Missouri Senate

Senate Committee Substitute

Under this act, the Missouri Advisory Board for Educator Preparation (MABEP) shall include at least three active elementary or secondary classroom teachers and at least three faculty members within approved educator preparation programs. The MABEP shall hold regular meetings that allow members to share needs and concerns and plan strategies to enhance teacher preparation.

Under the act, the State Board of Education shall, in consultation with MABEP, align literacy and reading instruction coursework for teacher education programs. All reading and special education certificates shall include training as outlined in the act. (Section 161.097)

Under this act, a school intervention team, which shall mean a group of persons representing certain schools as set forth in the act, may submit a state innovation waiver plan to the State Board of Education for certain purposes, including improving student readiness for employment, higher education, vocational training, technical training, or any other form of career and job training; increasing the compensation of teachers; or improving the recruitment, retention, training, preparation, or professional development of teachers.

The Board may grant school innovation waivers to exempt schools from requirements imposed by current law, or from any regulations promulgated by the Board or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. If a school innovation waiver is granted to a school district or group of school districts, the waiver shall be applicable to every elementary and secondary school within the school district or group of school districts unless the plan specifically provides otherwise.

Any plan for a school innovation waiver shall contain certain information as described in the act, including the specific provision of law for which a waiver is being requested and an explanation for why such provision of law inhibits the goal stated in the plan. The plan shall also demonstrate that the intent of the law can be addressed in a more effective, efficient, or economical manner and that the waiver or modification is necessary to implement the plan.

In evaluating a plan submitted by a school innovation team, the Board shall consider whether the plan meets certain criteria set forth in the act. The Board may propose modifications to the plan in cooperation with the school innovation team.

Any waiver granted under this act shall be effective for no longer than three school years, but school innovation waivers may be renewed. No more than one school innovation waiver shall be in effect with respect to any one elementary or secondary school at one time.

The State Board shall not authorize the waiver of any statutory requirements relating to teacher certification, teacher tenure, or any requirement imposed by federal law. (Section 161.214)

This provision is identical to SB 662 (2022).

The State Board of Education, in collaboration with the Coordinating Board for Higher Education and the Commissioner's advisory council established by the act, shall develop a plan to establish a comprehensive system of services for reading instruction. The State Board of Education shall also create an Office of Literacy and shall take other actions relating to improving literacy set forth in the act.

The act also creates the Evidence-based Reading Instruction Program Fund, to be used for purposes set forth in the act. (Section 161.241)

The act changes the term "reading intervention plans" to "reading success plans" throughout the act and applies provisions regarding such plans to charter schools. The development of guidelines for formulating policies for such plans is changed from the State Board of Education to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Each school district and charter school shall have on file a policy for reading success plans. The reading success plans shall provide all parents and guardians of students with a plan that includes suggestions for regular parent-guided home reading.

Each school district and charter school shall provide intensive reading instruction to students as set forth in the act. (Section 167.268)

The act repeals provisions relating to reading assessments and now states that school districts and charter schools shall assess all students enrolled in kindergarten through 3rd grade at the beginning and end of each school year for their level of reading or reading readiness. Additionally, all school districts and charter schools shall assess any newly enrolled student in grades one through five for their level of reading or reading readiness.

At the beginning of the school year, each school district and charter school shall provide a reading success plan to any student who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading or has been identified as being at risk of dyslexia.

Each school district or charter school shall ensure the parent or guardian of any student in kindergarten through 3rd grade who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading and shall provide them information listed in the act.

If a student has a substantial reading deficiency at the end of 3rd grade, promotion or retention of the student shall be discussed by the student's parent or guardian and appropriate school staff. School districts and charter school shall provide students identified as having a substantial reading deficiency with certain services as set forth in the act.

Each school district and charter school shall ensure that intensive reading instruction is provided through a reading development initiative to each kindergarten through 5th grade student who is assessed as exhibiting a substantial reading deficiency. Such instruction shall comply with criteria listed in the act. (Section 167.645)

Each school district and charter school shall provide professional development services to enhance the skills of elementary teachers in responding to children's unique reading issues and needs to increase the use of evidence-based strategies. (Section 170.014.1)

Finally, the Commissioner of Education shall establish a literacy advisory council. The council shall include members representing stakeholder groups listed in the act. The council shall provide recommendations to the Commissioner and the State Board of Education regarding any identified improvements to literacy instruction and policy for students as set forth in the act. (Section 186.080.1)

This act is similar to SB 1076 (2022), SCS/SB 54 (2021), SB 830 (2020), and HB 2174 (2020).

JAMIE ANDREWS