One representative wants to prevent parents from needing to ask permission from the school district if they want their student to go to a virtual school program.
Rep. Phil Christofanelli, R-St. Peters, presented House Bill 1903, which would allow parents to enroll their students in full-time virtual school with a third-party provider, and the school district would pay the bill.
Currently, parents must get the approval of their school district to move their children to full-time virtual education. This would remove that requirement.
Christofanelli said the legislation was intended to address situations "where you have school superintendents denying students access to full-time virtual school for reasons that are arbitrary and capricious. They are denying them not because of what's in the student's best interests, but rather what's in the school district's best interest, and that is not what the statute was intended to empower."
Rep. Ian Mackey, D-St. Louis, asked Christofanelli if he thought the governor would sign his bill.
"The governor in his State of the State ... last week said nothing can replace the classroom," Mackey said.
Christofanelli said he thought the governor would sign all his bills.
Lynsie Hunt, school principal for Missouri Connections Academy, testified the academy had more than 6,000 applicants this school year, but only 10 percent were granted approval from their school district.
Hunt said her daughter's life had been threatened at her public school so she wanted to go to virtual school, but was denied three times by the district.
"I'm her mother. I know what she needed," she said. "I know what was best for her. I should not have to take an advocate in to get what I need. It shouldn't take me a year to get my daughter the support that she needed."
Hunt said Missouri Connections Academy will work with the district to get the student back to in-person learning if a student is not doing well or not engaging.
Other parents whose children were in virtual school also testified in favor. The Missouri National Education Association and Christy Harrison, the assistant superintendent with Kansas City Public Schools, spoke in opposition.
Harrison emphasized virtual school institutions are for-profit, and added Kansas City does offer virtual options within the district.
The committee passed an amended version of HB 1747, sponsored by Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, which would provide a process for recalling school board members if 10 percent of voters sign a petition. The bill was amended to exclude the St. Louis special school district because its board members are appointed rather than elected.
The committee also voted to pass an amended version of HB 2304, sponsored by Rep. Ed Lewis, R-Moberly, which would alter the requirements for substitute teaching certification. HB 2304 would continue the shortened 20 hour certification course created by DESE during the pandemic. It also allows for dissemination of substitute teaching background checks to up to five districts at once instead of the one that is currently allowed at a time. The bill contains an emergency clause and would take effect immediately if signed by the governor.
HB 1903: Virtual school program
Sponsor: Rep. Phil Christofanelli
HB 1747: School boards
Sponsor: Rep. Chuck Basye
HB 2304: Substitute teacher certification
Sponsor: Rep. Ed Lewis