Bill Text: MO HB1920 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Allows an unaccredited school district to use specified funding for early childhood education and allows for the establishment of a pilot project for awarding teacher credentials in an unaccredited district
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-04-18 - Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H) [HB1920 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2012-HB1920-Introduced.html
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES McNARY (Sponsor), LAIR, DIECKHAUS, BURLISON, NETH, JONES (63) AND NASHEED (Co-sponsors).
6163L.01I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapters 162 and 168, RSMo, by adding thereto two new sections relating to unaccredited school districts.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapters 162 and 168, RSMo, are amended by adding thereto two new sections, to be known as sections 162.1262 and 168.765, to read as follows:
162.1262. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any school district that has been declared as unaccredited by the state board of education under subdivision (9) of section 161.092 may direct funds received from subsections 1 and 2 of section 163.031, sections 163.043 and 163.087 towards early childhood programming upon:
(1) The adoption of a resolution by the district's governing body that early childhood programming is necessary for the improvement of the district's academic achievement;
(2) The notification of the state board of education of the adoption of such resolution; and
(3) The approval by the state board of education of the rationale for the early childhood programming.
2. To continue the program in subsequent school years, the unaccredited district shall report such data as the state board of education may require and reapply each school year.
168.765. 1. The state board of education may approve a pilot project for awarding teaching credentials not contemplated by section 168.021 at the district level, in a district declared unaccredited by the board, as prescribed in this section.
2. With the concurrence of the state board of education, the unaccredited district shall demonstrate that it has a history of frequent or disproportionate employment of:
(1) Teachers who achieved teacher certification under section 168.021 with an alternative certification method;
(2) Paraprofessionals; or
(3) Permanent substitute teachers.
The district shall define teacher subject areas, grade levels, and functions for which it has a demonstrated need and for which it intends to develop a pilot certification program.
3. Teacher candidates prepared under a district pilot program shall not be required to have a minimum number of college credits in the field of education as required under section 168.021 but shall be required to achieve the score prescribed by the state board for certification for credit by examination. A district may choose to recognize credentials required for specific teaching methods or for schools based upon pedagogical principles that require specialized training, including but not limited to Montessori.
4. The district shall identify teachers of proven ability, based in part upon the student growth model of teacher evaluation and characteristics of proficient or distinguished teaching under the state teaching standards, with the guidance of the teacher quality office of the department of elementary and secondary education, for designation as master teachers, who shall take responsibility for the induction of beginning teachers selected under the pilot project. The state board of education, before approving of the pilot project, shall ensure that the instructional support staff of the district has the capacity to undertake and sustain such a program. The district shall identify a number of teacher candidates that does not exceed five percent of the total number of current classroom teachers in the district for participation in the project.
5. Teachers in training under the pilot project shall not be counted against the district as less than qualified teachers for accreditation purposes.
6. The department of elementary and secondary education shall report to the joint committee on education each year that such a program is in effect on the effectiveness of the pilot project.
7. Under section 23.253 of the Missouri sunset act:
(1) The provisions of the new program authorized under this section shall automatically sunset six years after the effective date of this section unless reauthorized by an act of the general assembly; and
(2) If such program is reauthorized, the program authorized under this section shall automatically sunset twelve years after the effective date of the reauthorization of this section; and
(3) This section shall terminate on September first of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the program authorized under this section is sunset.
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