SECOND REGULAR SESSION
93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES MUSCHANY (Sponsor), BEARDEN, CUNNINGHAM (86), SMITH (118), EMERY, SMITH (14), COOPER (158) AND SUTHERLAND (Co-sponsors).
Read 1st time January 31, 2006 and copies ordered printed.
STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 162, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to school district operational expenditures, with a referendum clause.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 162, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 162.015, to read as follows:
162.015. 1. Beginning in state fiscal year 2007-2008 and in each state fiscal year thereafter, each school district shall adopt as a goal the expenditure of at least two-thirds of its current operational expenditures on classroom instruction.
2. For purposes of this section, "classroom instruction" expenditures shall be given the definition of "instruction" prescribed by the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences, NCES 2004-318 (2004); except that, such definition shall be construed to include library and media services and guidance services as defined in such publication.
3. For purposes of this section, "current operational expenditures" means all expenditures made by a school district, prekindergarten through grade twelve, other than expenditures for property, capital construction or debt or bond payments, including but not limited to payment of interest on debt or bonds.
4. The department of elementary and secondary education shall ensure that the goal percentage specified in subsection 1 of this section and the district's actual classroom instruction expenditures are reported in the district's annual accountability report card under section 160.522, RSMo.
5. Each year the state board of education shall identify and the governor shall publicly recognize those districts meeting the goal in subsection 1 of this section. Each such district shall be known as a "Governor's 'Students First' District".
Section B. Section A of this act is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of this state for approval or rejection at an election which is hereby ordered and which shall be held and conducted on the Tuesday immediately following the first Monday in November, 2006, or at a special election to be called by the governor for that purpose, pursuant to the laws and constitutional provisions of this state applicable to general elections and the submission of referendum measures by initiative petition, and it shall become effective when approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon at such election and not otherwise.
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