schools participating in federal meal programs that meet specific poverty thresholds (based on USDA Community Eligibility Provision criteria). The state would reimburse schools for the difference between federal meal reimbursement rates and actual federal payments received for each meal served. This ensures all students in participating schools receive two free, federally reimbursable meals daily at no cost to families.
HB 1612 requires all public school districts and charter schools to display the full text of the Ten Commandments in every classroom and school building starting January 1, 2027. School boards must ensure the display is at least 11x14 inches, with the text as the central focus in a large, readable font, though they may use existing funds or accept donations without mandatory spending. The bill applies directly to school district governing boards and charter school boards, mandating the physical placement of the religious text in educational spaces. It does not specify exemptions for secular content or address religious diversity within schools. The state board of education will develop implementing rules, but the bill itself focuses solely on the display requirement.
HB 2126 updates how school districts evaluate and manage contracts for building-level administrators (like principals and assistant principals). It requires districts to conduct ongoing, research-based performance evaluations using clear standards, maintain written evaluations in personnel files, and provide written renewal notices by March 1st (with automatic one-year renewal if missed). The bill also protects administrators with five+ years of service by requiring "cause" (such as poor performance or policy violations) for non-renewal, mandating written reasons for non-renewal within 10 days, and allowing a school board hearing with due process rights. These changes directly affect school administrators and districts in their evaluation and contract management procedures.
SB 923 repeals the legal permission allowing new charter schools to be established in Boone County, Indiana. This bill directly affects Boone County by ending the ability to create new charter schools under current law. The key provision removes the specific authorization from state statutes, meaning no new charter schools could be formed in the county without new legislation. This is a procedural change focused solely on eliminating the existing legal pathway for new charter school openings.
SB 1090 requires charter schools to obtain a certificate of need from the State Board of Education before they can operate. This directly affects all charter schools seeking to open or continue operations in the state, as they would no longer be eligible without this approval. The key mechanism is the State Board of Education issuing these certificates, which would serve as a mandatory prerequisite for charter school authorization. The bill aims to establish a formal review process for new charter school proposals before they can begin serving students.
