HB 1196 -- Equal Opportunity Education Contracts

Sponsor:  Cooper (158)

Beginning with school year 2008-2009, equal education opportunity
contracts will allow 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.  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.

A student in these districts is eligible if he or she has a
family income of 125% of the eligibility level for the reduced
school lunch program, is on an individualized education plan and
has unreimbursed medical expenses of 7.5% or more of the parent's
federal adjusted gross income, or has an incarcerated parent.
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 including
attendance and participation in the statewide assessment program.

Private schools qualify to participate by meeting specified
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 on the Internet.

The contract amount will be 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 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
94th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated July 25, 2007 at 11:21 am