Signed by Governor Jay Nixon

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to repass a bill after having adopted a conference report that establishes educator and parent work groups to develop and recommend academic standards.

Highlights:

• Establishes work groups composed of education professionals and parents of currently enrolled children to develop and recommend academic performance and learning standards by Oct. 1, 2014 (Sec. A).

• Specifies that work groups will be divided into 2 separate levels based on grade and divided by subject area (Sec. A).

• Requires education professionals serving on a work group to have lived in Missouri for at least 3 years and to have 10 years of experience in their work group’s subject area (Sec. A).

• Specifies that members of the work groups will be selected by various elected officials and educational organizations, including, but not limited to, the following entities (Sec. A): 
• The President Pro Tempore of the Senate;
• The Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
• A statewide association of Missouri school boards. 

• Requires the State Board of Education to convene the work groups and hold at least 3 public hearings whenever it develops, evaluates, modifies, or revises academic performance or learning standards (Sec. A).

• Requires the board to adopt and implement the new academic performance standards beginning in the 2016-2017 school year (Sec. A).

• Prohibits the State Board of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education from requiring any school districts to use any Common Core State Standard appendix (Sec. A).

• Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to pilot assessments from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium during the 2014-2015 school year (Sec A).

• Specifies that any time the State Board of Education or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education implements a new statewide assessment system, the first year will be a pilot year and the results will not be used to lower teacher or school district evaluations (Sec. A).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to repass a bill after having adopted a conference report that establishes educator and parent work groups to develop and recommend academic standards.

Highlights:

• Establishes work groups composed of education professionals and parents of currently enrolled children to develop and recommend academic performance and learning standards by Oct. 1, 2014 (Sec. A).

• Specifies that work groups will be divided into 2 separate levels based on grade and divided by subject area (Sec. A).

• Requires education professionals serving on a work group to have lived in Missouri for at least 3 years and to have 10 years of experience in their work group’s subject area (Sec. A).

• Specifies that members of the work groups will be selected by various elected officials and educational organizations, including, but not limited to, the following entities (Sec. A): 
• The President Pro Tempore of the Senate;
• The Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
• A statewide association of Missouri school boards. 

• Requires the State Board of Education to convene the work groups and hold at least 3 public hearings whenever it develops, evaluates, modifies, or revises academic performance or learning standards (Sec. A).

• Requires the board to adopt and implement the new academic performance standards beginning in the 2016-2017 school year (Sec. A).

• Prohibits the State Board of Education and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education from requiring any school districts to use any Common Core State Standard appendix (Sec. A).

• Requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to pilot assessments from the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium during the 2014-2015 school year (Sec A).

• Specifies that any time the State Board of Education or the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education implements a new statewide assessment system, the first year will be a pilot year and the results will not be used to lower teacher or school district evaluations (Sec. A).

Full Bill Text