HB 1628 modifies Missouri's higher education and workforce development laws by creating a "Ready to Work" endorsement program for high school seniors, allowing schools to certify students meeting specific academic and work-readiness standards by June 2007. It reorganizes the workforce development governance structure, renaming the "Missouri Workforce Investment Board" to the "Workforce Development Board" and aligning its operations with federal WIOA requirements. The bill also requires the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development to coordinate state and federal job training resources, including ensuring economically disadvantaged individuals have access to new job opportunities created through state business assistance programs. These changes directly affect high school students, local workforce boards, and state agencies managing job training and employment services.
HB 2217 requires public school districts and colleges to submit detailed information about their curricula and textbooks to a state-run online database. School districts must provide syllabi, textbook bibliographic details (title, author, website), and curriculum links every six months, while colleges must report course descriptions and textbook information. The database will be searchable by the public, with protections for copyright compliance (no digital reproduction or infringement required). The law applies starting in the 2026-27 school year for K-12 and 2026-27 academic year for higher education. It directly affects all public schools and colleges in the state by mandating transparency in instructional materials.
HB 2097 converts a temporary pilot program for agricultural education in elementary schools into a statewide program, effective for the 2027-28 school year. Public elementary schools can voluntarily apply to participate, with participating schools required to implement and fully fund the program for at least three years. The program must include grade-appropriate instruction, collaborative learning activities, and career development opportunities. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will oversee implementation, evaluate the program’s impact, and report results to relevant legislative committees.
HB 2062 changes Missouri's higher education residency rules for tuition purposes. It requires public and private Missouri colleges receiving state funds to treat as in-state residents any student who graduated from a Missouri high school (public, private, or home) or earned a high school equivalency in Missouri. Non-citizen students must provide a written statement agreeing to pursue legal status if eligible, but institutions cannot deny admission based solely on immigration status. The bill also mandates that all residency information collected during admission stays confidential.
SB 978 requires all public school districts and charter schools to provide instruction on human growth and development to students. This mandate directly affects K-12 schools and their curricula, though the bill does not specify exact content or grade levels. The bill's key provision is a new requirement for schools to incorporate this topic into their instructional programs. As of now, the bill is pending review by the Senate Education Committee after being prefaced and read for the first time in early 2026.
HB 2390 requires Missouri public schools serving kindergarten through grade 8 to provide specific physical activity time. It mandates elementary students receive 150 minutes per week (30 minutes daily) of moderate physical activity, including a 20-minute daily recess, and adds new requirements for 2027-28: 15 minutes of daily recess/free time plus two 3-minute "brain breaks" (stretching or mindfulness). The bill prohibits withholding recess for discipline (except safety risks), requires safe/supervised environments, and allows school districts flexibility in meeting requirements through physical education or approved activities. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will develop rules for implementation and may offer grants for program support.
HB 2252 creates the "Missouri Teachers Classroom Supply Assistance Program" to provide direct funding to K-12 teachers for classroom materials. Starting in the 2027-28 school year, the state will distribute funds to school districts based on average daily attendance, then allocate identical amounts to each teacher via debit cards before August 15 each year. Teachers can use these cards to purchase supplementary textbooks, library books, instructional supplies, and educational TV services for students - but not equipment - and must submit receipts to the school for five years. Unspent funds roll over to future years, and the program requires specific debit card labeling and teacher acknowledgment of usage terms.
HB 1776 creates a state matching grant program to help Missouri school districts fund renovation projects. It provides state funds covering 60% of eligible project costs (with districts contributing 40%), targeting essential upgrades like roofing, HVAC, windows, and health/environmental improvements at school facilities. Eligible projects must maintain daily school operations, and funding prioritizes districts affected by disasters, experiencing rapid enrollment growth, or having lower property values per student. School districts apply annually, with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education reviewing applications and awarding grants based on established criteria and available appropriations.
HB 2581 mandates specific content for human sexuality education in public schools, directly affecting K-12 students and school districts. The bill requires medically accurate instruction covering abstinence as the preferred choice, STI prevention (including HIV/AIDS and HPV), contraception effectiveness, emotional consequences of teen sex, conflict management skills, legal responsibilities (like statutory rape), online safety, and sexual harassment/violence definitions. Crucially, it mandates for the 2026-27 school year and beyond the use of two specific videos: a high-definition fetal development ultrasound and the "Meet Baby Olivia" video showing human gestation. School boards must provide parental notification about curriculum content and allow opt-outs, while prohibiting abortion-related materials in instruction.
HB 2185 modifies eligibility rules for Missouri's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program by updating definitions in the law. It defines a "qualified student" as either a child with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) under federal special education law, or an elementary/secondary student from a household earning ≤300% of the income standard for free/reduced lunch who recently attended public school, is kindergarten-ready, or is a sibling of a current scholarship recipient. The bill directly affects Missouri students seeking these scholarships to attend approved schools, including private schools, charter schools, public schools, or early childhood centers. It does not change scholarship amounts or funding but clarifies who qualifies under the program's current structure. The bill is currently in early legislative stages (prefiled and read twice in 2026).
