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SB 603 - This act changes the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program (MOVIP) to "The Missouri Course Access Program" (MCAP) and allows any K-12 student to enroll in MCAP courses, to be paid by the school district, if the student is a public school student and the course is approved by a school counselor or the person assigned to register students for classes. School districts shall pay course providers no more than 14% of the state adequacy target for each course in which a student enrolls. School districts shall also monitor student progress, success, and course quality and submit an annual report to the Department. A course provider shall be authorized if it meets certain requirements as set forth in the act. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education shall publish the authorization process along with deadlines and guidance applicable to the submission process. The Department shall also establish a course review and approval 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. Course providers shall annually report student data to the Department. To be authorized, a course provider shall comply with applicable antidiscrimination policies as well as state and federal student privacy provisions, go through the approval process implemented by the Department, and provide courses that possess an assessment component for determining student proficiency and if applicable, student growth, and be aligned to relevant state academic or industry standards. The Department shall submit an annual report to the Joint Committee on Education that includes information as described in the act. The report shall be published online. Courses already approved through the Missouri Virtual Instruction Program shall automatically be authorized to participate in the program. The initial course authorization shall be for three years. The act requires the State Board of Education to provide an easily accessible link for course providers on the MCAP website, allows anyone to submit courses for approval, and requires course providers to accept monthly payments for students enrolled in their courses. The act becomes effective January 1, 2019. This act is similar to SCS/SBs 327, 238 & 360 (2017), SCS/HCS/HB 138 (2017), HCS/SCS/SBs 300 & 306 (2017), HCS/SB 434 (2017), HCS/SB 478 (2017), HB 970 (2017), and HB 2123 (2016). JAMIE ANDREWS
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