Missouri Senate

Perfected

PHYSICAL EDUCATION CREDIT FOR PARTICIPATION IN INTERSCHOLASTIC ATHLETICS: Current law requires students to earn one unit of credit in Physical Education to graduate from high school. This act would allow a school board to adopt a policy allowing any student who has participated in three or more years of interscholastic athletics at the high school level to receive one unit of physical education credit for the graduation requirement. Any board that votes to adopt such a policy must notify the Commissioner of Education within thirty days. The State Board of Education must make any necessary alterations to bring the state's minimum graduation requirements into compliance with this section.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION CREDIT FOR PARTICIPATION IN MARCHING BAND: This act would allow a school board to adopt a policy allowing any student who has earned fine arts credit for participation in high school marching band for three or more years to be granted one unit of the physical education graduation requirement. A school board must hold a public hearing on the question and a majority of the board must vote in favor of the question in order for the policy to be adopted. Any board that votes to adopt such a policy must contact appropriate officials at the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education within thirty days of an affirmative vote. The State Board of Education must make any necessary alterations to bring the state's minimum graduation requirements into compliance with this section.

REGIONAL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTERS: Beginning in fiscal year 2013, the Division of School Improvement within the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education may ensure that each Regional Professional Development Center provide professional development educational assistance for fine arts.

The emphasis for fine arts assistance may be on the following: act as a resource for school districts, as described in the act; work with school districts in staff development and curriculum issues related to fine arts education; collaborate with the regional office and regional personnel; coordinate services available from other entities involved in fine arts education and fine arts integration; assist and support local school districts in providing fine arts education; and contribute to the development and implementation of in-service training that responds to the needs of arts specialists and other educators for the needs of Missouri students in the fine arts.

This act requires each regional professional development center to identify ways in which school districts can achieve efficiencies, become more cost effective, reduce costs, and reduce and minimize duplicative operations, services, and purchasing. Examples of such ways include: allowing districts to share a superintendent, allowing group purchasing of supplies, allowing group purchases of insurance, allowing group administration of support services (payroll, maintenance, human resources), allowing group participation in a deferred compensation plan. RPDCs must provide assistance to school districts that choose to implement such measures.

This act contains provisions substantially similar to HB 870 (2009) and SB 854 (2008).

MICHAEL RUFF