Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Missouri General Assembly, fetched 2026-09-25. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
[TRULY AGREED TO AND FINALLY PASSED]
SENATE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
HOUSE BILL NO. 2896
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
6382S.06T 2026
AN ACT
To repeal sections 173.831, 174.300, 174.332, 174.450, 174.453, 174.610, 175.020, 178.530,
and 178.632, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof nine new sections relating to
education.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 173.831, 174.300, 174.332, 174.450, 174.453, 174.610, 175.020,
2 178.530, and 178.632, RSMo, are repealed and nine new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to
3 be known as sections 173.831, 174.300, 174.332, 174.450, 174.453, 174.610, 175.020,
4 178.530, and 178.632, to read as follows:
173.831. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
2 (1) "Academic skill intake assessment", a criterion-referenced assessment of
3 numeracy and literacy skills with high reliability and validity as determined by third-party
4 research;
5 (2) "Accredited", holding an active accreditation from one of the seven United States
6 regional accreditors including, but not limited to, the Middle States Commission on Higher
7 Education, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the Higher Learning
8 Commission, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the Southern
9 Association of Colleges and Schools, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and
10 the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, as well as any successor
11 entities or consolidations of the above including, but not limited to, AdvancEd or Cognia;
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
SS SCS HB 2896 2
12 (3) "Adult dropout recovery services" includes, but is not limited to, sourcing,
13 recruitment, and engagement of eligible students, learning plan development, active teaching,
14 and proactive coaching and mentoring, resulting in an accredited high school diploma and
15 pathway to post secondary education opportunities;
16 (4) "Approved program provider", a public, not-for-profit, or other entity that meets
17 the requirements of subdivision (2) of subsection 3 of this section or any consortium of such
18 entities;
19 (5) "Average cost per graduate", the amount of the total program funding reimbursed
20 to an approved program provider for each cohort during the period of time from the beginning
21 of the same cohort through the subsequent twelve months after the close of the same cohort,
22 divided by the total number of students who graduated from the same cohort within twelve
23 months after the close of the same cohort or enrollment in postsecondary education;
24 (6) "Career pathways coursework", one or more courses that align with the skill needs
25 of industries in the economy of the state or region that help an individual enter or advance
26 within a specific occupation or occupational cluster;
27 (7) "Career placement services", services designed to assist students in obtaining
28 employment, such as career interest self-assessments and job search skills such as resume
29 development and mock interviews;
30 (8) "Coaching", proactive communication between the approved program provider
31 and the student related to the student's pace and progress through the student's learning plan;
32 (9) "Cohort", students who enter the program between July first and June thirtieth of
33 each program year;
34 (10) "Department", the department of elementary and secondary education;
35 (11) "Employability skills certification", a certificate earned by demonstrating
36 professional nontechnical skills through assessment, portfolio, or observation;
37 (12) "Graduate", a student who has successfully completed all of the state and
38 approved program provider requirements in order to obtain a high school diploma;
39 (13) "Graduation rate", the total number of graduates from a cohort who graduated
40 within twelve months after the close of the cohort divided by the total number of students
41 included in the same cohort;
42 (14) "Graduation requirements", course and credit requirements for the approved
43 program provider's accredited high school diploma;
44 (15) "High school diploma", a diploma issued by an accredited institution;
45 (16) "Industry-recognized credential", an education-related credential or work-related
46 credential that verifies an individual's qualification or competence issued by a third party with
47 the relevant authority to issue such credential;
SS SCS HB 2896 3
48 (17) "Learning plan", a documented plan for courses or credits needed for each
49 individual in order to complete program and approved program provider graduation
50 requirements;
51 (18) "Mentoring", a direct relationship between a coach and a student to facilitate the
52 completion of the student's learning plan designed to prepare the student to succeed in the
53 program and the student's future endeavors;
54 (19) "Milestones", objective measures of progress for which payment is made to an
55 approved program provider under this section such as earned units of high school credit,
56 attainment of an employability skills certificate, attainment of an industry-recognized
57 credential, attainment of a technical skills assessment, and attainment of an accredited high
58 school diploma;
59 (20) "Program", the workforce diploma program established in this section;
60 (21) "Request for qualifications", a request for interested potential program providers
61 to submit evidence that they meet the qualifications established in subsection 3 of this section;
62 (22) "Stackable credential", a third-party credential that is part of a sequence of
63 credentials that can be accumulated over time to build up an individual's qualifications to
64 advance along a career pathway;
65 (23) "Student", a participant in the program established in this section who is twenty-
66 one years of age or older, who is a resident of Missouri, and who has not yet earned a high
67 school diploma;
68 (24) "Technical skills assessment", a criterion-referenced assessment of an
69 individual's skills required for an entry-level career, or additional training in a technical
70 field, or other postsecondary opportunities;
71 (25) "Transcript evaluation", a documented summary of credits earned in previous
72 public or private accredited high schools compared with the program and approved program
73 provider graduation requirements;
74 (26) "Unit of high school credit", credit awarded based on a student's demonstration
75 that the student has successfully met the content expectations for the credit area as defined by
76 subject area standards, expectations, or guidelines.
77 2. There is hereby established the "Workforce Diploma Program" within the
78 department of elementary and secondary education to assist students with obtaining a high
79 school diploma and developing employability and career technical skills. The program may
80 be delivered in campus-based, blended, or online modalities.
81 3. (1) Before September 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the department shall issue a
82 request for qualifications for interested program providers to become approved program
83 providers and participate in the program.
84 (2) Each approved program provider shall meet all of the following qualifications:
SS SCS HB 2896 4
85 (a) Be an accredited high school diploma-granting entity;
86 (b) Have a minimum of two years of experience providing adult dropout recovery
87 services;
88 (c) Provide academic skill intake assessments and transcript evaluations to each
89 student. Such academic skill intake assessments may be administered in person or online;
90 (d) Develop a learning plan for each student that integrates graduation requirements
91 and career goals;
92 (e) Provide a course catalog that includes all courses necessary to meet graduation
93 requirements;
94 (f) Offer remediation opportunities in literacy and numeracy, as applicable;
95 (g) Offer employability skills certification, as applicable;
96 (h) Offer career pathways coursework, as applicable;
97 (i) Ability to provide preparation for industry-recognized credentials or stackable
98 credentials, a technical skills assessment, or a combination thereof; and
99 (j) Offer career placement services, as applicable.
100 (3) Upon confirmation by the department that an interested program provider meets
101 all of the qualifications listed in subdivision (2) of this subsection, an interested program
102 provider shall become an approved program provider.
103 4. (1) The department shall announce the approved program providers before
104 October sixteenth annually, with authorization for the approved program providers to begin
105 enrolling students before November fifteenth annually.
106 (2) Approved program providers shall maintain approval without reapplying annually
107 if the approved program provider has not been removed from the approved program provider
108 list under this section.
109 5. All approved program providers shall comply with requirements as provided by the
110 department to ensure:
111 (1) An accurate accounting of a student's accumulated credits toward a high school
112 diploma;
113 (2) An accurate accounting of credits necessary to complete a high school diploma;
114 and
115 (3) The provision of coursework aligned to the academic performance standards of
116 the state.
117 6. (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, the department shall
118 pay an amount as set by the department to approved program providers for the following
119 milestones provided by the approved program provider:
120 (a) Completion of each half unit of high school credit;
121 (b) Attainment of an employability skills certification;
SS SCS HB 2896 5
122 (c) Attainment of an industry-recognized credential, technical skills assessment, or
123 stackable credential requiring no more than fifty hours of training;
124 (d) Attainment of an industry-recognized credential or stackable credential requiring
125 at least fifty-one but no more than one hundred hours of training;
126 (e) Attainment of an industry-recognized credential or stackable credential requiring
127 more than one hundred hours of training; and
128 (f) Attainment of an accredited high school diploma.
129 (2) No approved program provider shall receive funding for a student under this
130 section if the approved program provider receives federal or state funding or private tuition
131 for that student. No approved program provider shall charge student fees of any kind
132 including, but not limited to, textbook fees, tuition fees, lab fees, or participation fees unless
133 the student chooses to obtain additional education offered by the approved program provider
134 that is not included in the state-funded program.
135 (3) Payments made under this subsection shall be subject to an appropriation made to
136 the department for such purposes.
137 7. (1) Approved program providers shall submit monthly invoices to the department
138 before the eleventh calendar day of each month for milestones met in the previous calendar
139 month.
140 (2) The department shall pay approved program providers in the order in which
141 invoices are submitted until all available funds are exhausted.
142 (3) The department shall provide a written update to approved program providers by
143 the last calendar day of each month. The update shall include the aggregate total dollars that
144 have been paid to approved program providers to date and the estimated number of
145 enrollments still available for the program year.
146 8. Before July sixteenth of each year, each provider shall report the following metrics
147 to the department for each individual cohort, on a cohort-by-cohort basis:
148 (1) The total number of students who have been funded through the program;
149 (2) The total number of credits earned;
150 (3) The total number of employability skills certifications issued;
151 (4) The total number of industry-recognized credentials, stackable credentials, and
152 technical skills assessments earned for each tier of funding;
153 (5) The total number of graduates;
154 (6) The average cost per graduate once the stipulated time to make such a calculation
155 has passed; and
156 (7) The graduation rate once the stipulated time to make such a calculation has
157 passed.
SS SCS HB 2896 6
158 9. (1) Before September sixteenth of each year, each approved program provider
159 shall conduct and submit to the department the aggregate results of a survey of each
160 individual cohort, on a cohort-by-cohort basis, who graduated from the program of the
161 approved program provider under this section. The survey shall be conducted in the year
162 after the year in which the individuals graduate and the next four consecutive years.
163 (2) The survey shall include at least the following data collection elements for each
164 year the survey is conducted:
165 (a) The individual's employment status, including whether the individual is employed
166 full time or part time;
167 (b) The individual's hourly wages;
168 (c) The individual's access to employer-sponsored health care; and
169 (d) The individual's postsecondary enrollment status, including whether the
170 individual has completed a postsecondary certificate or degree program.
171 10. (1) Beginning at the end of the second fiscal year of the program, the department
172 shall review data from each approved program provider to ensure that each is achieving
173 minimum program performance standards including, but not limited to:
174 (a) A minimum fifty percent average graduation rate per cohort; and
175 (b) An average cost per graduate per cohort of seven thousand dollars or less.
176 (2) Any approved program provider that fails to meet the minimum program
177 performance standards described in subdivision (1) of this subsection shall be placed on
178 probationary status for the remainder of the fiscal year by the department.
179 (3) Any approved program provider that fails to meet the minimum program
180 performance standards described in subdivision (1) of this subsection for two consecutive
181 years shall be removed from the approved program provider list by the department.
182 11. (1) No approved program provider shall discriminate against a student on the
183 basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexuality, gender, or age.
184 (2) If an approved program provider determines that a student would be better served
185 by participating in a different program, the approved program provider may refer the student
186 to the state's adult basic education services.
187 12. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the "Workforce Diploma Program
188 Fund", which shall consist of any grants, gifts, donations, bequests, or moneys appropriated
189 under this section. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund. In accordance with
190 sections 30.170 and 30.180, the state treasurer may approve disbursements. The fund shall be
191 a dedicated fund and, upon appropriation, moneys in the fund shall be used solely as provided
192 in this section.
SS SCS HB 2896 7
193 (2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080 to the contrary, any moneys
194 remaining in the fund at the end of the biennium shall not revert to the credit of the general
195 revenue fund.
196 (3) The state treasurer shall invest moneys in the fund in the same manner as other
197 funds are invested. Any interest and moneys earned on such investments shall be credited to
198 the fund.
199 13. The director of the department may promulgate all necessary rules and regulations
200 for the administration of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in
201 section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become
202 effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if
203 applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the
204 powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the
205 effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then
206 the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2022,
207 shall be invalid and void.
208 14. [Under section 23.253 of the Missouri sunset act:
209 (1) The provisions of the new program authorized under this section shall
210 automatically sunset six years after August 28, 2022, unless reauthorized by an act of the
211 general assembly; and
212 (2) If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under this section shall
213 automatically sunset twelve years after the effective date of the reauthorization of this section;
214 and
215 (3) This section shall terminate on September first of the calendar year immediately
216 following the calendar year in which the program authorized under this section is sunset.
217 15.] If any provision of this section or its application to any person or circumstance is
218 held invalid, such determination shall not affect the provisions or applications of the
219 remainder of this act which may be given effect without the invalid provision or application,
220 and to that end the provisions of this section are severable.
174.300. 1. Prior to October 17, 1978, the governor shall, with the advice and
2 consent of the senate, appoint a six-member board of regents to assume the general control
3 and management of Harris-Stowe College. The members of the board shall serve for terms of
4 six years each, except for the members first appointed, two of whom shall serve two-year
5 terms, two of whom shall serve four-year terms, and two of whom shall serve six-year terms.
6 Not more than three of the regents shall be affiliated with any one political party or reside in
7 the city in which the institution's principal administrative office is located.
SS SCS HB 2896 8
8 2. On and after August 28, 2005, Harris-Stowe State College shall be known as
9 Harris-Stowe State University, and the provisions contained in subsection 1 of this section
10 shall continue to apply to the institution.
174.332. 1. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 174.050 to the contrary, the
2 board of regents of Northwest Missouri State University shall be composed of nine members,
3 eight of whom shall be voting members and one who shall be a nonvoting member. Not more
4 than four voting members shall belong to any one political party[. Not more than two voting
5 members shall be residents of the same county. The appointed members of the board serving
6 on August 28, 2008, shall continue to serve until the expiration of the terms for which the
7 appointed members were appointed and until such time a successor is duly appointed.
8 2. The board of regents shall be appointed as follows:
9 (1) Six voting members shall be residents of the university's historic statutory service
10 region, provided at least one member shall be a resident of Nodaway County. For the sole
11 purpose of determining the composition of the board of regents, the university's historic
12 statutory service region shall consist of the counties of Atchison, Andrew, Caldwell, Carroll,
13 Clay, Clinton, Daviess, DeKalb, Gentry, Grundy, Harrison, Holt, Livingston, Mercer,
14 Nodaway, Ray, and Worth;
15 (2) Two voting members shall be residents of a county in the state that is outside the
16 university's historic statutory service region, as described in subdivision (1) of this subsection,
17 provided these two members shall not be appointed from the same congressional district; and
18 (3)] or reside in the county in which the institution's principal administrative
19 office is located. One nonvoting member shall be a full-time student of the university, a
20 United States citizen, and a resident of Missouri.
21 [3.] 2. A majority of the voting members of the board shall constitute a quorum for
22 the transaction of business; however, no appropriation of money nor any contract that shall
23 require any appropriation or disbursement of money shall be made, nor teacher employed or
24 dismissed, unless a majority of the voting members of the board vote for the same.
25 [4.] 3. Except as specifically provided in this section, the appointments and terms of
26 office for the voting and nonvoting members of the board, and all other duties and
27 responsibilities of the board, shall comply with the provisions of state law regarding boards of
28 regents.
174.450. 1. Except as provided in subsections 2, [6] 3, and [7] 4 of this section, the
2 governing board of the University of Central Missouri, Missouri State University, Missouri
3 Southern State University, Missouri Western State University, and of each other public
4 institution of higher education which, through the procedures established in subdivision (8) or
5 (9) of section 173.030, is charged with a statewide mission shall be a board of governors
6 consisting of eight members, composed of seven voting members and one nonvoting member
SS SCS HB 2896 9
7 as provided in sections 174.453 and 174.455, who shall be appointed by the governor of
8 Missouri, by and with the advice and consent of the senate. No person shall be appointed a
9 voting member who is not a citizen of the United States and who has not been a resident of
10 the state of Missouri for at least two years immediately prior to such appointment. Not more
11 than four voting members shall belong to any one political party. The appointed members of
12 the board of regents serving on the date of the statutory mission change shall become
13 members of the board of governors on the effective date of the statutory mission change and
14 serve until the expiration of the terms for which such members were appointed. The board of
15 regents of any such institution shall be abolished on the effective date of the statutory mission
16 change, as prescribed in subdivision (8) or (9) of section 173.030.
17 2. The governing board of Missouri State University, a public institution of higher
18 education charged with a statewide mission in public affairs, shall be a board of governors of
19 ten members, composed of nine voting members and one nonvoting member, who shall be
20 appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the senate. The nonvoting
21 member shall be a student selected in the same manner as prescribed in section 174.055. [At
22 least one but no more than two voting members shall be appointed to the board from each
23 congressional district, and] Of the nine voting members appointed to the board, no fewer
24 than seven members shall each be residents of different congressional districts of this
25 state; provided that no more than one member shall be appointed from any one
26 congressional district. In addition to the seven members appointed to represent
27 different congressional districts, two members shall be appointed at-large and shall not
28 be required to reside in a congressional district not otherwise represented on the board.
29 Every member of the board shall be a citizen of the United States, and a resident of this state
30 for at least two years prior to the member's appointment. No more than five voting members
31 shall belong to any one political party. The term of office of the governors shall be six years,
32 except as provided in this subsection. The term of office for those appointed hereafter shall
33 end January first in years ending in an odd number.
34 3. [If a voting member of the board of governors of Missouri State University is
35 found by unanimous vote of the other governors to have moved such governor's residence
36 from the district from which such governor was appointed, then the office of such governor
37 shall be forfeited and considered vacant.
38 4. Should the total number of Missouri congressional districts be altered, all members
39 of the board of governors of Missouri State University shall be allowed to serve the remainder
40 of the term for which such members were appointed.
41 5. Should the boundaries of any congressional districts be altered in a manner that
42 displaces a member of the board of governors of Missouri State University from the
SS SCS HB 2896 10
43 congressional district from which the member was appointed, the member shall be allowed to
44 serve the remainder of the term for which the member was appointed.
45 6.] The governing board of Missouri Southern State University shall be a board of
46 governors consisting of nine members, composed of eight voting members and one nonvoting
47 member as provided in sections 174.453 and 174.455, who shall be appointed by the governor
48 of Missouri, by and with the advice and consent of the senate. No person shall be appointed a
49 voting member who is not a citizen of the United States and who has not been a resident of
50 the state of Missouri for at least two years immediately prior to such appointment. Not more
51 than four voting members shall belong to any one political party or reside in the county in
52 which the institution's principal administrative office is located.
53 [7.] 4. The governing board of Northwest Missouri State University shall be a board
54 of regents as provided in section 174.332.
55 5. Not more than three voting members of the governing board of the University
56 of Central Missouri shall reside in the county in which the institution's principal
57 administrative office is located.
174.453. 1. Except as provided in section 174.450 and in [subsection] subsections 4,
2 5, and 6 of this section, the board of governors shall be appointed as follows:
3 (1) Five voting members shall be selected from the counties comprising the
4 institution's historic statutory service region as described in section 174.010, except that no
5 more than two members shall be appointed from any one county with a population of less
6 than two hundred thousand inhabitants;
7 (2) Two voting members shall be selected from any of the counties in the state which
8 are outside of the institution's historic service region; and
9 (3) One nonvoting member who is a student shall be selected in the same manner as
10 prescribed in section 174.055.
11 2. The term of service of the governors shall be as follows:
12 (1) The voting members shall be appointed for terms of six years; and
13 (2) The nonvoting student member shall serve a two-year term.
14 3. Members of any board of governors selected pursuant to this section and in office
15 on May 13, 1999, shall serve the remainder of their unexpired terms.
16 4. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1 of this section, the board of
17 governors of Missouri Southern State University shall be appointed as follows:
18 (1) [Six voting members shall be selected from any of the following counties:
19 Barton, Jasper, Newton, McDonald, Dade, Lawrence, and Barry provided that no more than
20 three of these six members shall be appointed from any one county;
21 (2) Two voting members shall be selected from any of the counties in the state which
22 are outside of the counties articulated in subdivision (1) of this subsection;
SS SCS HB 2896 11
23 (3)] Not more than four voting members shall be selected who reside in the
24 county in which the institution's principal administrative office is located; and
25 (2) One nonvoting member who is a student shall be selected in the same manner as
26 prescribed in section 174.055[; and
27 (4) The provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection shall only apply to
28 board members first appointed after August 28, 2004].
29 5. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1 of this section, the board of
30 governors of Missouri Western State University shall be composed of eight members
31 appointed as follows:
32 (1) Five voting members shall be selected from any of the following counties:
33 Buchanan, Platte, Clinton, Andrew, and DeKalb;
34 (2) One nonvoting member who is a student shall be selected in the same manner as
35 prescribed in section 174.055; and
36 (3) The provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection shall only apply to
37 board members first appointed after August 28, 2005.
38 6. [(1)] Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1 of this section to the contrary,
39 the board of governors of Southeast Missouri State University shall be appointed as follows:
40 [(a) Two voting members shall be selected from any of the following counties:
41 Butler, Dunklin, Mississippi, New Madrid, Pemiscot, Scott, or Stoddard;
42 (b) Two voting members shall be selected from any of the following counties:
43 Bollinger, Cape Girardeau, Madison, Perry, Ste. Genevieve, or St. Francois;
44 (c) Two voting members shall be selected from any of the following counties or areas:
45 Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, St. Louis, St. Louis City, or Warren;
46 (d) One voting member shall be selected from one of the counties in the state; and
47 (e)] (1) Seven voting members shall be selected, not more than three of whom
48 shall reside in the county in which the institution's principal administrative office is
49 located; and
50 (2) One nonvoting member who is a student shall be selected in the same manner as
51 provided in section 174.055.
52 [(2) The provisions of paragraphs (a) to (c) of subdivision (1) of this subsection shall
53 only apply to board members first appointed after August 28, 2021.]
174.610. The governing board of the Truman State University shall be a board of
2 governors consisting of ten members, composed of seven voting members and three
3 nonvoting members as provided in section 174.620, who shall be appointed by the governor
4 of Missouri, by and with the advice and consent of the senate. No person shall be appointed a
5 voting governor who is not a citizen of the United States and who has not been a resident of
6 the state of Missouri for at least two years immediately prior to such person's appointment.
SS SCS HB 2896 12
7 Not more than four voting governors shall belong to any one political party. Not more than
8 three voting governors shall reside in the county in which the institution's principal
9 administrative office is located. The appointed members of the board of regents serving on
10 January 1, 1986, shall become members of the board of governors on January 1, 1986, and
11 serve until the expiration of the terms for which they were appointed.
175.020. The board of curators of Lincoln University of Missouri shall hereafter
2 consist of nine members who shall be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and
3 consent of the senate. No person shall be appointed a curator who shall not be a citizen of the
4 United States and who shall not have been a resident of the state of Missouri two years next
5 prior to his or her appointment. Not more than five curators shall belong to any one political
6 party, and not more than four curators shall reside in the county in which the
7 institution's principal administrative office is located.
178.530. 1. The state board of education shall establish standards and annually
2 inspect, as a basis for approval, all public prevocational, vocational schools, State Technical
3 College of Missouri, departments and classes receiving state or federal moneys for giving
4 training in agriculture, industrial, home economics and commercial subjects and all schools,
5 departments and classes receiving state or federal moneys for the preparation of teachers and
6 supervisors of such subjects. The public prevocational and vocational schools, State
7 Technical College of Missouri, departments, and classes, and the training schools,
8 departments and classes are entitled to the state or federal moneys so long as they are
9 approved by the state board of education, as to site, plant, equipment, qualifications of
10 teachers, admission of pupils, courses of study and methods of instruction. All disbursements
11 of state or federal moneys for the benefit of the approved prevocational and vocational
12 schools, State Technical College of Missouri, departments and classes shall be made
13 semiannually. The school board of each approved school or the governing body of State
14 Technical College of Missouri shall file a report with the state board of education at the times
15 and in the form that the state board requires. Upon receipt of a satisfactory report, the state
16 board of education shall certify to the commissioner of administration for [his] the
17 commissioner's approval the amount of the state and federal moneys due the school district
18 or State Technical College of Missouri. The amount due the school district shall be certified
19 by the commissioner of administration and proper warrant therefor shall be issued to the
20 district treasurer or State Technical College of Missouri.
21 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1 of this section, the state board of
22 education shall establish standards for agricultural education that may be adopted by a private
23 school accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education as
24 an accreditor of private schools that wishes to provide quality vocational programming
25 outside the requirements of, but consistent with, the federal Vocational Education Act. Such
SS SCS HB 2896 13
26 standards shall be sufficient to qualify a private school to apply to the state chapter for
27 approval of a local chapter of a federally chartered national agricultural education association
28 on a form developed for that purpose by the department of elementary and secondary
29 education without eligibility to receive state or federal funding for agricultural vocational
30 education. The provisions of this subsection shall not be construed to create eligibility for a
31 private school to receive state or federal funding for agricultural vocational education, but
32 shall not prohibit a private school from receiving state or federal funds for which such private
33 school would otherwise be eligible for agricultural vocational education. Any such private
34 school shall reimburse the department annually for the cost of oversight and maintenance of
35 the program.
36 3. (1) The department of elementary and secondary education, through its
37 agricultural education section, shall be authorized to establish a [pilot] program, beginning in
38 the [2020-21] 2027-28 school year, to provide for agricultural education in elementary
39 schools in the state. [The purpose of the pilot program shall be to determine whether and how
40 to implement an elementary agricultural education program statewide.]
41 (2) (a) The department, through its employees who work in the agricultural
42 education section, [is authorized to select from among applications submitted by the public
43 elementary schools a minimum of sixteen public elementary schools for participation in the
44 pilot program. The department] shall develop [an application] a process for public
45 elementary schools to [apply to] participate in the [pilot] program.
46 (b) The local school board for each elementary school [selected] that elects to be in
47 the [pilot] program shall agree to implement and fully fund an elementary agricultural
48 education program in such school and [to continue to provide such elementary agricultural
49 education program for a period no shorter than three years. The local school district] may
50 employ an agricultural education teacher to provide such program for the elementary school.
51 (3) The department, through its employees who work in the agricultural education
52 section, [and local school districts] shall [collaborate to] establish [the] instructional [model]
53 models for [each] the elementary agricultural education program in conjunction and
54 collaboration with Missouri agricultural commodity groups and organizations that
55 promote and support Missouri agriculture. Such instructional [model] models shall be
56 grade-appropriate and include instruction in an organized classroom, collaborative learning
57 experiences through investigation and inquiry, including laboratory and site-based learning
58 activities, and personal, leadership, and career development opportunities.
59 (4) The department, through its agricultural education section, shall provide for a
60 program evaluation regarding the success and impact of the [pilot] program [upon completion
61 of the third year of the pilot program] and shall report the results of such evaluation [to the
SS SCS HB 2896 14
62 relevant house and senate committees on agriculture and education] on the department's
63 website.
64 4. The department shall maintain an adequate number of full-time employees,
65 certified in agricultural education and distributed regionally throughout the state, to provide
66 accountability for program delivery of agricultural education, to continue to develop and
67 maintain pertinent agricultural education instructional models and standards, to assist local
68 school districts on matters related to agricultural education, and to coordinate regional and
69 statewide activities supporting K-12 agricultural education programming.
70 5. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require public elementary schools to
71 participate in the [pilot] program.
72 6. The requirements of section 160.514 shall not apply to the provisions of this
73 section.
178.632. The governing board of State Technical College of Missouri shall be a board
2 of regents composed of seven voting members and one nonvoting student member. Such
3 members shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate after
4 August 28, 1995, and after the conditions of section 178.631 are satisfied. No person shall be
5 appointed to the board who is not a citizen of the United States and who has not been a
6 resident of the state of Missouri for at least two years immediately prior to his appointment.
7 Not less than three voting members shall belong to one of the two major political parties and
8 not less than three shall belong to the other major political party. Not more than [two voting
9 members shall reside in Osage County or other immediately contiguous counties] three
10 voting members shall reside in the county in which the institution's principal
11 administrative office is located.
✔Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.