SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 1131

91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES HOSMER AND WILLIAMS (Co-sponsors).

Pre-filed December 4, 2001, and 1000 copies ordered printed.

TED WEDEL, Chief Clerk

2724L.01I

AN ACT

To amend chapter 173, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to higher education.

Section A. Chapter 173, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 173.035, to read as follows:

173.035. 1. Pursuant to the duties for the coordinating board for higher education specified in section 173.005, the coordinating board shall promote and catalogue service learning opportunities available in the state institutions of higher education. As used in this section, "service learning" refers to structured opportunities for community service that are related to academic courses of study, and which are performed by students voluntarily or for some type of academic credit. Service learning may occur through nonprofit, governmental or community-based organizations, or schools, colleges or universities. In general, service learning is designed to provide direct experience with community issues, and has as its primary goal an increase in educational impact of academic knowledge by direct application to community needs, which results in both productive citizens and an increased quality of life for community residents. Service learning may include but is not limited to activities in the areas of tutoring, literacy training, neighborhood improvement, environmental improvements, assisting the elderly or disabled, providing mental health and physical health care, particularly for disadvantaged or low income community residents.

2. The coordinating board shall promote service learning by:

(1) Including information about service learning in workshops, seminars, and other coordinating board-sponsored training activities attended by administrators, faculty and staff;

(2) Sharing information with the state institutions of higher education about the service learning programs at those facilities which have active and ongoing programs;

(3) Developing written information about the options available to the colleges and universities in implementing service learning programs, including information on the issues of granting academic credit for service learning participation, how to connect service learning placements and academic learning, how to develop feasible programs that permit the widest possible student involvement, and forming partnerships with private entities and public agencies to help meet the goals of service learning programs; and

(4) Encouraging state institutions of higher education to establish, continue or expand service learning programs, through written and verbal communications between the coordinating board and the state institutions of higher education.

3. The coordinating board shall catalogue service learning by:

(1) Adding information about the existence, scope and structure of service learning programs at state institutions of higher education to the institutional information collected by the coordinating board, as required in subdivision (7) of subsection 2 of section 173.005;

(2) Providing summary information about the number, scope and structure of service learning programs at state institutions of higher education to nonprofit and community agencies and schools, upon request; and

(3) Providing an annual report to the governor and to the general assembly on the number, scope and structure of service learning programs at state institutions of higher education by September thirtieth of each year, beginning in 2002.

Missouri House of Representatives