HB 1519 -- Equal Opportunity Education Contract Program

Sponsor:  Holand

Beginning with school year 2005-2006, equal opportunity education
contracts will permit some students who attend schools with
specified qualifications to use a contract payment from the
school district to a private school to support that student's
enrollment.  School districts qualify for the program on
mandatory and voluntary bases.  Mandatory bases include a
district's provisionally accredited or unaccredited status or
designation of a school within a district as academically
deficient or in school improvement.  Districts may opt into the
program when they have certain markers of excessively fast
growth, declining enrollment, or failure to support the school
district through levies.

Students in the districts become eligible through a family income
of 125% of the eligibility level for reduced price meals or, for
students on an individualized education plan, unreimbursed
medical expenses of 7.5% or more.  A child of an incarcerated
parent is eligible.  Income increases or changes to a district or
school's status once a child has begun the program do not affect
the child's ability to participate.  The bill contains criteria
for students and their parents to meet the obligations of the
contract, such as attendance and participation in the statewide
assessment program.

Private schools qualify to participate by meeting a series of
educational, financial, and administrative criteria.  The bill
contains application procedures for students and schools and
requires the Commissioner of Education to notify qualifying
districts and private schools, to respond to applications, and to
post a list of qualified schools.

The contract amount is 50% of the district of residence's average
expenditure per pupil, except for students with individualized
education plans, whose contracts may be in the amount of the cost
of the education.  A qualified school whose tuition is less than
the average expenditure per pupil must return any overage to the
district.

Missouri House of Representatives
92nd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 23, 2004 at 11:15 am