HCS/SCS/SB 996 - This act modifies several provisions relating to elementary and secondary education. STATE AID FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION This act excludes funds designated by taxpayers in an urban district as local early childhood education funds from the local tax revenue calculation used to provide funding to charter schools that have declared themselves as a local educational agency. (160.415) This provision contains an emergency clause. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION QUALITY ASSURANCE This act repeals the prohibition of a quality rating system for early childhood education. (Section 161.216) This act also establishes an early learning quality assurance report three year pilot program in collaboration with the Missouri Head Start Collaboration Office and the Departments of Health and Senior Services, Mental Health, and Social Services. The program is voluntary for any licensed, license-exempt, or certified early learning providers that are center-based or home based and providing services for children from any age up to kindergarten. The early learning quality assurance report may include, but is not limited to, information regarding staff qualifications, instructional quality, professional development, health and safety standards, parent engagement, and community engagement. (Section 161.217) This provision is substantially similar to SB 1084 (2016) and HB 2566 (2016). GIFTED EDUCATION This act prohibits school districts from determining whether a child is gifted based on the child's participation in an advanced placement course or international baccalaureate course. Whether a child is gifted must be determined using the statutory definition of "gifted children". Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, this act also reduces a district's funding as described in the act when it experiences a decrease in its gifted program enrollment of 20% or more from the previous school year. This provision shall not apply to school districts with an average daily attendance of three hundred fifty or less. This provision shall be effective July 1, 2017. (Sections 162.720 and 163.031) These provisions are substantially similar to SCS/SB 904 (2016) and HCS/HB 1419 (2016), and to provisions contained in HCS/SCS/SB 996 (2016), HCS/HB 1943 (2016), and HB 637 (2015). JOSHUA NORBERG