Missouri Senate

Introduced

CHARTER SCHOOLS - Charter schools may operate in any accredited school district that may receive students from an unaccredited school district and may enroll resident students of the unaccredited district under Section 167.131. A charter school that begins operation may continue to operate if the unaccredited district becomes classified as accredited or provisionally accredited. In addition, charter schools may be sponsored by: the school board of a district in collaboration with another district; the State Board of Education in an unaccredited district; the mayor of St. Louis City in an unaccredited district; or by the school board of an accredited district in an unaccredited district.

This act allows charter schools to charge tuition. A charter school that enrolls nonresident pupils from an unaccredited district may receive tuition payments for those students. (Sections 160.400, 160.410, 160.415, 160.420)

TRANSFER PROCEDURES - Student transfers between the St. Louis City School District and school districts located in St. Louis County, and amongst districts located in St. Louis County, will be administered by the Voluntary Interdistrict Coordinating Council, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, or a neutral third party appointed by the Department. Student transfers in all other parts of the state will be administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, or a neutral third party appointed by the Department.

Students residing in an unaccredited district may enroll in an accredited district, a nonsectarian nonpublic school, virtual school, or charter school in the same or an adjoining county.

This act requires the student's parent or guardian to notify the child's school district of residence and the student transfer administrator by January 15 of the intent to change the child's enrollment on an application prescribed by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. If a parent fails to provide notification by January 15, he or she may do so until March 15 provided that the parent has good cause to do so, as described in the act. The parent or guardian may withdraw the request at any time prior to the start of the school year.

The student transfer administrator must make counselors available to assist parents to enroll their child, who must advise the parent on education options available to the pupil and assist them in preparing any necessary applications or additional paperwork. The parent or guardian must identify five educational options for the student transfer administrator. At least one accredited district must be listed on the form if approved by the parent. The student transfer administrator must enroll the pupil in one of the five identified options, based on availability. If none of the options are available, the administrator must advise the parent on additional options that may be available. The student transfer administrator must obtain separate approval from the parent or guardian prior to enrolling the child in a program consisting solely of virtual education. A pupil who enrolls in one of his or her five selected options may return to the school district of residence but may not enroll in another school under this section.

The student transfer administrator may receive an administrative fee of up to five hundred dollars, as described in the act.

A student who seeks to enroll in a charter school must follow existing procedures. (Section 167.131)

RECORDS - School districts must keep a record of all transfers requested into and out of the district. These records must be reported annually in the school report card, posted on the school district's website, and reported annually to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. (Section 167.131)

OPTIONS FOR A RECEIVING DISTRICT TO EDUCATE NONRESIDENT PUPILS -This act provides different options for receiving districts to educate nonresident students. First, a receiving district may enroll nonresident students in existing school facilities located within the district. Second, a receiving district may purchase or lease additional facilities, including vacant school buildings located in another school district, and operate such facilities as part of the district with teachers employed by the district. Schools may use virtual education at such facilities. Third, a receiving district may contract with an independent, nonpublic school to educate nonresident pupils. Fourth, the receiving district's school board may sponsor charter schools and allow the nonresident students to attend. The school board of an accredited school district may also sponsor a charter school. Nonresident pupils may also attend any other charter school operating in the district. (Sections 160.400 and 167.131)

ADMINISTRATION OF MAP TEST - Any accredited school district that enrolls nonresident students under this act must administer the MAP test to them. The results must be reported in aggregate form. Any nonsectarian nonpublic school may inform and advise transfer students about the MAP test and refer them to the local school district; it may also administer the MAP test for those transfer students. (Section 167.131)

TUITION AND TRANSPORTATION PAYMENTS - The school board of the unaccredited district must pay the tuition and transportation of its resident pupils who enroll in another school under this section. Tuition will be based on the cost of maintaining the grade level grouping in the receiving school. In addition, all other aid attributable to the student, including any additional weighted state aid, must be paid to the receiving school.

The unaccredited district must report to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education the number of its resident pupils who enroll in another educational option under this section and the amount of tuition paid on behalf of each student. The Department must withhold the weighted state aid attributable to the pupil from the district of residence's state aid payments. The local county assessor and collector must withhold all local effort attributable to such pupils and forward it to the Department. The Department will use these funds to pay the tuition to the receiving schools, as described in the act.

Current law requires the unaccredited district to pay for the student's transportation. The student transfer administrator will be responsible for coordinating transportation for the transfer students. The student's parent or guardian may transport the student to the receiving district without reimbursement. In addition, the parent may transport the student to and from a point on a regular school bus route of the receiving district. (Sections 167.131, 167.241)

LENGTH OF TRANSFER PROGRAM - Student transfers will continue until the unaccredited district has been classified as accredited for five consecutive years. However, any pupil who has enrolled in another school may continue to attend that school and complete all grade levels offered in the school or school district. (Section 167.131)

PLACEMENT OF TRANSFER STUDENTS - When a pupil transfers into an accredited district, it must provide the pupil and parent with a written explanation of the enrollment and grade level placement policies. It must review the pupil's course work, test scores, and transcript, as described in the act. The district must provide a determination of the placement to the student and parent within thirty calendar days of the request for enrollment. (Section 171.171)

SCHOOL FACILITIES - This act also allows school districts to operate property it owns in another district for resident students of an unaccredited district who are enrolled in an accredited district under Section 167.131. In addition, any school district that owns school buildings that have not been used for classroom instruction for two consecutive school years must either sell them or make them available for use by an accredited school district, charter school, virtual school, or nonsectarian nonpublic school, free of charge. The sale or lease terms must not include a restriction on using the facilities for educational purposes. (Sections 177.011 & 177.015)

MICHAEL RUFF