This bill amends Missouri's charter school laws by restricting where charter schools can operate and expanding who can sponsor them. It limits charter schools to specific districts (e.g., unaccredited districts, districts with high populations, or those with three years of provisional accreditation) and prohibits districts with over 1,550 students from allowing more than 35% of enrollment in charter schools. New sponsors include public/private colleges, community colleges, and nonprofits, while banning sponsors from charging fees for charter applications. The bill also clarifies accreditation transitions for districts and ensures charter schools can continue operating under existing sponsorships when districts improve their accreditation status.
SS/SB 948 - This act provides that a parent has a fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of such parent's child free from government interference. A governmental authority shall not restrict parental rights unless such authority demonstrates that the restriction is essential to further a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling interest. This provision applies to all state and local laws, resolutions, and ordinances and to the implementation of such laws, resolutions, and ordinances. (Section 1.390) The act outlines certain parental rights that are exclusively reserved to a parent without obstruction by or interference from this state, any political subdivision of the state, any governmental entity, or any other institution. Under the act, parents shall have the right to: (1) Direct the education of the child; (2) Access and review all written and electronic educational records of the child; (3) Direct the child's upbringing; (4) Direct the child's moral or religious training; (5) Consent in writing to all physical and mental health care decisions for the child; (6) Access and review all health and medical records of the child; (7) Consent in writing before a biometric scan of the child is made, shared, or stored; (8) Consent in writing before any record of the child's blood or DNA is created, stored, or shared, unless authorized pursuant to a court order; (9) Consent in writing before any governmental authority makes a video or voice recording of the child, unless, without abrogating rights secured under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, such recording is made as part of an event or circumstance described in the act; (10) Be notified promptly if a governmental authority suspects that abuse, neglect, or a criminal offense has been committed against the child, unless such notification is reasonably believed to be likely to endanger the life or physical safety of the child; (11) Opt the child out of any personal analysis, evaluation, survey, or data collection by a school district except what is necessary and essential for establishing a student's educational record for a student of the school district; (12) Excuse a child from school attendance for religious purposes; (13) Participate in parent-teacher organizations and other school organizations that are sanctioned by the board of education of a school district; (14) Receive, upon first contact with a representative of the Department of Social Services, an accurate written itemization containing all details of allegations of child abuse or neglect of the child, excluding only the name of the person who made the allegations; and (15) View a publicly available, easily accessible accounting of all financial transactions conducted with school district funds without being required to submit a formal request or otherwise make direct contact with the school district to access such information. Except for law enforcement personnel, a governmental authority shall not encourage or coerce a child to withhold information from the child's parent; nor shall a governmental authority withhold from a child's parent information that is relevant to the physical, emotional, or mental health of the child. A parent who believes his or her rights have been violated under this act may assert that violation as a claim or defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding, regardless of whether the government is a party to the proceeding, and obtain appropriate relief against the government, including declaratory relief, injunctive relief, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorney's fees and costs. (Section 1.391) Additionally, each school district shall maintain an easily accessible online record of all money the district receives and spends. Each public school within a school district shall prominently link to the district's financial ledger on the school's own website. (Section 162.192) The act additionally repeals provisions authorizing minors to consent to medical treatment or procedures involving venereal disease and drug or substance abuse. (Section 431.061) This act is similar to HB 2426 (2026). OLIVIA SHANNON
SB 1193 prohibits Missouri state departments from using state funds for any programs, staffing, or initiatives related to "diversity, equity, and inclusion" or similar terms that promote differential treatment based on race, gender, religion, or other protected characteristics. It specifically bans activities like claiming disparities result solely from oppression, implementing race-based hiring, or requiring private companies to adopt such programs for state contracts. Exemptions include compliance with court orders (approved by the attorney general) and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The bill aims to restrict funding for initiatives deemed to advance "diversity" programs, while allowing standard antidiscrimination compliance. This is a procedural spending restriction, not a substantive policy change.
HB 2930 requires students renewing Missouri's empowerment scholarship to provide proof of household income, demonstrating that their annual income does not exceed 300% of the income standard for free and reduced-price lunch programs. This requirement applies to all renewal applications and determines eligibility for the next school year; exceeding this threshold makes a student ineligible. The bill does not alter the existing list of allowable expenses, which include tuition, textbooks, educational therapies, and approved technology at qualifying schools. It directly affects families seeking to continue using the scholarship for their children's education.
HB 2978 limits technology use in Missouri elementary schools (K-5) by capping digital instruction at 45 minutes daily, requiring 70% of assignments to use paper/pencil, and mandating daily access to printed books. The bill prohibits replacing handwriting, cursive instruction (starting in grade 2), or physical manipulatives in core subjects with digital tools, and bans required technology homework or student device carry. Schools must adopt written policies on screen time, report annual compliance, and publish cursive instruction plans, with requirements effective for the 2027-28 school year. It directly affects K-5 students, teachers, and school districts.
SJR 111 proposes a constitutional amendment modifying Missouri's real property tax rules. It would allow school districts with 1995 federal court-ordered property tax levies to lower their rates (with voter approval needed to raise rates back to the court level), ending this provision by December 31, 2026. It also requires counties to get voter approval for most tax increases and adjusts tax limits based on property valuation changes and the Consumer Price Index. This amendment must be approved by Missouri voters in the 2026 election to take effect.
HB 2665 exempts most retail food sales from Missouri's state sales tax starting January 1, 2027, directly affecting grocery stores and retailers selling eligible food items. Currently, food sales are taxed at 1% until December 31, 2026, with that revenue going to school district funds; after 2026, no state tax applies. The exemption excludes restaurants, fast food, and other establishments where prepared food accounts for over 80% of sales. "Food" is defined as items eligible for SNAP benefits, including vending machine sales, but not prepared meals sold at eateries.
SB 1097 prohibits the establishment of new charter schools in St. Louis City starting August 28, 2026. This directly affects organizations seeking to open new charter schools in St. Louis City after that date, though it allows renewal of existing charter contracts and transfers of sponsorship. The bill amends Missouri law to restrict new charter school operations in St. Louis City while maintaining exceptions for current charter school renewals and sponsorship changes. The key mechanism is a specific cutoff date (August 28, 2026) for new charter school authorization in that city.
SB 1123 prohibits school staff from providing explicit sexual material to students in an official capacity, defining such material as depictions of sexual acts or genitalia (excluding educational science materials, art, or anthropology). It classifies this as a class A misdemeanor and bars school districts employing convicted individuals from receiving state funds. The law specifically covers teachers, librarians, coaches, and other school-affiliated personnel but excludes students and educational materials used in biology or sex education classes. This bill directly affects school districts and staff members found guilty of violating its provisions, with the primary mechanism being the loss of state funding for affected districts.
HB 2500 repeals Missouri's current charter school laws and replaces them with new restrictions on where charter schools may operate statewide. The bill limits charter schools to specific districts - such as unaccredited districts, large urban areas (>350,000 population), or districts with prolonged provisional accreditation - and restricts enrollment in larger districts to 35% of total students. It also changes who can sponsor charters, allowing only school boards, certain colleges, or the Missouri charter commission, while removing previous exceptions for counties like Boone. The bill does not specifically target Boone County (the title is misleading), as the changes apply uniformly across all Missouri school districts.
