FIRST REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 572
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR COLEMAN.
2098S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 163, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to parental choice in
educational opportunities, with an emergency clause.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 163, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 163.420, to read as 2
follows:3
163.420. 1. Notwithstanding any provision of law to 1
the contrary, beginning with the 2025 -2026 school year, each 2
parent or guardian o f a child between the ages of seven 3
years and the compulsory attendance age for the district, as 4
defined in section 167.031, in which the parent or guardian 5
resides, shall be afforded the opportunity at the time of 6
enrollment to direct that state aid u nder this chapter that 7
would be used to educate the student at a school within the 8
district of residence shall be remitted to a qualified 9
school of the parent or guardian's choice, if the parent or 10
guardian chooses a school outside of the district of 11
residence. A parent or guardian may choose to enroll their 12
student in a different school within the school district of 13
residence. The state treasurer shall create and provide to 14
each school district a form for use by a parent or guardian 15
at the time of enrollment to indicate the parent or 16
guardian's choice as to the qualified school their student 17
will attend for that school year. 18 SB 572 2
2. The school district shall transmit any forms 19
received, as provided in subsection 1 of this section, to 20
the state treasurer. The school district shall also notify 21
the department of elementary and secondary education within 22
seven days of the parent submitting the form to the school. 23
3. Upon receipt of the form, the state treasurer shall 24
remit, within thirty days, state aid under this chapter that 25
would have been remitted to the school district of residence 26
for the purpose of educating the student to the qualified 27
school chosen by the parent or guardian if the parent or 28
guardian chooses a school outside of the school district of 29
residence. 30
4. The school district shall notify the department of 31
elementary and secondary education, within seven days of the 32
parent or guardian submitting the form, that the student 33
shall no longer be attending a school within the district, 34
if applicable. If the student enrolls in a qualified 35
school, other than a public school located in the same 36
school district of residence, the student shall not be 37
counted in the resident school district's weighted average 38
daily attendance as a resident student for purposes of 39
determining state and federal aid for the student's resident 40
school district. 41
5. As used in this section, the term "qualified 42
school" shall include any of the following entities that is 43
incorporated in Missouri and that does not discriminate on 44
the basis of race, color, or national origin: 45
(1) A charter school as defined in section 160.400; 46
(2) A private school, which shall mean a school that 47
is not part of the public school system of the state of 48
Missouri and that charges tuition for the rendering of 49
elementary and secondary educational services; 50 SB 572 3
(3) A public school as defined in section 160.011; or 51
(4) A public or private virtual school. 52
6. As used in this section, the term "state aid" shall 53
mean the lesser of the state adequacy target for the student 54
or the amount of tuition at the qualified school. 55
Section B. Because of the need to provide parents with 1
certainty regarding schooling and child care arrangements 2
for the upcoming school year, section A of this act is 3
deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of the 4
public health, welfare, peace and safety, and is hereby 5
declared to be an emergency act within the meaning of the 6
constitution, and section A of this act shall be in full 7
force and effect upon its passage and approval. 8