SS/SCS/HCS/HB 711 - This act creates, modifies, and repeals provisions relating to elementary and secondary education. CALCULATION OF STUDENT ATTENDANCE (160.264) The act provides that a student who has been suspended or expelled from a public school shall be counted as being in attendance for purposes of calculating the school's attendance rate under the Missouri School Improvement Plan and the school's weighted average daily attendance as used in the calculation of state aid. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025) and substantially similar to a provision in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025). CHARTER SCHOOL USE OF PROPERTY (Section 160.421) The act prohibits political subdivisions, such as municipalities, counties, and school districts, from enacting policies or ordinances that prevent property from being used by a charter school for lawful educational purposes. Specifically, political subdivisions shall not impose deed restrictions that prohibit such use, and any existing restrictions that prevent property previously used for educational purposes from being used by a charter school shall be void after August 28, 2025. Furthermore, political subdivisions shall not refuse to sell, lease, or rent property to a charter school solely based on the school’s intended educational use, although political subdivisions are not required to enter into such agreements. If property that was previously restricted is sold or leased to a charter school, the agreement shall include provisions for property maintenance. Any policy, regulation, or contract that violates these provisions is void from its inception. This provision is similar to HB 1062 (2025), HB 1254 (2025), and HCS/HBs 1363, 1062 & 1254 (2025). COMPREHENSIVE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLANS (Section 160.480) Currently, school districts are authorized to adopt a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan addressing the use of school resources in the event of a natural disaster or other community emergency. Under this act, school districts and charter schools shall adopt a "comprehensive emergency operations plan" that addresses school safety, crises, and emergency operations; prevention, preparation, operations, and follow-up; collaboration with local law enforcement, fire protection services, and emergency management; and consideration of supporting mental health needs of all involved in any crisis. The emergency operations plan shall be shared with local law enforcement, fire protection services, and emergency management. The act adds charter school governing boards to a provision requiring the review of the use of school resources pursuant to emergency operations plans within 30 days of authorization or as soon as reasonably possible. The governing board of each school district and charter school shall ensure the completion of a physical security site assessment at each facility annually. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall develop standards for emergency operations plans and ensure compliance with the adoption of these plans annually. DESE shall also develop standards for the annual physical security site assessments using nationally accepted methodology and shall ensure compliance with the completion of these assessments annually. This provision is identical to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), SCS/HB 232 (2025), and HB 416 (2025). CARDIAC EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS (Section 160.482) For the 2026-27 school year and all subsequent school years, this act requires every public school and charter school to develop and implement a cardiac emergency response plan that addresses the appropriate use of school personnel to respond to incidents involving an individual experiencing sudden cardiac arrest or a similar life-threatening emergency while on a school campus. Members of each public school and charter school's administration shall coordinate with local emergency services providers to integrate the school's cardiac emergency response plan into the local emergency services providers' protocols. A cardiac emergency response plan shall integrate evidence-based core elements, such as those recommended by the American Heart Association guidelines, Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam's Memory), or another set of nationally recognized, evidence-based standards or core elements. The act outlines certain guidelines that a cardiac emergency response plan shall integrate, including the establishment of a cardiac emergency response team and the placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) throughout the school campus. Appropriate AED placement shall be dictated by the cardiac emergency response plan and in accordance with guidelines set by the American Heart Association or nationally recognized guidelines focused on emergency cardiovascular care. For schools with an athletic department or organized school athletic program, an AED shall be clearly marked and easily accessible in an unlocked location at each athletic venue and event. The AED shall be accessible during the school day and any school-sponsored athletic event or team practice. It is recommended, to the extent possible, that the governing body of a public school or charter school shall make the best effort possible to ensure that the AED placement described in the act is accessible within three minutes of cardiac arrest. Appropriate school personnel shall be certified in first aid, CPR, and AED use, as provided in the act. The school personnel required to be trained shall be determined by the cardiac emergency response plan and shall include, but shall not be limited to, athletic coaches, school nurses, and athletic trainers. This act shall not be construed to create a cause of action against any school district, charter school, or any personnel of a school district or charter school. This provision is identical to SS/SCS/SBs 166 & 155 (2025) and a provision in SCS/HB 232 (2025), is substantially similar to a provision in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), and is similar to SCS/SBs 1032 & 1081 (2024) and provisions in HB 416 (2025) and HB 1991 (2024). STOP THE BLEED ACT (Section 160.485) The act establishes the "Stop the Bleed Act" requiring DESE to develop a traumatic blood loss protocol for school personnel to follow in the event of a serious injury. The protocol shall be developed before January 1, 2026 for implementation in each school district and charter school before the end of the 2025-26 school year. The act outlines the requirements of the protocol, including placing a bleeding control kit in areas where there is likely to be high traffic, such as auditoriums and cafeterias. Certain items shall be included in the bleeding control kit, such as bandages, protective gloves, and tourniquets. A bleeding control kit shall be restocked after each use, as provided in the act. Each school district and charter school shall designate school personnel in each school building who shall receive annual training in the use of a bleeding control kit. The act describes the topics to be covered in such training, such as the proper application of dressings or bandages. DESE shall, in collaboration with the United States Department of Homeland Security and the Missouri Department of Public Safety, include requirements in the traumatic blood loss protocol for school personnel to receive annual training in the use of bleeding control kits. The training requirements shall be satisfied by successful completion and certification under the "STOP THE BLEED" course as promulgated by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma or the American Red Cross. The training requirements may allow online instruction. A bleeding control kit may contain any additional items that are approved by emergency medical services personnel, as provided in the act. Quantities of each item required to be in a bleeding control kit may be determined by each school district. DESE, each school district, and each charter school shall maintain information about the Stop the Bleed Act on each entity's website. Upon request by a school district or a charter school, DESE may, in collaboration with the Department of Public Safety, direct the school district or charter school to resources that are available to provide bleeding control kits to the school district or charter school. All costs related to the provision of bleeding control kits, kit restocking, and training of school personnel shall be subject to an appropriation by the General Assembly. A school district or charter school may receive donations of bleeding control kits or funds for the purchase of bleeding control kits that meet the requirements of the act. This provision shall not be construed to create a cause of action against a school district, charter school, or school personnel. Any school personnel who in good faith use a bleeding control kit as provided in the act shall be immune from all civil liability for any act or omission in the use of a bleeding control kit unless the act or omission constitutes gross negligence or willful, wanton, or intentional misconduct. This provision is identical to HB 266 (2025), HB 1487 (2024), HB 116 (2023), and provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), HB 416 (2025), HB 844 (2025), HCS/HB 1946 (2024), and HCS/HB 497 (2023), and is substantially similar to HCS/HB 1722 (2022) and a provision in HCS/SS/SB 690 (2022). SCHOOL SAFETY COORDINATORS (Section 160.660) The act requires school districts to designate a primary and secondary school safety coordinator, rather than one designated safety coordinator. Each school district shall ensure that school safety coordinators complete specific training within one year of being appointed. The training options include certain courses offered by the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) or the Missouri School Boards' Association's Center for Education Safety. This provision is identical to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), SCS/HB 232 (2025), HB 416 (2025), and HCS/HB 1946 (2024). SCHOOL SAFETY MEASURES (Section 160.663) The act requires school districts and charter schools to install anti-intruder door locks on interior doors and bullet-resistant window film on the glass of exterior doors or entryways, subject to appropriation. All new doors installed after August 28, 2025 shall include these security features, and all existing doors shall be equipped with these features by July 1, 2029. School districts and charter schools may receive donations of anti-intruder locks and bullet-resistant window film or accept donations of funds to purchase such items. Additionally, school districts and charter schools shall develop policies to control building access prior to, or in conjunction with, installing anti-intruder door locks and bullet-resistant window film. Such policies shall control access to individual classrooms and ensure classroom doors with windows have materials that provide concealment during lockdowns while allowing limited visibility for first responders. This provision is identical to provisions in HB 416 (2025) and HCS/HB 1946 (2024), and is similar to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025) and SCS/HB 232 (2025). ADULT HIGH SCHOOLS (Sections 160.2700, 160.2705, and 160.2710) The act lowers the minimum age of a student who may enroll in an adult high school from 21 years of age to 18 years of age. To be eligible to operate an adult high school, an organization shall demonstrate success in providing job placement services to adults 18 years of age or older, instead of 21 years of age or older, in addition to satisfying certain other conditions set forth in current law. Additionally, a student transferring from a local education agency to an adult high school shall be considered a transfer student and not a dropout student from the local education agency. These provisions are identical to HCS/HB 32 (2025) and to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), CCS/HCS/SS/SB 150 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025), and HCS/HB 712 (2025), and are similar to SB 426 (2025) and HB 1110 (2025). STEM CAREER AWARENESS (Section 161.264) This act creates the "STEM Career Awareness Activity Fund" for the purpose of establishing a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activity program for students in grades nine through twelve. Under the act, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall select a provider to deliver a teacher-led program that involves facilitating a cohort of students to conduct STEM activities at state, national, or international competitions. DESE shall select a provider that presents data demonstrating the effectiveness of the program in achieving certain goals specified in the act. DESE shall begin soliciting applications from providers by January 1, 2026, and select a provider by March 1, 2026. This provision is identical to HB 1111 (2025) and provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), CCS/HCS/SS/SB 150 (2025), and HCS/HB 33 (2025), and is substantially similar to SB 265 (2025), HB 1972 (2024), SB 535 (2023), HB 887 (2023), and provisions in SCS/SB 976 (2024), HCS/SB 1039 (2024), HCS/SS/SCS/SBs 411 & 230 (2023), and HCS/HB 502 (2023). VIRTUAL ASSESSMENTS (Section 161.670) This act provides that any virtual school or program that is part of the Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program may administer any statewide assessment virtually, except for college readiness or workforce readiness assessments provided by a national college and career readiness assessment provider. The act outlines requirements for such virtual assessments, including the monitoring of students via a camera and maintaining a student-to-proctor ratio that is targeted at 10-1 or lower. This provision is identical to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025) and SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025), and is similar to SB 1049 (2024) and provisions in HCS/HB 220 (2025) and HCS#2/SS/SB 266 (2025). STATE AID FOR SCHOOLS (Section 163.045) A school district shall not be deemed ineligible to receive certain state aid moneys on the basis that such school district was in session for fewer than 169 days in a school term because of exceptional or emergency circumstances or a reduction of the required number of school days authorized by the Commissioner of Education under current law. This provision is identical to HCS/HB 368 (2025) and provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025) and SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025), and is similar to SB 364 (2025) and a provision in HCS/HB 712 (2025). BEHAVIORAL THREAT ASSESSMENTS AND PERSONAL SAFETY PLANS (Sections 167.020 and 167.022) The act adds behavioral threat assessments and personal safety plans, as defined in the act, to the records to be requested by school officials when enrolling a pupil. These provisions are similar to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), SCS/HB 232 (2025), HB 416 (2025), and HCS/HB 1946 (2024). JUVENILE COURT (Section 167.115) Currently, a school district shall be notified if a petition is filed against a student in juvenile court with specific allegations. Under this act, a school district shall also be notified if a charge or indictment is filed against a student. The act adds the local prosecutor to the list of individuals required to notify the school district. Notice shall be given within 24 hours following the filing of the charge, indictment, or petition, and a summary of facts shall be provided to the superintendent of the school district no later than two business days, rather than five days, following the case disposition. Additionally, the act authorizes school districts to request an injunction to exclude students from educational services if there is a substantial likelihood of danger to the safety of other students or employees in the school district. The information reported to the school district may be used to provide an alternative environment for the student's educational services. This provision is identical to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), SCS/HB 232 (2025), HB 416 (2025), and HCS/HB 1946 (2024). AGREEMENTS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT (Section 167.117) The act authorizes school districts and charter schools to enter into written agreements with law enforcement on reporting procedures for certain criminal offenses specified in the act. These procedures may authorize the reporting of offenses committed by students under 11 years of age to the Children's Division within the Department of Social Services, rather than law enforcement. This provision is identical to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), SCS/HB 232 (2025), and HB 416 (2025). PUBLIC SCHOOL OPEN ENROLLMENT ACT (Sections 167.151 and 167.1200 to 167.1230) The act establishes the "Public School Open Enrollment Act" to enable students to transfer from their charter school or resident school district ("resident local education agency" or "LEA") to a nonresident LEA. (Section 167.1200) No student shall be enrolled under this Act before July 1, 2027. (Section 167.1230) These provisions are identical to provisions in HCS#2/SS/SB 266 (2025) and are similar to SB 1051 (2024), HCS/HB 1989 (2024), SCS/SB 5 (2023), SB 1010 (2022), HB 1814 (2022), and HS/HCS/HB 543 (2021). SUSPENDED STUDENTS (Section 167.164) The act provides that no school district shall be required to provide a teacher to a suspended student as long as the student is provided an opportunity to attend an alternative school, utilize alternative services or virtual options, or make up missed work upon returning to school. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 711 (2025). CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION (Section 167.624) Currently, school districts are authorized to develop and implement a program to train students and employees on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and other lifesaving methods. This act requires school districts and charter schools to provide such training for all school district and charter school employees. This provision is identical to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), SCS/HB 232 (2025), HB 416 (2025), and HCS/HB 1946 (2024). PUBLIC SCHOOL OPEN ENROLLMENT ACT: TRANSFER POLICY AND PARTICIPATION (Section 167.1205) The act specifies that any student may attend school in a nonresident LEA participating in the open enrollment program. Before November 1st of each year, each charter school or school district, defined as a "local education agency" or "LEA", shall adopt a resolution stating whether the LEA intends to participate in the program during the subsequent school year. LEAs may restrict the number of students who may transfer to a nonresident LEA to 3% of the previous school year's enrollment. After the 2027-28 school year, an LEA's maximum number of students who may transfer to a nonresident LEA shall increase by 1% for every two consecutive school years that the LEA is at the transfer maximum, up to a potential maximum of 5% of the previous school year's enrollment. For purposes of calculating the transfer maximum, a transferring student shall be counted as enrolled in the resident LEA if, in the school year before the year of transfer, the student was enrolled in a school other than a public school, attended an FPE school, as such term is defined in current law, or moved to Missouri from another state and has not yet enrolled in school. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) shall develop and maintain an online resource that allows a nonresident LEA to ensure that such LEA does not accept a transfer application if doing so would cause the transferring student's resident LEA to exceed the transfer maximum established in the act. The online resource shall additionally provide a searchable public database of the number of transfers offered in each participating LEA, listing allowable transfers for each building, grade level, classroom, and program in an LEA. LEAs that participate in open enrollment shall not be required to add teachers, staff, or classrooms to accommodate transfer applicants. DESE or an entity skilled in policy development shall develop a model open enrollment transfer policy as outlined in the act, including specific standards for acceptance and rejection of transfer applications. All LEAs that participate in the open enrollment program shall adopt a policy that defines the term "insufficient classroom space," taking into account future population growth and establishing standards for acceptance and rejection of transfer applications. The standards for acceptance and rejection of transfer applications may include the capacity of the school, the availability of classroom space, and any class-size limitation. An LEA may use projections to determine class-size limitations. The standards shall include a statement that priority shall be given to any applicant who has a sibling who is already enrolled in the nonresident LEA. The standards shall not include a consideration of an applicant's academic achievement, athletic ability, disabilities, English proficiency level, or previous disciplinary proceedings, except that any suspension or expulsion from another LEA shall be included. LEAs receiving transferring students shall not discriminate on the basis of gender, national origin, race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, disability, or whether the student is homeless or a migrant. A nonresident LEA shall accept credits toward graduation that were awarded by another LEA and award a diploma to a transferring student if the student meets the nonresident LEA's graduation requirements. The governing body of each LEA shall cause certain information about the open enrollment program, such as application deadlines and procedures, to be posted on the LEA's website and in the student handbook. Students who wish to attend a nonresident LEA that has an academic or competitive entrance process shall furnish proof that they meet the admission requirements of the nonresident LEA. A nonresident LEA may deny a transfer to a student who, in the most recent school year, has been suspended from school two or more times or who has been suspended or expelled for an act of school violence, as described in the act. A student whose transfer is initially precluded under this provision may, upon the approval of the nonresident LEA, be permitted to transfer as a probationary student, subject to no further disruptive behavior. A student who is denied a transfer due to disciplinary issues has the right to an in-person meeting with the nonresident LEA's superintendent, as provided in the act. LEAs shall develop common standards for determining disruptive behavior that shall include criteria established in current law. High school students who participate in open enrollment shall be ineligible to participate in interscholastic athletics during the first 365 days of enrollment in a nonresident LEA, with exceptions outlined in the act. PUBLIC SCHOOL OPEN ENROLLMENT ACT: APPLYING FOR TRANSFER (Section 167.1210) A student who applies for a transfer under the act may accept only one transfer per school year. A student who accepts such a transfer shall commit to attend and take all courses through the nonresident LEA for at least two school years. The student may meet with the superintendent of the nonresident LEA to be released from such commitment if extenuating circumstances arise or if the student's resident LEA changes. A transferring student shall not enroll as a full-time student in the Missouri Course Access and Virtual School Program. A student who transfers to a nonresident LEA and then returns to the resident LEA shall complete a full semester in the resident LEA before applying for another transfer. A transferring student with a school attendance rate below 80% for any quarter shall be notified of such rate, and if such student's attendance rate in the subsequent quarter does not reach at least 90%, the student's transfer and eligibility to attend the nonresident LEA may be voided by the LEA. A student who transfers to a nonresident LEA may complete all remaining school years in the nonresident LEA without reapplying each year. Any sibling of a student enrolled in a nonresident LEA may enroll in the same nonresident LEA if the LEA has the capacity and the sibling has no discipline issues, as provided in the act. The transferring student or the student's parent is responsible for the transportation of the student to and from the boundaries of the nonresident LEA in which the student is enrolled. Nonresident LEAs shall provide transportation within the boundaries of the LEA, but charter schools that do not currently provide transportation services are exempt from this requirement. Transportation costs shall included in the nonresident LEA's calculation for transportation reimbursement under current law. For the purposes of determining federal and state aid, a student who transfers to a nonresident school district LEA shall be counted as a resident of the nonresident LEA. For a student transferring to a nonresident charter school LEA, state aid for such student shall be determined by multiplying the weighted average daily attendance of such transferring student by the state adequacy target and multiplying this product by the dollar-value modifier, as the terms "weighted average daily attendance", "state adequacy target", and "dollar-value modifier" are defined in current law, and certain provisions of state law providing for state aid payments to charter schools shall not apply to such calculation. For purposes of payment to special school districts, a transferring student receiving services from a special school district shall be counted as a resident pupil of the nonresident LEA in which the student is enrolled. If a student receives 50% or more of such student's instruction from the special school district, the special school district shall receive all funding which would otherwise be paid to the nonresident LEA for such student. The provisions of the act shall not be construed to relieve any resident LEA of its responsibility to pay toward the cost of the education of children who receive special educational services or attend the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, as provided in current law. PUBLIC SCHOOL OPEN ENROLLMENT ACT: PARENT PUBLIC SCHOOL CHOICE FUND (Sections 167.1211 and 167.1212) The act establishes the "Parent Public School Choice Fund". Appropriations to the fund shall be used to supplement state aid payments to LEAs that participate in the open enrollment program and reimburse nonresident LEAs for the costs of providing special educational services for students with an IEP, as provided in the act. DESE shall annually evaluate the availability and use of moneys from the fund and, if necessary, request additional funds by a specific line item appropriation as part of the legislative budget process. PUBLIC SCHOOL OPEN ENROLLMENT ACT: NUMBER OF TRANSFER STUDENTS (Section 167.1215) Before November 1st annually, each LEA shall publish and notify DESE of the number of transfer students the LEA is willing to receive for the following school year, delineated by building, grade, classroom, or program, if such criteria for acceptance have been set by the LEA. An LEA shall not be required to accept any transfer students above this published number. A special school district shall consult with each partner school district and, before November 1st annually, shall notify DESE of the number of likely available spots for special education services at each partner school district, as provided in the act. The online resource created by DESE shall include a waiting list for applications to nonresident LEAs. The online resource shall notify each applicant that the applicant's transfer application may be subject to placement on such waiting list if the number of transfer applications exceeds the number of available transfers. The act sets forth a priority order for acceptance of applications from the waiting list. A parent of a student on the waiting list shall be informed by DESE of the details of the operation of the list and whether the parent will be required to refile an application for open enrollment in order to remain on the waiting list. PUBLIC SCHOOL OPEN ENROLLMENT ACT: APPLICATION PROCESS (Section 167.1220) The parent of a student seeking a transfer shall submit an application to DESE between November 15th and January 1st of the school year before the school year in which the student seeks to begin the fall semester, as provided in the act. No more than five transfer applications per school year shall be submitted for any student. Upon receiving an application, DESE shall assign a unique identifying number to the application. On or before January 15th, DESE shall conduct a lottery of eligible applications to determine which student transfers DESE will approve for submission to the nonresident LEAs, subject to conditions set forth in the act, and shall also notify each nonresident LEA of applications that DESE has approved for transfer. The governing body of the nonresident LEA shall request from all schools attended by the student within the last 12 months certain records relating to the transfer, including special education records, discipline records, and records of behavioral risk assessments. An LEA that receives such a request for records shall respond to the request within five business days. Any official to whom such information is disclosed shall comply with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Nonresident LEAs shall review and make a determination on transfer applications received from DESE within 10 business days, as provided in the act. If a nonresident LEA rejects an application, DESE shall submit the next application on the waiting list to the nonresident LEA for consideration. Before March 1st of the school year preceding the school year in which a student seeks to enroll in a nonresident LEA, the nonresident LEA's superintendent shall notify DESE as to whether the student's application has been accepted or rejected through the online resource created by DESE. Within three business days of sending notifications to the resident and nonresident LEAs, DESE shall notify the parent as to whether the student's application has been accepted or rejected, as provided in the act. If an application is rejected, DESE's notification shall state the nonresident LEA's reason for the rejection. If an application is accepted, DESE shall state in its notification a reasonable deadline before which the student shall enroll, along with instructions for renewing enrollment each year. DESE shall also notify the resident LEA of the student's participation. DESE shall further notify the student and the student's parent of the opportunity to participate in an anonymous survey provided by DESE regarding all reasons for the student's and parent's interest in participating in the open enrollment program. DESE shall publish an annual report based on the survey results, providing aggregate data of sufficient detail to allow analysis of trends regarding the reasons for participation in the open enrollment program at the statewide, regional, and local levels. The annual report shall also include detection and analysis of the impact of the program on racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic balance among schools and LEAs. No such survey results shall be published in a manner that would allow for the identification of data attributable to a specific LEA or that reveals information regarding a group of five or fewer students. DESE shall privately share data specific to each LEA with each LEA prior to publishing the annual report. If a student declines enrolling in the nonresident LEA, provided the nonresident LEA still has capacity to accept additional students, DESE shall send the LEA the next application on the waiting list for consideration. No additional open enrollment transfer applications shall be sent by DESE or approved by a nonresident LEA after April 15th of the school year immediately preceding the school year of enrollment. PUBLIC SCHOOL OPEN ENROLLMENT ACT: SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND GIFTED CHILDREN (Section 167.1224) Before enrolling in a nonresident LEA, a student with certain special educational needs, English as a second language (ESL) needs, or who is identified as a gifted child shall be provided the same process that exists for a resident student moving into the nonresident LEA. The nonresident LEA, parent, or both shall have the opportunity to reevaluate the student to determine what comparable special educational services may be required or what programs or services for which the student may be eligible. A nonresident LEA is responsible for providing a free appropriate education to the student and shall provide the same or substantially similar services as a resident student would receive. Before enrolling in the nonresident LEA, if necessary, a transferring student and parent shall be provided the opportunity to develop a new or amended IEP, individualized family service plan, or 504 plan, or to evaluate the ESL, gifted, or dyslexia programs and services provided by the nonresident LEA. The nonresident LEA shall provide the student and parent with prior written notice documenting the services that the nonresident LEA determines appropriate to meet the student's needs. The nonresident LEA shall offer the transferring student 10 business days to accept or decline the acceptance of the nonresident LEA. LEAs that are served by a special school district shall execute a form agreement prepared by DESE with such special school district regarding finance, staffing, and other relevant items prior to participating in open enrollment. An LEA and a special school district may choose to modify such form agreement, but no modifications shall delay the LEA's participating in open enrollment. A nonresident LEA shall make reasonable accommodations to address the needs of incoming transferring students and to provide such students with equal access to a free appropriate public education. These provisions shall not be construed to preclude a nonresident LEA from adding additional staff, services, or programs, or to preclude the nonresident LEA from performing subsequent evaluations to ensure proper placement of a transferring student. PUBLIC SCHOOL OPEN ENROLLMENT ACT: AUTHORIZED EXEMPTIONS (Section 167.1225) A student may participate in open enrollment if such student's transfer does not cause the resident LEA to conflict with a provision of an enforceable desegregation court order or a court-approved desegregation plan. An LEA may annually declare an exemption from the program if the LEA is subject to such court order or plan, as provided in the act. Any LEA declaring such exemption shall notify DESE of such before November 1st of the preceding school year. The act sets forth certain exemptions from open enrollment for students who qualify for transfers under current law and for LEAs that receive transfer students under such provisions. If a student transfers from a resident LEA that is a K-8 school district to another school district for any of grades 6-8, the resident LEA shall pay tuition to the nonresident LEA upon the student's promotion to 9th grade as provided in current law. For any student who transfers to a nonresident LEA that is a K-8 school district, the K-8 school district shall not be considered such student's resident LEA for any purpose after the student completes 8th grade or upon the student's transfer out of the K-8 school district before completing 8th grade. PUBLIC SCHOOL OPEN ENROLLMENT ACT: ANNUAL REPORTING AND AUDITING (Section 167.1229) DESE shall collect and report data annually from school LEAs on the number of applications and study the effects of transfers under the act. DESE shall consider, as part of its study, the maximum number of transfers and exemptions for both resident and nonresident LEAs for up to two years to determine if a significant racially segregative impact has occurred in any LEA. The report shall be submitted annually before December 1st to the Joint Committee on Education, the House Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Senate Committee on Education. DESE shall annually make a random selection of 10% of the LEAs participating in the open enrollment program and audit each selected LEA's transfers approved or denied under policies adopted by the school board. If DESE determines that a selected LEA is improperly implementing and administering the transfer process, DESE may withhold any state aid provided to the LEA until the LEA corrects the transfer process improprieties identified by the audit. TEACHER CERTIFICATION (Section 168.021) The act adds Teachers of Tomorrow to the list of certificating entities from which the State Board of Education shall accept a teacher's credentials for purposes of issuing a license to teach in the public schools of this state, provided that the individual also meets certain other conditions outlined in current law. The act further adds "gifted education" to the list of subject areas for which the State Board of Education shall not issue a teaching license based on certification by such a certificating entity. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025) and similar to SB 639 (2025), HCS/HB 1153 (2025), and provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025). TEACHER EXTERNSHIPS (Section 168.025) The act repeals the August 28, 2024, expiration of the teacher externship program. This provision is identical to HB 1945 (2024) and provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025), and HCS/HB 267 (2025). SUBSTITUTE TEACHING IN RETIREMENT (Section 168.036) Currently, the limitations for members of the Public School Retirement System and the Public Education Employee Retirement Systems (PSRS/PEERS) to work as a substitute teacher after retirement are waived until June 30, 2025. This act waives such limitations until June 30, 2030. This provision is identical to HB 965 (2025), HB 1039 (2025), and provisions in SS#2/SCS/SB 10 (2025), CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025), SB 705 (2025), SB 708 (2025), HCS/HB 267 (2025), HCS/HB 712 (2025), and HCS/HB 1153 (2025). PRINCIPAL-ADMINISTRATOR ACADEMY (Sections 168.407, 168.409, and 168.500) The act modifies provisions relating to programming for the Principal-Administrator Academy by specifying that programming shall include a review of preparation programs of school administrators, a mentoring program, and an early career coaching program. The act repeals a provision authorizing DESE to charge a reasonable fee to cover the costs of operating the Principal-Administrator Academy. Instead, the act provides that funding for such programming may include federal funding, money appropriated to the Excellence in Education Fund, or up to 5% of funding appropriated for Career Ladder. DESE may also require matching funds to be provided by individuals or school districts, as provided in the act. These provisions are identical to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), and are similar to a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025). MODELS OF READING INSTRUCTION (Section 170.014) Phonics instruction for decoding and encoding words shall be the primary instructional strategy for teaching word reading in school districts and charter schools. An instructional strategy based on a three-cueing system, as such term is defined in the act, may not be used for instruction in word reading. Visual information may be used in reading instruction to improve background and add context, but shall not be used to teach word reading. This provision is identical to HCS/HB 941 (2025) and is similar to SB 556 (2025) and to provisions in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025), SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025), and SCS/HCS/HB 1569 (2024). ACTIVE SHOOTER TRAINING (Section 170.315) The act modifies the Active Shooter and Intruder Response Training for Schools Program (ASIRT). For the 2026-27 school year and all subsequent school years, each school district and charter school shall annually train employees on how to respond to students who provide information about a threatening situation, how to address situations involving a potentially dangerous or armed intruder or active shooter, how to identify potential threats or safety hazards, and protocols for emergencies listed in the act. All school personnel may, rather than "shall", participate in a simulated active shooter and intruder response drill. School safety drills required under current law may be led by school safety professionals, in addition to law enforcement professionals. Each drill shall, rather than "may", include an explanation of its purpose and a safety briefing. The act repeals the requirement that each participant in a safety drill shall know and understand how to respond in the event of an actual emergency on school property or at a school event. The act further repeals a provision that drills may allow school personnel to respond to a simulated emergency based on their previous training or attempt new methods of response if previous methods were unsuccessful. The act provides that public schools shall "actively" foster an environment in which students feel comfortable sharing information regarding potentially threatening or dangerous situations with responsible adults. As part of these efforts, each public school shall annually provide age-appropriate information and training on the Highway Patrol's Courage2ReportMO (C2R) reporting mechanism or its successor reporting mechanism. For the 2026-27 school year and all subsequent school years, each school district and charter school shall hold an age-appropriate active shooter exercise in which students, teachers, and other school employees practice the procedures for safety and protection. This provision is identical to a provision in CCS/HCS/SS/SCS/SB 68 (2025) and is substantially similar to provisions in HB 416 (2025) and HCS/HB 1946 (2024). SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BIDDING (Section 177.086) Currently, any school district authorizing the construction of facilities which may exceed an expenditure of $50,000 shall publicly advertise for bids on the contract. The act exempts from this provision school districts that utilize a cooperative procurement process, state procurement services, or other purchasing processes authorized by state or federal law. This provision is identical to a provision in SCS/HCS/HB 607 (2025). OLIVIA SHANNON