Missouri Senate

Perfected

MISSOURI COURSE ACCESS AND VIRTUAL SCHOOL PROGRAM:

This act changes the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program (MOVIP) to "The Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program" and allows any eligible student to enroll in program courses of his or her choice to be paid by the school district or charter school, if the student has been enrolled full-time in a public school, including a public charter school, for at least one semester immediately prior to enrolling in the program, and the course is approved by the student's school district or charter school through a procedure described in the act. A student with a documented medical or psychological condition that prevented the student from attending school during the previous semester shall be exempt from the requirement that a student is enrolled full-time in and attended a public school for at least one semester in order to enroll in Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program courses.

A school district or charter school shall pay, for any single, year-long course for a student, the market necessary costs or 14% of the state adequacy target as calculated at the end of the most recent school year. A school district or charter school shall pay no more than 7% of the state adequacy target as calculated at the end of the most recent school year for any single, semester-long course. School districts and charter schools may negotiate with the course providers for a lower cost. Payment for a full-time virtual school student shall not exceed the state adequacy target, unless the student receives additional federal or state aid.

If a student who is a candidate for A+ tuition reimbursement enrolls in a course under the act, the school shall attribute no less than 95% attendance to any such student who has completed such course.

Individual learning plans shall be developed for all students enrolled in more than 2 full-time program courses.

If a student is denied enrollment in a course he or she may appeal the decision initially to the local school board which shall provide a decision within 30 calendar days, and then to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The Department shall make a final enrollment decision within 7 calendar days.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall establish an authorization process for course providers and authorize those providers that submit all necessary information and offer courses that align to state academic standards.

The Department shall publish the authorization process along with deadlines and guidance applicable to the submission process. If there are insufficient funds to evaluate and authorize course providers, the Department may charge applicant course providers a fee to ensure that evaluation occurs. The authorization process shall provide for continuous monitoring of course providers and courses. The Department shall revoke, suspend, or take other corrective action if a provider or individual course no longer meets the requirements of the program. A provider shall be given a reasonable time period to take corrective action to avoid such revocation or suspension. Authorization renewal shall take place at least once every two years.

The act requires the State Board of Education to: provide an easily accessible link for course vendors on the program website, allow anyone to submit course for approval, and require vendors to accept monthly payments for students enrolled in their courses.

Courses already approved through MOVIP by August 28, 2018, shall automatically be authorized to participate in the program.

These provisions are similar to HCS/HB 1408 (2018), SCS/HCS/HB 138 (2017), SCS/SBs 327, 238 & 360 (2017), HB 970 (2017), and HB 2123 (2016).

ACCESS MISSOURI FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:

This act also allows students enrolled in approved virtual institutions, as defined in the act, to participate in the Access Missouri Financial Assistance Program.

A virtual institution is required to continuously maintain certain specified requirements to be considered an approved virtual institution.

These provisions are identical to SB 682 (2018) and SCS/SB 188 (2017), and are similar to HCS/HB 411 (2017) and SCS/HB 1716 (2016).

The act becomes effective July 1, 2019.

JAMIE ANDREWS