HB1753--PILOTRECOVERYHIGHSCHOOLS
SPONSOR: Basye
ThisbillallowstheCommissionerofEducationtoapproveand
authorizeuptofourpilotrecoveryhighschoolstobeestablished
andoperatedbyindividualpublicschooldistrictsorgroupsof
suchdistricts. Recoveryhighschoolsshallserveasan
alternativepublichighschoolsettingandrecoveryprogramfor
studentsinrecoveryfromsubstanceusedisorderorsubstance
dependency,orsuchaconditionalongwithco-occurringdisorders
asdescribedinthebill,whowouldacademicallyandclinically
benefitfromplacementintherecoveryhighschoolandwhoare
committedtoworkingontheirrecovery.
Districtsseekingtooperatearecoveryhighschoolshallsubmit
proposalstotheCommissionerbyDecember1stintheyearpriorto
thefirstschoolyearinwhichtheschoolwouldbeginoperation.
Theproposalshalldetailhowtheschoolwillcomplywiththe
existingrequirementsforpublichighschoolsaswellashowthe
schoolwillbeaccreditedbyarecoveryschoolaccreditation
organizationasdescribedinthebill.Theproposalmaycontain
requestsforwaiversofexistingregulations,whichshallbedeemed
grantediftheproposalisapprovedbytheStateBoardofEducation
withtherecommendation oftheCommissioner.
TheCommissionerofEducationmayspecifyanauthorizationperiod
fortherecoveryhighschoolwhichshallbenolessthanfour
years.ByJune30thannually,theschooldistrictorgroupof
schooldistricts,inconsultationwiththerecoveryhighschool,
shallsubmittotheCommissionerananalysisofschooloutcomes,as
describedinthebill.TheCommissionershallreviewtheanalysis,
renewrecoveryhighschoolsmeetingtherequirementsofthebill
andtherequirementsoftheschool'sproposal,andmayincludenew
termsandconditionstoaddressareasneedingcorrectionor
improvement. TheCommissionermayrevokeorsuspendthe
authorizationofarecoveryhighschoolnotmeetingsuch
requirements.
Schooldistrictsmayenrolltheirstudentsinarecoveryhigh
schoolbyenteringanagreementwithdistrictordistricts
operatingtheschool.Parentsofeligiblestudentsandeligible
studentsovertheageof18mayseektoenrollintheschool.A
recoveryhighshallnotlimitordenyadmissiontoaneligible
studentbasedonrace,ethnicity,nationalorigin,disability,
incomelevel,proficiencyintheEnglishlanguage,orathletic
ability.
Recoveryhighschoolsshalladoptapolicyestablishingatuition ratebyFebruary1stoftheprecedingschoolyear.Thesending
districtshallpaythetuitionrateoranamountofper-student
stateandlocalfundingasdescribedinthebill,whicheveris
lowerandthesendingdistrictwillremainresponsibleforspecial
educationanddisabilityexpensesinexcessofthetuitionpaid.
TheCommissionermayenterintoanagreementwiththeappropriate
officialoragencyofanotherstatetodevelopareciprocity
agreementforotherwiseeligible,non-residentstudentsseekingto
attendarecoveryhighschoolinMissouri. Arecoveryhighschool
mayenrollotherwiseeligiblestudentsresidinginastateother
thanMissouri,pursuanttosuchreciprocityagreement. Such
reciprocityagreementshallrequiretheout-of-statestudent's
districtofresidencetopaytotherecoveryhighschoolanannual
amountequalto105%oftherecoveryhighschool'stuitionrate.
EligiblestudentsfromstateswithwhichtheCommissionerdoesnot
haveareciprocityagreementmayattendarecoveryhighschool
providedsuchstudentpays105%oftherecoveryhighschool's
tuitionrate.Nostudentenrolledpursuanttoareciprocity
agreementshallbeconsideredaresidentpupilforpurposesof
calculatingstateaid.
ThisbillisthesimilartoSCSSB259andHB322(2021).