Bill Text: MO HB1536 | 2014 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes the Student Accountability Act that requires a student score proficient or higher on a state assessment in order to receive a high school academic diploma
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-04-03 - Referred: Rules(H) [HB1536 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2014-HB1536-Introduced.html
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE SPENCER.
4418L.01I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal section 160.570, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to requirements for a high school academic diploma.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 160.570, RSMo, is repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 160.570 and 170.375, to read as follows:
160.570. 1. Nothing in this section or section 105.1209 shall be construed to affect or limit any state agency's authority regarding professional registration, licensing or issuance of professional certificates, nor shall this section be construed to limit or affect the authority of the state board of education to examine applicants and issue high school equivalency certificates. 2. The school board of each school district shall establish a written policy on student participation in statewide assessments. The policy shall be provided to each student and the parent, guardian or other person responsible for every student under eighteen years of age at the beginning of each school year and a copy of the policy shall be maintained in the district office and shall be available for viewing by the public during business hours of the district office. A school board may establish a policy designed to encourage students to give their best efforts on each portion of any statewide assessment established pursuant to section 160.518 which may include but is not limited to incentives or supplementary work as a consequence of performance. [3. In no case shall the state board of education or any other state agency establish any single test or group of tests as a condition or requirement for high school graduation or as a requirement for a state-approved diploma.]
170.375. 1. The provisions of this section shall be known and referred to as the "Student Accountability Act".
2. Except as otherwise provided in this section, beginning with school year 2017-18, in order to receive a high school academic diploma issued by the department of elementary and secondary education, a public school student shall have achieved at the proficient level or higher on at least one comprehensive or district assessment taken after the student's eighth grade year in each core area of mathematics, communication arts, social sciences, and science. Neither the department nor any public high school shall issue a high school academic diploma to a student who does not achieve the required performance on the assessments as required in this section. Accredited districts may use assessments they have developed; provisionally accredited districts shall use the statewide assessments.
3. A student who is receiving special education services under an individualized education program that indicates that the student scores at least one standard deviation below average on any generally accepted test of intelligence who otherwise meets the requirements for high school graduation may be awarded a diploma of local achievement.
4. No student who fails to meet the requirements for an academic diploma as described in subsection 2 of this section or the requirements for a diploma of local achievement as described in subsection 3 of this section shall be awarded any high school diploma.
5. Every public institution of higher education shall recognize the high school academic diploma as sufficient for a student to be placed in the first college-level course of mathematics and English composition that is recognized for the forty-two-hour general education core requirements.
6. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2014, shall be invalid and void.
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