HCS/SB 113 - This act modifies provisions relating to education. HIGHER EDUCATION STATUTORY REFERENCES: This act updates references to higher education statutes that have been repealed. Several statutes contain references to Sections 173.205 and 173.215, which were repealed in 2007. This act removes these references and replaces them with references to either Section 173.1102 or Section 173.1104, as appropriate. These sections are substantially similar to the introduced versions of SB 605 (2014) and SB 67 (2013). (Sections 30.750, 173.003, 173.051, 173.236, 173.239, 173.254, 173.260, 173.262, 173.778, 174.770) 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." (Section 162.720) Beginning in the 2016-2017 school year and in each school year after that, if a district experiences a decrease in its gifted program enrollment of twenty percent or more from the previous school year, an amount equal to the product of the difference between the number of students enrolled in the gifted program in the current school year and the number of students enrolled in the gifted program in the previous school year multiplied by six hundred eighty dollars will be subtracted from the district's current year payment amount. (Section 163.031) This act also repeals a similar obsolete penalty on districts with reductions in gifted program enrollment. This penalty expired at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. (Section 163.031) The financial penalty provision and repeal of the obsolete penalty will become effective on July 1, 2016. These sections are identical to SB 290 (2015) and are similar to SCS/HCS/HB 637 (2015) and provisions contained in CCS#2/HCS/SCS/SB 172 (2015). HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES: This act requires any public school that participates in an activity sponsored by the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) to provide a student that attends a home school who resides in the public school's attendance area the opportunity to participate in the activity on behalf of the public school in the same manner as students enrolled in the public school. For a home school student to be eligible to participate, the individual who primarily provides instruction to the student must submit a written verification to the public school indicating whether the student is receiving a passing grade in each course and is maintaining satisfactory progress towards academic achievement or promotion. MSHSAA is prohibited from prohibiting a home school student from participating in activities, as described in the act. This section is identical to HB 232 (2015). (Section 167.045) CIVICS EDUCATION: This act creates the "Missouri Civics Education Initiative." A student of a college or university, who, after earning a passing grade in a course of instruction for United States or Missouri history or constitution, transfers to another college or university, is not required to earn a passing grade in another such course as a condition precedent to graduation. This act repeals the prohibition on students receiving a certificate of graduation without having satisfactorily passed an examination on the provisions and principles of the United States and Missouri constitutions, American history, and American institutions. However, to receive a certificate of graduation, public or private schools other than private trade schools may require a passing score on an examination of the provisions and principles of the United States Constitution, Missouri Constitution, or both. (Section 170.011) Any student entering ninth grade after July 1, 2016, who is attending a public, charter, or private school, except for private trade schools, or a student seeking to complete a high school equivalency certificate, must, as a condition of high school graduation or its equivalent, take and receive a passing grade on a basic civics test similar to the civics portion of the United States Naturalization test, produced by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The test will consist of questions similar to the one hundred questions used by the USCIS. A school district will choose the number of questions for the test. In order to receive a passing score on the test, a student must answer at least sixty percent of the questions correctly. A student may take the test as many times as necessary for passage but must receive a passing score. Each public school, charter school, or private school, except for private trade schools, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education must certify that a student has taken and received a passing grade on the test. (Section 170.345) Each district must adopt a policy permitting a student with a disability to receive a waiver from the basic civics test requirement if the student's IEP committee recommends it. (Section 170.345) These sections are identical to SCS/HCS/HBs 578, 574 & 584 (2015) and are similar to SB 271 (2015) and SB 273 (2015). DEFINITION OF FINANCIAL NEED: This act creates a new definition of "financial need" for the purposes of the Kids' Chance Scholarship Program and for all of chapter 173. Financial need will mean the difference between the financial resources available to an applicant, as determined by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education, and the applicant's anticipated expenses, including tuition, mandatory fees, and board and room while attending an approved private or public institution of postsecondary education. The Coordinating Board must employ a formula similar to nationally recognized comprehensive mechanisms for determining need. (Section 173.254) YOGA TEACHER TRAINING COURSES: This act requires the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to exempt any yoga teacher training course, program, or school from proprietary school regulation. This section is identical to a provision contained in HCS/SCS/SB 107 (2015). (Section 173.616) ADVANTAGE MISSOURI PROGRAM: This act changes the eligibility requirements for the Advantage Missouri Program. This act requires an eligible student to establish financial need. (Section 173.778) MICHAEL RUFF