SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 1963
91ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE GAMBARO.
Read 1st time February 18, 2002, and 1000 copies ordered printed.
TED WEDEL, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 160, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to assistance for at-risk students in public schools.
Section A. Chapter 160, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 160.730, to read as follows:
160.730. 1. There is hereby established in the department of elementary and secondary education the "Motivating Parents and Children" (MPAC) program. This program shall be a pilot program for school districts to provide parental involvement services to families with compulsory school age children who are considered "at-risk" students by the school district, as that term is defined in section 167.273, RSMo.
2. Subject to appropriation, the department of elementary and secondary education shall provide grants to six qualifying school districts per year to provide services to families with at-risk students. Three of the qualifying school districts shall be rural districts, and three shall be urban districts. The department of elementary and secondary education shall establish or provide the following as part of the services of this program:
(1) A statewide program coordinator, to be employed by the department of elementary and secondary education;
(2) Development and implementation of a program of family support services, which shall also be available to home school students;
(3) Program requirement that parents or guardians shall spend a day in school with their child if the child violates any disciplinary rules of the school district, other than suspension or expulsion;
(4) Upon school board approval, the establishment of an incentive program for children whose parents attend parent-teacher association meetings or parenting classes.
(5) Establishment of a program using volunteers to provide child care services for parents who attend parenting classes or attend after-school or evening programs related to parenting.
3. The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop criteria to determine which school districts qualify for the services of this program. The commissioner shall have the authority to promulgate any rules necessary to implement the provisions of this section. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to the authority of this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo.
4. There is hereby established in the state treasury the "Motivating Parents and Children Fund", which shall
consist of all moneys appropriated to the fund and all donations, bequests, or other gifts of any kind deposited in the
fund. The fund shall be administered by the department of elementary and secondary education for the purpose of
funding the grants described in this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the
contrary, moneys in the fund shall not be transferred to the general revenue fund at the end of the biennium. All
interest and moneys earned on such fund shall be credited to the fund.
Missouri House of Representatives