Bill > HB654

This bill updates the provisions for special educational services for children with disabilities in Missouri, focusing on several key areas. The bill requires school districts to provide special educational services for children with disabilities aged three and older, in line with federal guidelines (P.L. 99-457). It clarifies the process for identifying and serving children with developmental delays, defining a "young child with a developmental delay" as a child between three and nine years old who shows significant delays in areas like physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, or adaptive development. The bill mandates that school districts obtain appropriate diagnostic reports for children with disabilities before program assignment, emphasizes coordinating with existing community resources, and ensures that evaluations of private school students suspected of having disabilities are conducted appropriately. The legislation also specifies that remedial reading programs are not considered special educational services, and requires that state costs for special education services for three- and four-year-olds be funded through a separate appropriation. Additionally, the bill instructs school districts to consider continuity of services when transitioning children from Part C early intervention programs to school-based services, and establishes clear guidelines for eligibility and continued support for children with developmental delays.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB654&year=2025&code=R