Bill > HB498

This bill authorizes the establishment of a charter school in a new type of school district: specifically, in a school district where the majority of the district is located in a county with more than one million inhabitants (which effectively means St. Louis County). The bill modifies existing Missouri law to expand the eligibility for charter schools, adding this new category of school districts to the list of places where charter schools can be established. The bill maintains previous regulations for charter schools, including requirements about sponsorship, governance, funding, and oversight. Key provisions include specifying that charter schools are independent public schools, outlining who can sponsor a charter school (such as school boards, universities, and community colleges), establishing financial mechanisms for funding charter schools, and ensuring accountability through performance evaluations and reporting requirements. The bill also includes provisions about the governance of charter schools, such as requiring board members to be Missouri residents, mandating criminal background checks for board members, and ensuring transparency in school operations. Additionally, the bill requires charter schools to publish their annual performance reports on their websites and ensures that charter school management companies operate as nonprofit corporations.

Education

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB498&year=2025&code=R