Modifies provisions governing charter school compliance with educational requirements

HB 889 modifies rules for Missouri charter schools by requiring detailed application and operational plans. It mandates that new charter school applications include specific elements like a mission statement, financial plans for three years, academic performance standards (including graduation rates and test scores), student discipline policies, and a plan for serving high-risk students. The bill also requires charter schools to include a legally binding performance contract with their sponsor and sets a requirement that at least one-third of new charters (if a sponsor grants three or more) must focus on high-risk students or dropouts. Existing charter schools had until 2015 to meet these new application requirements.