Education (Higher Education)

died · Missouri · House Feb 23, 2026

HB 2721: Establishes the "Success for Homeless and Foster Youth in Higher Education Act"

HB 2721, the "Success for Homeless and Foster Youth in Higher Education Act," requires Missouri public colleges and universities to appoint a dedicated liaison in their financial aid offices to assist homeless and foster youth with financial aid applications and support services. The bill mandates that the state create and maintain a public directory of these liaisons and allows institutions to grant resident status to homeless or foster youth under 19, regardless of how long they've lived in Missouri, if they were homeless in the two years prior to enrollment. Additionally, it requires institutions to develop housing plans prioritizing homeless and foster youth for housing placement and ensuring access to facilities open year-round. This law directly affects vulnerable students aged under 25 who are homeless or in foster care, aiming to reduce barriers to higher education access.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates support services and resident status for homeless/foster youth in higher education, expanding access and reducing barriers for vulnerable students.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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introduced · Missouri · House Nov 25, 2025

HB 3: Appropriates money for the expenses, grants, refunds, and distributions of the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development

HB 3 appropriates $6.58 million from the General Revenue Fund for the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development to cover operational expenses, grant administration, and scholarship programs for public and private higher education institutions during fiscal year 2025-2026. It also allocates a separate $1 million "one-time" fund from General Revenue for a statewide campaign targeting adults without college credentials, plus $74,245 for regulating proprietary schools and $153,797 for closing proprietary schools. All funds must be spent within constitutional limits and specific purposes outlined in the bill, with no additional funding beyond the designated fiscal year.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $6.58M + $1M from General Revenue for higher education funding, directly advancing state budget priorities for education programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $6.58M for higher education operations, grants, scholarships, and $1M for adult education campaign, directly funding educational programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Missouri · House May 15, 2026

HB 2911: Modifies provisions of the Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act

HB 2911 modifies Missouri's Public Safety Recruitment and Retention Act to create a tuition award program for eligible public safety workers. It provides up to 100% of resident tuition for associate or bachelor's degrees in approved fields (e.g., criminal justice for police, fire science for firefighters) to personnel with at least six years of service who hold current licenses/certificates and meet admission requirements. Dependents of personnel with ten years of service qualify for similar awards. Applicants must first apply for all other federal and state financial aid before accessing this tuition award.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProvides tuition support for law enforcement education to improve recruitment/retention, strengthening workforce quality in criminal justice system.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tuition funding for public safety workers' higher education in approved fields, directly supporting workforce development through education access and financial assistance.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides tuition benefits for public safety workers' education, supporting workforce development and retention under Labor & Employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing Higher Education Student Financial Aid Tags Public Safety

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in committee · Missouri · House May 15, 2026

HB 3102: Modifies provisions relating to programs offered by public institutions of higher education

HB 3102 establishes the "A+ Schools Program" to support public secondary schools in Missouri. It requires participating schools to meet specific standards, including ensuring all students graduate with challenging coursework, earn college credits or secure postsecondary pathways, and implement measurable performance plans. Schools must develop community partnerships involving businesses and educators, and nonpublic schools meeting criteria can also qualify for student reimbursement of postsecondary education costs. The program provides grants for schools meeting these requirements, with annual reimbursement for eligible students attending public or approved private colleges/vocational schools after graduating from qualifying high schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes A+ Schools Program requiring challenging coursework, college credits, and postsecondary pathways to advance K-12 educational standards and access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education

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in committee · Missouri · House May 15, 2026

HB 2705: Modifies provisions governing contributions to qualified tuition programs

HB 2705 modifies Missouri's tax treatment of qualified tuition programs (like 529 college savings plans). It exempts money in these plans from state income tax and allows taxpayers to deduct up to $8,000 annually (or $16,000 for joint filers) from their Missouri adjusted gross income for contributions. Funds withdrawn for non-education purposes or not used within required timeframes must be added back to taxable income. This bill directly affects Missouri residents using 529 plans for education savings by providing state tax benefits for contributions and growth.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExempts 529 contributions from state income tax and allows annual deductions, providing tax relief for education savings. Directly modifies tax treatment per subjects listed.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tax incentives for 529 plans, increasing accessibility to higher education savings and aligning with educational access and funding support.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Higher Education

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in committee · Missouri · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 1612: Creates the "Success for Homeless and Foster Youth in Higher Education Act" requiring all public institutions of higher education to designate a homeless and foster student liaison within the institution's financial aid office

SB 1612 - This act creates the "Success for Homeless and Foster Youth in Higher Education Act" and requires all public institutions of higher education to designate a homeless and foster student liaison within the institution's financial aid office. The liaison shall assist current and prospective students in applying for federal and state financial aid, as provided in the act. A public institution of higher education may grant resident status to a Missouri resident who is 19 years of age or under at the time of enrollment, regardless of how long the student has resided in the state, if the student is determined to have been homeless at any time during the two years immediately preceding such student's enrollment. A public institution of higher education that offers student housing may develop a plan to provide that homeless and foster students have access to housing resources as needed during and between academic terms. The plan may grant such students first priority for housing placement and provide that they be placed in the institution's housing facility that remains open for occupation during the most days in a calendar year. This act is similar to HCS/HB 2722 (2026). OLIVIA SHANNON

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates higher education institutions to appoint liaisons for homeless/foster youth, directly enhancing educational access and support for vulnerable students.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill addresses homelessness through educational support for homeless youth, aligning with housing topic's homelessness indicator.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Homelessness

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in committee · Missouri · House May 15, 2026

HB 2929: Establishes provisions when a district that is not maintaining a high school through twelfth grade shall be provided the rate of tuition for the next school year

HB 2929 establishes how districts without high schools (through 12th grade) pay tuition to districts that provide high school education. It requires sending districts to pay the receiving district's actual per-pupil cost of maintaining high school programs - calculated by dividing the district's costs (teachers' wages, maintenance, debt service, etc.) by average daily attendance - without exceeding those specific expenses. The tuition rate must be finalized and provided to the sending district by March 1st each year for the following school year, with disputes resolved by the state board of education. This directly affects students in districts without high schools and the districts that serve them.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates sending districts pay actual per-pupil cost for high school tuition, ensuring receiving districts are fully compensated for educational costs. This strengthens funding stability for high school programs and supports educational access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education School Funding

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in committee · Missouri · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 1610: Creates the Liaison for Postsecondary Education for Homeless Pupils within the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development

SB 1610 creates a dedicated Liaison position within the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. This role will directly assist homeless students pursuing postsecondary education by coordinating support services and navigating college resources. The bill establishes this position as a concrete mechanism to improve access and stability for homeless pupils in higher education. (Procedural bill; summary limited to 2 sentences as requested.)

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates Liaison position to coordinate support for homeless students in higher education, directly enhancing access and stability for a vulnerable group.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Missouri · House Apr 21, 2026

HB 2722: Establishes the "Success for Homeless and Foster Youth in Higher Education Act"

HB 2722 establishes a dedicated liaison position within Missouri's Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development to support homeless students pursuing postsecondary education. The bill creates a dedicated fund to finance this role and requires the liaison to develop databases tracking homeless students' graduation and retention rates, connect students to campus resources like housing and food banks, and collaborate with high schools and colleges. It directly affects homeless students in Missouri colleges by creating a centralized point of contact to address barriers like housing instability and access to support services. The liaison must be nonpartisan, independent of other homeless service providers, and focus exclusively on this role to improve educational outcomes for this population.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates dedicated fund and liaison to support homeless students' access to higher education resources, expanding educational access for vulnerable populations.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill creates liaison to connect homeless students to campus housing resources, directly addressing homelessness through housing access.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Homelessness Property Development

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in committee · Missouri · House May 15, 2026

HB 3139: Establishes additional requirements for computer science courses in schools

HB 3139 requires Missouri schools to establish standardized computer science courses covering topics like AI, cybersecurity, and algorithms for all grades. It allows these courses to count toward math or science graduation credits while mandating schools to inform students and parents about potential college admission impacts. The bill creates a dedicated fund for teacher training in computer science and requires all high schools to offer at least one CS course by 2023. Schools must also report student demographics in these courses to track participation across gender, race, and special education status.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates CS courses, funds teacher training, allows CS credit toward graduation - directly expands curriculum access and supports educators per bill requirements.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates cybersecurity topics in CS curriculum, funds teacher training, and requires CS course implementation, advancing tech education and skills development.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education Teachers Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity

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