HCS HB 217 -- STUDENT REQUESTS FOR TRANSFER

SPONSOR:  Hoskins (80)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Urban Issues by a vote of 5 to 4.

Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year and except for school
districts in the counties of Jackson and Platte, this substitute
requires a school district that refuses a request for transfer
from a nonresident student from an unaccredited district into an
adjoining accredited school district to provide to the parent or
guardian the reason for the refusal in writing by citing the
specific district policy that allows the district to refuse the
transfer.  Appeals can be made to the State Board of Education.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2010, FY 2011, and
FY 2012.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that a student attending an
unaccredited school district is eligible to transfer, but school
districts can refuse the transfer for any reason.  The bill
simply states that the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education must create criteria for a school district to be able
to refuse a student.  In St. Louis, school districts adjacent to
unaccredited school districts have a uniform agreement to deny
all students wanting a transfer.  Students should be allowed to
go to any school district until the statewide school system has
improved.

Testifying for the bill was Representative Hoskins (80).

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that unaccredited
school districts will suffer.  The provisions erode local control
and make it hard to plan for upcoming school years.

Testifying against the bill were Cooperating School Districts of
Greater St. Louis; Missouri Council of School Administrators; and
Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated November 17, 2009 at 9:24 am