HB2189--CURRICULUMMATERIALS
SPONSOR: Coleman(97)
Thisbillmodifiesandcreatesprovisionsregardingcurriculaand
programstaughtinpublicschools.
ThisbillprohibitstheStateBoardofEducationandtheDepartment
ofElementaryandSecondaryEducation(DESE)frompromotingthe
curriculumtobeusedinpublicschools. Eachlocalschoolboard
shallberequiredtoapproveandadoptthecurriculumusedbythe
schooldistrictatleastsixmonthspriortoimplementation. Each
schoolboardshalladoptpoliciesandprocedurestoensurethe
approvedcurriculumisproperlyimplementedintheclassroom. The
billdetailsrequirementsforthechoiceofacademicclass
offeringsandcurriculummaterials. Atleastfiveyearsofdata
showingpercentagesofstudentsbygradelevelandproficiency
basedonstateassessmentscoresshallbepostedinthesame
sectionasthecurriculaonthedistrict'swebsite(Section
160.516,RSMo).
Allprofessionaldevelopmentandinstructionalmaterialsofferedto
schoolsthatarepaidforwithstatefunds,whetherofferedbyDESE
oranotherpartyshallbefullytransparentandavailabletothe
publicasoutlinedinthebill.Programmaterialsshallbe
availabletothepublicatnochargeonDESE'swebsiteandprogram
offeringsshallbeopenforpublicattendance.
Thebilldetailsthepostingandretentionrequirementsforprogram
offerings. Forprogramsofferedbythirdparties,DESEshall
maintaindataandinformationonitswebsiteasoutlinedinthe
bill(Section161.023).
Thisbillcreatesthe"MissouriEducationTransparencyand
Accountability Portal". TheportalshallbeanInternet-basedtool
creatingtransparencyinMissouri'spubliceducationsystemand
providingcitizensaccesstoeveryschooldistrict'scurriculum,
sourcematerials,andprofessionaldevelopmentmaterials. The
portalshallconsistofaneasy-to-searchdatabaseincluding
certaininformationasoutlinedinthebill.TheCommissionerof
Educationshallestablishaformthatschooldistrictsshall
completewiththeinformationrequiredbythebill(Section
161.852).
ThebillmodifiesprovisionsregardingcoursesonAmericanhistory
toprovidethatcoursesonAmericanliteratureshallbegivenso
studentsgainanunderstandingofourgovernmentinstitutions.
SuchcoursesonAmericanhistoryandliteratureshallpromotean
overallpositiveandcomprehensivehistoryandunderstandingofthe UnitedStates(Section170.011).
Underthisbill,schooldistrictsandcharterschoolsshallpublish
ontheirwebsitesalltrainingmaterialsusedforstaffandfaculty
training,allinstructionalmaterials,andallcurricularmaterials
relatedtonondiscrimination, diversity,equity,inclusion,race,
ethnicity,sex,orbias,includingcertaininformationasdescribed
inthebillrelatedtoinstructionalmaterialsandcurricular
materials.
Suchmaterialsshallbedisplayedwithinsevendaysaftertheuse
ofsuchmaterialsintrainingorinstructionandshallremain
displayedforatleasttwoyears.
Noschooldistrictshallpermitteachersoradministrators to
requirecourseworktoinclude,oragradeorcredittobeawarded,
forastudent'sparticipationincertainpoliticalorsocial
advocacyeffortsdescribedinthebill.
Noschooldistrictorcharterschoolshallcompelateacher,
administrator, orstudenttoaffirm,adopt,oradheretoanybelief
orconceptthatracism,sexism,orcertainimmutabletraitsare
fundamentalorblameworthy,asfurtherdescribedinthebill.
Noschooldistrictshallusepublicfundstocontract,hire,or
otherwiseengagecertainpersonstospeakonorcompelsupportfor
suchconceptsorbeliefs,exceptthatsuchpersonmaybeengagedto
advocateforsuchconceptsorbeliefsiftheschooldistrictmakes
clearthatitdoesnotsupportsuchconceptsorbeliefsandallows
studentsandemployeestooptoutfromparticipating.
Noschooldistrict,publicschool,orcharterschoolmayrequirea
studentoremployeetoattendorparticipateinacertaintraining,
instruction,ortherapythatpromotesuchbeliefsorconcepts.
Thisbillshallnotbeconstruedtoprohibitconstitutionally-
protectedspeech,accesstoresearchorstudymaterials,the
discussionorassignmentofmaterialsforeducationalpurposesif
theschooldistrictorschoolmakesclearthatitdoesnotsupport
theuseofbeliefsorconceptsotherwiseprohibitedunderthebill,
ortheuseofcurriculumthatteachesthetopicsofsexism,
slavery,racialoppression,racialsegregation,orracial
discrimination.
Anyemployeeofaschooldistrictthatdisclosesaviolationof
thisprovisionshallbeprotectedfromanymannerofretaliationas
providedbycurrentlaw.
SuitforallegedviolationsofthebillmaybebroughtbyDESE,the AttorneyGeneral,localprosecutingattorney,localcounty
counselor,localcircuitattorney,oralocalresident.
Suchsuitshallbebroughtinthecircuitcourtforthecityor
countyinwhichtheallegedviolatorislocated. Uponafindingof
aviolation,injunctivereliefshallbeissuedtocorrectsuch
violations. Knowingviolationsshallresultinacivilpenaltyof
upto$1,000,andpurposefulviolationsshallresultinacivil
penaltyofupto$10,000inadditiontoattorney'sfeesandcosts.
Schooldistrictsandcharterschoolsmaybringsuitinthelocal
circuitcourtattheirownexpense,ormayseekaformalopinion
fromtheAttorneyGeneral,toascertaintheproprietyofactions
anddecisionsthatmayviolatethisbill.Suchdeterminationmay
includeareviewofproposedusesofschoolresourcesorparticular
materials(Section170.360).
Thisbillcontainsanemergencyclause.
ThisbillissimilartoSB645(2022).