This bill is a resolution from the Missouri House of Representatives that urges the U.S. Congress to work toward eliminating the U.S. Department of Education. It argues that education is a state responsibility and claims the federal department has caused overreach through regulations and mandates without improving student reading scores. The text supports returning control of education to states and local communities, asserting this would allow for more efficient use of taxpayer money and policies that better reflect local values. Because this is a non-binding resolution expressing support for a federal goal rather than creating new laws, it does not directly change policy or affect specific groups immediately.
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
SS/SCS/SB 1085 - This act prohibits public school and charter school staff members from encouraging minor students in their "social transition", defined as the process of a minor student changing his or her gender presentation or expression, with the goal of being perceived and treated as a gender different from the student's biological sex. The act defines a "staff member" as a teacher, school employee, volunteer, contractor, or other individual authorized to provide services at a public school or charter school, including, but not limited to, any individual in a position of authority or responsibility, such as a counselor or health care worker. School staff members shall neither encourage a minor student to withhold information from his or her parent nor withhold certain health information from a student's parent. A staff member shall notify a minor student's parent by phone or email within 24 hours of receiving a request by the student to participate in the student's social transition. The act outlines certain actions that trigger this parental notification requirement, including a minor student's request to be referred to by a pronoun that does not correspond to the student's biological sex; a request to use a name that does not correspond to the student's legal name; a request to use a restroom designated for the opposite biological sex; or a request to participate on an athletic team designated for the opposite biological sex. No staff member shall engage in any conduct that facilitates the social transition of any minor student; deliver any presentation or lesson to any minor student regarding gender transition or social transition; or refer to a minor student by a title or pronoun that does not correspond to the student's biological sex, or by a name other than the student's legal name or a nickname or derivative thereof. A staff member or student shall not be subject to any disciplinary action for declining to address a person using a name that does not correspond to the person's legal name or a pronoun that is inconsistent with the person's biological sex. A staff member who discloses a violation of this act by another staff member shall be protected from any manner of retaliation as set forth in current law. If a school district discovers that a licensed educator has knowingly violated any provision of this act, the school district shall initiate disciplinary proceedings against that staff member, up to and including suspension or revocation of the individual's teaching license and suspension or termination of employment, as appropriate. A licensed educator at a charter school shall also be subject to disciplinary proceedings for violations of the act, up to and including suspension or revocation of the individual's teaching license and suspension or termination of employment, as provided in the act. The Attorney General may bring a civil action, including an action for injunctive relief, against a school district, public school, charter school, or staff member for any violation of this act. Any parent of a minor student may bring a civil action, including an action for injunctive relief or for damages, against the staff member or against the school district, public school, or charter school in which such minor student is enrolled for any violation of this act. If the parent prevails, the court shall award to such parent court costs and reasonable attorney's fees and any other damages or remedy which in the judgment of the court shall be appropriate. Any staff member may bring a civil action, including an action for injunctive relief or for damages, against the school district, public school, or charter school that employs such staff member for any violation of the act's prohibitions on certain disciplinary or retaliatory actions against school staff members. This act is similar to HB 2580 (2026). OLIVIA SHANNON
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.
